All publications

Experiencing financial hardship is detrimental to both individuals and the community. For some,… Show more

Experiencing financial hardship is detrimental to both individuals and the community. For some, trying to break out of this situation can be extremely difficult as they may not have access to, or be lacking, the skills or resources that could help. However, education can help with research showing increasing the level of education and training is an effective means of reducing the likelihood of Show less

This monograph is the culmination of a three-year research program undertaken by the University of… Show more

This monograph is the culmination of a three-year research program undertaken by the University of South Australia's Centre for Work+Life. It considers the barriers, support and benefit of vocational education and training (VET) for workers in the low-paid occupations (that is, those earning around $17 per hour). The research considered a wide range of quantitative data as well as the experience Show less

When measuring the socioeconomic status of young people, the authors find that the SocioEconomic… Show more

When measuring the socioeconomic status of young people, the authors find that the SocioEconomic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) works well when reporting participation in higher education at aggregate levels, but performs very poorly when classifying individuals. This has policy implications because it means that programs directing resources to increase educational participation for those with low Show less

This overview provides a brief summary of the report, by Chris Ryan. It describes how Ryan analysed … Show more

This overview provides a brief summary of the report, by Chris Ryan. It describes how Ryan analysed the range of pathways available which offer genuine alternatives to completing secondary school. It finds that for those students who run the risk of dropping out, the best pathway for males is completing an apprenticeship, whereas for females completing Year 12 provides the best outcomes. Show less

The learning preferences of part-time agriculture students at the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE… Show more

The learning preferences of part-time agriculture students at the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE are the focus of this paper. The ability for providers to offer students flexible attendance patterns and hands-on practical training allied with a balance of alternative course delivery options may improve access and increase student numbers. The research was funded through the NCVER's Building Show less

This briefing paper considers how young people fared in previous downturns, and discusses how… Show more

This briefing paper considers how young people fared in previous downturns, and discusses how structural labour market changes over the past 20 years have affected the three million young Australians aged between 15 and 24 in the first 12 months of the most recent economic downturn. It also looks at the qualitative evidence from respondents in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Show less

This research investigated pre-apprenticeship training in Australia through a variety of research… Show more

This research investigated pre-apprenticeship training in Australia through a variety of research methods—keyword searches, lists of prescribed pre-apprenticeship courses from state and territory contacts, and a unit record enrolment file. An analysis of this data found that there were ten nationally accredited and 24 training package courses with pre-apprenticeship activity. There were Show less

The paper provides an overview of the implications and causes of labour mobility and job tenure… Show more

The paper provides an overview of the implications and causes of labour mobility and job tenure using data from major statistical sources and the research literature. Show less

This scoping paper explores the extent and consequences of labour market movement and the… Show more

This scoping paper explores the extent and consequences of labour market movement and the characteristics of people who change jobs. Show less

Pre-apprenticeship programs have attracted a great degree of interest from employers and training… Show more

Pre-apprenticeship programs have attracted a great degree of interest from employers and training providers as one means of increasing apprentice satisfaction and completion rates, by providing an introduction to the trade. We test this proposition using data from the 2010 Apprentice and Trainee Destination Survey. We find that the impact of pre-apprenticeships varies with occupation and prior Show less

The importance of adult language, literacy and numeracy for greater workforce participation,… Show more

The importance of adult language, literacy and numeracy for greater workforce participation, productivity and social inclusion are well recognised, with both national and international research demonstrating the benefits of increasing proficiency for both individuals and communities. But there are still more questions to be answered, such as what is the extent of adult language, literacy and Show less

Research messages 2010 is a collection of summaries of research projects published by the National… Show more

Research messages 2010 is a collection of summaries of research projects published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The summaries are clustered under five broad themes used by NCVER to organise its research and analysis: Industry and employers; Students and individuals; Teaching and learning: VET system; and VET in context. Research messages 2010 also has an Show less

This report looks at the potential use of information from the Student Outcomes Survey, including… Show more

This report looks at the potential use of information from the Student Outcomes Survey, including the use of student course satisfaction information and post-study outcomes, as a means of determining markers of training quality. Show less

The results of the consultations NCVER conducted in November and December 2010 to identify research … Show more

The results of the consultations NCVER conducted in November and December 2010 to identify research topics using the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) are presented in this paper and will help determine the research topics best suited to the LSAY data. These will be used to shape the 2011-13 LSAY analytical program of research that NCVER conducts on behalf of the Department of Show less

This discussion paper was the first step in NCVER's review of the Survey of Employer Use and Views… Show more

This discussion paper was the first step in NCVER's review of the Survey of Employer Use and Views of the Vocational Education and Training (VET). Show less

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

There are many factors which might cause a student to drop out of a course of study; some of these… Show more

There are many factors which might cause a student to drop out of a course of study; some of these are preventable. This paper describes the piloting of a survey tool designed to identify students at risk of not completing. Attendance was found to be the strongest predictor of module completion; low or declining scores on the survey were also predictive of students dropping out. The research for 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