VET stands for Vocational Education and Training. VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VETDSS) involves students completing VET subjects as part of their senior secondary certificate. In Victoria, this includes VET subjects in the VCE, VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) or the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC).

Who can or should do VET?

VET offers students industry-specific training and real-world experience and can be a valuable part of a senior secondary program for many students. Students often choose VET because they:

• are passionate about a particular industry or area of work or study
• want to pursue a trade or vocational career
• enjoy practical, hands-on learning
• want to pursue a career in an in-demand industry
• want to go to university
• want to achieve nationally recognised qualifications that count toward further training or employment
• want to pursue TAFE, an apprenticeship or the workforce once they leave school
• are looking for a different way to succeed.

Some VET subjects can contribute to students’ ATAR, helping them balance practical and academic pathways.

Benefits of VET

Successful completion of VET can provide students with:

• a Certificate (full completion) or a Statement of Attainment (partial completion) from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or TAFE
• their VCE, VCE VM or VPC certificate issued by the VCAA
• ATAR contribution as one of students’ primary subjects or as an increment
• a pathway into employment and/or further VET training
• workplace experience gained through Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
• a Statement of Results issued by the VCAA outlining the Units of Competency completed.

Students value VET because it:

• allows them to combine general and vocational studies
• provides practical, industry-specific skills
• provides direct experience of business and industry
• enables them to explore training in areas that will enhance their pathway choices.

Employers value VET because it:

• contributes to the development of entry level skills for their industry
• provides students with a practical and focused introduction to workplace requirements
• enhances the employability of students
• enables industry to contribute to educational programs in schools
• enables industry to participate in local community networks.