To investigate the way in which Australian enterprises are using accredited training. Specifically the project will:
1. develop a framework to describe the nature of employer commitment to the provision of nationally accredited training for their workers
2. investigate the reasons for engagement with accredited training and the reasons for non-engagement.
3. investigate whether different types of workers and different industries have differing levels of engagement with accredited training.
4. examine the effects of government funding on engagement with accredited training
5. examine the extent to which the advent of Training Packages has facilitated the use of accredited training by enterprises for their existing workers.
Research questions include (but Stage 1 may suggest others)
* Why do some employers (and not others) become RTOs?
* Why do some employers (and not others) enter into formal partnerships with RTOs for the delivery of accredited training or otherwise purchase accredited training?
* What is the nature of the accredited training (generic vs technical, lower level vs higher level, etc)?
* What are the perceived benefits of such training for the enterprise and for different groups of workers (Permanent vs casual, Australian-born vs migrant etc)?
* What are the obstacles to be overcome in the establishment of accredited training?
* What are the links between such provision and the availability of government funding?
* How have Training Packages affected the provision of, and attitude to, accredited training in enterprises?
* A mail survey of enterprises that are not RTOs (480)
* 12 case studies of 4 industries in 4 states/territories (for each industry 3 case studies will be selected, 1 enterprise RTO, 1 enterprise that purchases training from an RTO and 1 enterprise which uses non-accredited training)
Charles Sturt University (CSU) is a leading provider of tertiary education based in regional NSW. It is the leading Australian university in distance education. CSU has a well-integrated, multi-campus structure with sites in Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Albury, Dubbo, Goulburn and Canberra, as well as a range of off-shore activities. CSU has over ten years experience in providing a range of research and consultancy services to local, state and federal government agencies, non-government agencies and private corporations.
The University has expertise directly relating to vocational education and training through its School of Management, School of Education and through the Group for Research in Employment and Training (GREAT), a cross-faculty, multidisciplinary team of researchers/consultants with an interest in employment and training issues.
