New initiative to tackle student retention rates

An innovative new program to help keep Victorian students engaged in schooling and complete Year 12 has been launched.

AGA (part of the IntoWork Group) developed the Year 10 Multi-Industry Pathway Program to offer greater opportunities for students to explore their career options while continuing their education

By offering both vocational pathways alongside the traditional pathway to a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) the program caters to Year 10 students who may be unsure about their future career path or at risk of disengaging before completing secondary school.

Taylors Lakes Secondary College student Bevan Troia joined the program in Term One 2024. So far, he’s tried Building and Construction, Electrotechnology, with Plumbing and Automotive left to go.

Now, he is more confident about his career choices and completing Year 11 and 12 before eventually pursuing a trade. Bevan enjoys weekly trips to AGA’s purpose-built trades training facility and would recommend the program to others, “If you don’t know what you want to do in school, I’d suggest to come here and try out the four main trades,” he said.

The Multi-Industry Pathway Program was developed in close collaboration with local Department of Education staff, and offers students the opportunity to explore a range of trades, including Automotive, Building and Construction, Plumbing, and Electrical.

Brimbank Melton Jobs, Skills & Pathways Manager Maria Cox collaborated with AGA VDSS Coordinator Melissa Vella to develop the Multi-Industry Pathway Program.

Maria said the idea for the program arose from the recognised need to keep students engaged in school, to support their career decision-making and post school transition to further education and employment, “The misconception students taking up a trade don’t need to complete high school is just that—a misconception. We have found that completing Year 12 sets our young people up for success and contributes to enhanced literacy and numeracy skills, lifelong learning skills, and skills for work,” she said.

One of the key benefits of the program is that it aligns with the State Government’s support for recognised VET units being accessible to all students in Victoria.  This means students can gain credit towards a Victorian Certificate of Education/ Vocational Major (VCE/VM) while exploring their vocational options in Year 10, allowing them to make an informed choice about their future.

AGA also collaborated with VET specialists from Deakin University to explore ways of enhancing delivery to school-age students. By placing a strong emphasis on applied learning principles and taking into account how young people learn, this collaboration has resulted in notable improvements in student attendance and outcomes.

Currently, there are 32 students attending the program each week and an impressive 100 per cent attendance rate for enrolled students.

Melissa highlighted the program’s innovative approach, saying they have thought outside the box and carefully embedded practical activities for each unit, “The trainers understanding the importance of making the program engaging for students and providing them with a clear understanding of what a year one program in their chosen trade would look like in Year eleven,” she said.