Stronger role for VET to help regions grow

11 June 2008

Closer relationships between vocational education and training providers and regional development agencies could help strengthen local growth, according to new research.

The double helix of vocational education and training and regional development by Peter Kearns, Kaye Bowman and Steve Garlick looked at five regions across Australia to assess how well VET is meeting the skills needs of those regions and supporting sustainable development.

The research was commissioned by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

NCVER Managing Director Tom Karmel said the research was prompted by recognition that the availability of people with the right skills is one of the most important factors in regional development.

"The Australian economy has enjoyed healthy growth over recent years, but many rural and remote regions are in decline or are stagnating," Dr Karmel said.

"It's clear that vocational education and training has a major role to play in helping regions achieve sustainable development. The question is, how well is the VET system supporting growth at a local level?"

Dr Karmel said the study suggests that VET must carve out a place for itself in the regional development process.

It also found that VET needs to respond to local needs as well as to national and state policy directions.

In line with this, VET organisations should also look outwards, engage broadly with local communities and aspire to whole-of-region development.

"Two of the success stories from the study were found in South Australia's Northern Adelaide region and Queensland's Sunshine Coast," Dr Karmel said.

"In both regions planning links state and regional level priorities."

ENDS

To download a copy of The double helix of vocational education and training and regional development, please visit http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1989.html.

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