The calculation of expenditures per full-year training equivalent in the Annual national report of the Australian vocational education and training system to Parliament includes the application of cost weights. These 'course mix weights' account for the variation among states and territories in the relative mix of high- and low-cost programs and promote comparability of unit costs among jurisdictions. However, changes to the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard, primarily the change in occupation classifications from ASCO to ANZSCO, mean that the methodology applied until 2008 can no longer be used. This paper explains the technical solution to this problem, showing how course mix weights are calculated using a new method based on a set of cost relatives by the subject field of education rather than the funding industry of the course. It also provides a comparison of the two methods.
The importance of adult language, literacy and numeracy for greater workforce participation, productivity and social inclusion are well recognised, with both national and international research demonstrating the benefits of increasing proficiency for both individuals and communities. But there are still more questions to be answered, such as what is the extent of adult language, literacy and numeracy provision in Australia, and whose responsibility is it to fund such provision in the workplace? In September 2010, NCVER hosted a forum on behalf of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to explore these questions and what needs to be done to find the answers. This paper presents a summary of those discussions and recommendations for future action.