All publications

This at a glance looks at developments in employability skills since 2002. It finds that most resear… Show more

This at a glance looks at developments in employability skills since 2002. It finds that most research has focused around teaching, assessing and reporting on employability skills, where consistency remains a key challenge. There also continues to be a lack of understanding of employability skills among some teachers. Until these issues are addressed, the sector could fall short in providing learners with the skills they need to succeed in their vocations. Show less

This report provides a portrait of the initial formal training for VET teachers in private and publi… Show more

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. Show less

In this paper, the authors identify various educational paths involving school and post-school study… Show more

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. Show less

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) commissioned the Nous Group (Nous) to… Show more

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) commissioned the Nous Group (Nous) to undertake a stakeholder consultation to inform a detailed business case for a unique student identifier (USI) for the vocational education and training (VET) sector. During May and June 2011, Nous interviewed 30 key stakeholders in several jurisdictions to obtain a cross-section of views and also received 850 responses to a survey of VET students in New South Wales.textThis summary report provides an overview of feedback received through this consultation.textSee related items for discussion paper. Show less

The Nous Consulting Group was engaged by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVE… Show more

The Nous Consulting Group was engaged by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), on behalf of the Data and Performance Measurement Committee of the Ministerial Council for Training, Education and Employment, to conduct stakeholder consultations on the possible introduction of a unique student identifier (USI) for the vocational education and training (VET) sector.textThis paper provides stakeholders with a further opportunity to comment on the introduction of a USI for the VET sector after the completion of the recent formal consultation.textAny comments should be sent to: by 31 August 2011textSee related items for public consultation report. Show less

Amongst recent initiatives aimed at lifting Australia’s productivity has been a push for a greater n… Show more

Amongst recent initiatives aimed at lifting Australia’s productivity has been a push for a greater number of course completions in both the vocational education and training and higher education sectors. With this, it could be assumed, come benefits for the individual such as better job opportunities and higher wages. Using the 1995 and 1998 cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looked at whether participating in or completing a post-secondary education qualification led to wage benefits for young people. The study finds that not only completing a post-secondary course but participating in one results in higher wages. Show less

Increasing productivity by moving people from welfare to employment is a priority for the Australian… Show more

Increasing productivity by moving people from welfare to employment is a priority for the Australian Government. This report considers the complex issues of helping those marginalised from the labour market into employment. Case studies of innovative intermediaries illustrate that both demand and supply factors must feature in order to provide successful assistance to disadvantaged job seekers. Strategies used include networking, adapting to changing conditions and reinventing themselves to fill gaps in the provision of support. Vocational education and training, often touted as an ideal pathway into employment for disadvantaged groups, is described by these intermediaries as inert in the absence of social and economic support. Show less

Experiencing financial hardship is detrimental to both individuals and the community. For some, tryi… Show more

Experiencing financial hardship is detrimental to both individuals and the community. For some, trying to break out of this situation can be extremely difficult as they may not have access to, or be lacking, the skills or resources that could help. However, education can help with research showing increasing the level of education and training is an effective means of reducing the likelihood of experiencing financial disadvantage. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey this study looks at how having post-school qualifications may protect someone from falling into, and help get out of, financial disadvantage. Using four measures of financial disadvantage, the study finds that post-school qualifications to reduce the risk of experiencing financial disadvantage but to varying degrees. Show less

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this project examines how lon… Show more

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this project examines how long it takes for young people to move from education to work, and identifies factors that distinguish people who are able to move quickly into employment from those who take many months to find work. Show less

The main impetus for the interest in innovation is that it is seen to improve productivity at the fi… Show more

The main impetus for the interest in innovation is that it is seen to improve productivity at the firm level and therefore improved economic prosperity and living standards. This edited volume was commissioned by the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations. The authors contribute a variety of views on innovation from different perspectives. Some of the main themes running throughout the book are reasons for firms innovating, the skills required for innovation and how innovation and skills development is supported by the training system, the firm and government. Innovation is seen as moving beyond research and development, to include new products, services and operational/organisational processes. Show less

This monograph is the culmination of a three-year research program undertaken by the University of S… Show more

This monograph is the culmination of a three-year research program undertaken by the University of South Australia's Centre for Work+Life. It considers the barriers, support and benefit of vocational education and training (VET) for workers in the low-paid occupations (that is, those earning around $17 per hour). The research considered a wide range of quantitative data as well as the experience and perspectives of employers, workers, students and vocational educators. The findings challenge any easy assumptions that more VET will automatically enhance the position of lower paid workers, that all VET can be assumed to be similar in positive effect for lower paid workers, or that lower paid workers share similar situations, including their work/life circumstances. Show less

This report looks at what factors influence the participation of low-skilled and low-paid workers in… Show more

This report looks at what factors influence the participation of low-skilled and low-paid workers in vocational education and training. Information comes from students, employers, employees and providers in the retail, food-processing and non-residential aged care sectors across four Australian states. It finds that although barriers to training do include lack of money and time to study, many of the challenges related to integrating work, home life, community interests and study. The main driver of training is the need to gain or retain a job, and the costs of participation are high as far as time, money and effort goes. For low-paid workers the financial rewards for training are low. Show less

When measuring the socioeconomic status of young people, the authors find that the SocioEconomic Ind… Show more

When measuring the socioeconomic status of young people, the authors find that the SocioEconomic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) works well when reporting participation in higher education at aggregate levels, but performs very poorly when classifying individuals. This has policy implications because it means that programs directing resources to increase educational participation for those with low socioeconomic status may be doing so based on incorrect information. The data used come from the 2003 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), looking at young people aged 15 to 25 years. Show less

This overview provides a brief summary of the report, by Chris Ryan. It describes how Ryan analysed… Show more

This overview provides a brief summary of the report, by Chris Ryan. It describes how Ryan analysed the range of pathways available which offer genuine alternatives to completing secondary school. It finds that for those students who run the risk of dropping out, the best pathway for males is completing an apprenticeship, whereas for females completing Year 12 provides the best outcomes. Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) data are the source of these findings. Show less

In this paper, Ryan investigates labour market outcomes for a range of different pathways undertaken… Show more

In this paper, Ryan investigates labour market outcomes for a range of different pathways undertaken by young people. Show less

Finding yourself in a job that does not match your skills or education level can be detrimental in a… Show more

Finding yourself in a job that does not match your skills or education level can be detrimental in a number of ways. Using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, this study builds on previous work by looking at the impact of being over-skilled or over-educated or both on an individual’s wages as well as their level of job satisfaction. The study distinguishes between ‘genuine’ mismatch (wages and job satisfaction are both low) and ‘apparent’ mismatch—where a job may pay less but has been accepted because it has some other redeeming attribute, such as greater flexibility of work hours. The study finds that mismatch is often characterised by both lower wages and job satisfaction. Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Cain Polidano about the report 'Outcomes from c… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Cain Polidano about the report 'Outcomes from combining work and tertiary study'. This study investigates the motivations for and the education and employment outcomes from working while studying for both VET and higher education students. While, in general, tertiary students who work while studying are less likely to complete than those who do not, being employed in the final year of study significantly improves the chances of finding full time employment in the first year following study. Show less

This paper was originally developed to help the Training and Skills Commission in South Australia co… Show more

This paper was originally developed to help the Training and Skills Commission in South Australia consider the pathways between elements of the vocational education and training (VET) system, how they are working and what improvements can be made. It has been revised to make it national in scope. The authors reveal that quite substantial numbers of VET graduates go on to university level study or further study within VET itself. Significant numbers of university graduates also go on to study in VET. However, not all VET graduates choose to study at a higher level; a substantial proportion of students going on to further study do so at the same or lower level. This suggests that entitlement models need to consider horizontal (skills broadening) as well as vertical (only qualifications at a higher level) in their funding mix. Show less

In this position paper, NCVER's Managing Director, Dr Tom Karmel, argues that the submission of voca… Show more

In this position paper, NCVER's Managing Director, Dr Tom Karmel, argues that the submission of vocational education and training student data should be mandated as a condition of registration for all registered training organisations, including private providers. This will ensure a comprehensive data collection that gives a realistic view of training activity occurring within the sector, which is essential for informing public policy, ensuring quality assurance and providing accurate information to potential students. However, he notes that the process needs to be as painless as possible. Show less

This paper updates an earlier paper by Karmel and Mlotkowski and looks at how the probability of get… Show more

This paper updates an earlier paper by Karmel and Mlotkowski and looks at how the probability of getting a job, in addition to wages, impacts on completion rates. It finds that for trade apprentices the premium (or extra wage completing an apprenticeship brings) attached to becoming a tradesperson is a significant factor, whereas for non-trade trainees the training wage matters more. It also finds that the probability of employment for an apprentice or trainee on completion is greater than if they drop out; this particularly affects completion rates for trades and females in non-trade occupations. Finally, the economic downturn significantly increased the attractiveness of apprenticeships and traineeships. Show less