VET courses in Melbourne’s north: how it works at Y Community School

If you are searching for VET school options around Year 10 in Melbourne, you are probably weighing up whether hands-on learning would suit your young person better than a fully classroom-based subject load. Vocational Education and Training, or VET, is training towards a nationally recognised qualification, and students can study it while they are still at school.

At Y Community School in Epping, VET is a core part of how students work towards their senior secondary certificate. This post explains what VET is, how it fits into the two certificates we offer, and how we support students.

What is VET, in plain terms

VET is training towards a nationally recognised qualification, usually at Certificate II or III level, that builds practical, job-related skills alongside classroom learning. Many courses include time in a workshop, a kitchen, a community setting or a workplace.

A Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or a TAFE (Technical and Further Education) provider delivers VET. An RTO is a provider registered to issue nationally recognised qualifications, and Y Community School partners with local TAFEs and RTOs. The qualification a student earns also counts towards their senior secondary certificate, so their practical skills are recognised twice: as a qualification for further training or work, and as part of finishing school.

How VET fits into the VCE VM and the VPC

Students at Y Community School work towards one of two senior secondary qualifications, and we decide which suits a young person by talking with the student and their family. VET is counted in hours. Every 90 hours of completed VET training equals one credit, which is the same as one unit, and how those credits count depends on the certificate.

Victorian Certificate of Education Vocational Major (VCE VM)

• A two-year program for Year 11 and Year 12 that combines applied learning, projects, workplace learning and vocational training. Students complete 16 units, including Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills.

• VET is mandatory. To graduate with a full VCE VM certificate, a student completes at least 180 hours of VET at Certificate II level or higher, which gives the 2 VET credits required. Any extra hours keep turning into credits that count towards the 16 units.

• Assessment is school-based, with no external exams. VCE VM studies do not provide study scores towards an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), and graduates can move on to apprenticeships, traineeships, TAFE, work, or university through alternative entry programs.

Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC)

• A flexible option for students in Year 11 and Year 12 who need more time, more support or a more hands-on approach. Students complete 12 units, including two each of Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development Skills and Work Related Skills.

• VET is optional, and it is a great way to earn credits while getting hands-on experience. The same 90 hours per credit applies, and Certificate I courses count as well as Certificate II and III courses.

• The VPC prepares students for VET, entry-level work or the VCE VM.

The study areas available

Through our partners, students can study at Certificate II and III level in industries including trades, hospitality, community services, creative industries, outdoor recreation and animal studies. Courses can change from one intake to the next, and we match VET study to each student’s learning plan and long-term goals.

To find out what is running for your young person’s intake, contact Y Community School on 9407 6229 or email ycs.epping@yschool.vic.edu.au.

Try it before you commit

Choosing a direction at 15 or 16 is a big ask, so students can explore first:

• Industry tasters: short introductory experiences, held onsite, on an excursion or at a career expo.

• Work experience: a short-term, hands-on placement linked to a student’s interests.

• Work placement: an ongoing, structured placement in a field of interest. These can include paid opportunities and can lead to employment, an apprenticeship or a traineeship.

Our dedicated pathways team supports students once a pathway is mapped.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) lets a student combine paid part-time work, school and training. It is open to students over 15 in Year 10, 11 or 12 who are enrolled in the VCE, the VCE VM or the VPC, and some eligibility conditions apply.

• The student and their employer sign a registered training contract. An RTO develops a training plan, and the school endorses it.

• Over the year, the student averages at least 13 hours a week: a minimum of 7 hours of paid employment and 6 hours of training.

• The training counts as credit towards the student’s VCE, VCE VM or VPC.

An SBAT suits a young person who is ready for regular work and wants to earn while they learn. We plan it carefully with the student and their family.

How we support students who study VET

VET sits within our trauma-informed approach, which recognises the impact that past experiences can have on a young person’s learning and responds with safety, trust and collaboration.

Every student has an Individualised Learning Plan (ILP) that sets out their strengths, needs and goals. It guides their learning, wellbeing supports and pathway decisions, including VET. The student, their family, teachers, educational youth workers and wellbeing specialists build it together, and we review it regularly.

Frequently asked questions

Do all students at Y Community School do VET?

VET is mandatory for a full VCE VM certificate. In the VPC it is optional and depends on the student’s individual plan.

Can VET lead to an apprenticeship?

Yes. VET study, including through an SBAT, can lead to an apprenticeship, a traineeship, further training or work.

Is VET assessed differently to other subjects?

Yes. The training provider delivers and assesses VET against nationally set standards, while the other VCE VM and VPC studies use school-based assessment.

Can my young person still go to university?

Yes, through alternative entry programs. VCE VM studies do not provide an ATAR, so university entry follows a different route.

Explore what is possible

To see how VET fits with our full program, explore our curriculum and learning page, read about pathways and career options for students, or start an enrolment enquiry to talk about options for your young person.