All publications

This discussion paper was the first step in NCVER's review of the Survey of Employer Use and Views o… Show more

This discussion paper was the first step in NCVER's review of the Survey of Employer Use and Views of the Vocational Education and Training (VET). Show less

This paper looks at recent economic downturns and finds that there is little convincing evidence of… Show more

This paper looks at recent economic downturns and finds that there is little convincing evidence of persistent skill shortages in the trades. There is no evidence of persistent skill shortages across downturns in the construction, automotive and engineering trades. Declining numbers of apprenticeship completions led to persistent shortages in the electrical trades during the 1990s and 2000s but apprenticeship completions for this trade have now recovered to pre-1992 levels. Very high job churn creates the perception of persistent skill shortages in the food trades and in hairdressing. Many food tradespersons and hairdressers swap employers but remain in their occupation. Show less

This document is an analysis of how policy has interacted with vocational education and training (VE… Show more

This document is an analysis of how policy has interacted with vocational education and training (VET) in Australia, with a particular focus on the period since the 1980s.  Show less

This study, which defines the lowering of educational or occupational ambitions by high school stude… Show more

This study, which defines the lowering of educational or occupational ambitions by high school students as 'lost talent', looks at the extent to which talent loss occurs among high achieving students and the consequences of this on later occupational attainments. Show less

Using both the 1995 and 1998 cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study inv… Show more

Using both the 1995 and 1998 cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study investigates the motivations for and the education and employment outcomes from working while studying for both VET and higher education students.  Show less

This study investigates the extent of over-education among younger workers.

This study investigates the extent of over-education among younger workers. Show less

Growth in mixed-sector institutions offering both vocational and higher education qualifications is… Show more

Growth in mixed-sector institutions offering both vocational and higher education qualifications is expected to increase given recent and predicted policy changes. This issues paper focuses on the nature of VET provision within institutions accrediting their own higher education programs, most of which are large public universities, and other tertiary education institutions, primarily smaller private providers. It complements previous research on higher education in TAFE. Issues raised for discussion include the broadening role of various providers, governance and funding issues, organisational structures and the implications of mixed sector provision for students, staff and the future of institutions. Show less

This paper argues that assessment can play a central role in teaching and learning, and selecting an… Show more

This paper argues that assessment can play a central role in teaching and learning, and selecting an appropriate mix of assessment strategies can satisfy multiple goals of key stakeholders in vocational education and training. These goals include promoting learning, certifying learning and program evaluation. These objectives must be understood in a broad context delineated by the structures of education systems and of labour markets which, in turn, reside within national policy objectives. Forms of assessment must be consistent with the goals of learning and with a broad range of valued learning outcomes. Show less

The community services and health industries have experienced a period of growth in recent times. Th… Show more

The community services and health industries have experienced a period of growth in recent times. This report focuses on the sub-section, alcohol and other drugs, which has had difficulty recruiting staff. Show less

There are many factors which might cause a student to drop out of a course of study; some of these a… Show more

There are many factors which might cause a student to drop out of a course of study; some of these are preventable. This paper describes the piloting of a survey tool designed to identify students at risk of not completing. Attendance was found to be the strongest predictor of module completion; low or declining scores on the survey were also predictive of students dropping out. The research for this paper was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice Scholarship Program, which is funded through NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative. Show less

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looks at how the g… Show more

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looks at how the growth in occupational prestige is related to the level of an individual's education. Show less

This paper was prepared for the Australian Government's National Resources Sector Employment Taskfor… Show more

This paper was prepared for the Australian Government's National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce, which was created to investigate the extent to which skill shortages might impact on the development of the resources sector. It applies historical apprenticeship commencement rates to population projections to provide an estimate of the number of tradespeople likely to be working in the resources sector between 2010 20 at a detailed level and by region. Show less

Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this report looks at the extent to whi… Show more

Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this report looks at the extent to which a previous spell of unemployment determines current unemployment. Show less

This paper examines initial VET teacher training from the late 1979s to the present, based on the li… Show more

This paper examines initial VET teacher training from the late 1979s to the present, based on the literature and the author's personal experiences. While much has changed, many of the issues and approaches that are apparent in the early literature remain the same today. There is cause for optimism and the author proposes a number of approaches to improve the quality and relevance of initial teacher training. Such training is only a first step, however, and access to further formal training and professional development is vital to maintain and build teachers' skills. Show less

This report explores the beliefs and experiences of new graduates of the certificate IV, with a focu… Show more

This report explores the beliefs and experiences of new graduates of the certificate IV, with a focus on the graduates' sense of preparedness and confidence in planning, delivering and assessing training, as well as their views on the benefits and limitations of the certificate IV. Show less

This report looks at whether vocational education and training (VET) is equipped to meet the changin… Show more

This report looks at whether vocational education and training (VET) is equipped to meet the changing needs of the modern workplace. Show less

Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this briefing paper explores th… Show more

Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this briefing paper explores the impact of literacy and numeracy levels on the educational gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. The paper focuses on the early post-school outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people between 1999 and 2007. Raising the levels of literacy and numeracy for Indigenous youth would help to improve some of their educational outcomes. However, many Indigenous young people face multiple disadvantages, such as poor access to post-school education and poor health, in addition to low literacy and numeracy levels, which subsequently affect their outcomes. Show less

Partnerships between literacy teachers and community service workers have the potential to engage pe… Show more

Partnerships between literacy teachers and community service workers have the potential to engage people with low literacy levels in learning. Through interviews and surveys with these two groups, this paper explores their views on literacy, how it impacts on their work, and their ideas about partnerships with each other. Overall, partnerships are viewed more favourably by literacy teachers than community service workers. In addition, if partnerships are to proceed, both groups need to develop a greater awareness and appreciation for each other's roles. This research was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice Program and was funded as part of NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative. Show less

Work practices, skill use and the nature of the workforce in the Australian red-meat-processing sect… Show more

Work practices, skill use and the nature of the workforce in the Australian red-meat-processing sector have undergone significant change over the last few decades. This research overview, based on case studies of four leading enterprises, discusses the importance of supervision and training in the workplace, and how vocational educational and training can contribute. Show less

This report shows that training in the meat-processing sector is now oriented towards on-the-job ind… Show more

This report shows that training in the meat-processing sector is now oriented towards on-the-job induction and the learning of single tasks rather than having a trade-based approach (industrial butcher).  Show less