The changing nature of indigenous involvement in vocational education and training (VET) over the past decade is one of the most remarkable transformations seen in Australia's educational history. The number of indigenous peoples in VET has grown from just a few thousand in the 1980s to almost 45 000 in 1998. Inequality between indigenous peoples and other Australians in overall participation in VET has now been eliminated. VET providers, particularly TAFE, have opened their doors to indigenous peoples. They have responded and are enrolling in VET courses in record numbers. They are staying in the programs and successfully completing them in greater numbers than ever before. However, there are still many issues that need to be addressed such as balancing representation across courses, improving pass rates and employment outcomes and reducing withdrawal rates. This study suggests strategies that focus on more appropriate provision of courses and improving the outcomes achieved by indigenous students.
This report has been prepared as part of the Indonesia Australia Partnership for Skills Development (IAPSD) Program as a reference document about the technical and vocational education and training situation in Indonesia and in Australia. The overall goal of the program is to assist in improving workforce skills, so that skill formation arrangements better meet the needs of Indonesian industry.
The key problem explored by this research is whether initial vocational education and training and associated support services assist early school leavers to negotiate an effective transition from school to adult roles. The report also examines the gap between provision and demand for VET and associated services barriers, to full access and use of the available programs and services by the at-risk early school leavers.
The report represents the results of the first comprehensive quantitative study of the outcomes achieved by Indigenous peoples enrolling in VET courses in colleges within the Aboriginal community-controlled adult education sector. It shows what a valuable contribution the Aboriginal community-controlled adult education sector has been making to the improvement in Indigenous education and training.
This study compared costs of delivering workplace and TAFE-based courses in three industries - retail, hospitality and automotive. The data that were gathered provide an insight into the comparative costs of training and how they are distributed across governments, employers and trainees.
This title brings together what is known about workplace learning, examines it critically and proposes directions for future developments in both research and practice. The authors seek to provide frameworks for considering issues and new ways of representing the complexities of the field in an accessible form.
This study of higher education graduates undertaking South Australian TAFE courses was conducted to identify the reasons why higher education graduates undertake TAFE courses after graduating from a higher education course and how appropriate they found the TAFE course to their needs. The appropriateness of teaching styles and curriculum design are also investigated.
This synthesis of the 11 reviews of research brings together recent Australian research literature covering a range of key VET issues. Authors are drawn from a cross-section of Australia's foremost VET researchers. Topics include: aspects of enterprise learning in the workplace, returns to enterprises from investment in training, vocational education and small business, training markets, entry-level training, vocational education in schools, public and private training providers, flexible delivery, assessor training, quality assurance and the use of evaluation in the VET sector.
This submission is a review of research literature in Australia since 1990. It focuses on the following seven issues: strengthening demand, information, intermediaries, increasing responsiveness of supply, funding of training, TAFE in a competitive training market, and regulation.
The review of recent Australian literature makes it apparent that more research will be needed in order to obtain a more comprehensive and coherent picture of the factors which influence the training market.
This review of vocational education in schools notes the challenge that the introduction of vocational education presents to a school system which has, until now, largely confined itself to delivering general academic subjects.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in VET is carefully examined in this title. Chapters cover: pathways and articulation; indigenous programs in TAFE; staffing; resources and the learning environment; and VET and reconciliation.
Explores current practice, policy issues and implementation experiences associated with the recognition of prior learning (RPL). Key issues include: the need for clarification of the term RPL,understanding competency as it relates to RPL, defining the audience to benefit from RPL, and charges for RPL services.
Defines flexible delivery and looks at flexible delivery modes, venues, entry and exit points and flexible assessment. Questions and concerns are raised about the implementation of flexible modes and venues. Examines the organisation of the flexible curriculum, and asks whether individualised instruction works.