Victorian Early Leaver Connection Initiative

Supporting Victorian young people who leave school without completing Year 12.

On this page

• Career help for early school leavers

• Career Advice Service
• Connect through school
• Get help now

• Career Advice Service providers

• Metropolitan areas
• Regional and rural areas

• Extra help to reach your goals

• First Nations providers
• Community providers

• Completing Year 12 at TAFE
• Thinking about returning to school
• Information for school staff

In the Education State, every young person matters.

The Victorian Government has invested $91 million in the Victorian Early Leaver Connection Initiative (VELCI) to help early school leavers stay engaged in education and training. This can include successfully completing a Year 12 or a vocational education and training certificate.

In 2025 and 2026, this will deliver:

• a pilot career advice service for Victorian early school leavers
• in target areas, pilot mentoring and other supports for First Nations young people and young people with disabilities who leave school early
• supportive and quality options to complete Year 12 at TAFE.

VELCI connects our schools and TAFEs so that every young Victorian can learn and thrive.

Career help for early school leavers

If you recently left school without completing Year 12, the VELCI Career Advice Service is available to help you.

Most TAFEs have a Skills and Jobs Centre that deliver the Career Advice Service.

If the Career Advice Service for early school leavers is not a good fit for you, a Skills and Jobs Centre can still help you find other support. They offer qualified, independent advice and support on training, career planning and finding a job in your local area.

Career Advice Service

Sometimes the change from secondary school to another education, training or work pathway can be challenging.

The Career Advice Service will help you keep pursuing education, training and work that fits your strengths and interests. It includes:

• regular check-ins from your local Skills and Jobs Centre to ask you how you are doing
• somebody to text or call if you have any questions, or if you are worried about your education, training or work
• career, training and education advice sessions with a qualified career counsellor
• help with making appointments at other support organisations, if you need it.

There is extra help available if you are First Nations or have a disability. Your school or the Skills and Jobs Centre can help you decide if the extra help is right for you. You can also use the list of providers to contact for extra help.

Connect through school

If you have left school without completing Year 12, your school can:

• tell you about the Career Advice Service
• give the local Skills and Jobs Centre your contact information, such as your phone number and email address.

If you are under 17 years old, you will need a formal exemption from school before engaging with the Career Advice Service.

This help is free and optional for you to take up. The Skills and Jobs Centre will ask for your permission and your parent or guardian’s permission to help you.

If you tell the Skills and Jobs Centre that you do not want this help, they will stop calling, texting or emailing you, and delete your contact information. They will keep a record of your conversation about the service.

If you are under 17 and you do not want help from the Career Advice Service, they will notify your most recent school. This is so the school can tell you about other options for getting help.

Get help now

You can call your local Skills and Jobs Centre at any time to talk about options for education and training.

Find your closest Career Advice Service for early school leavers in the list below.

Career Advice Service providers

Most Skills and Jobs Centres provide the Career Advice Service for early school leavers.

If you don’t know what local government area you live in, visit Know Your Council and enter your post code.

Metropolitan areas

Open all

• Victoria University

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 9919 9988

• Email: sjc@vu.edu.au

• Website: VU Skills and Jobs Centres Local government areas of delivery

• Melbourne

• Hobsons Bay

• Maribyrnong

• Moonee Valley

• Wyndham

• Brimbank

• Melton

• Bendigo Kangan Institute

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 100 606
• Email:

• casbendigo@bendigotafe.edu.au
• caskangan@kangan.edu.au

• Website:

• Skills and Jobs Centre (Bendigo)
• Skills and Jobs Centre (Kangan Institute) Local government areas of delivery

• Hume
• Merri-bek

• Chisholm Institute

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 9212 4909

• Email: CAS@chisholm.edu.au

• Website: Skills and Jobs Centre | Chisholm TAFE Local government areas of delivery

• Cardinia

• Casey

• Greater Dandenong

• Frankston

• Mornington Peninsula

• Holmesglen Institute

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 9564 2755

• Email: velci@holmesglen.edu.au(opens in a new window)

• Website: Holmesglen Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Bayside

• Glen Eira

• Kingston

• Port Phillip

• Stonnington

• Melbourne Polytechnic

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 9269 1932

• Email: sjc@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au

• Website: Melbourne Polytechnic Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Banyule

• Darebin

• Nillumbik

• Whittlesea

• Yarra

• Box Hill Institute

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 8892 1340

• Email: cas@boxhill.edu.au

• Website: Box Hill Institute Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Boroondara

• Manningham

• Monash

• Whitehorse

• Swinburne Institute of Technology

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 9726 1450

• Email: velci@swin.edu.au

• Website: Swinburne Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Knox

• Maroondah

• Yarra Ranges

Regional and rural areas

Open all

• The Gordon Institute of TAFE

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5225 0700

• Email: velci@gordontafe.edu.au(opens in a new window)

• Website: Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Colac-Otway

• Greater Geelong

• Queenscliff

• Surf Coast

• Federation University

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5327 6540

• Email: skillsandjobs@federation.edu.au

• Website: Skills and Jobs Centre - Federation University Australia Local government areas of delivery

• Ararat

• Ballarat

• Golden Plains

• Hepburn

• Moorabool

• Pyrenees

• Bendigo Kangan Institute

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 100 606
• Email:

• casbendigo@bendigotafe.edu.au
• caskangan@kangan.edu.au

• Website:

• Skills and Jobs Centre (Bendigo)
• Skills and Jobs Centre (Kangan Institute) Local government areas of delivery

• Campaspe
• Central Goldfields
• Greater Bendigo
• Loddon
• Macedon Ranges
• Mount Alexander

• South West Institute of TAFE

Contact details

• Email: velci@swtafe.edu.au

• Website: swskillsandjobscentre.com.au Local government areas of delivery

• Corangamite

• Glenelg

• Hindmarsh

• Horsham

• Moyne

• Northern Grampians

• Southern Grampians

• Warrnambool

• West Wimmera

• Yarriambiack

• Sunraysia Institute of TAFE

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5022 3999

• Email: skillsandjobs@sunitafe.edu.au

• Website: SuniTAFE Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Buloke

• Gannawarra

• Mildura

• Swan Hill

• TAFE Gippsland

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 282 317

• Email: skillsjc@tafegippsland.edu.au

• Website: TAFE Gippsland Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Bass Coast

• Baw Baw

• Latrobe

• South Gippsland

• East Gippsland

• Wellington

• Wodonga TAFE

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 698 233

• Email: skillsandjobs@wodongatafe.edu.au

• Website: Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Alpine

• Benalla

• Indigo

• Mansfield

• Towong

• Wangaratta

• Wodonga

• Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 468 233

• Email: skillsandjobs@gotafe.vic.edu.au

• Website: GO TAFE Skills and Jobs Centre Local government areas of delivery

• Greater Shepparton

• Mitchell

• Moira

• Murrindindi

• Strathbogie

Extra help to reach your goals

In target areas, there is extra help available if you left school without completing Year 12. These services are for early school leavers that are First Nations, or have a disability, are neurodivergent or facing mental health challenges.

You can get help that is tailored to you, such as regular 1:1 check-ins, mentoring or group activities to support you to reach your goals.

Your school or the Career Advice Service at your Skills and Jobs Centre can help you decide if this extra help is right for you. You can also seek help directly using the contact details below.

If you don’t know what local government area you live in, visit Know Your Council and enter your post code.

First Nations providers

Support delivered by First Nations people, for First Nations early school leavers in Victoria.

Open all

• Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative

Contact details

• Telephone:03 5442 4947

• Email: reception@bdac.com.au

• Website: bdac.com.au Local government areas of delivery

• Greater Bendigo

• Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 8373 1710

• Email: omintake@vacca.org

• Website: vacca.org Local government areas of delivery

• Wodonga

• Alpine

• Benalla

• Wangaratta

• Indigo

• Mansfield

• Towong

• GOTAFE Koorie Unit

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 468 233

• Email: koorieunit@gotafe.vic.edu.au

• Website: https://www.gotafe.vic.edu.au/students/koorie-unit Local government areas of delivery

• Greater Shepparton

Community providers

Open all

• Youth Disability Advocacy Service

Contact details

• Telephone:0407 194 786

• Email: earlyleavers@yacvic.org.au

• Website:yacvic.org.au/earlyleavers Local government areas of delivery

• Ballarat

• Casey

• Greater Dandenong

• Greater Geelong

• Merri-bek

• Ballarat Community Health

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5304 4777

• Email: info@headspaceballarat.org.au

• Website: headspace Ballarat | Youth Mental Health Centre & Services Local government areas of delivery

• Ballarat

• The Bridge Youth Service

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5831 2390

• Email: shepparton@thebridge.org.au

• Website: https://thebridge.org.au/ Local government areas of delivery

• Greater Shepparton

• Moira

• Strathbogie

• Brotherhood of St Laurence

Contact details

• Telephone: 1300 875 048

• Email: thrivehubhume@bsl.org.au

• Website: Thrive Hub Referral Form Local government areas of delivery

• Hume

• Junction Support Services

Contact details

• Telephone: 02 6043 7400

• Email: wise@junction.org.au

• Website: junction.org.au Local government areas of delivery

• Wodonga

• Mildura Rural City Council

Contact details

• Telephone: 03 5018 8100

• Email: youthservices@mildura.vic.gov.au

• Website: mildura.vic.gov.au/Services/Youth-Engagement-Services Local government areas of delivery

• Mildura

Completing Year 12 at TAFE

Completing Year 12 will give you the best chance at success in continued education, training and work. Finishing school is usually the best way to complete Year 12.

If you have left school early and are 17 years or older, you may be able to complete Year 12 at a TAFE. Victoria’s TAFE Network offers the VCE (including the VCE Vocational Major) or the Victorian Pathways Certificate. Contact your local TAFE from the list below for more information.

If you want to go to TAFE to complete Year 12 and are not yet 17 years old, you will need a formal exemption from school. The TAFE will ask for proof that you have an exemption.

Your school’s careers counsellor can help you understand your options. Contact your school for more information.

• TAFEs that offer Year 12

• Bendigo TAFE
• Box Hill Institute
• Chisholm Institute
• Federation University Australia (Federation TAFE)
• Gordon Institute of TAFE (The Gordon)
• Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE)
• Holmesglen Institute
• Kangan Institute
• Melbourne Polytechnic
• South West Institute of TAFE (SW TAFE)
• Sunraysia Institute of TAFE (SuniTAFE)
• Swinburne University of Technology
• TAFE Gippsland

Thinking about returning to school

The things we learn at school set us up for success in work and life. That’s why schooling is compulsory for children and young people aged from 6–17 years old, unless an exemption has been granted.

Returning to school is always an option, even if you have an exemption. Go to Find my School to contact your local government school about your study options.

For more advice on returning to school, contact the Department of Education.

Information for school staff

Victorian school staff can refer to the following link for exemption policy guidance and information on how to make a referral to the Career Advice Service or additional supports:

Exemption from School Attendance and Enrolment

Victorian school staff can refer to the following link for requirements for students leaving school before completing Year 12:

Career Education Funding

Education & training

Updated 27 March 2026

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