Value Added Career Start (VACS) is a comprehensive approach to developing workplace competencies in engineering students as an integral part of their formal studies. This gives students an edge as they commence their careers and become lifelong learners.

VACS is a set of learning resources that are designed to add value to courses in and out of the class room. There is a particular focus on out-of-class experiences including internships, industrial placements, co-operative education, part-time work, site visits, voluntary and overseas study.

The Value Added Career Start modules foster innovation in curriculum design which leads to a balanced set of the graduate attributes for engineers to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In so doing, VACS can contribute to a culture change in engineering education and a consequential impact on the engineering profession.

Value Added Career Start was funded by a National Teaching Develeopment Grant (Organisational) from CUTSD in 2000-2001. The work of CUTSD is carried on by the Australian Univeristies Teaching Committee (AUTC).

This resource is maintained by the Catalyst Centre at the University of Queensland. Contact Professor David Radcliffe