This research synthesis examines the general decline of the manufacturing industry, and the education and training needs of workers affected by impending car plant closures in Australia by comparing two case studies and using findings from other NCVER reports.
This good practice guide aims to assist employers, employment agencies and support services, and training providers in designing programs that help displaced older workers find new jobs.
Responding to emerging skills demand can be achieved by improving perceptions of career options, skills development and stronger partnerships with providers.
The gap is widening between knowledge generated through Australia's training system, and the skills demanded by employers.
Personal reasons and family commitments predominantly drive labour mobility decisions.
Interviews with workers and managers show differences in their reasons for engaging in continuing education.
Using NCVER and Australian Bureau of Statistics data as well as findings from four case studies, this report looks at how mid-level qualifications assist entry to and progression in the workforce.
This report identifies two preconditions for vocational streams as well as describes scenarios of how these preconditions play out in industry.
This report explores some of the key issues associated with the assessment in VET and reflects on some possible solutions.
This report comes out of a three-year program of research that aims to investigate how best the tertiary education and training system might be organised to maintain the employability of Australian workers across their working lives.
This report explores the movements that workers make in the workforce and whether there are any commonalities.
Focusing on four vocational streams – financial services, primary industry, healthcare/community services and trades/engineering – this paper is an initial exploration of pathways into the labour market and how people actually use these pathways.
This report explores the transitions students make in undertaking a second qualification (i.e. whether they change field of education and/or move between the VET and higher education sectors).
This report was prepared for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to throw light on the growing trend of taking a 'gap year' between school completion and commencing university study.
This paper was a keynote address at the AVETRA conference held in Canberra in April 2012. Karmel notes that industry is arguably the key stakeholder in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector and discusses six areas of research which raise questions about VET and industry, either in terms of how public training funds are allocated or the educational principles on which VET is based.
This report aims to improve our understanding of the causes of skill shortages, the way businesses respond and the short-term consequences of skill shortages.
This occasional paper traces the evolution of Australia's apprenticeship system from European settlement in 1788 to the present day. It complements an earlier NCVER paper by Ray (2001), which concentrated on the second half of the 20th century. The present paper develops a number of major themes.
In this report the authors examine how skills development in domestic plumbing occupations has responded to an increased emphasis on environmental sustainability and 'greening'. They find that rather than sustainability and greening requiring major changes in thinking, plumbing skills need to be responsive to changing technology and more generic skills such as dealing with customers are required. How and at what stage to best impart these skills is a challenge for plumbing and the vocational education and training sector.
The author explores the prospect of improving pathways and opportunities for tradespeople in Australia through the introduction of a masters-level qualification. The study investigates the views and opinions of senior industry representatives and professional educators to determine whether the introduction of a master trade or master artisan qualification will lead to greater prospects for tradespeople and an increased esteem for trade vocations within the community.
This report investigates attrition in the trades by comparing the rate at which tradespeople leave their occupation with that of professionals. It also determines whether attrition is influenced by economic conditions, and if a trade can provide a good start to a career in the professions. The report concludes that attrition in the trades is no higher than in the professions; the rate of leaving particular occupations may vary, but overall the results between the two are very similar. The economic climate also makes little difference to the attrition rate.