Employers will get a better understanding of graduates' literacy and numeracy skills under a "massive" overhaul for Victoria's high school certificate.

Key points: New maths and English benchmarks would be introduced for Year 11 and 12 students

New maths and English benchmarks would be introduced for Year 11 and 12 students 700 specially trained teachers would support struggling students

700 specially trained teachers would support struggling students The Opposition says literacy and numeracy issues should be addressed before the VCE

Victorian Labor has unveiled what it said is the "biggest change in decades" to the VCE, which will begin rolling out in 2019.

The plan sets new English and maths standards which VCE students will be measured against and includes the deployment of 700 new teachers who will be specially trained to help struggling students.

The decision to introduce new benchmarks follows an investigation by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), which recommended graduates' reading, writing and maths results be more readily available for employers.

"Employers have been telling us they want to see — when they see a young person's VCE or VCAL certificate — that that person is job-ready," said Education Minister James Merlino.

"So for the very first time, leaving certificates will show the aptitude of young people in regards to literacy and numeracy.

"They want to see, when a young person comes for a job, what standard they are in literacy and numeracy.

"This is a massive change, the biggest change in decades, but we're backing it up with individualised, targeted support for any secondary student that is falling behind."

Labor said the program will cost $190 million over the next four years, but the Opposition criticised the plan.

"Victoria does have a crisis in literacy and numeracy which James Merlino has denied for years," Shadow Education Minister Tim Smith said.

Labor said the program would cost $190 million, but the Opposition said it took the wrong approach. ( ABC News: Nicole Chettle )

"But you don't fix it by adding added requirements in to the VCE — the way you fix literacy and numeracy is in the early years of school."

The Opposition did not suggest it would scrap the changes if elected in the November state election.

Principals wary of student exam stress

High school principals fear the changes could cause more stress for students who are studying the more hands-on Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program.

"VCAL or non-scored VCE students might have chosen to go down a non-exam path because they find examinations full of anxiety," said Sue Bell, president of the Victorian Association of State School Principals.

"We don't want students put into positions where they drop out of school early because they don't want to sit an exam."

While the association welcomed the investment in literacy and numeracy, Ms Bell also raised concerns about the way data collected under the proposed change would be handled.

"If politicians decide to actually take it and use it as more data, give it to organisations to put into league tables, then it could become really problematic because then schools might have to try to teach to yet another curriculum," she said.