Vocational education and training in small rural school communities

This study documents factors associated with the operation of vocational education and training (VET) within small rural schools and their communities. It also indicates how providing documentation of existing school practices can be a useful stimulus to the further development of VET within other schools in similar situations.

The study highlights the recognition by schools in small rural communities of the important contribution made by VET to meeting the diverse needs of their students. The schools participating in this study have committed significant resources - time, staff, funding - to the development and implementation of VET programs specifically tailored to meet the needs of their students and the community.

In looking at 14 schools recommended as having high-quality VET practices, the study identifies important facilitators of course development. These are the existence of a formal commitment to the VET programs within the school's objectives (including the formal allocation of time to enable work on development); the role of leadership within the school, within training providers, amongst employers and in the community generally; the degree of organisational support; the school's past experience of success in the area; the availability of physical, staffing and community-based resources (including those required for work placements); and the commitment to partnerships, particularly with other schools.

The study also recognises that in developing VET programs, schools have experienced considerable pressures. The schools point to the substantial barriers to the successful operation of VET within small rural communities. The study identifies these barriers as: keeping up to date with information about and understanding of VET issues; the availability of work placements; travel issues; teachers' perceptions of centralised control of curriculum; inflexible internal organisation of schools; the availability of staffing and other resources (including the costs and time involved in the development and maintenance of courses, and resource conflicts between VET and other senior studies); and cluster co-ordination.

The study also identifies the significance of partnerships (between schools, with TAFE and with local industry) based on a recognition of mutual benefit, to support the development and implementation of VET programs. Of particular value within these schools is the existence of cluster arrangements which allow sharing of resources in staff, the delivery of subjects, co-ordination of work placements, and co-ordination of time-tabling and travel. Leadership from within the school in establishing these partnerships is crucial to their success.

Particular school - industry partnerships are mentioned in the provision of work placements. Overwhelmingly, these schools report on difficulties in locating adequate work placements in their local communities. On the other hand, the value of small communities is identified as the strength of personal contacts and knowledge in identifying students for placements, and for integration of placements with courses and possibilities for ongoing employment.

These schools report substantial developments in their VET programs in recent years. The context for such programs is rapidly changing, and this provides both opportunities and challenges for these schools. On the one hand, the workload and inherent uncertainties create difficulties for small schools with limited staffing resources. On the other, developments such as part-time apprenticeships and traineeships offer more options for young people and increased flexibility of arrangements for schools.

In the second stage of this study, some information is also provided about processes that enable small rural schools without a strong history of VET program provision to learn from, and build upon the experiences of others in similar circumstances. The study reports on the brief development of such programs in response to the provision of information, funds and support to a small group of small rural schools. These schools variously used this to: investigate other similar VET course developments; initiate VET courses where none previously existed; build on and develop existing VET courses; formalise VET (particularly in school policies); promote new and existing VET courses within schools; co-ordinate VET courses with other schools; and reflect on factors influencing their VET course development.

In summary, the following factors have been suggested by schools as being particularly relevant to the creation of ongoing vocational education within schools:

• the existence of a commitment to work or vocational education reflected in a school's aims and objectives (for example, in the school charter)
• the placement of such a commitment within the school's broad educational goals (as distinct from narrow vocational goals)
• the support of school leadership to ensure that this commitment is reflected in programs which operate across the school and that are developed locally in response to local needs and conditions
• the provision of adequate and ongoing resources to enable programs to be developed and maintained
• the existence of partnerships which extend beyond the school, including the establishment of a 'cluster' arrangement with other schools to maximise resource use

Finally, some implications of the study are developed in the form of recommendations for State and federal policy, school practice and further research, and most importantly, there needs to be more long-term planning and co-operative effort, at all levels, to maximise opportunities for students, and reduce duplication of effort by schools.

Policy implications for the Federal Government and State Governments, and for government and non-government education systems highlight a need to focus on providing a strategic framework and secure funding for the provision of VET in schools, with particular emphasis on an understanding of the needs of small rural school communities.

There are also issues relating to practices adopted in small rural schools in the implementation of VET. To offer a range of VET programs, these schools need adequate resources and support systems. To develop the commitment of the school community to local provision of VET programs, a stronger focus on promoting community awareness and understanding of the value, processes and outcomes of VET, is required.

The study highlights that not enough is yet known about the capacity of these rural schools and their communities to support VET programs. Further research is required. This should particularly focus on action research approaches which develop practice and knowledge. The focus of the latter part of this study has provided some indications of how such a reflective intervention can enhance current provisions.