Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination

Policy

This policy outlines Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination funding support for eligible schools to help with the coordination and delivery of vocational and applied learning, in particular the Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS), work related learning and the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate which from 2023 will replace VCAL

Summary

• In 2023 and 2024, funding will be provided to all government secondary schools with a senior secondary program, and all specialist schools with senior secondary aged students to help with the coordination and delivery of vocational and applied learning.
• In 2023 and 2024 the funding will be provided per school at a flat rate equivalent to 0.3 full time of an education support staff salary, which is an increase from the previous allocation in 2021 and 2022
• The funding will help cover the additional costs to schools associated with delivering high quality vocational and applied learning, such as planning, contracting and student support and liaison.
• Funding will also support schools to work with training providers, employers and other partners to ensure students get the most out of their learning and training.

Details

In 2023 and 2024, all mainstream government schools with a senior secondary program, and all specialist schools with senior secondary aged students will receive funding for jobs, skills and pathways coordination.

The purpose of the funding is to help with the coordination and delivery of high quality vocational and applied learning, including:

• the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate
• Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS)
• work related learning, including Structured Workplace Learning and Work Experience
• Careers education and vocational and applied learning in the pre-senior secondary years and
• School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs)

How to use the funding

Jobs, Skills and Pathways coordination funding must be used by schools to support the delivery of high-quality vocational and applied learning. Schools may use the funding to:

• employ additional staff to coordinate vocational and applied learning (i.e. Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinators)
• provide time release for teachers or support staff (for example, through employing casual relief teachers)
• increase hours or responsibilities of current teachers or support staff

Schools can pool their funding at a network/cluster level, for example, to employ a new coordinator via a VET cluster with other schools in accordance with the Working in More Than One School Policy. Funding can also be used to supplement other resources and grants related to vocational and applied learning and the delivery of the VCE including the VCE Vocational Major, or the Victorian Pathways Certificate.

Some examples of how the support can be used are available in the Guidance tab.

Functions the funding can be used for

Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination funding can be used for the following functions related to delivery of vocational and applied learning:

• front-line planning, design and delivery of vocational and applied learning pathways and student transitions (including provision planning and timetabling)
• implementation activities related to the delivery of the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate (e.g., supporting collaboration between schools or upskilling staff on the certificates)
• coordination of Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS), including in partnership with other schools via VET clusters, and engagement in Place-based Planning
• engagement with VET providers, including enrolments, contracting, and managing auspicing arrangements, or administrative activities associated with running a School-Based RTO
• student support, including student enrolment and decision making about vocational and applied learning programs (in collaboration with careers advisors) and liaison with students at off-site training or work placements
• administration, processing and liaison activities
• collecting student attendance and assessment data
• engaging with Local Learning and Employment Network (LLENs) and employers to provide students with structured workplace learning and work experience opportunities

The funding provided from 2023 is designed to assist schools to deliver the new Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) including the VCE Vocational Major, or the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) as well to provide support for schools to deliver an increased VDSS offering to their students. The funding is designed to assist with staffing capacity and capability and cannot be used to purchase materials for the delivery of vocational and applied learning (for example, materials for delivering VDSS subjects).

Funding and eligibility

The funding will be through the Student Resource Package (SRP). For further details about the amount of funding schools will receive and which schools are eligible, refer to the Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination reference in the 2023 indicative student resource package guide, available on the resources tab of Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives.

Reporting and evaluation

Given its importance to supporting high-quality pathways, this initiative will be monitored and evaluated to make sure it is meeting its objectives and supporting vocational and applied learning as intended. Monitoring will also help the department make changes as needed to better support schools.

All schools participating in this arrangement are required to assist with any evaluation and planning activities as requested by the department.

Definitions

Vocational and applied learning refers to:

• Vocational and applied learning within senior secondary and foundation secondary certificates (Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) including the VCE Vocational Major and the Victorian Pathways Certificate)
• Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS)
• work related learning, including Structured Workplace Learning and Work Experience
• Careers education and vocational and applied learning in the pre-senior secondary years
• School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs).

Related policies

• Career Education Funding — Accountability and Reporting Requirements
• Purchasing Secondary Courses and Vocational Training from External Providers
• School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships
• Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives (2023 indicative student resource package guide)
• Structured Workplace Learning
• Transforming career education initiative
• VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) Provision
• Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS) policy outlining the ways schools may offer VET to students

Examples of how the Jobs, Skills and Pathways coordination funding can be used

Individual school

Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination funding must be used by schools to support the delivery of high-quality vocational and applied learning. For example, the funding may be used by an individual school for:

• employment of staff (noting the funding is equivalent to 0.3 full time equivalent (FTE) of an education support staff salary)
• employing casual relief teachers to allow time release for existing teachers
• increase in time fraction for an existing staff member in a related role (for example, Careers Practitioner, VET and/or VCE Coordinator (expanding the role to include the new VCE Vocational Major pathway) or Applied Learning Leader Coordinator)

Pooling Jobs, Skills and Pathways coordination funding with a small group or network

Schools may wish to pool their funding to employ staff. Schools should manage and agree this arrangement individually.

If a school uses the funds to employ staff, that school will be the employer and have direct responsibility for the employee. An employee who is employed in more than one school must have an administrative base school identified.

For example, schools could:

• employ a 0.6 to 1.0 FTE Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinator across a group of 2 or more in a close geographical location (for example, within a network)
• the Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinator would then be shared across the small group of schools

Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination funding in specialist school settings

Additional uses for the funding in specialist school settings may include:

• supporting student preparation and readiness for workplace learning experiences, including working with parents/carers
• supporting student offsite learning experiences with accompanying support staff
• supporting travel education (schools may wish to refer to the Travel Education Framework for students with disability resource)
• establishing local connections and completing complex administrative tasks to provide work experience opportunities for students with disability

Resources

Example job accountabilities or functions to include in a position description

The following are examples of functions you may require for a new or expanded role and could be included in a position description or job advertisement as required, noting that a school must ensure any duties or responsibilities fit within the roles and responsibilities for teachers or the dimensions of work for the education support class at the appropriate classification, level and range:

• design and planning of vocational and applied learning
• timetabling of vocational and applied learning
• selection and contract management of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
• managing student enrolments via the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS)
• collecting student attendance and assessment data
• compliance activities (for example, for school-based RTOs)
• administering VET funding
• managing the processes for equipment and infrastructure purchasing and maintenance
• management of student transport to RTO sites
• student support, including decision-making about vocational and applied learning programs (potentially in collaboration with careers advisors) and liaison with students at off-site training or work placements
• coordinating with other schools/clusters whose students attend training on school site
• coordination activities with other schools in their place-based planning VET cluster such as timetabling, provision planning, sharing databases, conducting workforce infrastructure audits, and coordinating cluster formation processes, including exploration of governance models and terms of reference
• engaging with LLENs and/or employers to provide students with structured workplace learning and monitor student experience.