VCAL Literacy 

VCAL Reflections

This year in VCAL we have a wide range of students completing their certificates in different industries. Across all subjects, as teachers, we have adapted the VCAL curriculum to help students to gain the skills, knowledge, and attributes to enable them to make their own informed choices about employment and education pathways. 

Specifically in Intermediate (Year 11) VCAL Literacy we have worked on applying writing, reading and oracy skills to assist them while they are at TAFE or working in their industry. This will therefore ensure they are prepared for work in their future careers. We asked some of the Year 11 students to share their insights on VCAL so far: 

“In the first two terms this year I have found VCAL to be very different than the schooling I have done so far. The weeks go extremely fast with only being at school three days a week, TAFE one day and work placement for one day. This for me has been a challenge but a great experience! The three days I am at school I find that the hands-on work and the projects we do really help me learn things better and stay on task. Most of all, I really enjoy work placement and the experience that has come with it. I would recommend VCAL to anyone who wants to go down this path.”  – Anonymous 

“As a young child I have always been extremely interested in animals and having a career involving animal care. VCAL has been one of the best decisions I’ve made throughout school because it has giving me the life changing experience of studying animals and being able to work with them. Going to TAFE and studying a Cert II Animal Studies has made me realise that working with animals is really the dream career that I have always wanted. At the start of the year the Gembrook Vet Clinic took me on to do placement every Thursday, but now 5 months later they have offered me an incredible opportunity of hiring me. One of the highlights of working at the Vet Clinic is helping deliver the animals babies. Delivering babies is a very important job as there is a heap of work that goes into it but seeing them being delivered is such a beautiful and amazing experience. Overall VCAL was the right decision for me.” – Taylor Murray 11A

“My whole life I have aspired to work in healthcare and help those in need. The thought of having to complete exams and achieve a high ATAR was not something that I personally wanted to do, so having VCAL as an option to help me achieve my dream career was amazing. Having the opportunity to complete subjects that teach me things I can use in my future and find relevant for my career was the perfect option for me. Many students put so much stress into doing well on their exams and believing they need that ‘perfect ATAR’ to achieve their dreams but for me this was not something I wanted to do. Completing VCAL gives me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience from such a young age and gain knowledge in an industry I'm interested in. Having the opportunity to do work experience at TLC Birth and Beyond has allowed me to learn so much about the human body and how it works. It allows me to learn medical terms, communicating with patients, medical records, conditions and more.” – Kimberly Males 11B 

‘Completing VCAL has made it easier to pursue my interests whilst also working towards a Year 12 certificate. I enjoy VCAL because it takes some of the pressure off school, the deadlines aren’t as close together making it achievable for me to get work done. VCAL has been a lot more hands on and you have a lot more control over some of the things you do in class. For my TAFE course I have chosen to do an automotive class, whilst I am one of two girls in a course of roughly 40 students, I have enjoyed the aspect of being treated more of an adult, and that it’s my choice of topic. I like my teachers there because they help us all when we ask for it.” – Jacinda Johnston 11C

“This year I have chosen to do year 11 VCAL and I believe it is the right choice as I get to have a head start in my career and TAFE. In VCAL there are four classes which allows us to attend school three days where we are required to keep up with all our learning tasks. These classes involve numeracy, literacy, workplace related skills and personal development. These four classes are focused on helping you find and start your career in the best way. VCAL requires that you need to attend a TAFE. I chose Cert II Building and Construction as I am going to be a carpenter. In TAFE I have learnt all the basics to carpentry and a lot of things that will help me in the workplace. This year I have started a school-based apprenticeship two days a week which gets you allows me to start knocking time off my apprenticeship hours. The school was very helpful with getting me the apprenticeship and doing TAFE as they set it all up for me once I found an employer.” – Anonymous 

 Rebecca Holmes, Grace Sleit & Tiana Clayworth - Year 11 Literacy Team