Work in Progress
VET and workforce development in the community services and health industries
Summary
- Item:
- 10441
- Title:
- VET and workforce development in the community services and health industries
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR10007
- Status:
- Finished
- Date commenced:
- 15 September 2009
- Contact:
- Ken Pidd
- Principal researcher:
- Ken Pidd
- National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction
Purpose
The aim of this project is to examine vocational education and training (VET) as a workforce development strategy for the community services and health industries. In order to do so, a case study of the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector will be undertaken. It is anticipated that the main outcomes of this research will be to provide information that can contribute to quality improvement in VET delivery and content, and provide a more detailed understanding of the degree to which VET provides a pathway to higher education.
Approach
Quantitative and qualitative
Research questions
1. Does the demographic profile (e.g., age, gender, prior education, location of residence, etc) of those undertaking AOD-specific training at the certificate or diploma level in the VET sector differ from those undertaking AOD-specific training at the graduate or postgraduate level in the higher education sector?
If so, in what way(s) do they differ and how does this difference relate to AOD workforce development needs?
2. What proportion of students enrolled in AOD-related courses in the higher education sector hold existing AOD qualifications obtained from the VET sector?
3. Do employer attitudes toward, and levels of satisfaction with, Certificate IV or Diploma level qualifications obtained in the VET sector differ from graduate or postgraduate qualifications obtained in the higher education sector?
If so, in what way(s) do they differ?
Methodology
Research question 1
Demographic data on students who have undertaken the Certificate IV in AOD work, the Diploma in AOD, and other AOD-related graduate and postgraduate studies from the National VET Provider Collection (NCVER) and the Higher Education Student Statistics Collection (DEEWR) will be examined.
Research question 2
The Higher Education Student Statistics Collection database will be used to examine students’ existing VET qualifications.
Research question 3
An online survey of managers of AOD specialist treatment agencies will be undertaken. The general focus of the survey questions will be on employers’ satisfaction with certificate, graduate and postgraduate AOD training for meeting AOD workforce development needs and their perceptions of the adequacy of Certificate IV level training as a minimum AOD qualification level. The survey sample will include AOD specialist treatment agency managers from government, non-government, private and community owned agencies from urban and rural areas in each state and territory across Australia.
Organisations
The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) is a collaborative venture between Flinders University and the South Australian Department of Health. NCETA was originally established in order to develop and introduce AOD-related curricula and courses into the VET and higher education sectors. When NCETA was established in 1992 few accredited AOD-specific courses were available. However, largely based on NCETA’s efforts, this situation has changed substantially. The most recent training audit undertaken by NCETA (2008) identified 119 accredited AOD-specific courses, located across 67 higher education and VET organisations.
Since 1999 NCETA has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the National Drug Strategy. NCETA is located within the School of Medicine at Flinders University in South Australia. Professor Ann Roche has been the Director of the Centre since 2000. NCETA is an internationally recognised research Centre that works as a catalyst for change in the AOD field. NCETA is a trusted and well-respected source of advice and guidance on AOD-related matters and has a proven track record in undertaking large, complex, projects in AOD-related issues. The Centre focuses on evidence based strategies to achieve professional and community behaviour change and specialises in research translation; making complex and disparate information readily accessible to workers and the community at large.
