NCVER News #357

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) is a research program that tracks young people as they move from school to post-school destinations. Survey participants (collectively known as a 'cohort') enter the study when they turn 15 years. We’re currently developing the initial questionnaire for the new LSAY 2015 cohort, and mapping the survey topics for the next 10 years. 

As part of this process, NCVER is conducting consultations to assist us to identify new topic areas. We are particularly interested in topics that will make LSAY relevant for research and policy for the next 10 years.

We invite written submissions and responses to the discussion paper by 31 August.

For more information and to download the discussion paper: http://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/2814.html

This fortnight NCVER has published completion (and attrition) rates for apprentices and trainees for 2014 and preliminary numbers for the completion of AQF programs for 2014.

The proportions of trade and non-trade apprentices and trainees completing training have slightly decreased, with the overall completion rate declining from 53.5% for apprentices and trainees who started training in 2009 to 52.4% for those who stared in 2010.

However, declining completion rates only tells some of the story. Data in the Apprentices and trainees 2014: annual shows more trade apprentices are completing training in two years or less; 45% in 2014 compared with 28% 10 years ago.

Looking more broadly at all government-funded training, preliminary completion numbers for AQF programs for 2014 show there were more than half a million (535 100) government-funded AQF programs completed in 2014. Of these, 289 900 were completed at TAFE and other government training providers, 484 200 were training package completions, 241 900 were certificate III completions and 70 000 were diploma or higher-level completions.

Completion and attrition rates for apprentices and trainees 2014
Apprentices and trainees 2014 - annual
Government-funded program completions 2014 - preliminary 

For the first-time, NCVER has published quarterly data for government-funded students with the release of January to March 2015 data. It shows there were 787 700 students enrolled in the government-funded VET system in the first quarter of this year, with 67% of students attending TAFE and other government training providers.

Government-funded students and courses – January to March 2015

Themed around youth, pathways and skills, program highlights included three keynote addresses which are now available to watch online.

Higher education and tertiary education expert Professor Peter Shergold, Chancellor, University of Western Sydney and Chair, NCVER Board, discussed the big opportunities arising from the advent of every single RTO reporting their data in 2015. 

Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Assistant Minister for Education and Training spoke about the importance of having a productive, well-trained workforce able to capitalise on developments in our economy.

International workforce development and apprenticeship expert Nicholas Wyman discussed how partnerships involving employers, communities and educators can bridge the skills gap. 

Copies of conference presentations are available from NCVER's international tertiary education research database VOCEDplus

NCVER’s VOCEDplus team can provide demonstrations or hands-on training sessions for groups or individuals in your workplace. These training sessions can be tailored to suit your needs. Refer to the Client Service Charter for terms and conditions. Contact us via Ask a Librarian to discuss your training requirements.

The VOCEDplus Help page also provides links to the VOCEDplus user guide and FAQs on searching VOCEDplus and its features and services. For further assistance, access the recording of a recent webinar that introduced new features of VOCEDplus, as well as provided a refresher on discovering current and past research including NCVER publications, landmark reports, and grey literature.

Visit NCVER's exhibit at the International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) Conference being held for the first time in Australia at Federation University Australia (FedUni), Ballarat on 1-2 September 2015.

The conference theme is Architectures for apprenticeship: Achieving economic and social goals, and will address topics such as governance, school to work transition and youth employment, and the status of apprenticeships as a career path.

Keynote speakers include:

• Dr Raymond Patel, MerSETA, South Africa

• Dr Paul Comyn, International Labour Organisation, Geneva

• Professor Stephen Billett, Griffith University, Australia.

For more information and to register for the conference