What is VCAL

The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a practical qualification for students in Years 11 and 12. The qualification aims to provide the skills, knowledge and attributes to enable students to make informed choices about employment and education pathways, by providing them with work-related experience, literacy and numeracy skills and an opportunity to develop personal skills.

The VCAL is accredited at three levels: Foundation, Intermediate and Senior which caters to students’ abilities and interests. Since its establishment in 2002 the program has grown significantly at St Columba’s College and we now offer the PreCAL program at Year 10 in readiness for Years 11 and 12. Students undertaking the VCAL study a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification at TAFE (or school) each Wednesday and complete a work placement each Friday. Work placement enables students to implement the knowledge and skills they learn in VET, whilst learning on the job from industry experts and developing practical skills, which can often lead to ongoing employment post-secondary school.

Our robust and diverse study options spanning VCAL, VET and VCE, have provided our students with supportive and responsive learning environments, allowing for the greatest opportunities for future success.

THE VCAL EXPERIENCE

We spoke to some of our College VCAL alumnae and asked them how VCAL has helped shape their career journey.

KATIA MATERAZZO ABIGAIL SCHWIDLEWSKI EMMA CHAMBERLAIN LILY WILSON

CLASS OF

2013 CLASS OF 2019 I completed a Certificate III Business Administration Traineeship as part of my VCAL. I undertook work placement at Event Management Company, Ascot Vale West Primary School and Nelson Alexander Real Estate in Essendon. With a foot in the door from work placement, I secured employment with Nelson Alexander and am still working there. I have worked in Property Management across a range of roles from Leasing Consultant, Business Development, Property Manager to Department Manager. I believe one of the biggest benefits of VCAL is having the ability to enter the workforce at an early age, to learn from experienced industry experts and get a taste of life beyond high school. VCAL allowed me to enjoy a different form of education, that was a balance between school, TAFE and work which was more suitable to my interests and kept me motivated in my senior years at school. As part of my VCAL studies, I studied a Certificate II in Equine Studies at Box Hill Institute and completed work placements at ‘Living Legends’ homestead for retired racehorses, ‘Future Farms’ an Arabian stud farm and with veterinary surgeon Dr Olivia Greenwood. I am working as a junior veterinary nurse while I complete my second year of a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Melbourne Polytechnic. I will be a fully qualified veterinary nurse by the end of the year. VCAL is great if you enjoy hands-on work and know what field you want to work in. It helped me gain industry experience and many life skills. I am financially savvy thanks to my numeracy classes on money management. One of the reasons I chose VCAL was because of my Dyslexia. I felt this pathway enabled me to work on my passion while still learning. When I applied for a job at PetBarn, my manager at the time, commented that my resume was one of the best she’d seen. I attribute this to the amazing work placements I was able to secure through the VCAL program. I started VCAL in Year 12 after I realised the VCE pathway wasn’t for me. I knew I wanted to be a teacher so I completed a Certificate III in Children’s Services as a traineeship and did my work placement at WonderKindy in Tullamarine. I am currently working as the Head Kindergarten Teacher at Casa Bambini in Essendon. When I finished school I completed my Diploma in Children’s Services at MEGT, and went on to complete a Bachelor in Early Childhood and Primary Education at Deakin University, and by completing my Diploma first, I was able transfer into the second year of the Bachelor course. Transferring from VCE to VCAL was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as I was able to start this journey whilst I was still in high school. I was given the opportunity to study something I really love and after ten years I can’t see myself in any other industry. I studied a Certificate III in Design Fundamentals (Fashion Design) at Whitehouse Institute of Design, and completed a work placement at Judith Penak Couture. I assisted in making wedding dresses and learnt a lot about customer service. I also completed a work placement at Spotlight and secured a job from this placement which I still have today. After graduating I started a Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication at RMIT. Three months in, I was given a conditional offer into the Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) also at RMIT and began it soon after. I have never been more excited than when I got that email that I had been accepted. When I complete this course, my hope is to work in either Strategic Planning, Copy Writing or Artistic Direction. I considered VCAL since starting secondary school. It was interesting combining school, TAFE and work placement, I felt more grown up then a lot of the other students. It also meant I was ahead as soon as I left school, because I had a solid job, lots of work placement experience and heaps of references from within the industry.

CLASS OF 2012

CLASS OF 2019