Four major impediments to higher youth employment are identified in this review. These are: the inability to maintain rates of economic growth sufficient to reduce unemployment without inducing inflationary pressures; changes in the composition of demand for labour favoring more highly skilled workers; systems for delivery of vocational education and training which remain poorly adapted to users' needs; and wage structures that prevent the market for youth labour from clearing.
This report examines issues related to the learning needs of women working in small business. It suggests that the present VET policy framework and the ways in which the VET sector operates at present do not meet the needs of this client group.
This study has described contemporary policy relating to VET in Australia and has asked the question: to what extent do the current laws relating to VET support the development of a national system of vocational education and training? It concludes that while VET legislation is in a process of transition, it is broadly consistent in content and purpose across the range of jurisdictions. It can therefore be argued that the regulation of the provision of VET has been reasonably effective in supporting policy implementation in the sector.
This report addresses some of the issues surrounding small business participation in training and other learning activities, and the relationship between participation and business success. The project surveyed 181 businesses employing fewer than 20 people in the construction, manufacturing, property and business services, and the various networks of small business people. The result of the study showed that businesses with owner/managers and/or employees with post-school qualifications were more likely to be successful. Ongoing learning and training in order to improve efficiency and deal with change were associated with successful small businesses.
This report provides a picture of adult and community education (ACE) provision of VET programs in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia and in so doing provides a broadly based picture of the ACE sector as a whole. The report provides evidence of the capacity of the ACE sector to effectively address learner needs and to help learners link together learning. It also notes that while ACE provides considerable benefits to disadvantaged groups, many people with substantial prior educational background also choose to make use of ACE.