Victorian Pathways Certificate

The Structure of the VPC

The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is an inclusive and flexible senior secondary qualification that supports students to build the skills, knowledge, values and confidence needed to succeed in further education, work and life. It emphasises practical, hands-on learning and provides opportunities for students to engage in authentic workplace experiences and community based projects. The VPC helps students become active, informed and creative individuals, empowering them to make informed decisions about their future pathways and given the best chance to achieve their personal goals and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The Applied Learning Pillars

The applied learning pillars provide the foundation for engaging and meaningful learning experiences that prepare students for life beyond school. These five pillars motivation to engage in learning, applied learning practices, student agency, student-centred flexible approach, and assessment practice which promotes success, support a holistic and inclusive educational model. Together, they foster deep learning by connecting theory to real-world application, encouraging young people to take ownership of their learning, and ensuring that teaching and assessment are tailored to individual strengths, interests, and future pathways.

Explore Our VPC Curriculum

Work Related Skills - WRS

VPC WRS prepares students for the world of work by developing essential employability skills. Students explore their interests, investigate job opportunities, and learn how to write CVs, apply for jobs, and perform well in interviews. They plan and complete small-scale work projects, gaining hands-on experience in teamwork, communication, and workplace safety. The subject helps students build confidence in navigating future education, training, and employment pathways.

Personal Development - PDS

VPC PDS helps students build self-awareness, resilience, and leadership skills through personal reflection, teamwork, and community engagement. Students explore health and wellbeing, respectful relationships, and social issues relevant to young people. They learn how to participate in diverse communities and lead group projects that make a difference. VPC PDS encourages students to grow personally while developing strong interpersonal and organisational skills.

Literacy

VPC Literacy equips students with the essential reading, writing, and communication skills needed for everyday life, further education, and work. Through a variety of engaging texts including films, digital media, and real-world documents students learn to analyse information, express ideas clearly, and participate in meaningful discussions. They explore community issues, build digital literacy, and complete projects connected to their personal and career goals. This subject supports students in becoming confident, thoughtful, and capable communicators.

Numeracy

VPC Numeracy develops practical maths skills that students can use in daily life, the workplace, and the community. Learning is hands-on and includes understanding money, time, maps, measurements, and data in real-world situations. Students explore topics such as budgeting, planning, patterns, and chance through relatable scenarios like cooking, travel, health, and news. The course builds confidence in numeracy by showing how maths supports independence and informed decision making.

VPC Curriculum Overview

Under the AQF, the VPC is an accredited foundation secondary qualification under the Education and Training Reform Actand aligned to Level 1 in the AQF.A VPC learning program may include:

VPC units
VCE and VCE VM units at Unit 1, 2, 3 or 4 level, including structured workplace learning (SWL) for VET
VET units of competency.

VPC units may be completed in any order and in any year. The units can be delivered in a flexible manner and do not have to be delivered sequentially. There are no prerequisites for entry into any of the units.The VPC has 4 studies:

Literacy
Numeracy
Work Related Skills
Personal Development Skills.

Each VPC study has 4 units.

Satisfactory Completion of the VPC

The minimum requirement for the VPC is satisfactory completion of 12 units, which must include:

at least 2 units of VPC Literacy (or units from the VCE English group, including VCE VM Literacy)
at least 2 units of VPC Numeracy (or units from the VCE Mathematics group, including VCE VM Numeracy)
at least 2 VPC Personal Development Skills units
at least 2 VPC Work Related Skills units.

The remaining 4 units may include other VPC units and other curriculum, such as VCE units, VCE VM units and units of competency from nationally recognised VET.PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisite studies for VPC. The certificate has been designed to be flexible, enabling the individual needs and capabilities of students to be recognised. It is important to note that some students with additional learning needs may require additional resources to enable the successful completion of the learning program and some students may require additional time to achieve learning goals. Parameters for entry and exit in schools are determined by school regulations and enrolment guidelines. Flexible entry and exit points of non-school VPC providers are determined by the policies and regulations of that education provider in accordance with their VRQA registration requirements.

It can be started in Year 10, with the flexibility to complete it over two years or longer. Students may continue with the VPC program into years 11 and 12 or transition to the VCE Vocational major.
To achieve the VPC, students need to complete 12 or more units, including specific requirements in Literacy, Numeracy,
Work-Related Skills (WRS), and Personal Development Skills (PDS).
The VPC is designed to be accessible and can be completed at a pace that suits the individual student.
Students are assessed through a range of classroom learning activities.
The VPC prepares students for future pathways, including work, further education, and training.

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