This study explores how industry in regional areas addresses skill needs realistically and economically. Labour shortages are far more crucial to industry than skill issues. The study found that enterprises, when they train, use in-house and private registered training organisations to supplement provision by technical and further education (TAFE) institutes.
This report reveals that the formation and maintenance of social partnerships depends on five key principles relating to purposes and goals; relations with partners; capacity for partnership work; governance and leadership; and trust and trustworthiness. Using four partnerships as case studies, the report set out to assess how these principles and practices can be used to develop social partnerships strong enough to withstand changing circumstances. The findings suggest that a partnership's capacity for flexibility is enhanced when there is a culture of partnering, committed sponsors, supportive auspicing organisations, responsive partners and government commitment.
This study examines partnerships between formal and informal training providers in northern Australia. The research finds that effective partnerships have a common purpose and provide training that supports community need. Effective partnerships also support stakeholders' goals and aims, build relationships and trust between partners, and recognise the importance of delivering a mix of formal and informal training.
Employment options have altered dramatically over the past 15 years, with full-time and permanent employment no longer the 'standard'. This report examines changes in employment modes for various groups of workers and its effect on the level and extent of skills development. The report finds that there is reduced support for training by employers as a result of the changing employment patterns, and this means that skills development will increasingly need to be funded by workers themselves and the taxpayer through the public vocational education and training system.
This report examines the nature and effectiveness of 'inclusiveness' strategies implemented by TAFE institutes in Australia. Inclusiveness strategies address barriers to participation in vocational education and training (VET) experienced by disadvantaged people, thereby maximising the stock of skills available to industry. The research identified three approaches to inclusiveness: compliance, existing cohort and community obligation. It is accompanied by case studies.
The aim of the research was to identify whether, and how, the demand for the types of skills provided by the vocational education and training (VET) sector was likely to change in the years to 2011. This research has adopted a different approach to investigating future demand for skills: instead of utilising proxies for skills, such as qualification, earnings or nominal occupation, this research has adopted a framework which uses the notion of skills as comprised of cognitive, interactive and motor skills dimensions. The research projects that future jobs are likely to have higher cognitive and interactive components, this being a probable consequence of global change and the rising level of international trade, as well as skill-based technological change.
The ageing of the Australian population has become an issue of national concern. How ageing impacts on the supply of vocational skills is less well known, and different age groups vary in the extent and character of vocational skills they possess. This report analyses and quantifies the compositional effects of changing demographics on both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the supply of vocational skills. Focusing particularly on occupations that utilise vocational skills intensively, this report provides an analysis of projected VET employment and VET qualifications by occupation and by age groups over a 15-year period to 2020.
This report is the final report - the synthesis report - from the research program, A well-skilled future: Tailoring VET to the emerging labour market. This overview draws together the key points identified across the research and integrates the conclusions from each of the five research themes to produce a coherent picture of the vocational education and training (VET) sector's role in responding to changes in the skills required by employers and the skill development needs of the workforce.
The aim of this research was to identify approaches used by a select number of overseas countries-the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, Norway and Germany-in their attempts to match the supply of skills with current and projected skill needs. The study focuses on the mechanisms used by, or on behalf of, governments to influence the formal and informal processes and outcomes of skills formation. This includes the management and direction of VET systems, financing and other levers that influence the type, amount and location of training and other skills-formation processes. The research found that countries use a mixture of three types of strategies to attempt to align the supply of skills with current and future needs: state regulated; regulated through agreements between the social partners, that is, industry, unions and government; and market regulation.
This report explains the planning processes and financial arrangements underpinning the vocational education and training (VET) sector. It looks at the structural capacity of the sector to respond rapidly and efficiently to a dynamic labour market and changes in pattern of skill demand. The report finds that the complexities of the labour market and the multiple demands on the VET system mean that the planning processes used by state and territory authorities are relatively different, dynamic and, in some instances, quite complex.
This report examines participation in vocational education and training (VET) across different regions of Australia. It does this by presenting two main types of analysis: firstly, by mapping of regional participation rates, and, secondly, by regression analyses which, by using key regional data, predict participation and identify 'exceptional' regions, those with unusually high or low rates of participation, despite what might be expected, given their industry base and population. The report finds that there are large variations in participation across the regions, with participation stronger in rural areas, particularly for basic and middle levels.
The participation of Australians in vocational education and training (VET) varies a great deal in terms of levels of training, industry fields and demographic aspects; that is, age, gender, locality and socioeconomic status. The purpose of this study was to undertake an analysis of various aspects of VET participation by age, gender, socioeconomic status and Australian Qualifications Framework level. Information for Queensland and South Australia is also provided to illustrate the capacity to analyse this information at a state/territory level.
This report examines Australian studies of work organisation and how the workplace is changing in response to pressures from increased global competition, rapidly changing consumer markets and the expansion of the services sector, all of which necessitate much more flexible work practices. The research finds that the success of teamwork is patchy, as is implementation of other aspects of the high performance model. The research also finds that, while a curriculum response is not necessary from the vocational education and training (VET) sector, the changing work environment is an important consideration in VET policy and planning.
Vocational education and training (VET) has a role to play in sustainable regional development. Through five regional case studies this research examines how well VET is tailoring supply to skill needs, how VET has become more flexible to obtain a better match between demand and supply, and whether partnerships have been linked to whole-of-government frameworks in ways which support sustainable regional development. The study concludes that successful relationships between VET and regional development require ongoing alignment both ways. Comprehensive regional frameworks could facilitate this co-development between VET and regional development.
This paper highlights the importance of using quality survey instruments to collect data about student satisfaction. It discusses the challenges involved in collecting quality student satisfaction data and describes a structural equation model as a possible means of designing and collecting this data. Since this paper was presented at the 2007 No Frills conference, a national survey instrument has been developed which will be used by all registered training organisations to collect their learner satisfaction data. The development of this instrument validates the key point made in this paper: that it is essential for registered training organisations to have a quality survey tool in order to improve the validity of learner satisfaction surveys across the VET sector.
This paper draws on a research project which developed a change management strategy to assist two TAFE institutes in addressing and improving their planning culture. It outlines the principles and processes which emerged from the research and presents the guidelines for linking the strategic planning process to actions and performance within the different levels of a complex vocational education and training (VET) organisation. The paper should be of interest to VET organisations seeking practical ideas and guidance in how to implement organisational change and development processes.
There have been major advances in online learning in recent years. However, the use of some technologies - such as web conferencing - have not been fully explored in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. This paper reports on a trial of web conferencing that was conducted by the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE. There was a high level of participation and interaction by both students and teachers during the trial, and most were positive about using web conferencing as a means of communication.
In the context of an ageing population, the opportunity for people aged 45 years and older to update their work-related skills and knowledge is potentially important in enabling some of these workers to remain in, or return to, employment. This study considers the diverse nature of older workers in the labour force and their learning preferences. It suggests that some changes to skill development activities are required to accommodate the motivations, objectives and ways of learning of older workers. These changes include a mix of organisational factors, such as integrating learning and work, and teaching and learning factors, such as flexibility and responsiveness to learner needs.
This study shows how a group of employers understand the provision of literacy, numeracy and employability skills and the continuing development of these skills in their workplaces. It demonstrates that some employers accept that it is both necessary and the employer's responsibility to provide learning and development opportunities for these skills. However, employers are looking for support in doing this. The challenge for training organisations is in building capability and capacity to support this effort. Successful development strategies in the workplace tended to be part of the normal cycles of skills training and continuous improvement.
The linkage between tertiary education and the labour market in Australia is examined in this paper presented, in 2004, to the Korea Research Institute of Vocational Education and Training at the 7th Anniversary International Seminar on Linkage between Higher Education and Labour Market.