Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
VCAL is a practical education stream, where students may work in a trade or part-time job on some days of the week and supplement this by doing a set course at school.In 2012, the Victorian Liberal/National Coalition, under the leadership of Ted Baillieu made large funding cuts (over $300m) to the TAFE public education system, a major deliverer of VCAL courses for the youth and mature aged students, and cut funding to Secondary school VCAL programs.This resulted in students being unable to access many courses and job losses for VCAL providers for secondary schools.[1][2] In November 2019, the Victorian Government commissioned a review into vocational and applied learning at school.Education Minister James Merlino stated that a 'single VCE certificate would make it easier for students to get a range of skills, both academic and vocational.'