Senior Years News

Victoria’s senior secondary education is changing (and so is MSC).

From 2023, more students will study the VCE. That is because the VCE will include the new Vocational Major (VM), a 2-year program that sits within the VCE, which will replace Intermediate and Senior VCAL.  This program will suit those students who have a clear idea about which area of vocational education they are interested in, and who are interested in gaining an apprenticeship in this area.  The VCE VM students will be required to commit to a two-year VET course at TAFE Gippsland, as well as completing regular work placement.  They will also need to study the VCE VM subjects of VCE VM Literacy, VCE VM Numeracy, VCE VM Work-related skills, and VCE VM personal development skills to attain their certificate. 

Our usual VCE program will also run in 2023, with a broad range of subject choices for students.  This program suits those students who are still unsure as to their future career, and can lead to traineeships, apprenticeships, TAFE courses, university or employment.

We will also invite a small number of students to undertake the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC), which is a flexible program designed for students with disabilities, learning difficulties, or severe disengagement from learning.  The VPC is not part of the VCE.

The changes are a result of the Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling (the Firth review).

The Careers and Senior Team staff are available to answer questions, and we encourage all families to attend the 2022 Maffra Secondary College Careers and Subject Expo, taking place at the Maffra Memorial Hall on Wednesday 20th July, starting at 6pm.  All families will receive correspondence about the Expo and the following pathways counselling and subject selection process. 

Contact Marie Clark marie.clark@education.vic.gov.au (Senior School Leader and Careers Coordinator) or Mark Lomas mark.lomas@education.vic.gov.au (Careers Practitioner) for more information.