Your world. Your VCE
by Ms Shareen Bottrell, Assistant Principal
Study options for Years 11 and 12 in 2025
In 2023, senior secondary education in Victoria changed. Students now have more options which include:
- The VCE
- The new VCE Vocational Major program.
Every student can choose a Year 11 and 12 pathway that supports their goals.
There are two main ways to study Year 11 and 12 at Box Hill High School - VCE or VCE Vocational Major. It is important to understand the difference and benefits of VCE and VCE Vocational Major. Please look at the table below for an explanation of the differences.
| Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) | |
| VCE | VCE Vocational Major |
| A great choice if you... | A great choice if you... |
| prefer to learn in the classroom | prefer to learn in the real world and classroom |
| need an ATAR for your goals | don't need an ATAR for your goals |
| want to develop confidence in academic learning | want to develop confidence in the workplace |
| want to pursue university immediately after Year 12, or pursue TAFE, an apprenticeship, a traineeship, or full-time work | want to pursue TAFE, an apprenticeship, a traineeship, or full-time work immediately after Year 12, or pursue university after time in training or work |
| are ready to do the VCE | are ready to do the VCE |
At Box Hill High School, we offer a Year 11 and 12 VCE VM class. Students in this program complete four core studies: Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development Skills and Work-Related Skills. Additionally, they participate in Vocational Education and Training (VET) on Wednesdays, where they can select from 40 certificate qualifications across 28 VCE VET programs.
Options include health, engineering, digital media, building and construction, early childhood education and many more.
Our VCE VM students also engage in Structured Workplace experience on Fridays, integrating on-the-job experience with their secondary school studies. Currently, five of our students are completing School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT) in fields such as carpentry and electrical work. These students benefit from starting their apprenticeships early while still completing their VCE Vocational Major.
Choosing the right pathway is crucial. If your child is in Year 10 and interested in the VCE Vocational Major program, please book an appointment with the Careers Department for a discussion. You can also ask questions at the VCE Open Evening.
For more information, please email careers@boxhillhs.vic.edu.au
