Structured Workplace Learning recognition

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Changes to Structured Workplace Learning Recognition for VET from 2024

Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) Recognition for VET provides students with the opportunity to experience, investigate, document and reflect on on-the-job-learning and workplace skills acquired through an authentic work placement in an industry aligned with their VCE VET qualification or school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT).

In 2024, Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) Recognition for VET will be changing.

VCE (including the VCE VM) and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) providers will deliver SWL Recognition for VET as a VCE study design.

There are two units for the study design:

Unit 1: Learning in the workplace
Unit 2: Developing in the workplace

Accreditation period 2024-2025

Study Design

Summary of changes from 2024

SWL Recognition for VET will be available only for students who undertake:

SWL in an industry aligned to a VCE VET program (VE1)
a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) (VE2)

Students must undertake Unit 1 before commencing Unit 2
Each unit must involve at least 20 hours of scheduled classroom instruction and 80 hours of SWL placement
A student can obtain credit for satisfactory completion of each unit only once
Students undertaking a VE3 VET certificate will be ineligible to complete this VCE study
SWLR General will not be available and, therefore, no students can undertake SWLR units without a VCE VET (VE1) or SBAT (VE2). We are currently investigating for future years other ways to recognise general workplace learning hours

As in previous years, students must still keep a record of the 80 hours of SWL placement in the Workplace Learning Record (WLR). They must also undertake a different work placement for each unit and maintain a separate WLR for each placement.

From 2024, students undertaking a VE1 VCE VET program can complete one unit per year, with a maximum of 2 units in any VCE program, based on their reflections on different units of competency from the qualification that forms part of the VCE VET program.

Students undertaking an approved VE2 SBAT can complete 2 units per year, with a maximum of 2 units in any VCE program, based on their reflections on different units of competency.

The award of satisfactory completion for a unit in SWL Recognition for VET will be based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit within the study design. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks to provide a range of opportunities for the student to demonstrate the key knowledge and skills for these outcomes.

A SWL WLR assessment record must be filled out and signed by the assessor or teacher.

Workplace Learning Records for 2024

Workplace Learning Records (WLRs) and the SWL WLR assessment record form for 2024 are currently being prepared and will be available for VCE providers in early 2024.

Frequently asked questions (updated 1 December 2023)

The Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority required the VCAA to review and update the arrangements for SWL Recognition for 2024. This was part of the registration process to ensure compliance with the minimum standards to award, confer or issue a registered senior or foundation secondary qualification (as per schedule 9 of the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017).

The study design is accredited from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025.

This study has been deemed an equivalent study towards satisfactory VCE completion. The VCE Structured Workplace Learning Recognition for VET study design replaces the SWL Recognition credit arrangements in place before 2024. If a student undertakes an equivalent study of a unit they have already satisfactorily completed or received a credit for, only one of these units or credits can be included towards satisfactory VCE completion.

For example, if a student already has one SWLR credit from prior to 2024, this will mean they cannot undertake Unit 1 of the new Study Design as this is an equivalent unit, however they can undertake Unit 2 of the new Study Design from 2024. If a student already has two or more SWLR credits as part of their VCE program prior to 2024, they cannot undertake any further units of the new Study Design.

In 2024, we will undertake a major review of SWL within the VCE and VPC following the principles and procedures for the development and review of VCE studies. This will include a concurrent review of the VCE VM Work Related Skills study design, VCE Industry and Enterprise study design, VPC Work Related Skills curriculum design and VCE VET Business (Certificate II in Workplace skills) to ensure a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates SWL Recognition with minimal duplication and continues to meet the minimum standards for registration.

The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit in the study design. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for the student to demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills for the outcomes as per the study design. All assessments at Units 1 and 2 are school-based. Procedures for assessment of levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for school decision.

For each unit students are required to demonstrate two outcomes.

Suitable tasks for assessment are contained in the study design.

The WLR is to document the skills and knowledge learned, employability skills developed and industry experience gained relating to the VET qualification being undertaken during the SWL experience.

Students must undertake a different work placement for each unit and maintain a separate WLR per placement.

In each unit, students must maintain a WLR related to the 80 hour SWL placement industry aligned with their VCE VET qualification for recording, authentication and assessment purposes. It should be used as part of the teaching, learning and assessment program but not be the school-based assessment task for the unit.

The increase to 20 hours of scheduled classroom instruction is to bring the study in line with the total nominal hours for a VCE study (50 hours of scheduled classroom instruction plus 50 hours of self-directed learning for each unit). Each unit of SWL Recognition for VET involves at least 20 hours of scheduled classroom instruction and 80 hours of SWL placement.

School principals are the formal authorities for many important procedural and managerial requirements in the VCE (including the provision of required hours of classroom instruction per unit) and VPC. The scheduling of classroom instruction for SWL Recognition for VET will vary depending on the school timetable structure, lesson lengths, staffing availability, resourcing and other local factors.

Students undertaking a VE1 VCE VET program can complete only one unit of SWL Recognition for VET per year, which provides the opportunity for schools to schedule and deliver the required 20 hours of scheduled classroom instruction across the academic year, not just limit it to one semester.

Providers need to carefully consider and document how they meet the provision requirements for the 20 hours of classroom instruction per unit. They could consider:

using common student study periods (or free periods) or examination periods in their timetable blocking or structure to schedule classroom instruction for the study
reviewing the current hours of delivery currently timetabled VCE classes (for example VCE VM Work Related Skills and VCE VM Personal Development Skills) and use the excess hours above the required 50 hours in the delivery of the study

There are no requirements for specialist teacher qualifications for this study, other than the regular VIT requirements for a VCE teacher.

A student can obtain credit for satisfactory completion of each unit of this study only once. Students undertaking a VE1 VCE VET program and an approved VE2 school-based apprenticeship and traineeship can be eligible for a Unit 1 and Unit 2 credit for satisfactory completion of this study in 2024.

Students undertaking a VE3 VET certificate are ineligible to complete this VCE study and SWL General is also no longer available from 2024.

Schools may consider enrolling affected students into VCE Industry and Enterprise Units 1 and 2, which provide SWL opportunities in educational, community or industry settings as part of the curriculum offered in the study design.

Support for teachers

We are currently preparing support materials to offer teachers advice for planning, teaching and learning, and assessment for this study design. These will be published in early 2024.

Please also refer to the Department of Education’s Structured Workplace Learning policy, which sets out the requirements for schools in planning for and implementing SWL placements for secondary school students.

Webinar

Principals, directors and teachers are invited to attend our webinar at 4pm on Tuesday 5 December. During this session, we will provide an overview of the new study design and explain the changes to SWL Recognition in more detail. A recording of the webinar will be also be available after the day.

More information

VCE Curriculum Unit

email: vcaa.vce.curriculum@education.vic.gov.au.

Structured Workplace Learnng (SWL) Recognition provides the formal framework and processes to enable students to integrate their on-the-job experience and learning in a workplace with nationally recognised VET undertaken as part of the VCE or the VCAL.
In 2023, SWL is also available for students enrolled in the VCE VM or VPC.

In 2022, SWL Recognition is available for students who undertake SWL in an industry aligned to the VCE VET program they are enrolled in. SWL Recognition is also available for students undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT).

In order to receive VCE or VCAL credit, students need to maintain and complete their Workplace Learning Record (WLR).

WLRs are available for download on the relevant VCE VET programs page. A complete list of VCE VET WLRs are available in the resources below.

The SBAT WLRs are available for download at Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

The SWL assessment record, to be filled out and signed by the assessor or teacher, can be found at SWL Recognition assessment guidelines.

How it works

The SWL recognition program is made up of three stages:

Stage 1

Pre-placement activities

The activities in this section provide knowledge and preparation for the work placement:

completion of the learner profile in the WLR
understanding industry and career opportunities
understanding generic workplace/employability skills
understanding how to record evidence in the WLR and what is considered appropriate evidence
a focus on communication and interpersonal skills
expected roles, responsibilities, attitudes and behaviours in the workplace
benefits of work placement relating to experience, observations and contact with employers
workplace health and safety induction and training, including hazard identification, accident prevention and emergency procedures.

Stage 2

Workplace learning

Students undertake the actual work placement. A minimum of 80 hours of work placement is required for a student to be eligible for SWL recognition credit
During the work placement the student is responsible for maintaining the WLR or WLR (General).

School activities and learning

Information extracted from units of competency (UoCs) that students may be exposed to in their workplace
Examples of learning/skills/knowledge that relate to specific UoCs
Observations of activities/experiences at the workplace that relate to specific UoCs.
Students record observations and tasks that relate to at least six UoCs.

Stage 3

Post-placement reflection

At the conclusion of the work placement, students will reflect on the WLR or WLR (General) with a staff member from their school
Students will also reflect on the eight employability skills
Students are required to analyse their own learning and practice of the employability skills, and what changes or action they would make to improve their employability skills.

SWL recognition benefits

Students experience a high-quality placement with employers who understand their VCE VET program
Students are better prepared for employment, with a greater understanding of their personal strengths and career opportunities
Students achieve VCE, including VCE VM, or VCAL credit by learning in the workplace.

School-based apprenticeships or traineeships

Students are able to receive credit for workplace learning recognition while undertaking a SBAT. It works in the same way as SWL recognition with three stages required to achieve credit into the VCE, including the VCE VM, or VCAL.

Credit recognition

In order for a student undertaking VET to be eligible for credit they should:

be enrolled in a minimum of 180 hours in the VCE VET program or SBAT for the year
undertake a minimum of 80 hours full-time equivalent of structured work placement
complete the WLR according to the VCAA assessment guidelines
report on at least six UoCs in Section 2 of the WLR. One UoC must be a work, health and safety unit.

In order for a student who is not undertaking VET to be eligible for credit they should:

be enrolled in the VCE or the VCE VM
undertake a minimum of 80 hours full-time equivalent of structured work placement
complete the WLR (General).

SWL recognition provides :

credit at VCE units 1 and 2 level, including into the VM
general credits for all three levels of VCAL.

SWLR credit is limited to one unit per year with a maximum of three units in any single VCE VET program. A maximum of four units of credit is available for SWLR over the term of a student’s senior secondary enrolment.

General workplace learning recognition, is capped at one unit of credit . However, this may contribute to the maximum of four SWLR units of credit a student may accumulate over the term of their senior secondary enrolment.

SWLR for SBATs is limited to two units of credit per year per certificate.

When the school staff member has assessed a student’s WLR (VET) or WLR (General), they will complete and sign the SWL recognition assessment record and provide it to the school’s VASS administrator for result entry.

A student will receive a Satisfactory (S) or a Not Satisfactory result (N) for SWLR units undertaken in .

To find out how recognition is assessed, see the SWL Recognition assessment guidelines

SWL Recognition from 2023

SWL will be available for students enrolled in the VCE, VCE VM, VPC or VCAL from 2023. The following applies to SWL Recognition arrangements from 2023:

SWL Recognition is available for students who undertake:

SWL in an industry aligned to a VCE VET program (VE1)
a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) (VE2)
SWL General, which includes SWL in any other VET certificate (VE3), SWL in any industry not aligned to their VET certificate or SWL but are not enrolled in any VET certificate.

In order to receive credit towards the VCE, VCE VM, VPC or VCAL, students need to undertake a minimum of 80 hours, and maintain and complete the appropriate Workplace Learning Record (WLR).

WLRs for VCE VET programs are available for download on the relevant VCE VET program page or via the WLR list on this webpage.

The WLR (SBAT) is available for download on the Apprenticeships and Traineeships page.

The WLR (General) is available for download via the WLR list on this webpage.

A SWL assessment record must be filled out and signed by the assessor or teacher. This can be found on the SWL recognition assessment guidelines page.

Credit recognition

In order for a student undertaking VET to be eligible for credit they should:

be enrolled in a minimum of 180 hours in the VCE VET program or SBAT for the year
undertake a minimum of 80 hours full-time equivalent of structured work placement
complete the WLR according to the VCAA assessment guidelines
report on at least six UoCs in Section 2 of the WLR. One UoC must be a work, health and safety unit.

In order for a student who is not undertaking VET to be eligible for credit they should:

be enrolled in the VCE, VCE VM or VPC
undertake a minimum of 80 hours full-time equivalent of structured work placement
complete the WLR (General).

SWL recognition provides:

credit at VCE units 1 and 2 level, including into the VM
two units of credit towards the VPC
general credits for all three levels of VCAL.

General SWLR, is capped at one unit of credit. However, this may contribute to the maximum of four SWLR units of credit a student may accumulate over the term of their senior secondary enrolment.

SWLR for SBATs is limited to two units of credit per year per certificate.

A student will receive a Satisfactory (S) or a Not Satisfactory result (N) for SWLR units undertaken in SWL recognition.

To find out how recognition is assessed, see the SWL Recognition assessment guidelines.