This report identifies what individual learners and industry clients want from vocational education and training (VET) and proposes how these needs can best be met. It also identifies a tension between compliance and creativity which needs to be addressed in quality frameworks at the system level. In addition, providers need to reshape their structures and modify their cultures so they are open to creativity and flexibility but also able to meet compliance requirements. At the practitioner level, ongoing funding for the professional development of staff is needed so they have the time and space to develop innovative strategies for teaching, learning and assessment.
Patterns of pathways between and within vocational education and training (VET) and higher education are examined in this study. It compares the notion of straightforward pathways with what is actually happening. The researchers interviewed 49 students in South Australia who had participated in VET and/or higher education and who had been through more than one transition between VET and higher education. The study concludes that pathways, while not necessarily seamless, and (as the title indicates) are often not straightforward, do work for the students interviewed.
The growth of apprenticeships and traineeships between 1997 and 2003 is examined in this report, with a specific focus on age and sex. The research found apprenticeships and traineeships changed dramatically during this period, with the range of occupations widening, part-time apprenticeships and traineeships now common, and apprenticeships and traineeships no longer the preserve of the young male.
The relationship between education, including vocational education and training (VET), and measures of health and wellbeing is explored in this report. Previous research in the area indicates that the relationship is also influenced by intermediary variables such as income. This report uses the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia (HILDA) data to examine the relationship between education and physical and mental health, and interviews with practitioners.
The aim of this research is to define good practices which support partnerships between adult and community education and vocational education and training, and identify negative practices which work against such collaborations. The research finds that strong and committed lead personnel, time, respect between organisations and a clear understanding of objectives are key factors for success. Each purchased copy of the report also includes a copy of 'Creating effective ACE and VET partnerships: Good practice guide'.
Using case studies from seven rural and regional areas, this report looks at the impact of schools and vocational education and training (VET) on community capacity. It finds that communities have developed different models to organise school-VET partnerships and that rural areas are more likely to adopt a whole-of-community model, while regional areas have used a more specialised regional model. Successful partnerships are those that respond to community issues, including the need to keep young people at school, as well as providing a skills base for the local area.
This report provides an analysis of data gathered from vocational education and training (VET) policy-makers, industry representatives, resource development managers and practitioners about their experiences and views on the uptake and implementation of equity learning resources. These resources are aimed at supporting trainers in teaching their students. A range of enablers and barriers to the uptake and implementation of the resources in the VET sector were identified. A key finding is that few equity resources appeared to be widely used. The issue of uptake lies not with the quality of the resources but with the processes surrounding their development.
Where do higher-level VET qualifications lead? This study investigates whether they lead to employment at associate professional or higher occupations, or whether they are a pathway to university studies. Findings indicate that there are good employment outcomes for some graduates, although often at below associate professional level. The study also found that these qualifications are a significant pathway to university studies for young graduates.
This report documents the evolution and development of four learning communities in Victoria, which are involved in local government. It investigates the challenges and complexities involved in getting these communities off the ground and what roles, if any, vocational education and training (VET) institutions have played. Key principles emerging from the study include the importance of recognising different stakeholders' values and perspectives, appreciating multiple outcomes and proactively managing the relationships between various groups of stakeholders. Key findings include that local government has enormous potential and resources to contribute to the community and that VET is a necessary part of the system but has not been particularly proactive in the four cases described in this study.
This study examines the nature of the training activity of private registered training organisations (RTOs) offered to Australian students in 2003, based on data from a national sample of 330 RTOs. The study also provides estimates of the private sector's overall contribution to the total vocational education and training (VET) effort in Australia for that year. Private providers are diverse and cover a wide variety of types. Generally they are small organisations offering a wide range of programs; both accredited and non-accredited. While there are some issues relating to data quality, it is clear they make a substantial contribution to the overall Australian VET effort. It is estimated that, in 2003, private RTOs had about 2.2 million students, which compares with 1.7 million students in the publicly funded sector in that year. However, comparisons with the public VET sector are problematic because there are no estimates available of the training hours delivered by private RTOs.
This study investigated whether adult literacy and numeracy courses produced social capital outcomes, which are changes in students' connections with networks of people. The study found that 80% of the students improved the structure of their networks and the way they communicated, as well as contributing to positive socioeconomic benefits in the areas of education and learning, employment and the quality of working life, and access to goods and services. Reporting on these outcomes may go some way towards providing a more complete picture of the benefits of literacy and numeracy courses, emphasising that these courses are about more than the acquisition of a set of technical skills. At the same time, it is recognised that this may be problematic.
This study examines the nature of the impact of vocational education and training (VET), and its project-based activities and partnerships, on the development of sustainable communities in regional Australia. It finds that VET plays a critical role as the entry point to learning and builds considerable social and other forms of capital in regional communities. The study points to new opportunities to integrate these assets into strategic regional development.
The way school students understand work through their paid part-time work and participation in school-based apprenticeships has the potential to inform career decision making and further education pathways. Through classroom-based interventions this project sought to assist student's and teacher's understandings of 'authentic' work experiences. The role of the school and teachers in preparing students for vocational outcomes raises many issues, including the support and skills required to facilitate discussion and activities on the realities of the working world. Reflection upon work experiences, when directed effectively by teachers, enables students to critically appraise the world of work beyond school and post school pathways.
This report examines the extent and nature of professional development required to meet the current and future needs of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme practitioners. While the working environment for such practitioners is becoming more complex, with greater demands on them to have industry knowledge and project management skills, the report finds that engagement in professional development activities is declining. Barriers preventing the recruitment of new practitioners are explored and possible strategies to support renewal of the profession are proposed, including the need for a national minimum standard to be adopted, such as the Advanced Diploma of Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice in VET.
This report presents a profile of technical and further education (TAFE) institutes for the 2003 calendar year. The project was undertaken to illustrate the extent of variation in the sector. The report also provides data on TAFE institutes that can be used by the institutes for planning, performance monitoring and marketing purposes.
This study, undertaken for the National Electrical and Communications Association, profiles the electrotechnology workforce and focuses especially on how the industry is adapting to the rapidly changing environment. Through analysis of data and interviews, the study found that the electrotechnology industry has adapted well to its customers' demands to integrate the electrical and communication skills into a narrow range of occupations. Skills shortages remain in the industry but tend to be region or occupation specific.
The question of how the skills and knowledge of the adult language, literacy and numeracy workforce can be improved is particularly relevant in view of the ongoing debate on how language, literacy and numeracy skills should be taught. This study reflects on the professional development needs of the three sectors--vocational trainers, specialist teachers and volunteer tutors-- of the Australian English language, literacy and numeracy workforce. Important issues affecting the workforce include entry pathways, attitudes, responsibilities and barriers to gaining professional development. Preferred modes of professional development delivery along with skill gaps among the workforce are identified to provide guidance for future workforce development planning.
This report compares the provision of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom. It finds that training policies are increasingly based on similar general principles which promote the improvement and reform of vocational education and training, although the implementation of these principles tends to remain specific to each country.
Assessing the social and economic costs of poor adult literacy and numeracy skills, and the benefits of investing in such skills, is largely unchartered territory in Australia. This feasibility study explores the frameworks and methodologies available for determining and measuring such benefits and costs across a number of life domains, including health, finance and small business.
Difficulty with literacy and numeracy is a significant barrier to Indigenous students accessing vocational education and training. This study explored the literacy and numeracy support systems available to Indigenous VET students and determined which systems work for both students and teachers and produce positive outcomes for Indigenous students, including successful completion. This has resulted in a set of best practice guidelines for designing and developing literacy and numeracy support systems for Indigenous students.