Eligibility for the award of the VPC
A student is awarded the VPC when they have satisfactorily completed a combination of units that meet the VPC minimum requirement.
A VPC unit is satisfactorily completed once all the modules within that unit have been completed. Satisfactory completion of a module is based on the teacher deciding that the student has demonstrated achievement of the Learning Goals specified in the module. Students can only be awarded the unit upon satisfactory completion of all modules within that unit. Evidence of achievement of a learning goal must be ascertained through a range of assessment activities and tasks. Teachers must develop courses that provide appropriate opportunities for students to demonstrate satisfactory completion.
Schools report a student’s result for each module to the VCAA as S (satisfactory) or N (not yet complete).
Students can include other curriculum in their VPC learning program, such as VCE units, VCE VM units and units of competency from nationally recognised VET, to meet the VPC minimum requirement.
Minimum requirement
The minimum requirement for the VPC is satisfactory completion of 12 units, which must include:
- at least 2 units of VPC Literacy (or units from the VCE English group, including VCE VM Literacy)
- at least 2 units of VPC Numeracy (or units from the VCE Mathematics group, including VCE VM Numeracy)
- at least 2 VPC Personal Development Skills units
- at least 2 VPC Work Related Skills units.
The remaining 4 units may include other VPC units and other curriculum, such as VCE units, VCE VM units and units of competency from nationally recognised VET.
Certification
The student receives their certificate and a Statement of Results after successfully completing the VPC. The registered training organisation (RTO) provides the official VET Statements of Attainment or certificates for successful completion of VET units of competency.
Students who partially complete the VPC receive a Statement of Results that lists their units and recognises their partial completion of the certificate. Students who partially complete the VPC are also eligible to apply for a Student Achievement Profile summary, which presents a holistic summary of a student’s achievements during their final years of education, that will complement the existing Statement of Results.
Program options
A VPC program can contain a combination of:
- VPC units
- VCE and VCE VM units, including Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) Recognition for VET
- units of competency from nationally recognised VET.
VCE units
All VCE units successfully completed provide credit towards the completion requirements of the VPC.
VET units of competency
Successful completion of 90 hours of VET units of competency from a nationally recognised VET qualification at Certificate I level or above provides one unit of credit towards the completion requirements of the VPC.
Structured workplace learning recognition for VET
SWL recognition is delivered as a VCE study design called Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) Recognition for VET. Students must undertake Unit 1 before commencing Unit 2. Each unit involves at least 20 hours of scheduled classroom instruction and 80 hours of SWL placement.
SWL Recognition for VET is available only for students who undertake:
- SWL in an industry aligned to a VCE VET program (VE1)
- a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) (VE2).
Refer to the relevant sections in the VCE Administrative Handbook 2025 for more information.
The award of satisfactory completion for a unit in SWL Recognition for VET is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit within the study design. Students need to undertake a minimum of 80 hours of SWL placement and must maintain a Workplace Learning Record related to the SWL placement for recording, authentication and assessment purposes.
See the SWL Recognition for VET webpage for more information.
Workplace learning in the VPC
Workplace learning provides students with the opportunity to incorporate on-the-job experience with school-based studies as part of the VPC.
Students undertaking the VPC may complete workplace learning in a number of different ways, including work experience or industry engagement such as participation in industry tours or exhibitions. For more information, see Work-based learning options for schools.
The VPC is designed to be delivered flexibly to suit the needs and circumstance of individual students. This can include face-to-face learning and activities such as work experience, volunteering, community involvement and sports leadership. Students can demonstrate achievement of Learning Goals within a module and work toward satisfactory completion of a VPC unit in their work placement or other community engagement activity.
When VPC students undertake work experience or other industry engagement, they may engage in activities related to the Learning Goals within the VPC module and collect evidence of their learning from the workplace. Here, the teacher will be responsible for designing learning activities, explicit classroom delivery, and aligning the curriculum with what the students do at their workplace in order to collect evidence of their learning. The student needs to satisfy relevant Learning Goals to achieve a satisfactory result as assessed by the teacher. The type of evidence the teacher collects will depend on the students’ chosen industry, the workplace and the Learning Goals of the VPC unit in which they are enrolled.
Any arrangements regarding students undertaking learning in their workplace to support their Learning Goals in the VPC should be made in consultation between the student and teacher so the expectations are clear. Schools must retain responsibility for teaching and assessment and in doing so the school should be in a position to confirm that curriculum and assessment was delivered by registered teachers.
For further information, see Workplace learning in the VPC.
Students with credit from the VCE
Students may enrol in the VPC with units from previous VCE, VCE VM or VET enrolment where they have not completed the certificate. In this case, any VCE, VCE VM or VET unit that has not already contributed to the satisfactory completion of another certificate (the VCE, VCE VM or VPC) may contribute to satisfactory completion of the VPC.
Student transfer and credit from interstate studies
Nationally accredited studies that correspond with the individual VPC curriculum designs (including aims of the studies and satisfactory completion requirements), that a student has completed before they enrolled in the VPC, may contribute to the award of the VPC. Students must apply to the VCAA for credit.
Adult students returning to study
There are no formal VPC entry requirements for adult students returning to study, and no variation in course requirements based on the age of a student. Adult students should be flagged on VASS at the time of enrolment.