New Student Options for Years 10-12

Senior secondary education in Victoria is changing. There are new options, which mean that every student can choose a senior secondary education that supports their goals. 

There’s a new way for your child to complete the VCE: the VCE Vocational Major.

The VCE Vocational Major is a 2-year applied learning program within the VCE. It supports students to pursue their goals and aspirations with confidence, and provides them with skills and knowledge for work and life.

Completing the VCE Vocational Major means:

• being ready to take on more learning after school, especially at TAFE or in an apprenticeship or traineeship 
• working towards one or more vocational education and training (VET) qualifications  
• having an employability edge after school.

The VCE Vocational Major is offered by nearly all government secondary schools and many independent and Catholic schools. 

The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is a new flexible year 11 and 12 course designed for a small number of students who, for a range of reasons, are not able or ready to undertake the VCE or the VCE Vocational Major. VPC-suitability is based on agreement between the student, their parents and their school.

Your child can work towards one or more VET certificates in their VCE (including the Vocational Major) or VPC program. 

VET is learning where your child will develop targeted and practical skills. The skills they learn relate to a career pathway, so they can apply them at work or in further education and training.

VET at school can be a path to a rewarding career in any industry. VET students get to try professions before leaving school.

More schools are offering VET that provides high-demand skills in 12 priority pathways.

To learn more about the VCE Vocational Major, VPC or VET at school, visit https://vic.gov.au/onevce