Frequently asked questions

No. Your VET in the VCE course is part of the VCE and will be one of your elective choices. Contribution to your VCE will be at a Unit 1 - 2 or Unit 3 - 4 sequence. In some programs you can obtain an ATAR score or a 10% contribution.

Our VET DSS programs involve accredited units. You will be required to complete assessment tasks to demonstrate your underpinning knowledge, skills and attributes to meet the course outcomes.  A combination of written, oral and practical assessment strategies will be used in either a classroom, online or workplace environment. 

If you withdraw before completing the course, you will receive a Statement of Attainment listing the successful units completed. You may be able to use the Statement of Attainment to receive credit towards a full qualification, reducing the time and cost of further study.

Yes, 50% of Victorian students go on to TAFE and university. The subjects you do in VET Delivered to Secondary Students may give you credits towards other courses.

The majority of our VET DSS programs are completed over two years, but some are over one year.  See the course page for the duration of the program you are choosing. 

Yes, however you would need to discuss this with your school VET DSS Coordinator.

You can explore potential career pathways and gain valuable hands-on industry experience, all while completing your VCE or VCE VM studies.

Yes! You'll develop technical knowledge in your chosen field that makes you more employable. You will also develop practical and transferable skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are valued in any job.

Depending on the VET DSS program you choose, after successful completion, you may receive a nationally or state-recognised qualification. If the course is partial-completion, you may receive nationally or state-recognised units of competency. You can find this out on each course page.

Absolutely. A VET DSS program pr qualification can lead to further study at TAFE or university, depending on your goals. Many programs have clear pathways into higher qualifications or will help you decide if the industry pathway interests you. Find out more on each course page.

Yes. Depending on the VET DSS program you choose, you may be eligible for credit of up to four VCE VET units on your VCE Statement of Results: two units at Unit 1-2 level and a Unit 3-4 sequence.  Some scored VET DSS programs even provide a study score like other VCE subjects. Non-scored programs may contribute a 10% ATAR increment. VCE VM students must complete at least 180 nominal hours of VET to meet graduation requirements.

Depending on the program you choose, you may attend a South West TAFE campus to study or one of the other training locations. Visit the course page to see where the program is currently offered.

Some of our courses are partial completion programs, which means you will complete a certain number of units of the qualification but not enough to gain the qualification certificate. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Statement of Attainment listing the successful units completed. You may be able to use the Statement of Attainment to receive credit towards a full qualification, reducing the time and cost of further study.

Any costs and fees associated with completing this course will be managed directly with your school. Please contact your school for further information. Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study e.g., tools of the trade, uniform, etc. Please check with your school’s VET DSS coordinator to determine resource costs applicable to you.

Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study e.g. tools of the trade, uniform, etc. Please check with your school’s VET DSS coordinator to determine resource costs applicable to you.

All of our VET DSS programs require you to be enrolled in a secondary school course. Some courses will also have other entrance requirements, prerequisites or essential requirements for the industry you need to be aware of. Visit the course page for more information for your chosen course.

Some of our course delivery locations are auspice training. They are delivered by an auspiced training agreement where training is delivered by a third party on behalf of SWTAFE. Visit the course page and see under "mode of delivery & timetable" on each course page to see if the location is delivered by auspice training.

Some of our courses may require you to attend school holiday training for a day or up to a week. See the course page for timetable information for your chosen course and location.

It means the qualification is superseded and course updates are occurring. To ensure course content is relevant and industry-specific, industry is constantly having input into this training package. The course code, title, units, and content may change in the future and you may be enrolled in the new qualification. Further information will be provided on our website, upon enrolment and/or during the course of your training.

You can start an apprenticeship or traineeship while you’re still at school. This is called a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship. A SWTAFE apprenticeship or traineeship is a partnership between you, your employer, your school, and SWTAFE. You’ll gain real workplace skills with your employer, receive accredited vocational training through SWTAFE, and continue secondary school to finish your VCE Vocational Major.

The minimum number of employment and training hours required for a School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship is an average of 13 hours per week, over two years. This will comprise at least seven hours of employment and six hours of training per week which may be averaged over three periods of four months in each year of the program. Training should be averaged over three periods of four months in each year of the training contract. Some students will be released for blocks of training; some will spend more than two days per week in the workplace in paid employment. Whatever arrangement is negotiated by the employer, registered training organisation and student/school, the student will be in employment and/or structured training as an apprentice or trainee for a minimum of one day per school week.

In order for the training contract to be registered with Skills Victoria as a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship, a school representative is required to sign the students training plan to acknowledge that the student is enrolled in a senior secondary program (VCE or VCE VM) and it forms an integral part of the student learning program and study timetable. The signature is not an endorsement of the quality of the training nor acceptance of responsibility for the outcome of the Contract of Training. When the school representative signs the Training Plan, the school is undertaking responsibility to enrol the student on Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) so that credit for the training within the VCE or VCE VM can be awarded to the student. The Training Plan must provide details of the qualification and the units of competence the student will be undertaking and should include a delivery schedule of the training.

No, you can be enrolled in either the VCE or the VCE VM. Which qualification you enrol in is an individual school/student decision. However, you should be allowed to engage in a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship within either the VCE or VCE VM.

Your school enrols the you on VASS according to the qualification and units of competence listed in the Training Plan. Schools enter results provided by the Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Apprenticeship Support Officers are there to: investigate disputes between apprentices/trainees and employers support apprentices/trainees who are victims of workplace violence and harassment help providers of training and further education to participate in apprenticeships and traineeships advise and counsel apprentices/trainees and employers on training and other matters.

Accurate advice to students and parents is critical and is the responsibility of schools, not the responsibility of RTOs or employers. The school is the conduit for information about School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships and credit arrangements in the senior secondary certificates. Schools are encouraged to contact the VCAA VET Unit for clarification and further advice relating to School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships and their relationship with the VCE or VCE VM. Schools are referred to the School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships section of the website for details of specific programs and credit arrangements.

Yes! If you choose a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT), you can get paid while you train.

Each course have different requirements of what you should wear or bring with you to the program to ensure you are safe during program activities. Visit the course page for more information.