8. Vocational Education and Training
VET SUBJECTS
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING IN VCE AND VCE VM
Vocational Education and Training (VET or VETDSS) allows students to undertake a nationally recognised training certificate as a subject in VCE or VCE Vocational Major. It is a great way to explore career pathways and personal interests during your senior years.
Many vocational education certificates (usually at Certificate 2 or 3 level) have been adapted to deliver to secondary school students in their senior years. This is now called VETDSS – VET Delivered to Secondary Schools. St Mary’s College is able to offer a wide range of these VET Studies at a variety of venues.
WHY DO A VET STUDY?
- You will find greater component of practical learning than most VCE Studies
- You achieve a nationally recognised training certificate (or partial completion)
- You gain industry knowledge and skills for employment in an area of interests
- You will gain practical skills relevant to your talents and interests
- You may develop skills and a folio to prepare for tertiary studies, or to assist with a Unit3 & 4 VCE study
- With a strong focus on practical skills, VET studies are an excellent addition to any senior studies program, adding variety, a different style of learning and the opportunity to pursue a specific interest in a different way.
- VET studies assist you to expand your experiences and career options.
- A VET Study can help you follow your interests when subjects in your interest area are not available at school or may be too challenging, for example replace Chemistry with Laboratory skills.
- You can broaden the range of skills you can gain by combining subjects such as VCE Music with VCE VET Sound Production, VCE Drama with VCE VET Acting (Screen) or VCE Chemistry with VCE VET Laboratory Skills.
- The choice of VET study will not limit you to that career, but it will enhance your skills and develop your self-management and independence, whatever you decide to do in future
If you wish to learn more about the range of VET studies available and how they can enhance your prospects, go to the VCAA GET VET pages. There are case studies, videos and career pathway charts to help you decide.
WHAT VET STUDIES CAN I TAKE?
You will find a full list of VET Studies available at our College here: SMC VET List 2025
Please note that this list may be updated as new courses become available.
There are also a number of VET Handbooks available which will help you understand the the difference in the courses offered at different Providers and Venues.
HOW VET STUDIES WORK IN VCE AND VM
VET Studies are compulsory for all students in VCE Vocational Major (VM), but they are optional for other VCE students.
Most VET Studies are taught over two years. This means you need to complete Units 1 & 2 of the VET Study in Year 11 and Units 3 & 4 in Year 12 to achieve both the VCE unit credits and the certificate. You cannot just do the second year, nor change to another course after Semester 1 or 2, as you can with VCE subjects, so you need to make good decisions early.
There will be some exceptions to this for VM students in 2025-26, where the VET component can be made up of different studies at Certificate 2 or above. For example, a VM student may do the first year of one VET subject in Year 11 and the first year of a different VET subject in Year 12. They will not achieve a full Certificate 2 or 3, but they will have tried two different occupations and have enough units to satisfy the VCE VM requirements.
HOW VET CONTRIBUTES TO THE ATAR
All VET units taken by VCE students count towards the VCE. A Unit 3 & 4 VET subject will count towards the ATAR.
There are two types of VET Study:
- Scored VET – in addition to the ongoing competency-based assessment, there is an examination and a Study Score available to count in any position in the ATAR. These have an Exam and Study Score. The Study Score will be scaled by VTAC, and it may count in the “best four” studies or as a fifth or sixth subject (10% of the scaled study score)
- Unscored VET – there is only competency-based assessment so there is no examination and no final score. This counts to the ATAR as an increment, that is as a fifth or sixth subject, by adding an Increment of 10% of the fourth scaled study score to the aggregate, which is used to calculate the ATAR.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING A VET STUDY
- As VET studies are taught by external providers, there is a fee charged by the College, taking into account the cost of the course and any government subsidy that might be available. Fees vary from $800 to $2500 per year. Fees are not refundable after the first two weeks of February.
- VET Studies are always conducted at another venue with a VET Provider. Students must be responsible about travelling to another school or VE provider and abiding by their rules and conditions. Attendance and punctuality are most important.
- Some VET Studies require the purchase of extra uniforms, equipment or safety equipment.
- All VET Studies have a strong theory component, usually completed online via an external Learning Management System.
- VET classes are usually held on Wednesdays and Fridays. They may be half day or full day courses. Full day and morning courses are only available to VCE VM students. VCE Students must choose Wednesday afternoon or after school classes.
- Most VCE students will leave for VET at lunchtime, with no need to miss any class time. (Note: depending on timetabling, some Year 11 classes may occur at this time, so you might need to reconsider your choices.
- If you choose a VCE VET Subject, it becomes one of your VCE timetabled classes, replacing one of your VCE subjects.
- VET is compulsory for VCE VM students
- VET Studies on Wednesdays are at the same time as ACC Sport. You cannot do both. If a VCE VM student wishes to do both they need to choose a VET subject offered on a Friday
APPLYING FOR YOUR VET SUBJECT
At St Mary’s College, many of our VET Studies will be delivered through a new VET Cluster for Inner Eastern schools, under the guidance of the Department of Education. This VET Cluster has a Handbook and an application procedure.
Most of the large VE Institutes (Box Hill, Holmesglen, Kangan and Victoria University) have their own VET Handbooks and application processes. These too are available to SMC students. There are also a few courses available outside this system. This provides you with the widest possible variety of VET programs to suit all interests. It also makes applying for VET a bit complicated.
To simplify your application, there is ONE FORM to apply for any of the VET Subjects. The VET Coordinator will then apply on your behalf through the correct process for your chosen VET subject, time and venue.
HOW TO APPLY FOR VET STUDIES
There are two places you must apply for your VET Subject:
- Through College subject selection process - EDVAL – you will include your VET choice as one of your desired subjects.
- Via the online form: VET ONLINE APPLICATION FORM 2025
Before you begin, make sure you follow the VET APPLICATION PROCESS CHECKLIST 2025
ANOTHER VET OPTION
School Based Apprenticeships (SBAT)
These are available for VM students only, as they require the student to attend work and training at least 15 hours or two days a week. SBATs are either assessed entirely at work or will involve one day at work and one day in training.
More Information?