Regional student achieves with VCAL
The Centre, Wangaratta
Patrick was smart kid and a gifted musician, playing a variety of instruments including guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, but he wasn’t a focussed student and he dropped out of school before the end of Year 10. Patrick felt that his school education wasn’t setting him up for a career in the music industry.
His family were concerned that he needed to complete his schooling and he was encouraged to enrol in the Centre for Continuing Education’s Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program.
Patrick discovered that many of his activities in the music scene – such as band rehearsals and playing at community events – actually met his program’s learning outcomes. Patrick arranged his own VCAL work placement at a local music store, gaining confidence and earning high praise from his supervisor.
Through the VCAL, Patrick created opportunities for local musicians, organised fund raising events for those affected by the Black Saturday bushfires and volunteered as a guitar tutor. Patrick also produced the music for a film made by another VCAL student at The Centre.
Patrick completed his VCAL in 2010 and is now studying for an Advanced Diploma in Performance Music at Box Hill TAFE.