All publications

This study provides a comprehensive picture of the way in which employers navigate the Australian… Show more

This study provides a comprehensive picture of the way in which employers navigate the Australian training system and establish partnerships with registered training organisations. It provides insight into how practices have evolved over the last 20 years. Show less

This research examines the 'psychological contract' or the unwritten expectations of employers and… Show more

This research examines the 'psychological contract' or the unwritten expectations of employers and employees in an employment relationship. The particular aim of this study was to discover whether mismatched expectations have any effect on retention in apprenticeships and traineeships. Overall, there was a very high level of agreement on the obligations of the two major parties and so mismatched Show less

This study explores the common features of high-quality  traineeships using case studies from the… Show more

This study explores the common features of high-quality  traineeships using case studies from the cleaning, child care, construction, retail, finance and insurance, and meat processing areas. Show less

This report looks at whether pre-apprenticeships increase the potential supply of tradespeople,… Show more

This report looks at whether pre-apprenticeships increase the potential supply of tradespeople, with a special focus on electrotechnology, automotive and engineering students. It found that pre-apprenticeships have been used in Australia for many years and are widely regarded as a valuable strategy for increasing the supply and quality of potential apprentices. Pre-apprenticeships are favoured by Show less

This report explores how learners, and the process of learning, were presented within a sample of… Show more

This report explores how learners, and the process of learning, were presented within a sample of courses that led to Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. This course was highly regarded by the graduates surveyed and found to offer a sound basis about vocational education and training (VET) teaching and learning. Nevertheless, the study suggests that approaches to learning that Show less

How experiences with the workplace while at school affect young people after leaving school is the… Show more

How experiences with the workplace while at school affect young people after leaving school is the subject of this report. The experiences include those gained through work experience, school-based New Apprenticeships, part-time work and vocational placements in VET in Schools programs. Specific areas explored include the views of young people on the value of the various workplace experiences; Show less

This report aims to provide a clearer understanding of how and why enterprises use nationally… Show more

This report aims to provide a clearer understanding of how and why enterprises use nationally recognised type of training. It finds that an enterprise's decision to engage in recognised training is not made lightly and decisions are made afresh each time a new training need arises. Successfully embedding training in enterprises involves a three-phase process - engagement, extension and integration Show less

This report focusses on employability skills that young people entering work for the first time, or … Show more

This report focusses on employability skills that young people entering work for the first time, or novice workers, need. It examines the nature of the skills that employers seek when recruiting young people and the processes and techniques which can be used in the workplace to develop these skills. The report synthesises the findings of a comprehensive literature review and 12 case studies. Show less

What motivates school students to undertake school-based new apprenticeships and how satisfied are… Show more

What motivates school students to undertake school-based new apprenticeships and how satisfied are they with the outcomes? The students themselves answer these questions in this report on the findings of a survey of school-based new apprentices in three Australian states. Questions cover the students' appreciation of the quality of learning and training they received, the effectiveness of work Show less

This study of school students in workplaces looks at their perceptions of what they learned, why… Show more

This study of school students in workplaces looks at their perceptions of what they learned, why and how. It also examines the application of learning from school in the workplace and vice versa. An extension of the report by Smith and Green, "School students' learning from their paid and unpaid work". Show less

This project examines different ways in which young people still at school experience workplaces… Show more

This project examines different ways in which young people still at school experience workplaces through paid work, vocational placements and work experience. The study is based on a survey of students in Years 10, 11 and 12 in 13 schools in NSW and SA. In fact, 1451 responses were received. In addition, case studies were carried out in five schools. Show less

This report analyses the changing parameters of staff development that are emerging from the… Show more

This report analyses the changing parameters of staff development that are emerging from the changing environment of VET in Australia. It illuminates the changed structure of the VET workforce and the differentiation of the roles of practitioners across different types of registered training organisations and it identifies the implications of such changes for the future design of staff development Show less

This report examines the effect of competency-based instructional techniques on VET teachers and… Show more

This report examines the effect of competency-based instructional techniques on VET teachers and trainers both at national level and at specific sites. The report contains a comprehensive literature review of concepts and models of staff and professional development. It comprehensively reviews actual and desired forms of staff development in relation to CBT and develops a model of effective staff Show less