All publications

This study investigates the views of TAFE teachers, school teachers and school students on VET in Sc… Show more

This study investigates the views of TAFE teachers, school teachers and school students on VET in Schools programs. It discovered most schools agree that offering vocational education and training (VET) programs as part of the higher school certificate is a useful means of improving students' learning and success at school. VET in Schools programs are also generally believed to provide students with opportunities and pathways which may not have otherwise been available. The range of factors affecting the ability of schools to offer good VET programs are described, as is TAFE's role in assisting early school leavers. Show less

Some students, who complete a preparatory or pre-vocational course in the vocational education and t… Show more

Some students, who complete a preparatory or pre-vocational course in the vocational education and training (VET) sector, re-enrol in the same 'enabling' course or at the same level of qualification in following years. Findings of this report indicate that re-enrolling in enabling courses offers positive outcomes. Students who re-enrol in enabling courses are either undertaking more advanced courses within the same level of qualification, studying to retain or improve their skills, or to gain further skills and experience to progress within the VET system or into the workforce. Show less

This volume is a companion to 'The funding of vocational education and training for students with di… Show more

This volume is a companion to 'The funding of vocational education and training for students with disabilities: Volume 1'. The detailed report of the project is contained in volume 1 while volume 2 contains the appendices. Show less

This report provides important information for those who manage training institutions and are commit… Show more

This report provides important information for those who manage training institutions and are committed to making the learning environment more supportive for people with a disability. It looks at how the vocational education and training system currently allocates funds to support students with a disability, and suggests other funding models to promote their participation. Show less

The adult and community (ACE) sector and technical and further education (TAFE) institutes provide p… Show more

The adult and community (ACE) sector and technical and further education (TAFE) institutes provide programs for young people which re-connect them to education. This report suggests these programs and settings are considered effective pathways for some young people who have left school early. The researchers found students are attracted to the programs by key features, including the quality of relationships between students and staff, flexible mode of delivery, choice of study areas, and opportunities for personal autonomy. Show less

This report investigates the medium-term outcomes of vocational education and training (VET) program… Show more

This report investigates the medium-term outcomes of vocational education and training (VET) programs delivered by rural schools. It discovers school-based VET programs successfully retain students who may have left school, and assist students' transition from school to work. Work placements are particularly valuable to assist the transition from school to local jobs and apprenticeships, thereby increasing youth retention in the community. These findings suggest school-based VET programs in rural areas have the potential to develop skills and pathways for the future workforce of rural Australia. Additional information to this report is available in 'Pathways from rural schools: Does school VET make a difference? - Support document' on NCVER's website . Show less

This report provides an overview of funding arrangements implemented as a result of the 1992 Austral… Show more

This report provides an overview of funding arrangements implemented as a result of the 1992 Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) Agreement. The Agreement sought to establish a unified national system of vocational education and training (VET) with joint Commonwealth, state and territory responsibility. The report discusses the outcomes of government, industry and individual investment in training, and includes examples of overseas funding models. Show less

This presentation was made at the national conference of the National Association of Graduate Career… Show more

This presentation was made at the national conference of the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services at Southern Cross University in Lismore in December 2003. Show less

These 'stories' from the field document actual case studies of teaching, assessing, and implementing… Show more

These 'stories' from the field document actual case studies of teaching, assessing, and implementing generic skills. These skills and attributes are sought by employers across business and industry, as set out by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and Business Council of Australia (BCA). The 'stories' are designed to advise and foster better teaching practices. Show less

Australia's tertiary education sector comprises higher (university) education and vocational educati… Show more

Australia's tertiary education sector comprises higher (university) education and vocational education and training (VET). The purpose of this paper is to contrast the two sectors in terms of the way they are defined, their size and recent growth, the characteristics of their students, and access and equity within the two sectors. The paper also considers the links between the two sectors. Show less

This report uses four case studies to examine how human resource practices of TAFE institutes have c… Show more

This report uses four case studies to examine how human resource practices of TAFE institutes have changed to accommodate flexible delivery and the changing roles of staff. It reveals that a whole of organisation customer-service philosophy is a useful basis for flexible delivery and the trend is towards team-based approaches. The detailed findings in this report mirror those in the report 'The impact of flexible delivery on human resource practices: Survey of TAFE managers'. Show less

This study investigates which market groups are most likely to take up and use online vocational edu… Show more

This study investigates which market groups are most likely to take up and use online vocational education and training (VET) delivery, and identifies key factors that influence demand from these groups. Students undertaking training to change their careers or improve their skills, and self-employed people are the most likely to favour online delivery. Potential employer markets include group training companies and large organisations. Current user groups report they seek training that is short, simple, available in easy-to-manage chunks, and immediately accessible. Other suggestions to change online training product and pricing to tap into the mass market are also included. Show less

Queensland is leading Australia in offering vocational education and training (VET) options to stude… Show more

Queensland is leading Australia in offering vocational education and training (VET) options to students through the VET in Schools program, and has the highest rate of school students enrolled in technical and further education (TAFE) institutes. However, the success of such initiatives is dependent on the ability to transfer qualifications gained (part or full) across educational sectors. The report suggests adopting a state-wide approach to generating better articulation and credit transfer arrangements, combined with financial assistance for schools, TAFE institutes and universities to develop innovative inter-sectoral arrangements. Show less

The transition from school to work continues to be difficult for some Australian school-leavers and… Show more

The transition from school to work continues to be difficult for some Australian school-leavers and youth unemployment remains high. This report looks at the methods used by Australian school-leavers to find employment, focusing on the social processes involved. The aim of the report is to assess various relationships. In particular, the relationship between schooling, social background and job finding strategies and the connection between the method used to find work and the quality of work obtained. It also assesses the importance of informal methods of job seeking behaviour in helping young people find employment. Research report no. 37 This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program. Show less

This volume is a companion to Getting connected: Professional development of contract and casual sta… Show more

This volume is a companion to Getting connected: Professional development of contract and casual staff providing flexible delivery - Volume 1. The detailed report of the project is contained in volume 1 while volume 2 contains the appendices. Show less

The experiences of contract and casual staff 'getting connected' with flexible delivery and online l… Show more

The experiences of contract and casual staff 'getting connected' with flexible delivery and online learning technologies and engaging in professional development is the focus of this report. The study finds a significant proportion of professional development relies heavily on learning by doing, informal learning, and networking with colleagues. Show less

This research surveyed senior and middle managers in 15 TAFE institutes to determine their understan… Show more

This research surveyed senior and middle managers in 15 TAFE institutes to determine their understanding of the human resource issues and the implications associated with the use of flexible delivery. Professional development, workload, job design and performance management, and workforce planning are identified as three critical human resource issues. Show less

The current, various policies for fees and charges in the public vocational education and training (… Show more

The current, various policies for fees and charges in the public vocational education and training (VET) system in each state and territory are the focus of this report. It finds that due to a host of reasons there is little to no consistency to fees and charges across Australia, and many variations between public VET providers within the same state and territory. Implications arising from this finding include the difficulty to analyse the impact of fees and charges on student participation, and the difficulty for students to compare course costs between institutions. Additionally, if a nationally consistent policy for fees and charges was introduced, it should be developed from a set of agreed principles. Show less

This paper was presented to the Australasian Evaluation Society International Conference, in Aucklan… Show more

This paper was presented to the Australasian Evaluation Society International Conference, in Auckland, New Zealand, on 18 September 2003. It highlights the success of the National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation (NVETRE) program in contributing to policy and planning in Australia. Show less

Training packages are a key reform of the vocational education and training (VET) system. This repor… Show more

Training packages are a key reform of the vocational education and training (VET) system. This report describes how the implementation of training packages has led to new, flexible approaches to training and assessment at six case study sites. It also shows this implementation has affected the role of registered training organisations, industry bodies, and enterprises. While most of these changes were positive, the case studies also revealed challenges experienced when these new approaches were implemented. Show less