Work in Progress
What value do Australian employers give to qualifications?
Summary
- Item:
- 10177
- Title:
- What value do Australian employers give to qualifications?
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR1020
- Status:
- Finished
- Date commenced:
- 9 August 2001
- Contact:
- Lee Ridoutt
- phone: +61 2 9484 9745
- email: lee.ridoutt@humancapitalalliance.com.au
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which employers in a diverse range of industries value the qualifications that different employees have. The study will also investigate under what circumstances employers do not value qualifications and what alternative recognition processes are valued.
The objectives of the proposed study are:
(i) to ascertain the overall level of importance employers place on qualifications held by their employees
(ii) to identify differences in the way employers value qualifications depending on the type of employee (new or existing), the type of job classification, and the type of enterprise
(iii) to explore the types of competence for which formal recognition is pursued and why
(iv) to understand what decision-making processes are adopted, and to seek patterns between employers
Approach
Survey - 1000 employers in all states. Focus groups in NSW and VIC.
Research questions
(1) Are there recognisable and significant variations in the use of qualifications between different 'categories' of employers such as: public vs. private; large vs. small; industry sector; high risk vs. low risk operations?
(2) Are there recognisable and significant variations within enterprises in the valuing of qualifications based on: type of employee; type of job classification or role; union representation; the types of competency?
(3) If employers do NOT value qualifications, why not, and what factors might make this change? Are there structural reasons for the employer perspective such as 'ill-fitting' industrial relations issues?
(4) If they do value qualifications:
- why do they value them;
- what do they use qualifications for (employee selection, motivation, promotion, performance management);
- are some qualifications more valuable than others?
(5) Who makes decisions about the type and level of competency assessment? On what basis are decisions made, using what criteria? Is a risk management approach adopted?
Methodology
Stage 1: Preparation
* Literature review;
* Profile of industries (chemical, manufacturing, minerals, plastics, metals and engineering, community services and health, entertainment, retail);
* Design pilot of survey;
* Interviews - employers organisations.
Stage 2: Data Gathering
* Survey of 1000 employers in NSW and Victoria;
* Follow up.
Stage 3: Analysis
* Analyse of data;
* Focus groups with employer representatives in NSW and Victoria.
Stage 4: Report Preparation
Organisations
Human Capital Alliance (HCA), is a Sydney based company in continuous operation since 1989. HCA's work has entailed the successful completion of over one hundred small, medium and large projects. A large proportion of these projects has been commissioned research or evaluation. The projects have been completed in a diversity of contexts and within many industry settings, including health, community services, entertainment, metals, plastics, textiles, clothing, chemical and oil, hydrocarbons, laboratory science, transport and utilities. The majority of the research projects have been related to health workforce or vocational training.
