Catholic Regional College Sydenham

Catholic Regional College Sydenham: Every Student, Every Pathway

In the fast-growing west of Melbourne, Catholic Regional College (CRC) Sydenham has built a reputation for something refreshingly pragmatic: an education model that treats university, trades, and work-ready credentials as equally dignified pathways. It’s a senior secondary college (Years 11–12) with just under 1,000 full-time students—and an additional ~700 students from surrounding government, independent, and Catholic schools who come one day a week for vocational programs.

Founded in 1982 by parish priest Fr. John O’Reilly and local parishioners, CRC Sydenham’s mission has remained consistent for four decades: “Every student, every pathway.” As Brendan Watson, Catholic Regional College Sydenham Principal describes, “If you want to go on to medicine, that’s great. If you want to be a plumber, that’s just as valuable and valued. We live that. We believe it.”

A Dual Engine: VCE + VET

CRC Sydenham delivers the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education), the VCE Vocational Major, and a wide portfolio of VET programs delivered on site through the college’s registered training organization. Students can pair their senior certificate with industry credentials—baking, hospitality, signwriting, hair and beauty, fitness, picture framing, horticulture/produce, and more—positioning them to step into employment or apprenticeships immediately after Year 12, or to use those credentials as stepping stones alongside university study.

What makes CRC Sydenham singular is its bold solution to the classic VET bottleneck: authentic work placement. “The research told us the most enriching part of VET is on-the-job learning,” Watson explains. “But visiting that many workplaces wasn’t feasible. So we became the workplace.”

School as an Enterprise Ecosystem

Since 2010, CRC Sydenham has grown a commercial arm of ~16 education enterprises on campus that function as real businesses and live training environments. Community members visit the school for picture framing, signwriting, a bakery and café, a full-service restaurant (open nights), a fitness centre, a hairdresser and barber, and a beauty salon. Students also produce olive oil from the school’s grove and honey from onsite hives—products sold through the bakery and restaurant.

These aren’t token operations, Watson points out. The college, he relays,  has deliberately sought best-in-class partners and equipment to mirror industry standards including:

• Signage & print: A long-standing partnership with Roland ensured students learn on top-tier plotters, printers, and now a state-of-the-art UV printer capable of printing on glass, timber, metal, and plastic.
• Hospitality: With support from industry partners (including the owners of Electrolux and Simply Stainless), the commercial kitchen is outfitted with the same technology seen on MasterChef: blast freezers, combi steamers, sous vide, ice cream machines, and more.

The results show up in outcomes, he points out. “There’s a real shortage of chefs,” Watson notes. “Our hospitality students land placements at Sofitel Melbourne and Vue de Monde. Our bakers are picked up by Ferguson Plarre, Coles, and Woolworths. If you’re in one of our trade or VET streams, you’re not worrying about getting a job.”

The enterprises have also proven financially sustainable. “We expected losses early,” he says. “They broke even from the start. Since then, profits are ploughed back into keeping programs free for our students,” Watson says.

Teaching Talent: Industry First, Pedagogy with Support

To run enterprises at authentic standards, CRC Sydenham in many cases hires industry professionals first, then builds their teaching craft through coaching and mentoring.

“You can’t ask a teacher to be passionate about an industry they’ve never worked in,” Watson says. “We hire the industry’s passion, then teach them how to teach.” He points to Rocco, the college’s veteran picture framer—three decades in industry before joining the school in 2010. “Rocco has mentored some of our more at-risk boys. He’s helped them find belief in themselves through real client work and pride in their craftsmanship,” he describes.

That trust is palpable on the client side too. “People hand over treasured family items—war medals, grand final jumpers—and we assign a student to the job under Rocco’s supervision,” Brendan says. “It’s rare for a school to place a student face-to-face with paying clients. But our quality is second to none and word-of-mouth brings people back,” Watson says confidently.

Student Success, Community Impact

CRC Sydenham’s model is anchored in dignity of work, hands-on mastery, and community connection. One standout story is Saad Al-Kasab, a Syrian refugee who entered Year 11 with limited English, finished Year 12 as dux with a 96.65 ATAR, earned a University of Melbourne scholarship in biomedicine, and is now a doctor at Western Health Sunshine Hospital. “That’s what we try to do for every young person,” Brendan says. “He came from the most disadvantaged circumstances—and now he’s giving back,” he notes.

The school’s community ethos also shows in crisis moments. When Mowbray College closed mid-year, CRC Sydenham opened its doors to 270 stranded Year 11 and 12 students, employed 12 of their staff within two weeks, re-timetabled the school, brought in portables, and kept those students on track for graduation. “If it were our students, we’d want someone to do something,” Brendan says. “Schools aren’t isolated from the community—we’re part of it,” Watson expands.

Sustainability as Strategy (and Savings)

Watson highlights that running a mini-economy of enterprises means energy demand can spike—particularly with bakers starting at 4:00 a.m. When coal-fired plant closures sent the monthly electricity bill from $8,000 to $28,000, the college moved decisively: ~1,200 solar panels, 750,000 litres of tank water storage, and a 5-megawatt battery.

The system has flipped the cost equation. “We’re moving to net producers of energy,” Watson explains. In January, when the school is closed, power flows to the grid; during summer brownouts, the utility can draw from CRC’s battery. “The aim was sustainability and fee pressure relief. Funding doesn’t rise with costs, and we won’t price families out. Twenty percent of our students are refugees; fee concessions and walking with families are part of our mission.”

Constant Renewal: Facilities and Format

The college cycles enterprise upgrades roughly every five years to keep pace with industry standards. A full restaurant refurbishment with new furniture and colourways has given the space a vibrant, contemporary feel. The bakery and picture framing shop were merged into a bakery-gallery café—a seamless front-of-house experience where clients consult on framing over coffee while students handle orders and production.

Placing students at the centre of the client interaction is a deliberate choice. “It raises the standard,” Watson says. “It tells students: we trust you; this is professional work. And our clients know they’re investing in a young person’s future—not just buying a service.”

Federation Footprint and Growth Corridor Dynamics

Watson highlights that CRC Sydenham is part of a Federation of four schools (one uniform, one school advisory council) which include:

• CRC St Albans (established first),
• CRC Sydenham (Years 11–12),
• CRC North Keilor, and
• CRC Caroline Springs (opened when Melton became St Francis College).

The Federation’s three campuses (other than Sydenham) operate Years 7–10, with Sydenham serving as the senior college. Principals meet weekly to align planning and provision.

Located in a major growth corridor, Sydenham and Caroline Springs face enrolment pressure that outstrips current capacity. The Federation and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools continuously review provision to match demand—particularly for trade training alongside academic programs.

Next Horizons: EV Automotive and Sustainable Energies

Looking forward, Watson outlines that CRC Sydenham is developing programs that align with emerging industries and involve:

• Automotive with an EV focus: “We’d love to stand up electric vehicle training,” Brendan says. “The right corporate partner could help with setup and equipment—similar to our Roland model.”
• VET in Sustainable Energies: The college is preparing a sustainable energies program to go on the RTO’s scope, connecting students to skills aligned with Australia’s energy transition.

Amid rapid change—including AI reshaping workplaces—the aim is to equip students for jobs that don’t yet exist and industries still taking shape, while maintaining the school’s hallmark: real-world learning that re-engages young people with education through relevance and success.

Leadership, Longevity, and a Clear North Star

Watson’s 18-year tenure has coincided with significant transformation—financial turnaround, enterprise build-out, Federation consolidation, and a demographics shift that includes a large intake of Sudanese, Iraqi, and Syrian families. “No one chooses to be a refugee,” he reflects. “Our job is to meet families where they are, help students learn English, engage in school, and plan what comes after Year 12—so they can contribute back to this country.”

He is quick to steer the spotlight back to the students. “The majority of young people are amazing. If you invest in them, they respond in kind. We’re privileged to contribute to their story,” he concludes.

That, ultimately, is CRC Sydenham’s distinctive promise: every student, every pathway—supported by industry-grade training, meaningful work, and a community that believes talent comes in many forms. Whether a student’s dream is a duality of ATAR + VET, straight-to-work trades, or university and beyond, CRC Sydenham’s model ensures they don’t just earn a certificate; they gain a direction.

AT A GLANCE:

Name: Catholic Regional College Sydenham

What: A school system that treats every pathway as equally important and viable for student success

Where: Sydenham, Australia

Website: https://crcs.vic.edu.au/

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