This volume is a compilation of the company case studies used in a comprehensive study of Australia's emerging and potential industries, their impact on the national innovation system and their relationship with co-operative research centres. Other related volumes are 'Going boldly into the future: Skills and Australian high technology start-up firms', by Karen Whittingham of the Australian Photonics Research Centre, also the main study report, 'Going boldly into the future: A VET journey into the national innovation system' by Fran Ferrier and Clifford Trood of the Monash University Centre for Employment Education and Training.
This case study of the high-technology companies established by the Australian Photonics Co-operative Research Centre and the Centre for Molecular Engineering Technology provides supplementary information to the summary report 'Going boldly into the future: A journey into the national innovation system'. The author gives detailed profiles of 14 high technology Australian companies which are all start-ups. The profiles describe the corporate structure, staff and management and the involvement of each company with the VET sector.
This report focusses on the professional culture of vocational education and training (VET) practitioners and the impact of changes in the VET sector on their work. The themes covered include commercialisation, administrative work, and educational and industry identity. The report also includes career biographies and provides insight into the working lives of VET practitioners, how their roles have changed and the range of work they now undertake. It is based on interviews with 28 VET practitioners working in TAFE,adult and community education (ACE), private colleges, industry and schools.
This report examines training practices that demonstrated positive benefits over a period of time in large Australian firms. It primarily focusses on the integration of teaching and learning within the firm, factors which influence firms to train workers, the use of accredited training and training packages, the development of career structures within firms, the impact of globalisation on training and learning practices, and how the success of training is measured. Conclusions are derived from over 50 case studies about the major elements which contribute to successful enterprise training and learning practices.
This study based on analysis of Census data in 1986 and 2000, looks at how the occupational structure of the Australian labour market has evolved over recent years. The study includes a detailed look at occupational change and identifies the fastest growing occupations as well as jobs on the rise and jobs on the decline. The central question the study investigates relates to knowledge of work - whether jobs now demand more knowledge of workers and what this means for vocational education and training.
Each year in September Adult Learners' Week takes place and during this time there is a major promotion of the benefits of adult learning. This report evaluates the impact that the Adult Learners' Week campaign has had over the last two years in Australia. The report includes a discussion of the Australian communities' attitudes to learning and how different segments of the community respond to the campaign. The research was based on a national telephone survey before and after each campaign as well as focus groups.
This project was a pilot instrumental music teaching course in basic guitar instruction to 12 volunteer students (school and adult). A control group of four students were taught in the traditional manner with face-to-face instruction from a local tutor. Eight were taught via the internet in remote locations of Western Australia. The report recorded significant issues with teaching practical music studies via the Internet, with remote students failing to achieve satisfactory results in comparison with the control group. Several suggestions are made for those developing online delivery and learning in this field.
This report summarises the findings of an exploratory study to measure the impact of adult and community education (ACE) on the Australian economy. It includes a profile of the sector, a description of the non-quantifiable benefits that ACE provides to its teachers and an approach to estimating the economic impact, based on the costs and benefits that can be measured.
This report provides an overview of a detailed survey of education and training administered to major firms headquartered in Asia. Commissioned by the Asia Business Council (ABC) and undertaken by NCVER, the study surveyed member companies on their training practices and strategies, emerging skills shortages, investment in education and training and the quality of education and training available to firms.
Graded assessment in Australian vocational education and training has developed a range of practices.This study examines the current practice for graded assessment and identifies policy issues that need to be addressed. Areas studied include validity, reliability and consistency, associated costs, and cross-sectoral concerns.
What motivates school students to undertake school-based new apprenticeships and how satisfied are they with the outcomes? The students themselves answer these questions in this report on the findings of a survey of school-based new apprentices in three Australian states. Questions cover the students' appreciation of the quality of learning and training they received, the effectiveness of work experience, how it influenced their career decisions, the effects on their studies at school and the students' views on workplace learning in a variety of industries.