The role of VET and VCAL in the field of Music/Music Industry Education

Applied learning is becoming increasingly popular in Victorian schools and many students who are interested in hands-on learning prefer to study Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects and undertake the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). The author is a Casual Relief Teacher (CRT) of Music and has visited and taught in many schools located in the South Eastern suburbs of Victoria. Among these educational institutions there were a few secondary schools/colleges where VCAL/VET subjects were offered in music and music industry related studies. Although many school students understand the benefits of undertaking the VCAL/VET as a straight pathway to the work force or university via Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions and this method offer more hands-on/practical approach to learning, they avoid even discussing it as the other students who prefer the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) qualifications tend to bully them as underachievers. However in many schools that offer VCE music, the Music Industry Studies (for example Sound Production) are not incorporated and school students who are keen to undertake VET/VCAL subjects face these disadvantages including the social/peer pressure.