Vocational Education and Training Clusters

Operational functions and key activities

Effective VET clusters perform operational functions to ensure all students have access to VCE VET. Each function encompasses a range of key activities.

Cluster operational functions are the day-to-day activities that support the coordination and delivery of Vocational Education and Training.
A VET cluster self-assessment tool (DOCX) has been developed to monitor progress of a cluster against the functions set out below.

1. Establish governance and a shared vision for ensuring school students can access high-quality VET

• Establish cluster leadership and governance structure (for example, a governance committee, chair, lead school) and develop supporting documentation, such as an MoU and defined roles, responsibilities and membership
• Develop and document a shared vision for the cluster that is aligned to the department and LLEN’s strategic priorities and local industry needs
• Nurture a shared identity as a cluster (for example, with cluster-based celebrations)

2. Support collaboration between VET cluster stakeholders across school sectors

• Encourage schools to make access to VET a strategic priority and ensure principal-class engagement in the cluster
• Engage and communicate regularly with:
  • all local government, Catholic and independent secondary schools
  • local specialist schools and complementary education settings
  • stakeholders, for example LLENs, TAFEs, RTOs, the department’s Regional Pathways Workforce, Head Start teams and career practitioners

3. Facilitate shared provision of VET among member schools

• Identify VET provision across the cluster RTOs
• Coordinate provision across the cluster, including determining what courses will be offered to which students, and what courses are viable based on student enrolment numbers
• Provide support for the setup of new courses (for example, establishing auspicing arrangements)
• Facilitate consistent processes for VET access agreements and fees between schools
• Facilitate access for non-cluster schools, when preferences from all member school students’ have been accommodated

4. Coordinate student access to VET

• Coordinate and gather indications of demand from member schools and supply from TAFEs and RTOs
• Negotiate provision with TAFEs and RTOs
• Help schools coordinate timetables to enable shared provision with other schools and access to TAFEs and RTOs
• Coordinate communication of available VET across the cluster (for example, via a website, handbook, brochure or network meetings)
• Implement processes to prioritise and coordinate applications with a focus on access and equity
• Solve issues with student applications, including working between schools and providers
• Provide support and advice to individual schools on VET provision (for example, technical advice on implementing auspice arrangements)
• Coordinate a consistent approach regarding supports for students with additional needs (for example, with a policy)

5. Streamline the administrative requirements of VET for member schools

• Establish clear roles and responsibilities for shared provision, including for the cluster coordinator, host school and home school
• Establish clear timelines and processes for course selection, enrolments, applications, attendance and reporting requirements
• Coordinate sharing of student information (including students with additional needs), attendance data and results/assessment
• Facilitate centralised and regular communication throughout the school year, including updates from schools and providers, troubleshooting, monitoring program quality and process
• Utilise an IT solution to support these functions as desired