State government figures show south-west and north-west Victoria had 14.9 per cent of students enrolled in the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning in 2018, above the state average of 13.7 per cent.

A peak teaching body is pushing to re-brand VCAL to ensure it is seen equally to VCE, but Warrnambool educators say vocational education is well supported in the south-west.

Emmanuel College year 12 student Will Baillie said he chose to start studying VCAL subjects simply because he "wanted to work".

The 17-year-old has since worked one day a week for six months with an electrician and now a plumber.

"That's where I want to be. I never had plans of wanting to go to uni, I've always been pretty hands on and liked working," Will said. "That is where VCAL has helped out, I could do a bit of work for a plumber and for an electrician."

He said he was comfortable with VCE and VCAL being "two different things".

"If you are less academic it does suit you better, it's not as stressful for you," Will said.

Victorian Applied Learning Association chief executive Helene Rooks said more schools in the south-west offered VCAL compared with other regions.

"Perhaps it is because principals and leadership teams in that region see the value of it," Ms Rooks said.

She said the state government was looking at strengthening the delivery of VCAL and the teaching body had suggested renaming it "VCE-vocational".

Ms Rooks said the change would discourage attitudes that vocational education was less worthy to an academic education.

"It is not staffed and resourced to the level that it needs and in certain regions there are certain schools where VCAL is considered to be an easier way out," she said.

"There should only be one VCE certificate with two different streams."

But Emmanuel College applied learning co-ordinator Brendan Donahoo said promoting VCAL's opportunities was key.

"I think a lot of students know the benefits of VCAL programs and don't perceive it as a poorer cousin because they have seen the advantage," Mr Donahoo said.

"Industries in our experience have included diverse interests including sprintcar driving, the equine industry through to students studying agriculture who are running their own small businesses."

Warrnambool College principal David Clift supported the name change to ensure all subjects were perceived equally.

"A change in name won't simplistically address the issues, if they are there, but if it supports pathways having equal value that can only be a good thing for the students who want to choose other than an academic path," he said.

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