A Wasted Opportunity

Thankfully there is another chance this time ....
let's hope it isn't wasted!

Yesterday afternoon we found out that Angus didn't pass his Automotives course.The TAFE teacher said that he was busy talking and not doing his work. That he didn't complete enough of the tasks to pass. All the other kids were able to. I just don't understand how this happened.  I feel awful and I know Angus does too.

A whole year has been wasted. Not only did we pay $400 for the course the high school paid around $1600+ for the year. Angus had signed an agreement in order to participate at TAFE in the first place but he has broken that agreement by not doing the work. He may not even be able to continue next year and if he is allowed to he must repeat the first year units again.

I went to Angus's high school yesterday afternoon after school. I was hoping to see the Pathways Advisor who looks after the VCAL*/VET** kids. I wanted to know why Angus failed. I needed to know where we go from here. What are the options for next year because there is no way Angus can do VCE*. He just isn't the type of kid who could cope with the work load that is required. It's not like he has an aide like Brodie did. He just wouldn't be successful and I so desperately want him to be successful.

We were given three options

1. If Angus wants to continue with Automotives next year we will need to pay a retainer (around $500) on top of the fees which I have already paid. He will repeat 1st year. If he completes the course successfully we get the retainer back. If he does not we forfeit the money.
2. He can do a school based apprenticeship to complete his Automotives course. That means we need to find an employer that is willing to take him on for the whole year for two days a week. He would get paid a small wage (possibly $8 per hour) that the government will help the employer pay.
3. Try another course but one that is based at the high school. For example Building Construction. That will allow the school to keep an eye on Angus and his progress.

I have send the Pathways Advisor an email and requested that we have the weekend to think things over. I also asked if there were other courses available at school that may be an option for Angus. I hope I hear from her by the end of the day with that information so that Mark, Angus and I can talk about it over the weekend.

I like the idea of the second option but I don't know if its the best one for Angus. So many things could go wrong and I am worried the boss may tell him to not come back. I know I should be optimistic but that hasn't gotten me very far where Angus's school work is concerned.

* The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a hands-on option for students in Years 11 and 12. The VCAL gives you practical work-related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work.

** Vocational Education and Training (VET). VET in the VCE or VCAL allows students to include vocational studies 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 and/or VCAL.

***The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the certificate that the majority of students in Victoria receive on satisfactory completion of their secondary education. The VCE provides diverse pathways to further study or training at university or TAFE and to employment.