Our aspiration is that every Victorian secondary student completes school ready for their next stage of learning or work.
Since 2018, the Victorian Government has invested $775 million to shape a secondary school system where more students:
- choose and engage in the pathway that fits them best
- finish school confident and prepared for what comes next
- progress into jobs, further study or roles that align with their interests and strengths.
These initiatives act on recommendations in the Review into vocational and applied learning pathways in senior secondary schooling (Firth review).
This reform has helped raise Victoria’s Year 10–12 retention rate to 85% in 2025, the highest in 8 years.
Career education and pathways from years 7 to 12
Career education helps students learn about themselves and their options. It includes learning about themselves and the world of work, exploring, trying things out and planning for the next stage in their journey.
A student’s pathway is the set of study choices – including their options for senior secondary education – that prepares them for learning, work and life after school.
Every student has a unique career and pathways journey.
Career education and advice
Effective career education in years 7-12 starts early, connects to work and supports students to understand their interests, skills and goals to make informed career decisions.
It is essential to learning and wellbeing, supporting students’ engagement and motivation and building their confidence about the future.
Key reform initiatives include providing career diagnostic testing, enhancing career exploration activities for students in priority cohorts, delivering vocational career experiences, and providing professional learning opportunities to career practitioners, guiding schools toward whole-school strong practice.
To learn more visit:
- For parents and carers: Career and course exploration with your child
- For schools: Career education
More than 460 career practitioners in government schools have completed a Graduate Certificate in Career Development since 2019.
Exploratory work-based learning
Work-based learning activities in years 7-10 can help students explore career options and prepare for work and work environments.
Doing these activities helps young people make informed and confident decisions about their senior secondary education and career goals.
Work-based learning is delivered in partnership between schools and employers or community organisations.
Key reform initiatives include the School to Work program for place-based support and digitising arrangement forms with the Work-Based Learning Application.
We are working to support 10,000 additional work experience placements in renewable energy and other priority industries by 2027.
To learn more visit:
- For schools: Work-based learning
- For employers: Your Future Workforce Today
Senior secondary certificates
Senior secondary education in years 10-12 has changed.
Whatever their passions and talents, students can choose a VCE to suit their world.
This will give all students the learning opportunities they need to develop skills and capabilities for success in further education, work and life.
To learn more visit:
- For parents and carers: Your world. Your VCE
- For schools: Senior secondary certificate reform | VCAA
The proportion of Year 12 students successfully completing a senior secondary certificate has increased from 91.7% in 2021 to 97.4% in 2025.
VET delivered to school students
We are helping schools improve year 10-12 students’ access to a range of high-quality VCE VET subjects. This is helping young people gain skills that support their goals and get the jobs they want in Victoria’s growing economy.
Other key reform initiatives include supporting clusters of schools to plan local VET access, student transport to participate in VET, developing the VET workforce in schools, and reducing cost barriers for students participating in VET.
Enrolment in VCE VET subjects is growing in areas, including building and construction, health, and community services, early childhood education, renewable energy and digital technology.
To learn more visit:
- For parents and carers: Discover VCE VET subjects
- For schools: Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students
Victoria has recorded 5 years of growth in school student enrolments in VET. Enrolments have risen by almost 19 per cent, reaching 61,513 students in 2025.
Support for early school leavers
Young people who leave school without completing Year 12 can access support to set career goals and continue learning.
The Victorian Early Leaver Connection Initiative (VELCI) is providing guidance on options for study and work, and opportunities to complete Year 12 or equivalent qualifications at TAFE.
Extra mentoring and other support is available for Koorie young people and young people with disabilities who leave school early.
To learn more, visit:
Since VELCI began in February 2024:
- more than 3,000 early school leavers have enrolled in high-quality programs to complete Year 12 at TAFE
- more than 785 early school leavers have been referred to VELCI’s career advice service and additional supports.
Contact information
To get in touch about Senior Secondary Pathways Reform at the Department of Education, contact: Pathways.reform@education.vic.gov.au
For inquiries about updates to the Senior Secondary curriculum, contact: vcaa.seniorsecondaryreform@education.vic.gov.au
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