All publications

There are differences between, and among, people in ethnic communities. This study seeks to provide… Show more

There are differences between, and among, people in ethnic communities. This study seeks to provide a more nuanced snapshot of vocational education and training (VET) participation and completion rates among Arabic, Bosnian, Cantonese, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese communities. It investigates the effectiveness of English as a second language programs as a pathway to training. Overall, the participants of this study favour programs which provide clear pathways to employment, offer language support, acknowledge existing vocational skills, and include work experience in their training. The critical role of teachers was also emphasised by participants, particularly teachers sensitive to cultural issues such as language and values, and who constructively use cultural diversity in training programs. Show less

Indigenous engagement with vocational education and training (VET) has improved significantly, but s… Show more

Indigenous engagement with vocational education and training (VET) has improved significantly, but successful Indigenous completion rates are lower nationally when compared to the overall population. This report, based on an action research project, examines intra-institutional factors at four Queensland TAFE institutes to better understand and take action on issues affecting Indigenous completion rates. At policy level, the authors conclude mainstream programs require examination at three levels - intellectual, cultural and social - to develop effective responses to facilitate successful Indigenous completion rates. At organisation level, the authors recommend examination of organisational culture for consistency of values and beliefs, and practices in terms of content, teaching, support, and collaboration. Show less

Communication and other literacy skills are vital to public safety organisations. This report invest… Show more

Communication and other literacy skills are vital to public safety organisations. This report investigates the impact literacy levels may have on the ability of volunteers to meet demands for more formal training and assessment. The role of these organisations to develop the skills of people in rural and remote communities is also considered. The research finds public safety organisations are important sites of adult learning, particularly for men. While the introduction of more formalised training presents opportunities, such as building community capacity, challenges also exist. Strategies to overcome potential barriers include developing training and assessment that relates to local situations, adapting training and assessment materials to suit learners, and including hands-on, practical training where possible. Show less

Remote Indigenous communities are under increasing pressure to share responsibility for community we… Show more

Remote Indigenous communities are under increasing pressure to share responsibility for community well-being and capacity building. Their challenge is to achieve social and economic sustainability without losing core values of Indigenous law, culture and language. Education, training and employment are essential elements to this future scenario. This report is based on a study of a remote Indigenous community in its quest to implement a culturally appropriate health service, and integrate training and employment of local Indigenous people as a means of strengthening community capacity. The authors find education and training, including literacy, must be linked to community goals and aspirations. Literacy, in particular, is more likely to be adopted if linked to cultural and religious activities, and community responsibilities. Show less

The conception of literacy is changing to reflect the profound economic, social, political and cultu… Show more

The conception of literacy is changing to reflect the profound economic, social, political and cultural changes of the past half century. In this report, the authors examine three broad literacy ideologies - cognitive, individual-based model, economics-driven model, and sociocultural model. While current research situates literacy in social practice, government policy aligns more with the cognitive and economics-driven models of literacy. The authors find the need for a new national literacy policy which is flexible and accommodates current and future literacies, and supports community capacity-building. They also find at practitioner level that all are teachers of literacy and need to be able to recognise and teach all of the different literacies needed by learners. The report also highlights implications for literacy testing. The report includes an overview (part 1) and discussion paper (part 2). Show less

Australia's competitive success with innovation-based products and services is an influential factor… Show more

Australia's competitive success with innovation-based products and services is an influential factor to its long-term prosperity. This study examines the role of vocational education and training (VET) and occupations in innovative industries and firms. The authors find VET is vital to developing knowledge and practical skills across a broad range of occupations, and people in vocational occupations are among principal sources of ideas for technological innovation. Further, innovative firms reported a high level of satisfaction with public and private training, which the authors conclude is due to the high level of consultation between firms and TAFE. However, firms identified the need for employees to develop generic skills, such as working in teams and developing problem-solving and communication skills, as an opportunity for the VET sector to meet unmet demand. Show less

This report provides insights into the school-to-work transition of 72 young people from a low-incom… Show more

This report provides insights into the school-to-work transition of 72 young people from a low-income region, who undertook an industry-specific school vocational education and training (VET) program. The training program was a one-year building and construction industry initiative, which involved schools, industry and TAFE. The majority of students reported confidence, enthusiasm, and satisfaction with their transition to work and early career experiences. Further, they recognised the value of persevering with their training despite challenges, and this was reflected in the high retention rate in apprenticeships for this group. Show less

This report critically examines two approaches to benchmarking vocational education and training (VE… Show more

This report critically examines two approaches to benchmarking vocational education and training (VET) - benchmarking through performance indicators and comparative case studies. The author finds both approaches provide useful information, although the case study approach enables a more thorough analysis of particular issues and can take greater account of complex and diverse institutional structures. This approach also accommodates the complex links between education, the labour market and other social institutions. However, there are a number of issues related to each approach in terms of available data. To make benchmarking most useful, the author states individual studies must clearly link to Australia's VET policy agenda and answer specific research needs. Show less

The number and variety of industry-provider training partnerships in the vocational education and tr… Show more

The number and variety of industry-provider training partnerships in the vocational education and training (VET) sector is growing considerably. This report investigates the nature of the larger VET industry training partnerships and provides practical guidelines for training providers when setting up and managing these specific partnerships. These guidelines include: recognising the competitive realities industries face and developing customised and flexible training to meet businesses' needs; accepting 'break even' outcomes may be the best initial result a training provider can expect from a partnership; finding and developing staff who are responsible for the start-up phase of the partnership; evaluating and seeking feedback on the partnership; and, building training staff capabilities. Show less

Social partnerships provide communities with the capacity to address problems, such as community bre… Show more

Social partnerships provide communities with the capacity to address problems, such as community breakdown, unemployment and social exclusion. This report analyses the types of social partnerships that involve education in community contexts. It identifies that partnerships are complex and multi-layered and successful partnerships require: acknowledgement and negotiation of the interests and expectations of all participants; development of resource and support structures; recognition of volunteer contributions; and, development of outcomes that recognise the full range of achievements and success within the partnership. The implication of the range and nature of social partnerships and their effect on VET policy are also discussed in the report. Show less

This suite of overviews provides a comprehensive summary of each of NCVER's managed adult literacy a… Show more

This suite of overviews provides a comprehensive summary of each of NCVER's managed adult literacy and numeracy research projects funded in 2002. The suite of reports examine a wide range of literacy and numeracy issues - from its definition in policy-making terms, teaching and learning approaches and outcomes, to the professional development needs of literacy practitioners. The research also covers literacy practices and various approaches across Indigenous and ethnic communities, industry, volunteer and community settings. Show less

The importance of close connections between vocational education and training (VET) systems and indu… Show more

The importance of close connections between vocational education and training (VET) systems and industry is highlighted in this report. The report finds that any system of entry-level training, which aims to help students make a successful transition from school to work, must have support mechanisms and frameworks in place to enable accurate assessment of industry and labour market needs. From Australia's perspective, the Korean experience provides useful insights to improving school retention rates, and establishing formal pathways for VET students who are not undertaking apprenticeships and traineeships. From the Korean perspective, useful lessons include developing inter-sectoral linkages between industry and education, applying flexible teaching and training methods, implementing a national qualifications framework, and introducing apprenticeship-type arrangements. Show less

This report adds to the work on recognition of prior learning (RPL), particularly as it focuses on p… Show more

This report adds to the work on recognition of prior learning (RPL), particularly as it focuses on private registered training providers' RPL processes - how it is practised and the factors that facilitate or impede its implementation. It reports that advantages of RPL can be found in the information gained from students', trainers' and employers' processes of acquiring and assessing recognition. However, the demand on resources - time and funds - are viewed by providers as factors which limit the promotion of RPL and its use by students, particularly those from disadvantaged groups. Show less

This report investigates students' learning experience at a TAFE institute and determines the factor… Show more

This report investigates students' learning experience at a TAFE institute and determines the factors that influence students to continue or discontinue their studies. Students who reported satisfaction with their learning experience highlighted relationships with teaching staff and respect for their expertise and organisation as significant factors in their experience. While students who were dissatisfied with their experience were in the minority, they were considerably more likely to leave their course before completion. Indicators of unsatisfactory experiences included poor relationships with instructors, a sense of 'struggling' with course content and difficulties accessing administrative or support services. The study recommends ongoing diagnostic assessment within courses, and closer screening of students at enrolment to determine their learning needs and strategies to meet these needs. Show less

Possessing generic or employability skills is vital in the current labour market. The vocational edu… Show more

Possessing generic or employability skills is vital in the current labour market. The vocational education and training (VET) sector, like other education sectors, must ensure its clients gain and develop generic skills. This volume of readings summarises NCVER managed research into generic skills undertaken in 2001 and 2002. The work covers four main topics: defining and specifying generic skills; exploring training providers', teachers' and learners' perspectives of these skills; exploring the workplace perspective of generic skills; and assessing these skills. To ensure people gain the generic skills they need, the research suggests improving the documentation of these skills in training packages, and sharing good teaching, learning and certifying practice. Show less

Susan Dawe, Senior Research Fellow, NCVER, presented this paper at the AVETRA 2004 7th Annual Confer… Show more

Susan Dawe, Senior Research Fellow, NCVER, presented this paper at the AVETRA 2004 7th Annual Conference, 17 - 19 March 2004. It reports the findings of a study which examined why some students, who complete vocational preparation, disability and Aboriginal education programs, re-enrol in these 'enabling' courses or at the same qualification level in following years. It found that the small number of students who re-enrol in these courses progress on to a more advanced level of study or explore a different vocational area. Further, they gain additional skills and maintain self-esteem. The report 'Moving on from enabling courses: Why do some students remain in enabling courses?' (Dawe, 2004) is available from NCVER's website. Show less

Group training is an Australian initiative to encourage the employment of apprentices and trainees.… Show more

Group training is an Australian initiative to encourage the employment of apprentices and trainees. This report examines the structure and function of group training organisations (GTOs) over time and identifies the factors that drive GTOs to change their structure and function. The authors find that group training is a critical component of Australia's skill formation system, and GTOs are highly responsive and adaptive to their policy and commercial environment. However, the authors warn that increasing commercialisation of group training has the potential to threaten the quality of training, and in particular the training opportunities for the more disadvantaged. Show less

This report provides a literature review and history of approaches to quality assurance of assessmen… Show more

This report provides a literature review and history of approaches to quality assurance of assessment in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia and overseas. It also examines eight potential models that can be used by individual or groups of assessors within a training organisation. The models include a diagnostic assessment tool, an assessment principles checklist, and guidelines for the development of assessment instruments. The report provides background to the development of the resource kit. Show less

The impact of urban, regional, and remote location on Indigenous vocational education and training (… Show more

The impact of urban, regional, and remote location on Indigenous vocational education and training (VET) students' aspirations and outcomes is examined in this report. It finds the availability of desired courses, teaching staff, and community attitudes to learning in the various locations influence the success of outcomes of Indigenous students. However, successful outcomes other than those related to employment or further education can emerge from VET. Accordingly, the authors suggest benefits such as improved literacy and confidence, and community wellbeing should be considered when formulating Indigenous learning approaches. Show less

There is growing international and national interest in the concept of social capital, its role, and… Show more

There is growing international and national interest in the concept of social capital, its role, and the ways economic and social policies coalesce to drive economic progress and community well-being. This paper identifies eight areas the VET system can contribute to social capital: building social capital in firms; building networks of businesses, especially the small business sector; developing employability skills; fostering values and norms that underpin social capital; contributing to inclusive and cohesive communities; initiating and contributing to learning community initiatives; using information and communication technology innovatively to build virtual communities; and contributing to society as a good citizen. The report also discusses indicators for measuring social capital, and implications for VET policy and practice. Show less