Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (Reference 143)
Program description
Vocational Education and Training (VET) Delivered to School Students (VDSS) is a key component of the Victorian Government's strategy to support high-quality vocational pathways, increase student retention, and improve Year 12 or equivalent completion rates by providing options for all students.
VET studies can contribute towards the completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
The core learning allocation in the Student Resource Package (SRP) provided to schools for each student is the primary source of funding for VET programs. Government schools are also provided with targeted VET funding to support the higher cost of provision in this area.
Components of VET funding
There are 4 components of VET funding:
- the Core student learning component (mainstream schools) or Stages of Learning funding (specialist schools) of the SRP
- targeted VET funding
- VET materials funding
- small-scale adjustment.
SRP Core Student Learning or Core Stages of Learning components
The Core Student Learning component or Stages of Learning funding of the SRP is provided to schools to offset the costs of VDSS.
In 2023, the Core SRP component that a mainstream school will receive to support the delivery of VET is $1,229, per full time equivalent (FTE) certificate enrolment.
For specialist schools, with students participating in eligible VET certificates, the Stages of Learning component that a school will receive to contribute to support the delivery of VET is $1,003, per FTE certificate enrolment.
A Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrolment in an eligible VET course is defined as 180 hours of training per year. This will attract the full per certificate amount. Enrolments of less than 180 hours of training in a year will attract pro-rata funding.
* CUA30915 Certificate III in Music Industry, for which a FTE enrolment is a minimum of 360 hours.
Targeted VET funding
Targeted VET funding is based on a 6-band model and is allocated pro-rata for enrolments up to 180 hours per VET certificate per year.
To attract targeted VET funding, schools must enter accurate details of all VET enrolments on the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) by the annual funding deadline, which in 2023 is 2 May.
Students between 15 to 20 years of age at the annual funding deadline, who are enrolled in eligible VET certificates, will be eligible for targeted VET funding.
Certificate II and Certificate III level qualifications (excluding school-based apprenticeships and traineeships and Head Start apprenticeships and traineeships) undertaken as part of the VCE are eligible for targeted VET funding.
Certificate IV qualifications may be funded, provided the school has first gained approval from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) to offer the higher-level qualification to VCE students.
Further information and an indicative list of VET qualifications eligible for targeted VET funding is available at: VET Delivered to School Students: Resources.
Targeted VET funding is NOT available for enrolments in:
- Certificate I qualifications
- certificates in General Education for Adults and generalist programs such as Certificate II in EAL (Employment) and Certificate II in EAL (Access)
- diploma level qualifications. Schools wishing to provide Diplomas may fund this delivery from the core SRP allocation
- school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, or Head Start apprenticeships and traineeships.
A student who is enrolled in a school, either full-time or part-time, and also enrolled independently of their school in a VET program at a TAFE or Registered Training Organisation (RTO), is not eligible to have their VET studies subsidised through targeted VET funding.
VET materials funding
In 2023, a two-band VET materials funding model will be implemented (high-cost materials funding band and low-cost materials funding band). The level of funding received will be based on VET enrolments, and payments will be received as quarterly cash grants through the Student Resource Package (SRP).
Each VET enrolment will be allocated $250 for certificates that sit within the low-cost materials funding band and $450 for those that sit within the high-cost materials funding band.
For further information on VET materials funding, visit Vocational Education and Training (VET) Delivered to School Students.
Small-scale adjustment
From 2023, eligible schools will receive a small-scale adjustment based on their total Years 7 to 12 enrolments. The funding is provided for schools that do not have the scale of student enrolments to offset VDSS costs.
Schools with 200 or fewer students will receive additional funding, for up to 15 VDSS FTE enrolments, at either the equivalent SRP Core component value (mainstream schools) or Core Stages of Learning component value (specialist schools).
Schools with enrolments between 201 and 400 students receive a pro-rata allocation. Schools with enrolments greater than 400 will not be eligible for this funding.
Implementation of the model in 2023
There will be a funding floor for schools impacted by a reduction in the certificate band funding for VET programs offered in 2023. This is to minimise the disruption to school planning and ensure all schools receive at least the same level of funding they would have received under the 2022 model.
We encourage schools to review the revised funding model for VDSS and VET materials and determine impacts on their school and potential implications for their VET programs.
Online budget planner
The SRP Planner has been enhanced to enable schools the capacity to model VDSS enrolment scenarios to assess funding outcomes.
The tool will allow administrators to input certificate types and enrolments and receive a breakdown of estimated funding for 2023.
The tool aims to improve schools’ understanding of the funding streams available for VDSS and to support better financial planning.
Funding formula
The funding allocation to support the provision of VET comprises:
Eligible FTE certificate enrolments × Funding level (Core SRP component + Targeted VET funding) (for students aged from 15 years to 20 years inclusive at annual VET enrolment deadline on VASS)
Plus:
Small-scale adjustment (Eligible VDSS FTE enrolments (up to 15 FTE) × Small-scale adjustment rate (where total Year 7-12 enrolments ≤ 400).
Rates
The following band rates have been used to determine allocations for Terms 3 and 4 of 2023 as per confirmed enrolments on VASS.
| Band | Mainstream schools | Specialist schools |
|---|---|---|
| A | $91.00 | $317.00 |
| B | $481.00 | $707.00 |
| C | $761.00 | $987.00 |
| D | $1,091.00 | $1,317.00 |
| E | $1,421.00 | $1,647.00 |
| F | $1,781.00 | $2,007.00 |
| Band | Materials funding rate |
|---|---|
| Low-cost materials | $250.00 |
| High-cost materials | $450.00 |
Small-scale adjustment rates
Mainstream schools: Maximum rate is $1,299 per enrolment capped at 15 enrolments for eligible schools with up to 200 students. For schools with enrolments between 201 and 400 students, the rate reduces by $6.11 per student.
Special schools: Maximum rate is $1,003 per enrolment capped at 15 enrolments for eligible schools with up to 200 students. For schools with enrolments between 201 and 400 students, the rate reduces by $4.99 per student.
The amount of funding received in Terms 1 and 2 will be based on enrolment figures from 2022. This funding amount will be adjusted accordingly pending VASS deadline enrolment figures.
Schools who have not offered VET programs prior to 2023 will receive their first payment, 75% of the annual funding amount, in Term 3.
It is important for schools to correctly enter enrolments on VASS by the due date, including the certificate title, units of competency, and hours, as there is no capacity to provide funding to schools that have not entered VET enrolments on VASS at all or have entered them with incorrect information.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
A student enrolled in a VET qualification through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) is funded under Skills First and is not eligible for targeted VET funding. For assessment purposes, students undertaking VET as part of an SBAT are still able to gain credit towards completion of their senior secondary certificate. Further information on SBATs is available at: School-Based Apprenticeships and .
Head Start
From 2023, the Victorian government will be expanding the Head Start program to all government secondary schools. Head Start provides an innovative approach that encourages students to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship with high-quality Certificate III qualifications in priority industries as part of their senior secondary studies. Like all SBATs, Head Start apprenticeships and are funded through Skills First.
School VET fees and charges
VET programs are considered standard curriculum and therefore government schools must provide VET tuition free of charge. Government schools can no longer request payments from parents for essential learning materials for VET studies.
Use of targeted VET funding
Targeted VET funding allocated to support VET provision can be used for a range of purposes.
This may include:
- a contribution towards the purchase of delivery
- a contribution towards teacher professional development and training
- costs associated with registering as an RTO
- program planning
- purchase of curriculum materials, and
- costs associated with the transition to new training packages.
Contractual arrangements between schools and VET providers
Schools entering into arrangements with RTOs must use the appropriate department template and have a valid, signed Contract or Agreement.
The available standard contracts and agreements are: Standard VET purchasing contract, Standard VET Auspicing contract, School to school VET purchasing agreement, and School to school VET access agreement.
The templates have been designed for the specific use of government schools purchasing services from RTOs and are not recommended for use by other parties. Use of the templates by other parties is subject to the department’s copyright licensing arrangements (detailed at the base of the website’s landing page).
For more information on guidelines for the delivery of VET to secondary school students and the template Contracts and Agreements refer to: Purchasing Secondary Courses and Vocational Training from External Providers.
Timing of payments to schools
Government schools are provided with targeted funding for every eligible VET certificate enrolment provided they have entered the certificates, units and hours for each VET enrolment on VASS no later than annual VET funding deadline. Payments are made in the quarterly cash grant through the Student Resource Package (SRP), as per the schedule details below.
| Terms | Allocation | Enrolment basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25% of Indicative funding | 2022 enrolments applying 2022 Revised Band Levels |
| 2 | 25% of Indicative funding | 2022 enrolments applying 2022 Revised Band Levels |
| 2/3 | Term 1 and 2 adjustments to school budgets | N/A |
| 3 | 25% of Revised funding | 2023 Confirmed enrolments applying 2023 Confirmed Band Levels |
| 4 | 25% of Revised funding | 2023 Confirmed enrolments applying 2023 Confirmed Band Levels |
Professional development for newly appointed VASS users
In the early part of each year, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) conducts professional development training specifically designed for VASS administrators who are new to their position or who have never used VASS, and new schools offering a VCE or VET program for the first time.
Any queries related to VASS Operations should be directed to the VCAA’s VASS Support team:
- Phone: 03 9032 1758 or 1800 623 681
- Email: vass.support@education.vic.gov.au
Reviewed 21 June 2023