CAREER PLANNING INFORMATION

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? VCE VCE Vocational Major

About The Vce

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is Victoria’s senior secondary qualification. It recognises the successful completion of a student’s secondary education and provides pathways to university, higher-level TAFE or VET certificate courses, apprenticeships, traineeships and the workforce. It is designed to be undertaken in Years 11 and 12. Many Victorian students choose to finish secondary school studying the VCE that best suits their career aspirations and talents. As such, some students will choose a VCE ATAR pathway, while others will choose a vocational and applied learning pathway within the VCE. Whatever the pathway, all students graduate senior secondary with a VCE certificate.

ABOUT THE VCE (ATAR PATHWAY)

The VCE offers a direct pathway to university and can provide you with an ATAR. To get your VCE, you must successfully complete at least 16 units, including:

• 3 units from the English group, including a unit 3 and 4 sequence,

• at least 3 other sequences of unit 3 and 4 studies. Over years 11 and 12, most students study between 20 and 24 units, usually 7 studies in year 11 and dropping back to 5 in year 12.

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a figure that reflects your relative achievement compared to everyone else in Year 12. It is based on study scores and is a figure (or ranking) between 0.00 and 99.95. Before offering places, tertiary institutions such as Universities, often look at each student’s ATAR and the combination of VCE subjects they finished. To receive an ATAR, you must complete 4 Unit 3 and 4 sequences, including a VCE English subject and complete the graded assessments for those subjects. The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) calculates your ATAR. Go to VTAC www.vtac.edu.au for more about the ATAR and tertiary course options.

About The Vce Vocational Major

The VCE Vocational Major will develop your personal and practical life skills. It will help to prepare you for the next important stage of your life. The VCE VM has specific subjects designed to prepare you for a vocational pathway. They are VCE VM Literacy, VCE VM Numeracy, VCE VM Work Related Skills, and VCE VM Personal Development Skills (and 180 nominal hours of VET at Certificate II level or above).

Each subject has 4 units and each unit has a set of outcomes which are assessed through a range of learning activities and tasks.You will apply knowledge and skills in practical settings such as structured work placement and, also undertake community-based activities and projects that involve working in a team. VCE VM gives students practical work-related experiences and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work.

About The Vce Vet

As part of the VCE, students can select to study a Vocational Education and Training (VET) study. VET allows you to do nationally recognised training as part of your VCE or VCE VM. You can combine general and vocational studies, explore career options, and learn in the workplace.

VET develops industry specific knowledge and skills, as well as general skills needed for employment, training, and further education. VET gives you practical skills relevant to your many talents, and helps you work towards a formal VET qualification.

VET qualifications can contribute towards your VCE ATAR or VCE Vocational Major. VCE VET programs offered at Mazenod College contribute to your VCE program in the same way that other studies contribute (study score), PLUS, the added benefit of a nationally recognised certificate provided by our Registered Training Organisations (RTO) partners, that will issue the certificate to the students at the successful completion of the course.

VCE VET Programs offered on campus at Mazenod College include Christian Ministry & Theology, Creative Digital Media, Engineering, Furnishing, Hospitality, Information & Communications Technology, Small business Operations/Innovations or Sport and Recreation.

*delivered at our partner TAFE, Homesglen Institute (RTO 0416) Waverley campus.

VCE VM students will study a VET program on offer at Mazenod College plus an additional VET program of their own choice, at TAFE. Go to VTAC www.vtac.edu.au for more about the ATAR and tertiary course options.

VICTORIAN CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION

Atar Pathway

TO TRANSITION WITH AN ATAR TO A: UNIVERSITY COURSE or TAFE COURSE

VOCATIONAL MAJOR (VM)

Pathway

TO TRANSITION TO AN: APPRENTICESHIP or TRAINEESHIP or FURTHER EDUCATION COURSE AT TAFE or EMPLOYMENT

Vce Vet Subjects

A TAFE QUALIFICATION COMPLETED WITHIN THE SENIOR SCHOOL WITH CREDIT TO EITHER VCE PATHWAY