This research used a survey to investigate the attitudes of people with a disability towards undertaking training. The findings show very positive attitudes towards training by participants and, although the ability to generalise to the wider population is limited, one thing is clear: generally, people with a disability are willing to undertake VET and consider it a good option in helping them find employment. Some factors affected attitudes more than others, including level of school-based education; highest qualification level completed; whether people had single or multiple disabilities; and, to some extent, gender.
In this report the authors examine how skills development in domestic plumbing occupations has responded to an increased emphasis on environmental sustainability and 'greening'. They find that rather than sustainability and greening requiring major changes in thinking, plumbing skills need to be responsive to changing technology and more generic skills such as dealing with customers are required. How and at what stage to best impart these skills is a challenge for plumbing and the vocational education and training sector.
Two features of the labour market for vocationally qualified workers are explored in this technical paper: the likelihood of self-employment versus wage employment and the determinants of income.
This overview describes research conducted by the University of Canberra which looked at the characteristics of people with vocational qualifications who are self-employed and the differences between the self-employed and employees.
The author explores the prospect of improving pathways and opportunities for tradespeople in Australia through the introduction of a masters-level qualification. The study investigates the views and opinions of senior industry representatives and professional educators to determine whether the introduction of a master trade or master artisan qualification will lead to greater prospects for tradespeople and an increased esteem for trade vocations within the community.
This research examines the 'psychological contract' or the unwritten expectations of employers and employees in an employment relationship. The particular aim of this study was to discover whether mismatched expectations have any effect on retention in apprenticeships and traineeships. Overall, there was a very high level of agreement on the obligations of the two major parties and so mismatched expectations turn out not to be the explanation for high attrition rates. But paying greater attention to the areas perceived as deficient, such as employers providing specific time for training, fair treatment and resources to do the job, may be a means of improving retention.
Undertaking research in the vocational education and training (VET) and disability area is not easy. The challenges include the limitations of the available data, accessing people with a disability and the diversity of disability type and severity. This discusses these issues and also presents a snapshot of recent data and a summary of recent research in this area.
This report investigates attrition in the trades by comparing the rate at which tradespeople leave their occupation with that of professionals. It also determines whether attrition is influenced by economic conditions, and if a trade can provide a good start to a career in the professions. The report concludes that attrition in the trades is no higher than in the professions; the rate of leaving particular occupations may vary, but overall the results between the two are very similar. The economic climate also makes little difference to the attrition rate.
Pre-vocational programs, including VET in Schools, are increasingly providing a pathway into traineeships in the same way that pre-apprenticeships are an established route into apprenticeships in the traditional trades. This report uses data from the 2010 Apprentice and Trainee Destination Survey and finds that the benefits of pre-vocational programs are mostly apparent for early school leavers (especially those who leave school after Year 11) and trainees in sales, clerical and administrative, and labouring occupations.
What makes for a good approach to leadership development in vocational education and training (VET)? This paper evaluates the existing leadership development program at the Canberra Institute of Technology. Participants in the program felt that it was useful and that they could articulate what the institute wanted its leaders to do, but did not identify themselves as responsible for this. The author suggests that there is a need for clearer articulation of the roles and expectations of leaders. This paper was developed by a novice researcher in the community of practice program and was funded as part of NCVER's building researcher capacity initiative.
In June 2011, NCVER ran a forum ‘Is VET worthwhile?’, to bring together the suite of research from four programs of work conducted over three years (2008–2010) by the Centre for Work + Life at the University of South Australia; the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research at the University of Melbourne; the Social Policy Evaluation, Analysis and Research Centre at the Australian National University; and the Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney. This paper draws on the themes that emerged from the research and the forum discussion. It finds that whether VET is worthwhile for the wide variety of people who access it – students, workers or employers – depends on who you are and why you use it.
This publication presents information about students’ intentions to complete a vocational education and training (VET) course.
This final report from a three-year research program puts the focus on the ability of VET to respond to workforce development challenges, particularly in industries characterised as low-skill entry points to the labour market. The key findings highlight the lack of incentive for workers in the meat processing and childcare sectors to train beyond mandatory levels due to casualised working arrangements and little reward for upgrading qualifications. To improve workforce development, using the concept of a vocation implies the capacity to move literally between different skill clusters potentially removing some of the stigma attached to hierarchical structures.
Helping people with disability participate in the labour market is one way to enhance their economic and social well-being. However, low levels of education among people with disability generally can hinder their participation. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, this study looks at the role of vocational education and training (VET) qualifications not just in labour market outcomes for people with disability but in improving their working conditions. Whether post-school qualifications lessen the impact of disability onset is also examined. Completing a VET qualification is found to improve the rates of full-time employment in the longer term for those previously out of work or working part-time. With this comes greater financial independence.
Ensuring all Australians have equal access to education has been a key driver of state and federal governments since the late 1980s. 'Lifting' skills of individuals through education, training and employment is an integral focus of public policies to redress disadvantage and improve social inclusion. Using Australian and international research, this At a glance explores how vocational education and training system responds to and fosters the social inclusion policy agenda.
This document provides a summary of the feedback received to a discussion paper on the Review of the Survey of Employer Use and Views of the VET System and our approach for future iterations of the survey. The discussion paper sought feedback from stakeholders on a range of issues relating to the content and methodology of the survey. The NCVER has used this feedback to identify and define the content and methodology of the survey from 2013 onwards.
Integrating learning into the workplace is the focus of this paper. A variety of strategies were identified and their effectiveness tested in a pilot training program based in the health industry. Personal motivation, having access to resources in the workplace and being able to network and share ideas were critical to being able to integrate learning into the workplace. The research was funded through the NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative and was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice Scholarship program.
This report examines the linkages between innovation and skills development in vocational education and training (VET) across three industry sectors: mining, solar energy and computer gaming. Using a case study approach, the research finds that each of the industry sectors differs in their relationship between innovation and the education and training system. However, the formal VET system is seen as being very important in teaching the underlying skills and knowledge of a vocation. In contrast, informal on-the-job learning imparts the actual skills for innovation, but based on what was learnt formally. The VET system is seen as being slow in responding to new skills needs; however, whether this represents a bad thing is debatable.
This report provides a portrait of the initial formal training for VET teachers in private and public registered training organisations. It describes the features and content of generic courses offered both in the VET sector and higher education ranging from certificate IV TAA to graduate diplomas. It also provides details about the characteristics and numbers of students enrolled in a range of courses. The report sits in the wider canvas of other initial and ongoing professional development and support for teachers. It concludes that the certificate IV is the one true foundational course, and suggests some ways to address its quality issues.
In this paper, the authors identify various educational paths involving school and post-school study and assess the effectivness of these in relation to post-school outcomes at age 25 years. They use the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth and find that, for males, undertaking an apprenticeship after completing senior secondary and university are attractive paths. For females, the best path is that of university study, even for those with low academic orientation.