School to Work support for work-based learning in 2027
School to Work is the Department of Education (DE) place-based program that helps schools with student access to 3 kinds of work-based learning(opens in a new window):
- group experiences
- work experience
- structured workplace learning.
Most students can find work experience or structured workplace learning on their own, using their own connections or school networks to find a placement. Arranging their own placement can teach a student important skills that help with getting a job.
School to Work providers help by working with local employers and schools to find placement and group experience opportunities.
Summary of change in 2027
Support from School to Work will change in Term 1, 2027:
- One lead School to Work provider will coordinate service each of the 17 DE areas.
- Schools will have access to provider-facilitated group experiences for year 7 to 9 students.
- Providers will send work experience and structured workplace learning placement opportunities to career staff for students who need medium-level support to find one.
- Schools will receive a revised number of referrals they are entitled to make to providers for students needing a high level of support to find work experience and structured workplace learning placement opportunities.
- School to Work providers will also support Head Start staff in finding suitable employers for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
Later in 2027, funded transport for rural and regional students will become available.
More information will be published as guidance on the Work Experience PAL topic in Term 1 of 2027, including contact details for each provider. Providers will also contact each school in their area when they are ready to begin delivering School to Work.
In the meantime, contact your area’s Jobs, Skills and Pathways Manager if you’d like to discuss School to Work.
The current School to Work program will run until the end of 2026.
Tiered service structure
There are 3 tiers of support for students – either to attend a group experience, find a placement, or be matched with a suitable placement.
All students: Group experiences in years 7 to 9
Schools can access provider-facilitated industry exposure experiences for groups of students in years 7 to 9. This might be a workplace tour, career expo, industry taster or employer presentation.
Providers are required to facilitate group activities for a minimum number of students in each DE area every year.
More information about group activities will be published on PAL in Term 1 of 2027.
Medium-level support: Placement listings
Schools can select students facing barriers to finding work experience or structured workplace learning for medium-level support. Barriers could include:
- being from a socially disadvantaged background
- living in a rural or regional area where a placement in line with their career goals is not available.
Starting in Term 1 of 2027, providers will send opportunities for these students to career practitioners in schools. Career practitioners can share relevant opportunities with students.
Later in 2027, schools can give these students access to browse and apply for placement opportunities on a new online platform. Providers will promote this platform to employers.
High-level support: Sourced and matched placements
Schools can select students to get high-level support for finding work experience or structured workplace learning placements.
In Term 4 of 2026, the principal of every government secondary and specialist school will receive an email that includes the number of students their school can refer for high-level support in 2027. The number of students that each school can refer will relate to the number of students enrolled with disability or from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Schools will decide which students to refer for high-level support, based on who needs or will benefit from help the most. This could be students who are in priority cohorts, such as:
- students with disability
- students at risk of disengagement from education
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- students from low-socio economic backgrounds
- students from a refugee or asylum seeker background
- students who have had contact with Child Protection.
The provider will:
- collect information from schools about career interests of referred students
- work with employers to source placement opportunities
- match referred students to a suitable placement
- help the employer get ready to provide a safe and worthwhile placement.
Guidance for selecting and referring students for support will be published on PAL in Term 1 of 2027.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships through Head Start
Head Start is the program that supports school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBATs) in Victorian government schools.
Schools will continue to refer students to the Head Start program for support to commence an SBAT. School to Work providers will find SBAT employment opportunities for government school students in their area. Schools will continue to work directly with Head Start for SBATs support, not their School to Work provider.
More information about changes to Head Start will be published on the school-based apprenticeship or traineeship topic on PAL in Term 4 of 2026.
Funded transport for regional and rural student work-based learning
Regional and rural schools will have access transport funding for student participation in work experience, structured workplace learning or group experiences.
Transport funding will not be available in Term 1 of 2027, becoming available later in 2027. More information about how regional and rural schools can access this funding will be published on PAL before the funding becomes available.
School to Work providers from 2027
School to Work will be delivered in the Department of Education 17-area structure.
Providers will work with employers and schools in their area. Providers may also find opportunities with employers in their area or in other areas for school students in other parts of Victoria.
North Eastern Victoria Region
- Inner Eastern Melbourne: Melbourne City Mission
- Outer Eastern Melbourne: Outer Eastern LLEN
- Goulburn: COMPACT Incorporated
- Ovens Murray: COMPACT Incorporated
North Western Victoria Region
- North Eastern Melbourne: Hume-Whittlesea LLEN in partnership with Banyule Nillumbik LLEN and Inner Northern LLEN
- Hume Merri-bek: Hume-Whittlesea LLEN in partnership with Banyule Nillumbik LLEN and Inner Northern LLEN
- Loddon Campaspe: North Central LLEN in partnership with Campaspe Cohuna LLEN, Northern Mallee LLEN, Goldfields LLEN and Murray Mallee LLEN
- Mallee: North Central LLEN in partnership with Campaspe Cohuna LLEN, Northern Mallee LLEN, Goldfields LLEN and Murray Mallee LLEN
South Eastern Victoria Region
- Southern Melbourne: Melbourne City Mission
- Bayside Peninsula: Melbourne City Mission
- Inner Gippsland: Junction Support Services
- Outer Gippsland: Melbourne City Mission
South Western Victoria Region
- Western Melbourne: WynBay LLEN
- Brimbank Melton: Melbourne City Mission
- Central Highlands: Melbourne City Mission
- Barwon: Melbourne City Mission
- Wimmera South West: are-able Limited
For more information about the providers, visit: Reshaping School to Work in 2027(opens in a new window).
Updated