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

The community services and health industries have experienced a period of growth in recent… Show more

The community services and health industries have experienced a period of growth in recent times. This report focuses on the sub-section, alcohol and other drugs, which has had difficulty recruiting staff. Show less

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looks at how the… Show more

Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looks at how the growth in occupational prestige is related to the level of an individual's education. 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

This report describes the characteristics of those who continue to work beyond the age of 65.

This report describes the characteristics of those who continue to work beyond the age of 65. Show less

One of the distinctive characteristics of the VET sector is that many students wish to learn… Show more

One of the distinctive characteristics of the VET sector is that many students wish to learn specific skills and have no intention of completing a full qualification. This paper estimates the completion rate of VET course enrolments with a mathematical modelling approach in order to fill a gap in performance measures for the sector. 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

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

This paper was delivered as a keynote address on 24th March 2010 at the VISTA annual conference:… Show more

This paper was delivered as a keynote address on 24th March 2010 at the VISTA annual conference: VET - The Invisible Sector. Show less

Having a choice of transition pathways from school to work, further education or training gives… Show more

Having a choice of transition pathways from school to work, further education or training gives young people the best chance of success. Using the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this study looks at the role post-school qualifications play in the year-by-year movement between labour market states by young people. Higher post-school qualifications are found to increase Show less

This paper was presented at the 2009 Economic and Social Outlook Conference, 5-6 November at the… Show more

This paper was presented at the 2009 Economic and Social Outlook Conference, 5-6 November at the University of Melbourne. It takes a sceptical view of the push for 'green skills', arguing that skills required in the labour market evolve relatively slowly, and that the way business operates is driven by changing costs, new technologies and new regulations, with sustainability being only one of Show less

When the skills workers have do not match the skills that jobs require, a number of negative labour … Show more

When the skills workers have do not match the skills that jobs require, a number of negative labour market outcomes can occur, including productivity and efficiency losses, lowered earnings and reduced job satisfaction. Using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, this study examines the degree of job mismatch experienced by workers. The mismatch between Show less

Increasing the number of people with vocational qualifications at the certificate III level or… Show more

Increasing the number of people with vocational qualifications at the certificate III level or higher was one of the targets set by the Council of Australian Governments in late 2008 as a way of increasing the skill levels of the Australian population. But why enrol in vocational education and training (VET)? This study looks at the employment and earning benefits for individuals in completing a Show less