Acting chief executive Maria Simpson announced the decision to axe the course early last month and said it was no longer financially viable to continue to deliver the course at the city campus.

Bendigo TAFE staff met with concerned students at a recent information session and discussed alternative TAFE pathways and other adult VCE options.

Education and pathways director Darelene Bull said demand for VCE for Adults had been steadily declining.

“It wasn’t a decision we made without any consideration,” she said.

“Over the last three or four years students have been taking up alternative pathways and you can’t start a year knowing certain people won’t complete the course.

“It’s a difficult course to run in the adult sector and I think we were one of the last providers of adult VCE still standing in the regional sector.”

Ms Bull said five people turned up to the information session.

About 20 people had previously expressed their interest in the VCE for Adults course.

Staff spoke to students one-on-one, and then redirected them into different courses or provided them with information about distance education.

“Most people were understanding and once they came in and spoke to us, they realised they don’t actually have to do VCE for what they wanted to achieve.There are so many alternative pathways available these days.”

Sarah Thorpe, 27, panicked when she first heard VCE for Adults was scrapped, but is now working towards a new career.

“I wanted to do teaching at uni and I hadn’t done VCE. I want to be a home economics teacher,” she said.

Ms Thorpe plans to complete Certificate III in Hospitality (commercial cookery).

“Then I’ll do my DipEd. So I’ve found a way around not doing VCE and I won’t have to do four years of uni,” she said