Australia's national VET data custodian

2009 publications

1 – 5 of 5 results
Apprenticeships and traineeships in the downturn

By Tom Karmel, Josie Misko

The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with a view to assessing the likely impact of the current economic downturn on them.

Competition in the training market

By Tom Karmel, Francesca Beddie, Susan Dawe

NCVER commissioned six leading thinkers to offer insights into what is meant by a training market, constraints upon that market and the areas for improvement in the system which would allow consumers greater choice.

Workforce planning for the community services and health industry

By Tom Karmel, Davinia Blomberg

This paper aims to provide a picture of the occupations in the community services and health industry, and how the workforce obtains the required skills. The authors argue that planning for the industry should concentrate on occupations specific to the industry and those which require high skill levels. Findings suggest that the qualification levels of community services and health workers have increased substantially over the past decade. Furthermore, community services and health vocational education and training courses are well targeted, with most graduates finding employment in the industry.

Welfare to work: Does vocational education and training make a difference?

By Tom Karmel, Kevin Mark, Nhi Nguyen

The purpose of this paper looks at the fundamental issue of whether VET does improve the employment prospects of the groups in question. It exploits data from the Student Outcome Survey to construct samples that proxy three welfare groups and models the post-training employment outcomes.

The cost of training apprentices

By Lisa Nechvoglod, Tom Karmel, John Saunders

This report examines the costs that both employers and apprentices incur for undertaking training in the plumbing and electrical industries. The importance of understanding costs is fundamental. Employers will not take on apprentices if the cost is too high, and prospective apprentices will not undertake an apprenticeship if the future benefits (increased wages) do not outweigh the immediate costs to them. The research found that the apprenticeship model involves a substantial financial commitment from employers, and apprenticeships are more attractive to young people and will remain unattractive to older people, unless the premium paid to qualified tradespeople is substantial.