VCAL & VET

‘Leave nothing undared for the Kingdom of God’ and never more than now has the statement meant so much to our VCAL and VET students. With everything that we know flipped on its head and having to learn new skills quickly and somehow complete our respective courses, all students can in the future sit back with their grandchildren and say ‘well, back in my day we had to……’

Students had to overnight, develop strong and advanced PC skills, learn how to interact online, learn how to talk into a camera and not watch the screen, mute microphones, log into various portals and environments, self-regulate time and resources, produce outcomes, create and maintain portfolios of evidence, balance school, TAFE and work-placement and start to worry about what jobs will exist in 2021 and the list goes on.

Many of you will have been affected by what is happening on a global scale and some students have witnessed firsthand the uncertainty of their future pathways. Rest assured that Mazenod has endeavored to provide a stable, consistent, manageable learning platform for VCAL and VET students. No one has been left behind or forgotten in VCAL or VET. In some respects, students have discovered different vocational pathways and opportunities not previously considered. Some students have appreciated a more one on one approach to learning that remote online access has offered.

A common question I was asked by many parents, some staff and a majority of students is ‘how will we complete a practical class online and finish the year?’ Easy! By maintaining a consistent timetable similar to school and importantly, thinking outside the square, all of our subjects were able to be converted to remote learning and assessment. Most TAFE courses continued in some form and some students were able to continue working by converting their work placement to part time employment. Many students continued in existing part time employment and these hours were able to be used as credits towards a successful completion. Heavy practical classes had time to conduct theory lessons and assignments, normally crammed in somewhere across the year. Students enjoyed in depth discussions on materials, tooling, machinery, equipment and processes, normally brushed over in a rush to complete a very busy program.

In VET, students intending to sit the VCAA exam for Furnishing, Engineering, Sport and Recreation and Creative Digital Media have had an unprecedented amount of time to prepare for their end of year exam. Students have enjoyed in depth analysis of their respective study areas, arming them with knowledge through lengthy discussions and preparation that will hold them in good stead for the end of year exams. Good luck to all Year 12 students leaving us this year. It was a different way to learn but all students adapted well.

Finally to all the VCAL and VET staff. You all excelled this year and put in a momentous amount of time, work and effort for the students. Without your high level of commitment and drive, VCAL and VET would have stumbled along. From a very humble and grateful coordinator, thank you. In closing, I would like to take the opportunity to especially thank a member of staff, an unsung hero, who hates the limelight and has invested more than 10 years of his career in teaching and coordinating VCAL, Mr Matthew Johnson. Although not leaving the College, he is hanging up his VCAL hat. His drive and passion for VCAL is second to none and as a passionately driven person, he only has the best of intentions for his VCAL students. Matt is well known around the state and many a time at a meeting a stranger would approach me to pass on their regards to him. His network is invaluable. I consider Matt my VCAL mentor and for someone who taught me in CAPE, prior to VCAL way back in the mid 1980s! It is encouraging to see that he is still passionate about applied learning, well done and thank you Matt.

Leigh Harris