VET Delivered to School Students (VDSS)
School STUDENT (VCE) flight training
Study to become a pilot while doing your VCE
The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) allows students to include studies in Vocational Education and Training Qualifications within their senior secondary certificate. Students undertake nationally recognised training from either accredited state curriculum or national training packages which may contribute to their VCE. The VCE Commercial Flight Training program is drawn from a national training package and offers portable qualifications which are recognised throughout Australia. These qualifications provide students with a broad range of knowledge and skills to pursue further training and a career in the aviation industry.
Students who undertake Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the AVI50222 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilots Licence-Aeroplane) qualification may be eligible for credit towards their VCE through block credit recognition. Students may wish to discuss this option with their schools’ careers and subject counsellor.
Josh and Dilini – former VDSS Students, now RVAC Instructors
How does it work?
Completion of the RPL (Recreational Pilots Licence) & PPL (Private Pilots Licences ) units of study in the Aviation diploma may contribute to 2 of your unit 3 /4 sequences towards the satisfactory completion of your VCE.
In addition to the Primary 4 VCE studies, it may also contribute to the ATAR in the form of at least one 10% increment (10% of the averaged scaled score)*.
Further information regarding this is available on the VCAA website: Block credit recognition.
*Note: (The credit into the VCE and ATAR contribution are both subject to the volume and level of training completed by the student and will be confirmed upon issuance of VCE results by the VCAA and calculation of the ATAR by VTAC).
Age Restrictions
Please note that there are age restrictions regarding pilot licensing. These are enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regarding pilot licencing.
Students must be 16 years of age to achieve the RPL and 17 years of age to complete the PPL. Implications of this are that the student must attain the relevant age prior to the end of October of their enrolment year.
Course Structure
Ninety percent of this course involves individual (face to face – one on one) training. As RVAC is open 7 days a week, training can take place in or out of school hours. The only classroom attendance requirements is for two courses of theory (RPL(A) – 30 hours – 5 x 6 hour sessions / PPL(A) Theory – 45 hours – 7 x 6.5 hour sessions). Theory classes are usually scheduled during the end of Term 1 holidays (Easter). Flight training is weather dependent so it is not possible to have a timetable with exact times/days, only a guideline for when certain syllabus requirements should be achieved.