The aim of this project is to investigate the processes by which training need and demand is signaled to VET providers in regional and rural Australia. It will address this by identifying and tracing a range of communication channels through which skills and training needs are transmitted to VET providers. The focus of the research will be on existing networks of regional and local community organisations and representative bodies and their relationships with the VET sector. VET in this context will include TAFE provision, School VET placements, the regional Adult and Community College network and Regional Group Training/Labour Hire organisations who are also Registered Training Organisations.
1 How is information about training needs (demand) transmitted to VET providers in rural and regional environments?
2 What is the role of regional and community groups in transmitting training needs to VET providers; and in transmitting information about VET supply back to their communities?
3 How accurate is the information, and how effective is the communication process?
4 How integrated are different sectors of the VET system in practice integrated into their communities?
5 What are concrete arrangements that would improve information transfer between VET clients and the VET system in regional communities?
The research will combine group process methods (focus group) with semi-structured individual and group interviews. These will be supplemented by the collation of descriptive level demographic, industry and training participation data for the selected sub-regions. A critical analysis of the recent literature on the contribution of education and training to community development will provide a context for the project. Access to the major regional development organizations will facilitate liaison with community groups.
Approach
To address this research topic we need a framework within which the research activities can be effectively developed and against which research outcomes can be presented. We propose that the investigation of communication channels between VET clients and providers be conducted using the following dimensions
Client groups
We propose to group individual VET clients using the following three categories.
* New entrants (which includes school/VET and new apprentices/trainees)
* Skills upgrading (which includes skills development or qualification upgrading for existing workers; but would also skills development for those attached to the labour market even though not actually in current employment, as for example those engaged in Centrelink programs or who are undertaking a course on personal initiative).
* Personal enhancement (which includes older workers and those in regular paid employment but undertaking training for recreation or to support other community or voluntary activities).
Provider groups
To assist with the analysis VET providers will be grouped in the following categories.
* Regional TAFE
* Schools
* Community ACE
* Group training/Labour Hire
Representative localities
It is proposed to focus on the following five localities, each of which has different characteristics.
* Wagga Wagga
* Griffith/Leeton
* Coolomon
* Narrandara
* Tumut/Tumbarumba
Within the localities the significant community organizations and relevant representative bodies (for example, the local chambers of commerce, Service clubs such as Rotary and the regional school Compact representatives) will be the initial contact points. From these contacts key local informants will be identified and subsequent individual interviews arranged on a 'snowball' basis. The initial contacts for these agencies will be facilitated by the Regional Development Board, the regional representatives of the major service clubs and from the researchers existing contacts.
Research components
Consolidation & annotation of existing literature and data: The purpose of this component is to provide a background context for the research. It will involve a critical review of the recent research on communities, VET and development so that the conceptual underpinning of this research can be assessed in the context our empirical findings. Descriptive demographic and industry data will be presented for each region.
Focus Groups: A focus group will be conducted in each region. The primary aim is to raise the topics of access to, knowledge of and information flows between the community and different VET providers. A secondary aim of the focus groups is to identify follow-up contacts for individual interviews.
Key informant interviews: These would be arranged in two (overlapping) phases.
Phase 1
One group of key informants can be identified from their office on representative bodies or position in the provider system. Interviews here would include the executive officials Regional Development Board, Council(s), industry associations, the Wagga Wagga TLC, the Regional Schools Compact/principals association and state and federal farmers associations.
Phase 2
A second round of interviews would follow from the contacts made in the focus group activity, and of persons identified or recommended by individual regional organizations. The aim of this component is to identify the specific stated needs, and to document the experience of individuals and groups as clients (ie; 'the supply side') in the VET system.
Matched interviews with provider organizations and individual clients and client groups: Based on information obtained in the previous sections a series of additional interviews will then be conducted with clients and client groups. The purpose of this section is to compare the perceptions that providers may have of information channels with the actual experience of the clients of the system.
The School of Education at Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga) is the largest provider of teacher training in the VET sector in Australia. The Principal Researchers for the project are both members of the university supported Community of Scholars group Research into Vocational Education and Training (RIVET). The membership of RIVET is widely known for its extensive VET research and publications.
