NMIT VCAL Vodcast

Running time: 6 minutes, 20 seconds
Size: 10MB

Courses:

• Young Adult Migrant Education Course (YAMEC) 16-26 years
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) in General Foundation
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) in General Intermediate
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) Senior

Audio Transcript

Sitting within the Faculty of Further Education here at NMIT, the Youth Unit offers programs to meet the needs of early school leavers.

People leave school early for many reasons including difficulties with literacy and numeracy skills, behavioural problems, high absenteeism, personal issues, or relocation.

The Youth Unit aims to get these students into further education, employment, apprenticeships and traineeships - helping them towards a successful future.

One such program offered is the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, also known as VCAL.

“VCAL stands for the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning and it’s a senior secondary school completion certificate. Its an option for students who would otherwise be doing year 11 and 12, doing a VCE year 11 and 12 , they can now opt to do a VCAL.” - Teresa Cusack, VCAL Co-ordinator.

“VCAL is setup to work with kids between 15 and 19, so we can pick up kids at around 15 if they are leaving school age.” - John Staley, VCAL LinkED Teacher.

“With our YAMEC students, the age increases up to about 27 – 28 and we also offer a senior VCAL program that is appropriate for adult people.” - Teresa Cusack.

 “Every VCAL course you do covers four main areas. There’s literacy and numeracy. There’s also personal development and work related skills, and also industry specific skills depending on the particular course you are engaged in.” - John Staley.

“The main difference between a student completing VCE and a student completing VCAL is that VCAL is more directed towards applied learning , meaning hands on. Students actually get out and do.” - Teresa Cusack.

“As we know, school doesn’t sort of suit everyone and because of the different sort of philosophy of teaching, different style of learning, it’s a great avenue back into education for a lot of kids who otherwise would probably dip out of education or wouldn’t have another pathway back into education.” - John Staley.

VCAL offers a flexible curriculum which enables students to undertake a study program that suits their interests and learning needs.

Spread across five campuses, and one community location, VCAL programs include hospitality, carpentry, ticket to a trade, music and performing arts, and IT multimedia.

They also offer the YAMEC program for young adult migrants, the community based LinkED program (which is offered in conjunction with the Salvation Army), and general programs at all levels - foundation, intermediate and senior.

Students develop skills through an applied learning approach. Learning through doing. They participate in a work placement, allowing them to experience a potential career area.

Literacy and numeracy units are based on real life content, allowing students the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work.

“I was in high school. I wasn’t really a school person and I found out about this course.” - Benjamin Patti, VCAL trade student.

“This course is different from secondary college because its more flexible and you get to learn it in a way you want to learn it.” - Maria Nguyen, VCAL hospitality student.

“I guess you feel like you’re in an adult environment, where you don’t feel like teachers are snapping at you. You feel like you have a lot of respect.” - Sarah Morris, VCAL music student.

“You are still in a classroom but you are not in the classroom as much as what you do at school, but you also get to do hands on work.” - Benjamin Patti.

“Now I’m more interested in the subjects because all our subjects are based on music.” - Sarah Morris.

 “It’s just an easier way to do something I want to do.” - Maria Nguyen.

The Youth Unit provides support programs aimed at helping students to make a successful transition into further education, traineeships or employment on completion of the VCAL course. This service is known as Managed Individual Pathways or MIPS.

Through a series of one on one interviews with a MIPS officer, students develop a career plan highlighting goals, barriers, needs and avenues for reaching their potential. 

This, combined with our close community network, means students can enter NMIT's VCAL program with confidence, knowing that they will be one step closer to achieving future ambitions.

“I was studying hospitality in VCAL so that really helped me to get into the industry.” - Ilaria Belli, VCAL hospitality past student.

“It gave me a jump start so I got a better job when I first started .” - Kate Hutchinson, VCAL hospitality past student.

“The teacher told us how to speak to customers and helped us to get into the industry .” - Ilaria Belli.

“You get a lot out of it. I get my year 11equivalent in one year ” - Sarah Morris.

“The most rewarding thing I think, would be, just coming here and doing what I want to do but also completing my school.” - Benjamin Patti.

“Everything that they teach you is so rewarding. It’s the best.” - Kate Hutchinson.

For further information regarding VCAL or any other program offered within the Youth Unit, please contact our friendly staff during business hours.