All publications

The traineeship model is currently targeted at a broader group of people compared with the original… Show more

The traineeship model is currently targeted at a broader group of people compared with the original target group of young unemployed persons as envisaged by the Kirby Enquiry. This report aims to assess the effectiveness of the model for young people, particularly young early school leavers. The findings suggest that traineeships are an important pathway for female early school leavers. However, traineeships are poorly targeted if the target group is disadvantaged young people. Show less

One focus of the Australian Government's social inclusion agenda is to help people with a disability… Show more

One focus of the Australian Government's social inclusion agenda is to help people with a disability into work. For this to succeed, employers must be willing and able to productively employ people with a disability. The purpose of this study was to answer the question 'what would it take' to enable employers to employ people with a disability. Based on focus groups with select employers from small-to-medium enterprises, the research found that, while employers were quite positive about employing a person with a disability, they lacked confidence in dealing with disability employment issues. Show less

This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of TAFE providers to meet their clients' an… Show more

This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of TAFE providers to meet their clients' and stakeholders' needs and draws extensively on the reports of the consortium research program which examined ways to help build vocational education and training (VET) provider and workforce capability. The paper puts this research, most of which was completed in 2006 and 2007, into a contemporary framework. It suggests that TAFE providers need to be free of unnecessary central constraints to help them meet their strategic business needs. This includes more direct control of human resources matters and industrial relations. Show less

Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds tha… Show more

Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds that for people who are not working, completing a VET qualification does increase the chance of employment and more so for people with a disability. Show less

This is a compendium of three reports. The first examines the size and attributes of the vocational… Show more

This is a compendium of three reports. The first examines the size and attributes of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce using a variety of data sources. The second looks more specifically at TAFE's workforce. The final report considers the feasibility of a national VET workforce collection. The compendium updates earlier NCVER work on VET workforce numbers and characteristics. A short overview integrating the key messages from the body of work is also provided. Show less

Diana Wilkinson, Chief Social Researcher with the Scottish Government, assisted NCVER to facilitate… Show more

Diana Wilkinson, Chief Social Researcher with the Scottish Government, assisted NCVER to facilitate a forum to discuss the development of national research priorities for the vocational education and training sector. This paper summarises Diana Wilkinson's impression of the forum and uses two contrasting case studies of Scotland and Australia to consider the extent to which it is feasible to align academic research investment with medium-term priority-setting. Show less

TAFE institutes offering higher education degrees is a relatively new concept, but the practice is e… Show more

TAFE institutes offering higher education degrees is a relatively new concept, but the practice is expected to grow as a consequence of government policies aimed at increasing the percentage of Australians holding a bachelor degree. Five research overviews have been developed to accompany the research report on this issue. These overviews draw out the implications of the research for TAFE teachers and managers, staff development and public policy, as well as the issues raised in relation to the status of TAFE degrees. Show less

Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressure… Show more

Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressures influence the capacity and motivation of individuals, particularly low-paid workers, to engage in education and training. Show less

The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low dema… Show more

The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low demand for skills is the focus of this paper. The need for greater involvement of external stakeholders is identified as important in ensuring that students make an informed decision when choosing a career path. A model representing the ideal situation for student decision-making on career choice is proposed. The research was funded through the NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative and was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice scholarship program. Show less

An analysis of student verbatim responses in the Student Outcome Survey provides suggestions for how… Show more

An analysis of student verbatim responses in the Student Outcome Survey provides suggestions for how the vocational education and training (VET) system could be improved. Show less

Information is presented in this publication about the outcomes for students who completed their voc… Show more

Information is presented in this publication about the outcomes for students who completed their vocational education and training (VET) under the Productivity Places Program (PPP) during 2008. The Productivity Places Program Survey covers students who were awarded a qualification in 2008 with funding from the PPP. Show less

This overview looks at the key findings of Mike Dockery's report 'Cultural dimensions of Indigenous… Show more

This overview looks at the key findings of Mike Dockery's report 'Cultural dimensions of Indigenous participation in education and training' and shows that, in both remote and non-remote areas, those with a stronger attachment to their culture had greater educational success. However, it also reveals that the report is a complex one, and the way the data are analysed is key to the findings. Show less

Innovation is an important aspect to teaching and learning in the VET sector, and a range of worksho… Show more

Innovation is an important aspect to teaching and learning in the VET sector, and a range of workshops conducted in 2009 identified some key ways of promoting this: using networks to spread new ideas, learning to change in small degrees rather than by radical reform, and encouraging practitioners to reflect on organisational change. Show less

The perceptions of students, school and TAFE staff involved in V Tracks, an early intervention progr… Show more

The perceptions of students, school and TAFE staff involved in V Tracks, an early intervention program for Aboriginal school students are explored in this paper. The study identifies outcomes, challenges and recommendations for future program design. Overall, V Tracks was found to improve student engagement in school and provide greater insights into the available education, training and employment pathways for students. NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity program funded this paper, which is based on research undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice scholarship program. Show less

The governments of India and Australia are working to enhance cooperation on training, at both offic… Show more

The governments of India and Australia are working to enhance cooperation on training, at both official and industry level. As part of the exchange of ideas, Francesca Beddie, General Manager, Research, National Centre for Vocational Education Research, visited India in August 2009 at the invitation of the Australia-India Council. This paper explores some of the common challenges the countries face in reforming their vocational training systems. Show less

The adoption of problem-based learning as a teaching method in the advertising and public relations… Show more

The adoption of problem-based learning as a teaching method in the advertising and public relations programs offered by the Business TAFE School at RMIT University is explored in this paper. The effect of problem-based learning on student engagement, student learning and contextualised problem-solving was investigated and it was found that students perceive problem-based learning to be beneficial. Several success factors for this approach are also identified. The research for this paper was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice scholarship program, a program funded through the NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative. Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Apprenticeships in the downtu… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Apprenticeships in the downturn'. Apprenticeships have a very long history in Australia, building on the traditions of the medieval guilds. The essence of the apprenticeship is the contract of training--a legal contract between an individual, an employer and a training provider. The defining characteristic is the combination of employment and training. The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with a view to assessing the likely impact of the current economic downturn on them. Show less

How the trend towards an integrated tertiary sector impacts on the way NCVER thinks about its resear… Show more

How the trend towards an integrated tertiary sector impacts on the way NCVER thinks about its research and statistical activities is briefly considered in this discussion paper. Show less

This overview is drawn from the paper, A competent recovery? Implications for the vocational educati… Show more

This overview is drawn from the paper, A competent recovery? Implications for the vocational education and training system of the global economic downturn by Richard Sweet. Show less

This paper reflects on the impact of the recent financial crisis on particular groups in Australian… Show more

This paper reflects on the impact of the recent financial crisis on particular groups in Australian society and comments on whether the VET sector is well placed to meet the challenges of the recovery.  Show less