VETDSS is a unique opportunity for you to experience a career you may be considering, adds to the eligibility requirements for VCE and VCAL, and may contribute to your ATAR score.
A VETDSS program can:
- Improve your employment and career opportunities to be ‘job ready’ in your industry.
- Provide a nationally accredited qualification for a specific industry.
- Create a pathway and credit towards further education and training.
- Provide credit into an apprenticeship by reducing the amount of trade training required and in some instances, reduce the duration of an apprenticeship.
The Gordon offers guaranteed places from 12 of the VETDSS programs into higher level pathway courses at The Gordon.
VETDSS programs are run over one or two years, which you complete during years 10, 11 and/or 12 (depending on when you start).
Programs are generally held on Wednesday or Monday afternoon/early evening during term from February to November. Depending on your school and the program you choose, you may attend one of our campuses or a Trade Training Centre in Geelong, Wyndham, Hobsons Bay or Colac.
Some programs also require attendance during school holiday periods, particularly for the Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) component.
Check out our campuses and training facilities.
Real life training and experience is a beneficial part of VETDSS and each program has either mandatory or recommended SWL, which varies between 10 – 20 days over the duration of the program.
SWL is most commonly arranged one day a week or during term holidays, and your secondary college will work in conjunction with workplace agencies to coordinate the SWL on your behalf.
You are only eligible to undertake SWL after you have successfully completed all mandatory occupational health and safety requirements of your VET Delivered to Secondary Students program.
Every VETDSS program provides a certain amount of credit towards your VCE and VCAL. We recommend you speak with your VET Coordinator and your year level coordinator about the combination of subject selections including any VETDSS programs and the credits they provide toward VCE or VCAL.
VCE:
A VETDSS program may contribute up to 13 of the 16 units required for satisfactory completion of the VCE, and some of the programs have a scored assessment which can be counted within your ‘primary four’ studies for calculation of your ATAR. Others may provide for one ATAR increment; calculated as ten per cent of the average scaled scores of the primary four – a 10 per cent bonus to your ATAR score!
VCAL:
Contribution to VCAL is determined by the number of units successfully completed. When you have been assessed as competent in units totalling 90 nominal hours, this will contribute one VCAL unit towards satisfactory completion of VCAL. A VETDSS program can satisfy learning outcomes for the Industry Specific Skills and Work Related Skills strands of VCAL at the Foundation, Intermediate or Senior levels.
Here are some tips from previous VETDSS students:
- Be enthusiastic and motivated.
- You need to be organised and manage your time.
- Be willing to make sacrifices i.e. undertaking work placement during holiday times.
- Be flexible and open to new approaches – the training is different to what you will be used to, and our teachers are the same as those who teach apprentices.
- You will need good communication skills.
- Be willing to make new friends – students in the program will come from many schools in Geelong, Werribee and Colac/Otway regions.
- Ensure you work out the balance of VCE/VCAL study, your VETDSS program, work placement, part-time work, and sport and social commitments.