This book of readings combines the results of a body of research on the funding and financing of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. Funding arrangements, or how money is distributed, are described in the first section of this book and includes chapters on allocation of funding by state training authorities, the effects of market reform in the VET sector and funding for various disadvantaged groups. Financing, the subject of the second half of the book, refers to how money is raised. In this section the various contributions to costs of VET by government, employers and individuals are discussed, as are various methods whereby funds are attracted to the sector, for example, TAFE fees and charges and various mechanisms designed to increase employer and individual investment.
Two well-established findings about employer-provided training form the backdrop to this research. First, the provision of training and its associated expenditure are highly variable across employers, notably by industry and employment size. Second, employer engagement with the formal system of VET is substantial, and growing, but a number of employers are not entirely satisfied with the system. This publication consolidates and synthesises a body of research conducted over the past few years on the topic of training provided by employers for their workforces.