All publications

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

The NCVER Apprentice and Destination Survey collected, among other things, data on reasons for not… Show more

The NCVER Apprentice and Destination Survey collected, among other things, data on reasons for not completing an apprenticeship or traineeship. This paper finds that poor working conditions or non-sympathetic bosses or workmates have an immediate effect for many. By contrast, the desire to do something different (such as study at university) or better (such as getting a better paid job) remains Show less

The traineeship model is currently targeted at a broader group of people compared with the original … Show more

The traineeship model is currently targeted at a broader group of people compared with the original target group of young unemployed persons as envisaged by the Kirby Enquiry. This report aims to assess the effectiveness of the model for young people, particularly young early school leavers. The findings suggest that traineeships are an important pathway for female early school leavers. However, Show less

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Apprenticeships in the… Show more

In this interview, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Apprenticeships in the downturn'. Apprenticeships have a very long history in Australia, building on the traditions of the medieval guilds. The essence of the apprenticeship is the contract of training--a legal contract between an individual, an employer and a training provider. The defining characteristic is the combination Show less

The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with… Show more

The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with a view to assessing the likely impact of the current economic downturn on them. Show less

NCVER commissioned six leading thinkers to offer insights into what is meant by a training market,… Show more

NCVER commissioned six leading thinkers to offer insights into what is meant by a training market, constraints upon that market and the areas for improvement in the system which would allow consumers greater choice. Show less

This paper considers three aspects of vocational education and training's (VET) contribution to the … Show more

This paper considers three aspects of vocational education and training's (VET) contribution to the labour market: the relationship between their training and the occupations VET graduates work in; the extent to which the qualified proportion of the workforce has increased; and the link between VET and skills acquisition. Finally, some thoughts are aired on the implications of the economic Show less

This paper aims to provide a picture of the occupations in the community services and health… Show more

This paper aims to provide a picture of the occupations in the community services and health industry, and how the workforce obtains the required skills. The authors argue that planning for the industry should concentrate on occupations specific to the industry and those which require high skill levels. Findings suggest that the qualification levels of community services and health workers have Show less

This paper discusses a number of aspects of this tertiary education sector: the Australian… Show more

This paper discusses a number of aspects of this tertiary education sector: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which describes the qualifications offered by the three education sectors: schools, higher education and VET; student characteristics of the two sectors; a characterisation of higher education and VET; and student movement between the two sectors. Show less

The purpose of this paper looks at the fundamental issue of whether VET does improve the employment … Show more

The purpose of this paper looks at the fundamental issue of whether VET does improve the employment prospects of the groups in question. It exploits data from the Student Outcome Survey to construct samples that proxy three welfare groups and models the post-training employment outcomes. Show less

A history of performance measurement for the vocational education and training (VET) sector,… Show more

A history of performance measurement for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, beginning with the creation of the Australian National Training Authority in 1992 and ending with what we know of the current reforms. As well as discussing the various measures, the paper looks at the challenges that are brought up by indicators and makes some suggestions for indicators for the VET system Show less

Information on the divergence between student numbers and delivery hours for the period 2002 to… Show more

Information on the divergence between student numbers and delivery hours for the period 2002 to 2007 is provided in this technical paper. The change in hours from one year to the next is decomposed into three effects, one of which is 'hours inflation', whereby nominal hours increase over time for the same unit of competency or module. Here we show that the 'hours inflation' explains relatively Show less

This report examines the costs that both employers and apprentices incur for undertaking training… Show more

This report examines the costs that both employers and apprentices incur for undertaking training in the plumbing and electrical industries. The importance of understanding costs is fundamental. Employers will not take on apprentices if the cost is too high, and prospective apprentices will not undertake an apprenticeship if the future benefits (increased wages) do not outweigh the immediate Show less

This paper was presented to a meeting of the Wellington Exchange, an international group of higher… Show more

This paper was presented to a meeting of the Wellington Exchange, an international group of higher education officials, in December 2008. Show less

This paper was presented at the Skills Australia, Academy of Social Sciences seminar in Sydney in… Show more

This paper was presented at the Skills Australia, Academy of Social Sciences seminar in Sydney in September 2008. This paper examines the demand for training. It concentrates on the factors that affect individual and employer demand, and points out that accredited vocational education and training (VET) need to be considered in the context of extensive use of non-accredited and on-the-job training Show less

This technical paper examines some large and unusual movements for data in the 2007 VET Provider… Show more

This technical paper examines some large and unusual movements for data in the 2007 VET Provider Collection by comparison with 2006. Changes in the patterns of courses undertaken explain most of the divergence between students, enrolments and hours. Show less

Recent trends in the provision of vocational education and training (VET) diplomas and advanced… Show more

Recent trends in the provision of vocational education and training (VET) diplomas and advanced diplomas are outlined in this paper. The paper also looks at how people with diplomas and advanced diplomas are faring in the labour market. The picture is rather mixed, suggesting that those with diplomas and advanced diplomas fare, on average, better than those with other VET qualifications or no post Show less

School-based apprentices and trainees have recently been given more prominence as an element of… Show more

School-based apprentices and trainees have recently been given more prominence as an element of vocational education and training in school, partly as a response to skill shortages in a wide range of areas. The purpose of this paper is to provide data on school-based apprentices and trainees to enable a judgement to be made about how this policy push is unfolding. The number of school-based Show less

On the whole, educational achievements and outcomes from vocational education and training (VET)… Show more

On the whole, educational achievements and outcomes from vocational education and training (VET) are relatively poor for students reporting a disability. This paper sought to isolate the direct effect of being a member of a particular disability group. It found that the direct effect of the disability differs between groups, and is highest for those with a mental illness, a medical condition or a Show less

In this interview Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Is VET vocational?', which… Show more

In this interview Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Is VET vocational?', which explores the issue of how vocational education and training (VET) is actually used in the labour market and in particular the match between what graduates study and the jobs they get. Show less