Section 6: Victorian Pathways Certificate
Data source: 2023 data were extracted from the VCAA corporate database at 19 January 2024 (Published).
If you have any concerns or comments, please contact the Data Analysis and Reporting Unit by emailing:
research.vcaa@education.vic.gov.au.
Section 6: Victorian Pathways Certificate
The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is an inclusive Year 11 and 12 certificate designed to meet the needs of students who require a more individualised and flexible program for their last years of secondary schooling.
Please note, the VCAL’s accreditation period ended in 2023, only Intermediate VCAL was awarded in 2023. Section 6 details student performance in the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) including student enrolments and completions for Intermediate VCAL only. Senior VCAL unit completions from 2023 are included in the VCE VM data.
1. Victorian Pathways Certificate Participation and Completion
VPC completion is calculated on the basis of satisfactory completion of minimum 12 units. Refer to the VPC Administrative Hand book for VPC eligibility requirements, which can be found on the
VCAA website.
This table shows the number of students who have completed the VPC in 2023.
Table 6.1.1: VPC Participation and Completion, 2023
| Students | 2023 |
|---|
| Eligible to complete the VPC | 1,676 |
| Satisfactorily completed VPC | 806 |
| Percentage of VPC completions | 48.1 |
When analysing the data presented in this table, consider the following elements of the VPC
- the VPC is a flexible learning program and some students may take more than 2 years to complete the certificate
- students may enrol in selected units throughout their secondary schooling without the intention of completing the minimum requirement for certification
- students who do not complete the certificate will be recognised for the units they satisfactorily complete through the Student Achievement Profile summary
More information on the Student Achievement Profile Summary can be found on the VCAA website. For more information about the VPC and enrolment suitability please see
About VPC.
Table 6.1.2: VPC Participation and Completion by Gender, 2023
| Gender | Eligibles | Completions | % Completions |
|---|
| Female | 610 | 293 | 48.0 |
| Male | 1,037 | 504 | 48.6 |
| Gender X | 29 | 9 | 31.0 |
| All | 1,676 | 806 | 48.1 |
Table 6.1.3: VPC Participation and Completion by Sector, 2023
| Sector | Eligibles | Completions | % Completions |
|---|
| Government | 1,118 | 547 | 48.9 |
| Catholic | 128 | 87 | 68.0 |
| Independent | 348 | 130 | 37.4 |
| Adult | 82 | 42 | 51.2 |
| All | 1,676 | 806 | 48.1 |
2. VPC Unit Enrolments and Completions
Students enrolled in the VPC can complete units 1-4 in any order, and there are no prerequisite entry requirements for students into VPC studies. All 4 units contribute to certificate completion equally so there is no requirement to complete the units in any sequence.
Table 6.2.1: VPC Subject Enrolments and Completions by Unit Level and Gender, 2023 (excluding credit gained through VET in Senior Secondary Schools)
| Units Enrolled | Units Satisfactorily Completed | Percentage Satisfactorily Completed |
|---|
| Gender | Literacy | Numeracy | PDS | WRS | Literacy | Numeracy | PDS | WRS | Literacy | Numeracy | PDS | WRS |
|---|
| Female | 3,025 | 2,199 | 2,160 | 2,978 | 1,666 | 1,234 | 1,264 | 1,564 | 55.1 | 56.1 | 58.5 | 52.5 |
| Male | 4,951 | 3,597 | 3,522 | 4,945 | 2,647 | 2,040 | 2,088 | 2,565 | 53.5 | 56.7 | 59.3 | 51.9 |
| Gender X | 137 | 91 | 94 | 140 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 56 | 38 | 56 | 55.3 | 40 |
| All | 8,113 | 5,887 | 5,776 | 8,063 | 4,365 | 3,325 | 3,404 | 4,185 | 53.8 | 56.5 | 58.9 | 51.9 |
| % Female | 37.3 | 37.4 | 37.4 | 36.9 | 38.2 | 37.1 | 37.1 | 37.4 | | | | |
| % Male | 61 | 61.1 | 61 | 61.3 | 60.6 | 61.4 | 61.3 | 61.3 | | | | |
| % Gender X | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 | | | | |
Table 6.2.2: VCE Units 1 - 4 Total Enrolments and Completions by Gender, 2023 (excluding credit gained through VET in Senior Secondary Schools)
| Gender | Enrolments | Completions | % Completions |
|---|
| Female | 10,362 | 5,728 | 55.3 |
| Male | 17,015 | 9,340 | 54.9 |
| Gender X | 462 | 211 | 45.7 |
| All | 27,839 | 15,279 | 54.9 |
| % Female | 37.2 | 37.5 | |
| % Male | 61.1 | 61.1 | |
| % Gender X | 1.7 | 1.4 | |
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