Description
The 24th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference, colloquially known as 'No Frills', was held from 6-8 July 2015 in Sydney. The conference was co-hosted by NCVER, the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute and South Western Sydney Institute, and received support from the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training. This conference provided an opportunity for researchers and practitioners in the vocational education and training (VET) sector to present, discuss and share information about key issues confronting the sector. This year, the focus was on three major themes: youth - engaging, inspiring and supporting students to realise their potential; pathways - transitioning through education and training into the workforce; and skills - working with industry and employers to improve education and training. A selection of presenters were also invited to submit a paper on their research topic for peer review. These papers were compiled into this collection of conference proceedings.
This year's conference will be held from Monday 4 - Wednesday 6 July 2016 in Rockhampton. Further information is available here.
Summary
About the research
The 24th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference, colloquially known as ‘No Frills’, was held in July 2015.
The conference highlighted research across three major themes:
- youth: engaging, inspiring and supporting students to realise their potential
- pathways: transitioning through education and training into the workforce
- skills: working with industry and employers to improve education and training.
The presentations provided delegates with diverse insights from government, academic and employer perspectives on the key issues confronting the vocational education and training (VET) sector. A select few speakers at the conference were also offered the opportunity to have their papers peer-reviewed, and these five refereed papers have been compiled to make up this book of conference proceedings.
The papers examine: the diversity of VET providers and the needs of students; initiatives designed to improve the capabilities of VET practitioners; how skills contribute to innovation, and the implications of this in terms of return on investment; the impact of VET students transitioning directly into second-year university and how these students can best be supported; and the learning preferences of VET students (specifically enrolled nurses), how they differ by comparison with university students and the consequent implications.
It is hoped these papers will provide an insight into the array of topics presented at the No Frills conferences and generate interest in attending future conferences.
Dr Craig Fowler
Managing Director, NCVER