Nominations are now open for a new category of the Premier’s VCE Awards 2023 which recognises the outstanding achievements of Victoria’s first VCE Vocational Major (VM) students.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll is encouraging teachers across the state to get in early and nominate high-performing students for the Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Student Awards – celebrating the broad range of skills and passions of Victoria’s senior secondary students.
The Victorian state government expanded VCE this year to include a dedicated vocational program within the certificate, replacing the previous Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning with the VCE Vocational Major program.
The expansion is part of a $277 million government investment into senior secondary schooling pathway reforms, which builds on the goals and skills of students to help them find jobs they’re passionate about.
“I am incredibly proud of our history-making first intake of VCE Vocational Major students who are leading the way in our world-class secondary school system, and helping open more doors to careers in health, construction, engineering, agriculture and trades and services,” Minister for Education Ben Carroll said.
“The new Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Student Awards category recognises that student achievement comes in many forms beyond a study score – and that all forms of excellence should be celebrated.
“I look forward to seeing the wonderful achievements of our top performing VCE Vocational Major class of 2023 at next year’s awards, and encourage teachers to put nominate their best and brightest students,” he said.
As part of the VCE Vocational Major, students undertake specific studies including VCE VM Literacy, VCE VM Numeracy, VCE VM Work-related Skills and VCE VM Personal Development Skills as well as 180 hours of Vocational Education and Training (VET), positioning young Victorians to excel when they finish school.
Expanding the awards to include VCE Vocational Major students recognises the importance of vocational pathways in Victoria’s senior secondary education and that student achievement comes in many forms.
Six exceptional students from this year’s VCE Vocational Major will be recognised at the Premier’s VCE Awards in mid-2024.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) will provide nominations to a judging panel comprising representatives from the VCAA, the Department of Education, the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, Independent Schools Victoria, the Victorian Applied Learning Association and other key stakeholders.
Nominations close at midnight on Monday, 11 December, 2023, and can be made online here.
