All publications

To what extent do local governments use vocational education and training as a staff retention… Show more

To what extent do local governments use vocational education and training as a staff retention strategy? Human resources personnel from a selection of councils around Australia believed that a lack of career development or training opportunities might cause an employee to leave their organisation. The had some reservations about the quality and value of VET, but planned to continue to use it for 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

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 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

Education is generally seen as enhancing people's lives. However, previous research has reported an … Show more

Education is generally seen as enhancing people's lives. However, previous research has reported an inverse relationship between education and happiness or satisfaction with life: as education level goes up, happiness goes down. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this report examines the relationship between education and happiness. The impact of factors such as Show less

Rubrics are a tool that can be used to provide graded assessment for articulation from vocational… Show more

Rubrics are a tool that can be used to provide graded assessment for articulation from vocational education and training (VET) into higher education. By mentoring teachers to use rubrics and interviewing them to determine their experiences in using them, the author explored the potential of rubrics as an assessment tool. Overall, teachers found rubrics not only useful for grading assessments 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

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

The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low… Show more

The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low demand for skills is the focus of this paper. The need for greater involvement of external stakeholders is identified as important in ensuring that students make an informed decision when choosing a career path. A model representing the ideal situation for student decision-making on career choice is Show less

The perceptions of students, school and TAFE staff involved in V Tracks, an early intervention… Show more

The perceptions of students, school and TAFE staff involved in V Tracks, an early intervention program for Aboriginal school students are explored in this paper. The study identifies outcomes, challenges and recommendations for future program design. Overall, V Tracks was found to improve student engagement in school and provide greater insights into the available education, training and Show less

This discussion paper arises from a research project investigating the extent to which… Show more

This discussion paper arises from a research project investigating the extent to which practitioners believe the Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA04) qualification provides an effective foundation for the delivery and assessment of training in the VET environment. This paper focuses on the history of the TAA04 and outlines some of the key issues relating to the quality of delivery. The Show less

 This paper summarises the findings from the first year of a three-year research program… Show more

 This paper summarises the findings from the first year of a three-year research program investigating the role of vocational education and training (VET) for older workers.  Show less

This report considers different perspectives of higher education qualifications offered by TAFE… Show more

This report considers different perspectives of higher education qualifications offered by TAFE institutes, focusing on associate degrees and degrees. Show less

This study examines where and how NCVER's research has influenced vocational education and training … Show more

This study examines where and how NCVER's research has influenced vocational education and training (VET) policy and practice. Show less

In light of recent developments in educational policy and the positioning of vocational education… Show more

In light of recent developments in educational policy and the positioning of vocational education and training (VET) across the European Union, it was timely to explore these new directions and the lessons for Australian VET. 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