Student traffic: Two-way movement between vocational education and training and higher education

Student movement within and between the tertiary education sectors—vocational education and training (VET) and higher education—is growing and complex.
Intersectoral and intrasectoral movement of tertiary students is significant. The flow from higher education to vocational education and training is estimated to be three times greater, nationally and in South Australia, than the flow from VET to higher education, which has been declining over time. Student traffic is a complex phenomenon, involving students with backgrounds in multiple education sectors, various combinations of complete and incomplete qualifications, and some concurrent enrolment in the two sectors.

Student motivation in both sectors is similar.
Students in both the higher education and VET sectors responded similarly to questions about reasons for undertaking further study, both emphasising employment prospects and personal development. Thus, greater recognition needs to be given to the different, but increasingly complementary roles that higher education and vocational education and training play.

The transition from the higher education to the VET sector is smoother than the reverse.
The majority of tertiary students moving from one sector to another find the transition easy, with one exception. Both sets of students experience difficulty in making changes in their life so that they have enough time to study. Transition to higher education poses greater difficulties (particularly relating to financial issues) than transition to the VET sector, largely because those moving to VET tend to be older, more financially secure, more experienced in the workforce and more confident.

In a society committed to lifelong learning, and with an economy requiring a knowledgeable, skilled, flexible and adaptable labour force, it is essential that there are clear and easy pathways between the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors. Such intersectoral movement is important for reasons of equity and efficiency. The Australian Government through the Department of Education, Science and Training has argued for the strengthening of intersectoral links and for the development of a national system underpinning educational options. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the extent and nature of the two-way traffic of students between VET and higher education institutions.

The study utilised three different, but complementary sources of information. A comprehensive review of the literature identified previous research and highlighted the key issues. Secondly, detailed analyses of existing data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and the Department of Education, Science and Training established the statistical background. Data were examined on students with higher education achievement who had moved to the VET sector over the years 1997 to 2002, and students with VET experience commencing in the higher education sector over the same period (in both cases, excluding fee-paying overseas students). Thirdly, a questionnaire survey was undertaken of all undergraduate students who commenced study in 2003 at all technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, the three universities and a sample of private VET providers in South Australia, in order to obtain samples of commencing students who had experience in the other sector.

The key issues identified for investigation included the following:

• What is the scope and nature of the student two-way movement between VET and higher education institutions?
• What opportunities are students seeking in this cross-sectoral movement and how do they express these preferences?
• To what extent is there a gap between these opportunities and what is promoted?
• Are there particular groups of students who access, and benefit from, particular forms of cross-sectoral movement?
• Are there barriers that hinder or prevent students from accessing these education and training opportunities, and, if so, how can these barriers be addressed?

In interpreting the findings, a major limitation on the survey component of this study was the low response rate (556 students, estimated to be 15% of the VET to university and 7% of university to VET commencers), largely resulting from difficulties encountered in undertaking the online survey and in using the incomplete database on TAFE students. Another was the restriction of this survey to one state. Nevertheless, the samples were generally representative of their respective state populations in terms of gender, age and field of study, and the findings from all three sources were relatively consistent. This serves to increase confidence in the robustness of the information and to reinforce the main conclusions.

There was a high degree of consistency in the findings from the three sources of information. It is evident that, between 1997 and 2002, Australia has witnessed considerable growth in movement from the higher education sector to the VET sector, both nationally and in South Australia, but a decline in movement from the opposite direction. For those moving in either direction, females comprised the greater proportion. For almost all fields of education in each year, the majority of the VET cohort was in the 30+ age group, while the majority group of students in the higher education cohort was students aged less than 30 years.

There were similarities between the destinations of the annual cohorts moving to the higher education sector and those moving to VET. For both groups, nationally and in South Australia, business-related studies and nationally, arts-related studies were popular. Science studies were also relatively appealing. Health and education tend to have been more popular destinations for those moving to higher education than for those moving to VET. For females, in both VET and in the higher education sectors in South Australia and nationally, arts, business and education were fields that consistently attracted large proportions of enrolments, while for males, business, science and engineering and related studies were popular for both groups. There is a dominance of business fields as destinations for those moving in either direction.

The study's sources demonstrate that the higher-education-to-VET traffic is characterised by females, mature-aged students in part-time study in the VET sector, where the move is often to a different field of education (such as moving from an education field to a business field). By contrast, the VET-to-higher-education traffic is characterised by younger students studying full-time, where the move is frequently to the same or a similar field of education (such as moving from marketing to management within the business field). For both groups of students, business studies areas are popular destinations, with students frequently moving for vocational reasons, although personal interest is also important.

The study highlights the complexity in movement between and within these two educational sectors. It also pinpoints some notable differences between the commencing university and VET student cohorts.

The survey indicates that those students going from VET to higher education generally appeared not to have lengthy delays before movement, compared with those moving in the reverse direction. This is consistent with other findings in the literature. Notably, however, it appears that a greater proportion of students commencing VET were either concurrently enrolled in higher education and VET in 2003, or had studied at university in 2003 and decided to discontinue these studies and move immediately to VET.

Sixty per cent of the university to VET commencers reported that they had completed their higher education course, compared with 80% of the VET to university commencers who had completed their VET course. Also, those moving from VET to higher education are more likely to have completed their most recent VET course closer to the time of moving than those taking the opposite path. These outcomes support findings in the literature and suggest that, among those with completed awards/courses, students moving from VET to higher education tend to do this in a more planned way, without a substantial time delay compared with those moving in the reverse direction.

The survey data show considerable multiple intersectoral and intrasectoral movements among these students. In the case of university to VET commencers, 25% had two intersectoral moves, while 51% had between three and eight inter- and intrasectoral moves. With VET to university commencers, 17% had two or more intersectoral moves (including 4% who had between three and four moves), while 49% had between three and eight inter- and intrasectoral moves. All of these findings reinforce the complex nature of movement between and within sectors.

In their current studies, the VET to university commencers were concentrated in fewer fields of study, but again, with both groups, enrolments in business, arts and health studies were common. The VET to higher education commencers tended to be studying full-time, while the university to VET commencers were part-time. Twice as many VET to higher education as higher education to VET commencers gained admission on the basis of their studies in the previous sector, and applied for credit in their current course, and three times as many were successful in receiving half or more of their current course in credit, a reflection of greater numbers of VET to university commencers progressing to similar courses as their previous VET studies.

There were statistically significant differences between the two groups of students on 13 of the 19 reasons for undertaking study. The key motivation for both groups in undertaking further study was to improve employment prospects. Generally, the majority of VET to university students were studying in the same or a similar field of education to retrain for a different career, whereas the university to VET students favoured studying in a different field of education to improve prospects in their present career. This is a reflection of the VET commencers being older, more financially secure and having further study motivations that were often employment-driven. There was evidence that the career planning process undertaken by both groups of students was individualistic, independent and calculated.

The other key differences in motivation related to getting a broad education and a prestigious qualification, improving English skills, pleasing family, and studying because they were advised to by someone they respected, and because they could obtain some status for their previous qualification (all of which were significantly more highly reported by VET to university commencers), and studying because it was required by their employer (significantly more highly reported by university to VET commencers). Despite these differences, it was notable that the top ten reasons for both sectors were the same (although with variations in ranking). Overall, this may reflect a converging of perception in regard to what can be gained from the sectors, both in terms of personal development and career outcomes.

The literature suggests that students moving intersectorally experience difficulties in the transition process, with such issues as inadequate, or indeed, inaccurate information on admission requirements and credit transfer policies and practices, difficulties with expectations, especially of degrees of responsibility for management of learning, different teaching styles, workloads and assessment, course content, content repetition, curricula underpinnings, interactions with staff, facilities and support mechanisms. This was supported only to a degree by the survey.

Most students in both sectors found the actual transition between sectors relatively easy, with the exception of 'making changes in your life so that you had enough time to study', which both sets of students found difficult. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups of students on nine of the 15 issues influencing their decision to undertake further study. Overall, the university to VET commencers found it easier than those going in the reverse direction. The main differences related to finance, meeting entry requirements, going through the application process, self-confidence, and obtaining advice from staff, with all of which the VET to university commencers had the most difficulty.

Three-quarters of the students were confident that their reasons for choosing the award program/course would be met. Nevertheless, the transition from one sector to the other, irrespective of direction of movement, was perceived as a quite different educational experience. The statistically significant differences between the two groups related to cost of studying, level of work in the course/award and class size. In these three aspects more VET to university commencers claimed differences than did those moving in the opposite direction. These data signpost particular areas with the potential to be stumbling blocks, leading to attrition if not carefully handled or negotiated.

Overall, despite the strong sense of difference between the sectors, the students did not appear overly concerned. Almost three-quarters in both sectors reported feeling 'fairly' or 'very' comfortable moving from one sector to the other. Evidence suggests that it is in the transition from the VET sector to the higher education sector where the greatest degree of discomfort occurs.

The context of this study is that the higher education and the vocational education and training sectors together form the Australian tertiary education sector, and are linked and complement one another, but are different in missions, structures and funding regimes. The research was carried out to improve general understanding of this very interesting phenomenon of two-way student movement and to assist policy-makers and institutional leaders with insights into how best to position these sectors to the advantage of students with changing needs, expectations and desired educational pathways. Given the significant rise in numbers moving from higher education to VET, and that it is only relatively recently that this so-called 'reverse articulation' has been recognised, it was considered particularly timely to undertake this research.

The appendices referred to in this report are located in the support documents on the NCVER website at <http://www.ncver.edu.au>. They contain the full literature review, the two questionnaires for the commencing higher education and commencing VET samples, the profile of students moving in either direction, details of the survey methodology and further tables on the survey results.