This report identifies what individual learners and industry clients want from vocational education and training (VET) and proposes how these needs can best be met. It also identifies a tension between compliance and creativity which needs to be addressed in quality frameworks at the system level. In addition, providers need to reshape their structures and modify their cultures so they are open to creativity and flexibility but also able to meet compliance requirements. At the practitioner level, ongoing funding for the professional development of staff is needed so they have the time and space to develop innovative strategies for teaching, learning and assessment.
The relationship between education, including vocational education and training (VET), and measures of health and wellbeing is explored in this report. Previous research in the area indicates that the relationship is also influenced by intermediary variables such as income. This report uses the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia (HILDA) data to examine the relationship between education and physical and mental health, and interviews with practitioners.
The aim of this research is to define good practices which support partnerships between adult and community education and vocational education and training, and identify negative practices which work against such collaborations. The research finds that strong and committed lead personnel, time, respect between organisations and a clear understanding of objectives are key factors for success. Each purchased copy of the report also includes a copy of 'Creating effective ACE and VET partnerships: Good practice guide'.
This report documents the evolution and development of four learning communities in Victoria, which are involved in local government. It investigates the challenges and complexities involved in getting these communities off the ground and what roles, if any, vocational education and training (VET) institutions have played. Key principles emerging from the study include the importance of recognising different stakeholders' values and perspectives, appreciating multiple outcomes and proactively managing the relationships between various groups of stakeholders. Key findings include that local government has enormous potential and resources to contribute to the community and that VET is a necessary part of the system but has not been particularly proactive in the four cases described in this study.
This study, undertaken for the National Electrical and Communications Association, profiles the electrotechnology workforce and focuses especially on how the industry is adapting to the rapidly changing environment. Through analysis of data and interviews, the study found that the electrotechnology industry has adapted well to its customers' demands to integrate the electrical and communication skills into a narrow range of occupations. Skills shortages remain in the industry but tend to be region or occupation specific.
The development of a uniquely Australian system of innovation and its relation to the vocational education and training (VET) system is considered in this discussion paper. It asserts that the Australian system of innovation fits the pattern of incremental innovation and diffusion of technical knowledge. It focuses on arrangements prior to the formation of the technical and further education system in the late 1970s. It concludes that the diffusion of knowledge and the development of a workforce capable of developing innovative local technical solutions has long been the domain of VET institutions in Australia.
This publication presents the results of a comprehensive research program on Indigenous Australians in vocational education and training (VET), along with feedback from over 200 people who attended the NCVER Research Forum on Indigenous VET in August 2005. The planning and implementation of the research strategy and the forum were undertaken in a partnership between the National Centre for Vocational Education Research and the former Australian Indigenous Training Advisory Council of the Australian National Training Authority Board.
Increasingly, vocational education and training (VET) practitioners work with industry and within private enterprises in arrangements that provide training for workers. This report, based on interviews with TAFE practitioners and managers, enterprise managers and on-the-job learners, highlights the expanding roles of TAFE practitioners in these training arrangements. It finds that in private enterprises TAFE practitioners introduce new elements to learning, provide support to managers and workers, build links between the organisation and TAFE and raise training standards. They also foster a learning culture, support individual workers, and act as a model of lifelong learning. The impact of TAFE practitioners' work is also analysed from the perspective of the enterprises, and findings indicate that it is valued by industry counterparts. However, the success of the training arrangement, which can significantly improve learning in the workplace, depends on establishing effective relationships between TAFE and industry.
This paper investigates the strategies and practices used by institutions worldwide to develop the professional experience of teachers and practitioners. It also explores successful models for ensuring that staff development provides a way of maintaining relevance in an increasingly complicated and globalised training market.
New ways of thinking about how language, literacy and numeracy skills are taught has coincided with a fundamental policy change in the vocational education and training sector. A major development has been the integration of literacy, language and numeracy skills into vocational training. The complexity of the issues makes it important to gain a better understanding of what actually happens in Australia, especially in the workplace. This study explores how training practitioners are using the reforms in the national training system, and their knowledge of new approaches to teaching and learning to integrate language, literacy and numeracy into workplace training programs in the community services sector. Although the study is small scale, it provides an informative snapshot of how a number of providers are integrating language, literacy and numeracy into vocational programs.
This report explores the ways in which Indigenous Australians are learning through enterprise and small business development. It reveals that this learning will be more effective if it takes into account that Indigenous experience differs by location, with remote areas offering a significant challenge. Learning through Indigenous business is most effective where learning is tied to earning; the content is customised; it is carried out in parallel to real work; and is put into practice through employment in commercial business.
How employers perceive, use and value vocational education and training qualifications is an important, but also complex, issue. This report captures the views of a small number of employers within 14 different companies, over eight industries. The broad conclusion is that employers place high value on learning and capability and competence, irrespective of whether this leads to, or is reflected in, qualifications held. The detailed findings offer valuable insights for both employers and providers.
This report aims to provide a clearer understanding of how and why enterprises use nationally recognised type of training. It finds that an enterprise's decision to engage in recognised training is not made lightly and decisions are made afresh each time a new training need arises. Successfully embedding training in enterprises involves a three-phase process - engagement, extension and integration. In most cases, it is dependent on: positive initial engagement; extension of training through a 'VET evangelist' who 'sells' the benefits of recognised training and persuades management; and, integration of competency standards associated with recognised training into many human resource processes. The availability of funding strongly influences whether enterprises use recognised training. However, one of the key reasons why more enterprises have not taken up this training is lack of awareness.
Australia's innovation capacity is, in part, reliant on its teaching workforce - to teach and promote new technologies to industry. This pilot study examines how vocational education and training (VET) teachers, in particular TAFE teachers, maintain the currency of their skills and knowledge base. It also explores their role in the development and diffusion of innovative practices and new technologies in the manufacturing sector. Despite the lack of recognition of TAFE teachers in national innovation policies and programs, they do provide a technology diffusion function. However, there are impediments to maintaining the currency of teacher skills and equipment, including inadequate capital expenditure on equipment, an aging teaching workforce and reduced access to professional development and return-to-industry programs.
Innovation, from high profile scientific discoveries to lower profile changes in processes or practices, is crucial to Australia's economic development. However, its impact on the wider community is usually relatively small. Promotion of innovation across all sectors is required to produce the biggest changes. This report focuses on the roles of the vocational education and training (VET) sectors of Finland and Singapore - countries with strong track records in innovation. It argues that a whole-of-government approach supporting a national innovation system could benefit Australia. Further, the national VET sector is ideally placed to have a more direct role in the promotion and diffusion of smaller scale innovations provided incentives in the form of specific funding are put in place. This activity could also enhance the sector's links with business, particularly small to medium sized enterprises and those in regional areas.
Future workforce planning in private and public enterprise requires reliable information on which projections are made. Currently limited information exists about vocational education and training (VET) professionals. This report consolidates two national studies on the TAFE workforce, and on VET professionals in private and public registered training organisations. The findings have important implications for workforce planning. Within the TAFE sector, the number of teachers aged over 45 is almost double the average for the Australian workforce, and the employment status is shifting from permanent qualified teachers to non-permanent teachers who are less qualified. Outside the TAFE sector, the credentials of VET professionals are also an issue.
Recognition of prior learning is a crucial element in lifelong learning, but limited information exists about skills recognition implementation and outcomes within Australian enterprises. This study examines the nature of recognition within individual enterprises, including the processes employed, strategies in place for promotion and support, and perceived benefits for enterprises and employees. It finds a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to recognition of prior learning is rarely effective, but should be linked to the enterprise's overall business and training plans, which ensures it evolves as part of the organisations' needs. For enterprises, recognition of prior learning offers whole-of-organisation benefits, including confirmation of employees' skills and corporate information developed over time, and greater training efficiencies. Employees reveal both personal and organisational benefits, such as having existing personal skills recognised and certified, identifying skill gaps, and achieving nationally recognised and portable qualifications which are recognised outside the enterprise.
Highly innovative organisations demonstrate six key characteristics. They create learning cultures which promote innovation as a core organisational capability; employ leaders who are 'failure-tolerant'; identify innovators; reward people who propose innovative ideas; use partnerships; and, promote innovation through teams. This report analyses how well vocational education and training (VET) providers employ the above characteristics. It finds VET organisations are making good progress as innovators, but this progress is uneven as three characteristics often dominate the building of innovation. Typically, VET providers identify innovators, develop partnerships and promote innovation through teams and communities of practice well. To develop innovation further, the author suggests VET organisations need to broaden the range of strategies they are using to promote innovation and offers practical steps to do so.
Multinational corporations are significant in the global economy, and increasingly important to national economies. Based on a literature review and 12 case studies of multinational corporations operating in Australia, the study finds the quality of the domestic VET-skilled workforce is ranked equal third in importance, out of fifteen factors, when deciding to invest in Australia. To make the VET system more attractive to foreign investment, the multinational corporations in the case studies recommended better overseas publicity of the training system, and improvements to literacy, numeracy and production knowledge of lower-level workers in manufacturing.
A key challenge of Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system is to serve the broad needs of individuals, communities, and industries. This includes the provision of literacy and generic skills which meet the needs of all groups. This study investigates and documents workplace literacy in aged care facilities and call centres, within the context of the changing nature of work which requires a highly literate, responsive workforce. The report acknowledges the effectiveness of training approaches and procedural practices in these industries; however, it points to the VET sector's role to resist narrowing of literacy and generic skills which meet company requirements.