Government and non-government schools across the north are working together to ensure young people gain the practical skills, experience, and confidence to pursue their dreams.
The Northern Melbourne VET Cluster (NMVC) is a collaborative partnership of secondary schools working together to expand access to VET programs across the region. Students can move between schools within the cluster to access their preferred VET subjects, giving them greater choice to develop skills and an employability edge when they graduate.
Since its establishment in 2006, the NMVC has grown to include 69 government, independent and Catholic schools, collectively offering 46 VET courses to more than 2500 enrolled students.
Through partnerships with industry, TAFEs, Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs), and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), the NMVC provides students access to high-quality vocational training that enables them to explore career options across multiple industries.
‘By joining forces with non-government schools, we can provide students with access to VET courses that would otherwise be unavailable to them, allowing them to explore various career paths earlier, gain hands-on experience, and enhance their educational outcomes,’ NMVC manager Belinda Batty said.
Ms Batty said VET coordinators worked closely together in their shared commitment to supporting VET students.
‘The collaboration across the schools, and the generosity within our cluster is outstanding,’ she said. ‘We’ve developed a really strong community, united by a shared desire to improve outcomes for students.’
Raffaela Galati-Brown, principal at the Northern College of the Arts & Technology — one of the largest VET providers in the cluster providing access to almost 800 students from other schools — said the cluster model provided more than just a broader choice of courses.
‘The cluster works because we are all committed to looking after the young people who come to us,’ Ms Galati-Brown said.
‘Teachers and trainers work to get the best out of them, liaise quickly with students’ home school if there are any issues and ensure that we deliver quality training.’
For Reservoir High School student Rosie, the NMVC has been a gateway to new opportunities, enabling her to enrol in a Certificate II in Cookery at Parade College.
‘The program at Parade College has allowed me to explore my passion of cooking further and see it as a realistic future career,’ Rosie said.
‘This has helped me to understand that my dream of opening a bakery when I’m older is possible.’
Updated