This paper was a before-dinner address to the Management Team Retreat of NCVER in October 2007. It looks at how education and training has changed over the last 15 years, and discusses topics such as sustainable development, leadership and management, and literacy and numeracy.
This paper explores issues of engagement, response rates, access, confidentiality and security in relation to the Canberra Institute of Technology's move from a paper-based student experience survey to an online survey. It discusses a variety of theories and strategies which will inform the future development and implementation of online student experience surveys, including benefits such as lower costs, ease of administration, fewer errors and quicker data entry. The paper does show, however, that online surveys can have drawbacks such as lower response rates, and require effective promotion and enthusiastic teachers to encourage students to take part.
This research examined recent pilots of accelerated apprenticeships in the automotive industry in Queensland. Interviews with apprentices, employers and teachers showed that the traditional model is still well regarded. It is not failing, but does require evolutionary change.
Australia needs highly skilled workers to sustain a healthy economy. Current employment-based training models have limitations in meeting the demands for highly skilled labour supply. The research explored current and emerging models of employment-based training to propose more effective models at higher VET qualifications that can maintain a balance between institution and work-based learning.
This report examines young people's participation in career advice activities while at school and their perceptions of the usefulness of the advice they receive. The data are from the 2003 15 year old cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). Research report no. 53 This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.
This report investigates the role that vocational education and training (VET) can play in the transition from welfare to work. Case studies showed that VET can, and often does, help people move into paid work. However, target groups have varied needs and the study concludes that the VET sector has more to do in catering for these subgroups.
This publication provides a brief overview of migration, with an emphasis on the contribution migration has made to the workforce. It shows that Australia has been using targeted migration programs to expand and enhance the skills base of its workforce for some time.
Through the experiences of refugees from Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan, this research sought to explore the role multicultural community organisations play in creating important informal networks and learning spaces that connect people from refugee backgrounds to the wider Australian community. In particular, the research sought to identify how such organisations assist refugees in their learning of English language and work skills.
The welfare-to-work policy aims to encourage certain welfare recipients to pursue pathways that lead to paid employment. This report explores the role that the vocational education and training (VET) system can play in assisting people move from welfare to work. The researchers examined the experiences of VET students from the relevant welfare groups and sought the views of other key stakeholders such as TAFE and Centrelink personnel. Conclusions include that VET can play a positive role but that there needs to be collaboration between VET and income support sectors to ensure that potential barriers are overcome.
This report examines the vocational education and training (VET) pathways pursued by young people since leaving school. It investigates the characteristics of those who pursue VET, their persistence in those programs, and the labour force and related outcomes that they experience following their VET participation. The investigation uses data collected as part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program. It is based on survey data collected annually since 1995 from young people who were in Year 9 at school at that time (the Y95 cohort). Research report no. 52 This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.
Students reporting a mental illness do poorly in vocational education and training (VET) compared with other disability groups. This is a challenge for the VET sector. Teachers and support staff are at the frontline in responding to the needs of these students and this research explored staff perspectives on how TAFE institutes in Australia are supporting students with mental illnesses.
This brief publication accompanies the report 'Who's supporting us? TAFE staff perspectives on supporting students with a mental illness'. Aimed at TAFE staff, it provides a summary of the key findings of the report, including lessons from participants about strategies to help students with mental illness, and useful resources.
Research messages 2007 is a collection of summaries of all research projects published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research in 2007, including conference papers and occasional papers. It also has an overview of the research highlights for the year. The summaries are clustered under five broad themes used by NCVER to organise its VET research and analysis: Industry and employers; Students and individuals; Teaching and learning; VET system; and VET in context.
Developed for practitioners, this resource introduces adult literacy educators to the principles of strength-based practice, a technique that concentrates on the strengths, capacities and aspirations of individuals and uses these as a catalyst for change and growth. The resource provides examples of key processes and techniques, as well as information about where to access additional resources relating to strength-based practice.
Around a quarter of all Australian wage and salary earners are casual workers. Casual workers, in general, receive less training than those in ongoing employment. This paper considers whether the prevalence of casual employment is sustainable. It looks at the home and community care sector in which vocational education and training has a prominent role in developing the skills of workers, and in which casual employment is relatively high. It notes that, where employers pay for training, they usually prefer to use ongoing part-time employees rather than casuals. But many employers believe that casual employees prefer the flexibility of casual employment.
This study evaluates a selection of career development services available for young people. It examines the characteristics of the services provided, with a focus on career decision-making and the provision of information about vocational education and training (VET) options. The education providers and young people surveyed were generally satisfied with the services provided. However, it was agreed that information about VET options could be improved. A better understanding of the ways in which young people seek help will enhance accessibility to services.
This publication reports on the participant feedback provided at the recent NCVER Research Forums, which showcased the findings of the Consortium Research Program, 'Supporting vocational education and training providers in building capability for the future'.
The vocational education and training sector (VET) has a reputation for providing learners with a second chance. This report critically examines this idea, and finds that although VET provides opportunities for a second chance at education to many prospective students, the percentage who complete their studies and gain a qualification is modest.
This paper presents a series of stylised facts from the research literature on vocational education and training and older people. It includes the following topics: Education is front end loaded; VET is really important in providing older people a second chance; Increases in educational participation of older persons have been very modest; Education makes a large difference to workforce engagement of older people; Qualifications obtained later in life appear to pay off, at least in terms of workforce engagement; ...but training is no panacea; Skills learnt on the job are very important; and Attitudes of both employers and employees create barriers for training for older people.
A survey measuring employers' views of the VET system has been conducted biennially since 1995, with the exception of 2003. This document outlines the history of the individual surveys and how they have evolved. It also compares each survey to the previous survey that was conducted and notes the major differences.