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Cut threat to courses

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
THE State Government has taken $12 million out of trade courses and said the funding cut would not have an impact on teachers’ jobs or students’ education.
But schools and community houses across the Yarra Valley say they will have to terminate the program without funding support, leaving non-academic students without learning options.
The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, otherwise known as VCAL, is a hands-on option for students that gives practical work-related experience as well as the ability to build personal skills that are important for life and work.
More than 350 Victorian education centres, including Upper Yarra Secondary College, Upper Yarra Community House, Healesville Living and Learning Centre and Healesville High School offer VCAL courses to students.
Education Minister Martin Dixon’s spokesman James Martin said the funding was provided to co-ordinate VCAL programs, to write the curriculum and establish relationships with business and industry bodies for work placements.
“It is only the additional coordination funding used to establish the program that has been discontinued,” he said.
Healesville High School VCAL co-ordinator Gabby Plunkett said without the funding small schools would no longer be able to support the program, “and again those that learn differently will be forgotten rather than supported”.
Ms Plunkett said the $12 million funding cuts equated to about $10,000 per school.
“That funding goes towards the co-ordination of getting the work placement, checking on the students at their places… are we supposed to do that for free now?”
“In a school budget that’s a lot (of money).”
Ms Plunkett said the VCAL program continued growing and it took “teacher time” to set up new courses when students had different interests.
She said if it wasn’t for VCAL, “my students would have left school and hung out in front of Coles all day”.
Healesville High School has 22 students in year 11 and 12 taking part in VCAL, learning trades such as hairdressing, animal care, building and plumbing.
“Of these 22, eight have been offered apprenticeships through their work placement, eight intend to continue to senior VCAL (year 12 equivalent), two have full-time jobs and the rest continue to study, work and gain confidence that will lead them onto further education or full-time work placement,” she said.
Mr Martin said that funding had been maintained for the VCAL program in 2012.
“Additional support is also being provided to schools through the work of workplace learning co-ordinators across the state and established Local Learning and Employment Networks that broker partnerships with employers, industry, community organisations, business and other education and training providers.”

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