The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a 'hands-on' option for students in Years 10, 11, and 12 and is a credential awarded to
secondary school students who successfully complete year 11 and 12 in the
Australian
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Australia
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** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
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State of
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
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since 2002. The VCAL gives students practical work-related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work. Like the
Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), VCAL is an accredited senior secondary school qualification.
Further information in regards to attaining a VCAL can be found on than the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
VCAL is a practical education stream, where students may work in a trade or part-time job on some days of the week and supplement this by doing a set course at school.
In 2012, the Victorian Liberal/National Coalition, under the leadership of
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman Baillieu (born 31 July 1953) is a former Australian politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2010 to 2013. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2014, representing the electorate of ...
made large funding cuts (over $300m) to the TAFE public education system, a major deliverer of VCAL courses for the youth and mature aged students, and cut funding to Secondary school VCAL programs. This resulted in students being unable to access many courses and job losses for VCAL providers for secondary schools.
Cancellation
In 2020, it was announced that the VCAL after 18 years will be merged with VCE; phasing out of the program beginning in 2022 and then wholly 'scrapped' by 2025. Education Minister
James Merlino
James Anthony Merlino (born 19 August 1972) is an Australian retired politician who served as the member for Monbulk in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, as a member of the Labor Party. He served as Deputy Premier of Victoria and Minister ...
stated that a 'single VCE certificate would make it easier for students to get a range of skills, both academic and vocational.', with the suspension of VCAL also in response to the stigma that it is solely for non-academic students. The VCAL will be replaced by the Victorian Pathways Certificate & the Victorian Certificate of Education (Vocational Major) from 2023.
[{{cite web, title=Victorian Senior Secondary Certificate Reform , url=https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/victorianseniorsecondarycertificatereform/Pages/Index.aspx , website=VCAA, access-date=1 February 2022]
See also
*
*
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is a statutory authority of the Victoria State Government responsible for the provision of curriculum and assessment programs for students in Victoria, Australia. The VCAA is primarily a ...
References
External links
* Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
VCAA VCAL - Victorian Certificate of Applied LearningDepartment of Education and Early Childhood Development (Victoria) website
Education in Victoria (Australia)
School qualifications