All publications

This paper argues that assessment can play a central role in teaching and learning, and selecting… Show more

This paper argues that assessment can play a central role in teaching and learning, and selecting an appropriate mix of assessment strategies can satisfy multiple goals of key stakeholders in vocational education and training. These goals include promoting learning, certifying learning and program evaluation. These objectives must be understood in a broad context delineated by the structures of 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

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 report shows that training in the meat-processing sector is now oriented towards on-the-job… Show more

This report shows that training in the meat-processing sector is now oriented towards on-the-job induction and the learning of single tasks rather than having a trade-based approach (industrial butcher).  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

The link between academic achievement and labour market outcomes is well established. But how well… Show more

The link between academic achievement and labour market outcomes is well established. But how well does a student's achievement in a test predict their later success in life? This study examines this question, with 'success' considered to encompass satisfaction with life together with the extent to which young people are fully occupied with education, employment or a combination of these. Show less

This paper was presented at the Professional Historians Association (NSW) Islands of History… Show more

This paper was presented at the Professional Historians Association (NSW) Islands of History conference held on Norfolk Island in July 2010. It argues that the reliance on overseas workers to address skills shortages has been present ever since the first white settlement of Australia and suggests some areas for primary historical research. Show less

To gain insights into the labour market for tradespeople, this report investigates changes in… Show more

To gain insights into the labour market for tradespeople, this report investigates changes in supply, demand and how adjustment occurred through the varied economic conditions of the past 20 years. 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

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Cain Polidano about his report on the role of… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Cain Polidano about his report on the role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of people with disabilities. Low levels of education generally among people with a disability is one of the factors contributing to their lower rate of labour market participation. What role vocational education and training (VET) plays 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

This is a compendium of three reports. The first examines the size and attributes of the vocational … Show more

This is a compendium of three reports. The first examines the size and attributes of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce using a variety of data sources. The second looks more specifically at TAFE's workforce. The final report considers the feasibility of a national VET workforce collection. The compendium updates earlier NCVER work on VET workforce numbers and characteristics. Show less

This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of TAFE providers to meet their clients'… Show more

This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of TAFE providers to meet their clients' and stakeholders' needs and draws extensively on the reports of the consortium research program which examined ways to help build vocational education and training (VET) provider and workforce capability. The paper puts this research, most of which was completed in 2006 and 2007, into a contemporary Show less

Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds… Show more

Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds that for people who are not working, completing a VET qualification does increase the chance of employment and more so for people with a disability. Show less