Parents, Students Sound Alarm Over VCAL Program Cuts at Geelong Schools

Geelong's secondary education sector faces mounting pressure after multiple schools on the Western Heights corridor announced cuts to vocational and applied learning programs, prompting concerned parents and students to voice serious concerns about the impact on local job readiness.

From next term, Bellerine Street Secondary College, Gheringhap High School, and Marshall Secondary College will each reduce VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning) enrolments by approximately 15 per cent—affecting roughly 180 students across the three institutions. The changes come as Victoria's education department redirects funding toward VCE-focused pathways.

"My son was thriving in VCAL," said one parent from the Manifold Heights area, requesting anonymity. "He's dyslexic, learns best hands-on. This isn't about him being less capable—it's about finding his pathway. Where does that leave him now?" According to Geelong Education Alliance data, VCAL completions in the region have historically led to 73 per cent employment within six months, compared to 64 per cent for VCE graduates entering tertiary study.

Student voice has been equally stark. Focus groups conducted by the Geelong Secondary Schools Collaborative at venues including the Geelong Library on Little Malop Street revealed anxiety among Year 9 students already committed to vocational pathways. Many cited trades shortages in local construction and manufacturing as reasons for their subject selections.

The cuts arrive at an awkward moment. Regional unemployment among 15–24-year-olds sits at 8.2 per cent—higher than the Victorian average—while Geelong manufacturing and construction sectors report persistent skills gaps. Groups including the Geelong Chamber of Commerce have publicly questioned the decision's timing.

"Vocational education should be celebrated, not sidelined," said one Newtown-based careers counsellor. "These students aren't rejecting academia; they're choosing a different, equally valid pathway. When we reduce options, we're essentially saying: fit the mould, or struggle."

School leadership has defended the restructure as necessary fiscal management. Bellerine Street's principal noted that declining enrolments across Victorian secondary colleges necessitated difficult choices. However, parents have called for alternatives: potential partnerships with Gordon TAFE, which operates a major campus in Waurn Ponds, or staged implementation rather than sudden reduction.

Education Victoria has indicated a willingness to consult affected communities before finalisation. The Geelong Secondary Schools Collaborative has scheduled consultation sessions at three locations: Gheringhap High, Marshall Secondary, and the City Library, between 5–7 July. Families affected by the changes have been urged to attend.

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