NCVER News #368

25th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’, 4 – 6 July 2016, CQUniversity, Rockhampton

NCVER and CQUniversity are calling for abstracts for presentations and poster sessions for the 25th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’. We invite industry, practitioners and researchers to share their work on vocational education and training (VET). 

The 2016 conference will highlight (but is not limited to) research across three themes:

• Equity: supporting diversity through promoting inclusive training opportunities for all Australians
• Engagement: students, providers, employers and government working together to improve access, participation and outcomes from training
• Evolution: developing a skilled and flexible workforce to adapt to rapid technological change in the workplace, and to improve national competitiveness.

Call for presentations and poster session closes on Monday 22 February 2016.

Download the information pack here: http://www.ncver.edu.au/nofrills2016.html 

Trade apprenticeship commencements up

The latest data show trade apprentice and trainee commencements increased by 9.2% to 19 200 as at 30 June 2015 when compared with the same quarter last year. The biggest growth was seen with those aged 25 years and older, up by 14.8%. This growth is mainly due to increases in construction trade workers, in particular plumbers, carpenters and joiners.

For more information: www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2841.html 

A more comprehensive picture of young people’s (aged 15 to 19 years) educational pathways is now available following the release of total VET activity data in November. The data show 82.7% of young Australians were enrolled in education and training in 2014. While almost all 15 and 16 year-olds were at school, at 19 years, 31.6% were enrolled in higher education courses, 10.0% were undertaking apprenticeships or traineeships and 11.2% were enrolled in other vocational education and training programs.

Young people in education and training 2014

Financial information on Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training system for 2014 shows operating revenues increased 1.7% to $8.653 billion compared with 2013. Comparing financial information for 2014 with 2013 shows revenue from the Australian Government increased $571.6 million (up 22.3%) and revenue from state and territory governments decreased by $318.5 million (down 7.9%). Total operating expenditures decreased $415.8 million (down 5.2%) to $7.579 billion in 2014 compared with 2013.

Financial information 2014 ​

Australia’s major student survey for rating the government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system shows in 2015, 74.2% of graduates are employed after training, with those employed full-time earning on average $56 900 per year.

The survey asks students about their employment outcomes, satisfaction with training and further study patterns and identified that for VET graduates:

•    58.6% improve their employment status after training.

•    41.2% of those that weren’t employed before training are employed after.

•    75.1% of those employed after training gained at least one job-related benefit resulting from their training. 

For more information: www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2830.html

A new report assesses the feasibility of linking National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) scores to Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) data. It finds it is technically feasible with a linking rate of 98% achieved for consenting LSAY participants.

For more information: www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2829.html

Congratulations to the following practitioners who have been awarded scholarships through the Foundation Skills Literature Review project, a partnership between NCVER, University of Technology Sydney and Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL): 

• Lynda Cameron, Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE in NSW
• Daniella Mayer, Chisholm Institute of TAFE in Victoria
• Joanne Medlin, Western Sydney Institute of TAFE in NSW
• Jane Newton, Manufacturing Skills Australia based in Sydney

Each will produce a literature review, with mentoring support from researchers at NCVER and the University of Technology Sydney. The completed reviews will be completed by mid-2016, and available on VOCEDplus.