With work placements as a part of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) and some Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses in our senior secondary schools, there are now several reasons why students in Years 10, 11 and 12 might be in the workplace.

Work experience is a well known and valuable part of our secondary schools programs, usually taking place in Year 10 as a one or two week block. The aim of work experience is for students to observe a workplace, and the positions and tasks within it, in order to get a feel for an industry or job type they are interested in.

Participation in work experience may be a requirement of a particular school subject, such as Careers, but can also be offered outside of a student’s subject selection.

Many students in our region take up work experience placements in Melbourne or other larger regional centres in order to combine the experience of a workplace with a taste of city life. Work experience (as indicated by the name) is more about experiencing a different environment and widening horizons than learning particular skills.

This is where newer forms of work placements, as a part of vocational training options offered by schools, differ from work experience.

In the past vocational training happened when you left school and got a job. You watched, listened and worked your way up by experience. Today, accredited training is often necessary to advance and employers are looking for people who already possess skills to contribute to their business.

Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) is undertaken as a part of the VCAL and/or a VET course and is designed to directly support classroom learning in industry related subjects.

Students participating in SWL are placed in a workplace compatible with their vocational training course. Teachers in the classroom have the time to demonstrate individual skills and teach the theory and the SWL placement offers the student the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice under the supervision of a practicing professional.

Tasks in the workplace allow for repetition to reinforce classroom learning and give the student experience in the real world.

SWL can be a one-day-a-week arrangement as a part of the VCAL or block placements (often taking place in school holidays).

For VET students in years 10, 11 and 12, SWL is a small part of their learning, however it gives students looking at employment options a feel for how learning takes place in an apprenticeship or traineeship where workplace learning is the major component.

For more information on VET, SWL and work placements, or to offer a student a placement within your business, contact the Pyrenees and Grampians VET Cluster & SWL Program Co-ordinator, Dianne Stewart, on 0438 502 411.