All publications

This report explores the relationship between vocational education and training in (VET) in Schools… Show more

This report explores the relationship between vocational education and training in (VET) in Schools and the labour market.  Show less

This report looks at the impact working while studying has on students' intentions to go to universi… Show more

This report looks at the impact working while studying has on students' intentions to go to university and their actual enrolment in university. Show less

This report comes out of a three-year program of research that aims to investigate how best the tert… Show more

This report comes out of a three-year program of research that aims to investigate how best the tertiary education and training system might be organised to maintain the employability of Australian workers across their working lives. Show less

This study explores the aspirations and intentions for university education among low SES and region… Show more

This study explores the aspirations and intentions for university education among low SES and regional school students and looks at how peer mentoring might influence them. Show less

The focus of this paper is on the factors, other than access, that influence the decision for Indige… Show more

The focus of this paper is on the factors, other than access, that influence the decision for Indigenous Australians to participate in education.  Show less

This exploratory piece of work aims to illustrate the potential of matching methods in vocational ed… Show more

This exploratory piece of work aims to illustrate the potential of matching methods in vocational education and training (VET) research. Show less

Do pre-apprenticeships help individuals to obtain an apprenticeship?

Do pre-apprenticeships help individuals to obtain an apprenticeship? Show less

This report aims to throw some light on the role that skills sets play in meeting the needs of clien… Show more

This report aims to throw some light on the role that skills sets play in meeting the needs of clients compared with full qualifications, which are seen as the foundation of the vocational education and training (VET) system. Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with co-author Kaye Bowman about the report ‘Workforce skills d… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with co-author Kaye Bowman about the report ‘Workforce skills development and engagement in training through skill sets’. Show less

This report investigates the role that qualifications play in the labour mobility of foreign workers… Show more

This report investigates the role that qualifications play in the labour mobility of foreign workers who come to Australia for permanent or temporary migration. Show less

This report explores the movements that workers make in the workforce and whether there are any comm… Show more

This report explores the movements that workers make in the workforce and whether there are any commonalities. Show less

Increasing education and training is considered one means by which to reduce the extent of social ex… Show more

Increasing education and training is considered one means by which to reduce the extent of social exclusion and as such has been a key focus in recent public policies. This study investigates the impact of education and training on the extent of social exclusion using a measure of multidimensional social exclusion. A simulation of the effect of the COAG target relating to halving the proportion of 20-64 year olds without at least a certificate III qualification between 2009 and 2020 on the measure of multi-dimensional social exclusion is also undertaken. The study finds a clear dichotomy in the extent of social exclusion experienced between those with low levels of education (early school leavers or those with a certificate II qualification at the most) and the rest. Show less

In this phone interview, Hielke Buddelmeyer, talks about the impact of education and training on soc… Show more

In this phone interview, Hielke Buddelmeyer, talks about the impact of education and training on social exclusion using a multidimensional measure that focuses on seven domains. Show less

In this phone interview, Roger Harris and Michele Simons talk about how leaders in private providers… Show more

In this phone interview, Roger Harris and Michele Simons talk about how leaders in private providers juggle the educational and business imperatives of their organisation. Show less

The Student Outcomes Survey collects information on the outcomes of two groups of students: those wh… Show more

The Student Outcomes Survey collects information on the outcomes of two groups of students: those who completed a qualification (graduates) and those who completed only part of a course and then left the VET system (module completers). For many years several students surveyed as module completers have stated that they had gained a qualification and graduated (self-reporting graduates), and these students have been reclassified as graduates for reporting purposes. This biases the survey results as it was found that about two-thirds of them may not have completed the qualification after all. This paper outlines a predictive model which will be used for 2012 Student Outcomes Survey reporting and will ensure that this problem is resolved. As this methodology will change estimates from previous surveys substantially, they will be back cast to 2005 using the new model. Show less

This working paper is an initial examination of what is known about pathways in tertiary education,… Show more

This working paper is an initial examination of what is known about pathways in tertiary education, as well as the loose associations between vocational qualifications and the jobs graduates do. The author is also interested in the link between educational qualifications and work and finds that these are not as strong as might be expected in a vocationally oriented tertiary education system like Australia’s. This work is part of the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market'. Show less

Focusing on four vocational streams – financial services, primary industry, healthcare/community ser… Show more

Focusing on four vocational streams – financial services, primary industry, healthcare/community services and trades/engineering – this paper is an initial exploration of pathways into the labour market and how people actually use these pathways. Show less

This discussion paper introduces the overarching concepts for the three-year research program, 'Voca… Show more

This discussion paper introduces the overarching concepts for the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market'. The paper also outlines the key findings from the initial investigations of each of the related research strands in the program. Overall, initial research has found that, due to the fragmentation of pathways within education and within the labour market, the relationship of pathways between education and the labour market are also fragmented. In order to understand this more clearly, the authors explore the concepts of transition systems, skill ecosystems and capabilities. A number of dilemmas for further research are also put forward. Show less

As part of the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education a… Show more

As part of the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market', this working paper sets the policy context and direction of the entry to vocations research stream. After looking at the current ‘in-school’ element of VET in Schools programs and jurisdictional differences, the paper raises a set of questions for discussion. For example, are more advanced and intense programs of VET in Schools needed to deliver stronger labour market outcomes? Do VET in Schools programs need to be more directly connected with post-school VET programs?  Show less

What would prompt people to undertake education and training in their mid-20s and beyond and what ar… Show more

What would prompt people to undertake education and training in their mid-20s and beyond and what are the benefits? The authors investigate what motivates people to undertake education and training at more mature ages and the impact of this on their labour market outcomes. They found that males who undertake further education and training after the age of 25 years did so for reasons related to their current employment (for example, towards promotion or a different job), whereas for females a key motivator was simply getting a job. For both males and females, a sustained increase in job satisfaction following completion of the study was also found. Data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia Survey and the Survey of Education and Training was used in this report. Show less