VCE Vocational Major

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM gives students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life.

It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.

The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:

equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values, and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals
empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences.

Completing the VCE Vocational Major

To be eligible to receive the VCE VM, students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 16 units, including:

3 VCE VM Literacy or VCE English units (including a Unit 3–4 sequence)
2 VCE VM Numeracy or VCE Mathematics units
2 VCE VM Work Related Skills units
2 VCE VM Personal Development Skills units
2 VET credits at Certificate II level or above (180 nominal hours)

Students must complete a minimum of three other Unit 3–4 sequences as part of their program.

Most students will undertake 16–20 units over the two years.

Assessment of VCE Vocational Major studies

Each VCE VM unit of study has specified learning outcomes. The VCE VM studies are standards-based. All assessments for the achievement of learning outcomes, and therefore the units, are school-based and assessed through a range of learning activities and tasks.

Unlike other VCE studies there are no external assessments of VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequences, and VCE VM studies do not receive a study score.

Certification of the VCE Vocational Major

Completing the VCE VM requirements means that students have also completed the requirements of the VCE. Upon satisfactory completion of the VCE VM, students receive recognition through the appellation of ‘Vocational Major’ on their Victorian Certificate of Education and a Statement of Results. Successful completion of VET units of competency is recognised by additional statements of attainment or certificates provided by the Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Students who meet the requirements for satisfactory completion of the VCE, but not the requirements for the award of the Vocational Major appellation, will be awarded the VCE.

GAT within the VCE Vocational Major

All students studying the VCE VM are expected to sit all or a section of the General Achievement Test (GAT). The GAT is a General Achievement Test that measures a student’s general knowledge and skills in written communication, mathematics, science, technology, humanities, the arts, and social sciences. It also measures a student’s literacy and numeracy skills against a new standard, introduced in 2022.

VCE Vocational Major Program Outline at Loyola College

Loyola College intends to run the VCE VM program on campus on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On Wednesdays and Fridays, students will attend their chosen external VET course and Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). Although the costs to run the VCE VM are greater than a standard VCE course, school fees will be the same for either program. There is no reduction of fees for students undertaking the VCE Vocational Major.

Example of VCE VM timetable – Yr 11 & Yr 12

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
P 1	Personal Development Skills	Literacy	External VET	Work Related Skills	Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
P 2	Work Related Skills	Personal Development Skills	External VET	Religious Education	Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
P3	Literacy	Work Related Skills	External VET	Personal Development Skills	Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
P 4	Numeracy	Religious Education	External VET	Literacy	Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
P 5	Religious Education	Numeracy	External VET	Numeracy	Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)

External VET Courses as part of the VCE Vocational Major

External VET courses are available at selected times for VCE VM Loyola students. VCE VM students may select courses that run on Wednesdays or Fridays. Students undertaking an external VET course, as part of their VCE VM studies will incur additional course fees as determined by the training provider. Loyola College will subsidise the cost of the course fees for external VET courses. The amount of subsidy is reviewed annually, and the amount will be outlined in the tuition fees schedule. The subsidy was capped at $2100 in 2024. This covered most course costs based on 2023 charges. Students, however, will incur the materials cost for the course. The subsidy is only available to students that pay Loyola’s full tuition fees in the given year. When a student withdraws mid-year and is enrolled in an external VET course, it is the parent responsibility for the cost of the VET course. The Final Fee Calculation considers the cost of the course less the DET subsidy only, and the debtor is responsible for the difference.

All applications and enrolments for any external VET course, go through the VCE VM Coordinator at Loyola College. These courses are delivered by different training providers in partnership with Northern Melbourne VET Cluster schools.

The Northern Melbourne VET Cluster 2025 VET Handbook can be found HERE, this handbook will provide full details about the courses to be offered. Please see the VCE VM Coordinator for further information.

Examples of External VET subject undertaken in the VCE Vocational Major

Certificate	Institution
Certificate II in Building and Construction (Carpentry)	Parade College
Certificate II in Plumbing	Parade College
Certificate II in Electrotechnology	Parade College
Certificate II in Salon Assistant	Peter Lalor Vocational College
Certificate III in Beauty services	Macleod College

Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) as part of the VCE Vocational Major Program

Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) is designed to help students apply the skills and knowledge they learn in their VET program in an industry environment. The VCAA has determined that Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) is an appropriate and valuable component of all VCE VET and VM programs. SWL involves on-the-job training in which students are required to master a designated set of skills and competencies related to their VCE VET program.

Students undertaking the VCE Vocational Major at Loyola have an allocated day each week to undertake SWL. This is usually on a Friday but can be on a Wednesday depending upon which day the external VET course is undertaken. The organisation of SWL is the responsibility of the students, but preparation, training and support will be provided by Loyola college.

School Based Apprenticeship (SBAT) as part of the VCE Vocational Major Program

A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) is an apprenticeship or traineeship undertaken by a student enrolled in a senior secondary program. Regular school attendance is combined with at least one timetabled day per week spent on the job or in training during the normal school week. An SBAT combines part-time, practical experience in the workplace with recognised, structured training from a Registered Training Organisation.

The SBAT is organised by the student with and employer. The employer decides on the Training provider and is responsible for the Training costs incurred by the student. Loyola College is essentially a third party and is responsible for passing the Training plan provided by the Training provider to the VCAA for verifying.

Please contact the Head of VCE VM for further information on SBATs.