Students, Parents/Carers Handbook

VET

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

What is VET?

The Vocational Education and Training (VET) program lets you take your VCE, VCE VM and a VET Certificate at the same time. VET programs provide for a more vocational VCE by combining both vocational and general education.

 

On successful completion of study, students are awarded their VCE, VCAL as well as a VET Certificate. This certificate is at Level Two in the Australian Quality Training Framework and is recognised nationally. Students are eligible to apply for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and are also granted credit towards other VET certificate and diploma courses.

 

How does it work?

Students start the program in Year 11 and undertake a range of VCE /VET units to gain practical and academic experience. Assessment is outcome and skill-based in VET units, that is, the student will have to demonstrate their ability to perform all the required tasks, tests and assignments. You may be  required to do at least 40 - 80 hours of work placement. This may occur out of school hours or during vacation time. Select the VCE / VET units required for the certificate you have chosen, generally each VET unit is worth one VCE unit.

 

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Students are able to select from a wide range of VET courses offered through the Northern Melbourne VET Cluster of which Macleod College is a member school. Macleod College will be offering VET Beauty, but students may wish to undertake other VET studies at some of our network schools.

 

VET programs are usually run each Wednesday. Each program requires students to undertake some work experience (40 – 80 hours) related to the VET study which gives them a chance to learn more about the industry and the skills it requires.

 

Details of the VET courses on offer are to be found in the NMVC VET Handbook which can be obtained from the VET/Careers Coordinator.

 

Students undertaking a VET subject, need to be aware that course fees apply, and these fees are levied to cover the shortfall between the cost of the course and the level of government funding provided. Details of the cost of courses will be provided to students at their course selection interview.

 

It should be noted that it is each student’s responsibility to make his/her own way each week to and from the school where the VET program is being delivered, and so are advised to ensure that transport to the VET course they select is manageable.

 

Features of VET

VET programs are nationally recognised qualifications that can be credited towards the attainment of the VCE or VCE VM certificate. They are vocationally orientated senior school studies that are designed to meet the needs of industry. They focus on developing industry specific and workplace skills and can provide credit towards future TAFE studies.

 

VET programs have a Unit 1 – 4 structure just like VCE units. From 2008, there is no limitation on the number of VCE units a student may select to study. All VET programs with a Unit 3 and 4 scored assessment sequence can be used in the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) score and can count in the Primary Four in the same way as a non-VET subject. When scored assessment is not available for a VET subject, it contributes as a 10% bonus to the Primary Four.

 

Assessment

The assessment of VET studies is outcome and skill based. This means students have to demonstrate their ability to perform all of the required tasks, tests and assignments to a satisfactory standard.

 

Application Process

There are three steps in making an application for a NMVC VET program:

  • Step 1 Read the NMVC Handbook and course requirements carefully, select your program and complete the NMVC Application Form. Submit this application to the VET Coordinator.
  • Step 2 Attend the compulsory Information Enrolment Evening in Term 4. You will be advised by letter about the location, date and time of this event.
  • Step 3 Payment for the VET course must be received by the date advertised in Term 4, prior to commencing the program in the following year.

Please check with the VET/Careers for VET offerings in 2025 and beyond.

Macleod College offers a range of VET units, as well as a limited number of Australian School Based Apprenticeships (ASBA). Students who complete all or part of these programs will receive credit towards satisfactory completion of the VCE.

 

Australian School Based Apprenticeships (ASBA)

The ASBA consists of three main parts:

  • Enrolment in the VCE/VCE VM at school
  • Enrolment with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in a structured training program that leads to a vocational qualification
  • Part-time paid work

Students may not be simultaneously enrolled in an ASBA and a VCE VET program in the same industry. 

 

For certificates at Australian Quality Framework Level II credit is granted at Units 1 and 2, subject to completion of sufficient hours of training. AQF Level III certificates are credited at Units 3 and 4.

 

Credit is awarded on the basis of achieving units of competence in the modules. The maximum amount of credit available for ASBA is eight units, which may include two sequences at Unit 3 and 4 level.

 

NOTE: Students enrolled in an ASBA will need to negotiate appropriate time release with the College.

 

VET

Students may receive an ‘S’ (satisfactory/pass) for a unit of competence when they have demonstrated competence as assessed by the RTO. Students receive an ‘S’ for a module when they have demonstrated achievement of all the learning outcomes as assessed by the RTO.

 

Satisfactory completion of VCE VET units is calculated automatically as student’s satisfactorily complete unit of competence. The maximum amount of credit available for VET is eight units, which may include two sequences at Unit 3 and 4 level. All certificates and statements of attainment are awarded by the RTO and recorded on the VCE 

 

Statement of Results

Example: The Certificate III in Hospitality includes Scored Assessments for each of two components:

  • School-assessed Coursework
  • Examination based on Unit 3 and 4 sequence, set by VCAA.

These scores are statistically moderated and are used to calculate study scores using the same procedures as other VCE studies. For further information, refer to the VCAA website at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vet