Gladstone Park Secondary College slammed for rejecting VCAL students
SCORES of students in Melbourne’s northwest are facing an uncertain future after they were knocked back from their school’s VCAL program. Desperate parents are now lobbying for more places.
North West
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HUNDREDS of parents are calling for a western suburbs school to extend its popular VCAL program, after more than 60 students were left devastated after missing out.
The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, or VCAL, is a ‘hands-on’ option for students in Years 11 and 12 eager to pursue vocational education and enter trade-based employment.
But despite enormous interest in VCAL from students at Gladstone Park Secondary College, just 25 of the 90 students who applied were accepted into the school’s 2019 program.
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Angie Zaccardelli, whose son missed out on a VCAL spot for next year, has started a petition and a Facebook page calling for more VCAL placements at the school.
“There are a lot of frustrated parents out there,” she said, adding her petition had been signed by more than 270 parents.
“I won’t go down without a fight.
“Everyone has to work together to encourage students to stay at school and not give them a reason to leave.”
Aspiring electrician, Brodie Camilleri, 16, works as a trainee electrician one day per week and was set to undertake an apprenticeship in 2020 upon completing VCAL in Years 11 and 12.
After failing to secure a spot in next year’s VCAL program, Brodie has now been forced to choose between leaving the school or losing his job.
His dad Jack said he was “frustrated” that his son’s failure to secure a spot will mean forfeiting his job as a trainee electrician and subsequent apprenticeship.
“His employer said he’ll take on Brodie next year if he does VCAL, but since missing out on a spot he’s going to effectively lose his job,” Mr Camilleri said.
“The only suggestion was for Brodie to repeat Year 10 and try again or to do VCE, but he’s not academic — he needs VCAL to get him through.
“It’s clear the school is more interested in their ATAR scores than providing options to its students.”
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A Department of Education spokesman said it was working with the school to review the number of places offered and whether there was scope to expand the VCAL program in the future.
“Schools design their programs to meet the needs of their local communities — in order to maintain a high quality VCAL program, Gladstone Park Secondary College this year offered 25 VCAL places,” he said.
“If a student does not secure one of those places, the school works with the student and their family to find alternative arrangements.”
Gladstone Park Secondary College did not respond to the Leader’s request for comment.
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