Teaching and Learning Part 1

VCAL stands for Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning which involves hands-on learning, communication and work-related skills.  In this program the VCAL Students learn as a team, cooperate with each other and develop relationships with their peers, fellow teachers and the wider community. 

To, VCAL students, this program gives us so much more than you expect. It gives us lifelong relationships with students and teachers. We develop skills we never knew we had, which create many pathways options into the workforce. We complete several certificates such as Barista Training, Responsible Service of Alcohol, First Aid and everyone undertakes a VET Course.

Throughout the year we undertake Social Justice Projects which include preparing, planning and executing Morning Tea for Timor and Shrove Tuesday. We travel to Melbourne to help at the Father Bob Maguire Foundation and FairShare. Each year VCAL travel as a group to a small Aboriginal community in Northern NSW called Brewarrina. Students are immersed into their culture to help build new facilities and relationships with the primary school children in the small community.  Being at Brewarrina helps VCAL students take a step back and realise how lucky we are, and to be grateful for the opportunity we have to be welcomed into Brewarrina and use our VET specific skills to assist the community. 

VCAL also includes one day a week work placement, in our desired career path.  This has helped many students gain School Based Apprenticeships and Employment when they’ve completed school. 

We recommend VCAL to all the students in St. Joseph’s College who are interested in gaining employment sooner than later and developing lifelong skills.

Carissa, Sian and Grace

VCAL Students