Schools should provide the staff, resources and timetable flexibility to help each student succeed.
The VCAA will provide the Workplace Learning Record (WLR) and supporting documentation for the recognition of Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) into a student’s VCE or VCAL.
All normal processes that the school undertakes for SWL as per
Ministerial Order 55 – SWL Arrangements are required.
Schools' responsibilities
School support of SWL recognition may include a staff member overseeing the recording of student activities and the recognition of credit into the VCE or VCAL.
This could be achieved through:
- adding SWL recognition to a teacher’s allotment
- giving a staff member time to facilitate SWL
- putting SWL recognition into a timetable block — assign a teacher to the ‘class’
- assigning a home room teacher with time allocation to facilitate SWL recognition
- employing a SWL coordinator
- adding allocated time to the role of a VET or careers coordinator
- scheduling the work placement to complement the student’s VCE VET program and workplace readiness.
School responsibility checklist:
- assign a staff member to coordinate and assess students undertaking SWL recognition
- schedule the work placement
- visit/contact the student while in the workplace
- give and receive feedback to/from the student on the WLR
- provide students time in school hours to finalise the WLR
- review the WLR and discuss it with the student
- finalise the result when the student has satisfactorily completed the WLR
- inform students of their results
- complete the SWL recognition assessment record and return it to the VASS administrator for entry.
Recording requirements for SWL recognition on VASS
VCE VET SWL is recorded on VASS under the Certificate code SWL. Students should only be enrolled in a single unit per program being undertaken per year. SBATs may be enrolled in two units per year.
The minimum requirements per unit are set at 90 hours, which is the 80 hours of workplace placement component plus the completion of the WLR document.
Promoting SWL to employers
Employer benefits
Hosting students allows employers to:
- participate in the education, career development and vocational training of young people
- talk to students about the industry, career paths and future directions
- identify young people with potential for future employment
- strengthen links with the community and raise the profile of the business
- improve the supervisory, training and mentoring skills of staff
- help develop students’ knowledge of the value of work.
Assisting students with their WLR will:
- inform an employer’s understanding of the student’s learning program
- help an employer to modify or adapt their workplace activities to better reflect the VET units being undertaken
- help employers to more accurately assess the student’s suitability for future employment in this industry.
Employer responsibilities
The employer will be contacted by the school or Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) and invited to participate in the SWL program.
Once an employer has agreed to take on a student, they will be fully briefed by the school/LLENs on how to deliver a structured workplace experience for the student.
The employer will:
- provide a work placement that complements the student’s VCE VET program
- meet with the school/LLENs and student before the SWL program starts
- allow the school to visit or contact the student at the workplace
- encourage students to talk about SWL and relate training to the work placement
- provide the student with opportunities to complete a workplace learning record (WLR) during work placement
- meet with the student to provide constructive feedback.