Tuesday, 3 May 2022

Ministers statements: vocational education and training

Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health) (12:26): I rise to update the house on the most significant reform to senior secondary education since the inception of the VCE three decades ago. From next year the new VCE vocational major will replace VCAL, offering students more choices, a higher quality curriculum and better workplace experiences and preparing students for further study, training at TAFE or work as soon as they leave school—one integrated VCE—because a vocational pathway is every bit as valued and in demand as an academic one, often more so.

This is a $277 million investment. Schools will receive over $120 million to help them implement the new reforms, ensuring universal access to a core offering of vocational pathways, no matter where a student lives; $69.4 million to expand the successful Head Start program to every government secondary school in the state, giving students the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship before they leave school; and $87.9 million to strengthen the teaching workforce—funded training to attract 400 extra VET trainers and professional development for 1900 teachers. These reforms will also save many Victorian families an average of $300 and up to $1000 by cutting out-of-pocket expenses.

But there are alternative approaches when it comes to vocational education. There are those who cut VCAL coordinators from schools as they cut and closed TAFEs, and given the chance that is exactly what they would do again because that is in their DNA. Only the Andrews government will keep supporting students, giving them real choices whatever their career path.