All publications

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 Show less

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

Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this report looks at the extent to… 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 report explores the beliefs and experiences of new graduates of the certificate IV, with a… 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

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

Work practices, skill use and the nature of the workforce in the Australian red-meat-processing… 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 survey collects information about the destinations of apprentices and trainees approximately… Show more

This survey collects information about the destinations of apprentices and trainees approximately nine months after leaving their training. Information was collected on employment outcomes, reasons for non-completion, satisfaction with the apprenticeship or traineeship, and further study destinations. Show less

Governments are interested in the relative efficiency of institutions, and in addition, information … Show more

Governments are interested in the relative efficiency of institutions, and in addition, information on efficiency can be used by individual institutions to benchmark themselves against their peers. The main factor that was found to affect efficiency, as defined in this paper, was degree of remoteness. Further, institute size is an important factor, with smaller institutes tending to be less Show less

In mid-2010 NCVER undertook a review of its building researcher capacity initiative in order to… Show more

In mid-2010 NCVER undertook a review of its building researcher capacity initiative in order to inform its direction into the future. The review found that the initiative had achieved a high profile among vocational education and training (VET) practitioners. The scholarship programs had heightened awareness about the role research can play in fostering good practice and a culture of evaluation. Show less

This paper assesses the fitness-for-purpose of the existing Longitudinal Surveys of Australian… Show more

This paper assesses the fitness-for-purpose of the existing Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) instruments as a source of information on the determinants of youth transitions in Australia. Show less

Apprentices with a learning disability can face significant barriers to completing their training.… Show more

Apprentices with a learning disability can face significant barriers to completing their training. This paper explores what these apprentices, their lecturers and disability support staff see as the most effective strategies for helping them to overcome these difficulties. Instructional approaches which accommodate students' learning styles, individual tutoring and supportive relationships were Show less

This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian… Show more

This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth) research reports: 'Participation in and progress through New Apprenticeships'; and the 'VET pathways taken by school leavers'. These two reports use data obtained from young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995 and whose educational and occupational activities were traced each year Show less

This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41)… Show more

This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) which report on how student attitudes and engagement in the formative school years influence subsequent participation in post-compulsory education and training. Data is used from two LSAY cohorts: students who were in Year 9 in 1995, and students who were in Year 9 in 1998. Attitudes to school in the Show less

This study provides a comparison of the post-school education systems of Australia and Canada using … Show more

This study provides a comparison of the post-school education systems of Australia and Canada using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australia Youth and the Canadian Youth in Transition Survey. The results indicate that the Canadian college system is more attractive to high achieving school graduates than is the somewhat comparable Australian VET sector. Show less

This paper explores a range of issues related to the development of the VET workforce. It examines… Show more

This paper explores a range of issues related to the development of the VET workforce. It examines key issues underpinning professional development structures and proposes a set of features integral to a comprehensive workforce development strategy. Show less

Student intentions and outcomes in regard to studying the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment … Show more

Student intentions and outcomes in regard to studying the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment at NSW community colleges is the subject of this paper. Gaining employment and acquiring presentation skills were the most common reasons given for undertaking the course, but for many students the course did not deliver this. Those students who accessed pre-course information and thus had more Show less

Half a dozen VET researchers and commentators contemplate the future of the VET sector. Their… Show more

Half a dozen VET researchers and commentators contemplate the future of the VET sector. Their thoughts point to the need for more effort to articulate the role of VET in tertiary education and to streamline its governance. Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Tanya Bretherton about her report 'Developing… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Tanya Bretherton about her report 'Developing the child care workforce: Understanding 'fight' or 'flight' amongst workers'. The early childhood education and care sector in Australia has long been characterised by low-skill/low-pay jobs. The current policy environment, however, may offer scope for the sector to move towards a path of skill Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Mike Dockery about his report on 'Education… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Mike Dockery about his report on 'Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition'. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this report examines the relationship between education and happiness. The report finds that undertaking vocational qualifications such as an apprenticeship has a positive impact on Show less

The early childhood education and care sector in Australia has traditionally been characterised by… Show more

The early childhood education and care sector in Australia has traditionally been characterised by low skill/low pay jobs and high staff turnover. Some employers, however, have attempted to combat high turnover through careful recruitment and skill development. This research overview describes the approaches of innovative employers who have excelled in the delivery of early childhood education Show less