In this interview, Steve Davis talks with co-author Kaye Bowman about the report ‘Workforce skills development and engagement in training through skill sets’.
In this phone interview, Roger Harris and Michele Simons talk about how leaders in private providers juggle the educational and business imperatives of their organisation.
In this podcast, Sue Webb, a researcher, talks about the initial findings from work looking at the use of migrant women's skills in regional areas.
Lorraine Dearden talks in this podcast about work she has co-authored on widening participation in higher education in the United Kingdom (UK).
In this 30 minute podcast, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel, Erica Smith and Damian Oliver on insights from research into apprenticeships.textInterested in the story behind the numbers, Tom discusses the findings from his work on individual completion rates that show occupation and employers' size matters, with the implication being that the relationship between employer and apprentice is critical. Erica talks about the all too often unspoken expectations of apprentices and employers—the psychological contract. She finds that writing down these expectations at the start of an apprenticeship does help all parties. Damian examines whether pre-apprenticeship programs deliver on their promise of improved retention rates and finds their impact varies by occupation and prior education level. Implications for policy-makers and training providers are drawn out throughout the podcast.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Tanya Bretherton about her report 'Developing the child care workforce: Understanding 'fight' or 'flight' amongst workers'. The early childhood education and care sector in Australia has long been characterised by low-skill/low-pay jobs. The current policy environment, however, may offer scope for the sector to move towards a path of skill growth. This report, based on case studies of four early childhood education and care providers, investigates how innovative employers are overcoming challenges in the sector to improve workforce development.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Mike Dockery about his report on 'Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition'. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this report examines the relationship between education and happiness. The report finds that undertaking vocational qualifications such as an apprenticeship has a positive impact on happiness both during the training period and after completion. For university graduates, however, happiness declines following completion of their study.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Cain Polidano about his report on the role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of people with disabilities. Low levels of education generally among people with a disability is one of the factors contributing to their lower rate of labour market participation. What role vocational education and training (VET) plays in ameliorating this is the focus of this report. 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.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel about his report 'Apprenticeships in the downturn'. Apprenticeships have a very long history in Australia, building on the traditions of the medieval guilds. The essence of the apprenticeship is the contract of training--a legal contract between an individual, an employer and a training provider. The defining characteristic is the combination of employment and training. The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with a view to assessing the likely impact of the current economic downturn on them.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Michael Dockery about his report, 'Cultural dimensions of Indigenous participation in education and training'. This study provides an important innovation to the existing literature by explicitly attempting to measure 'cultural attachment' and its relationship with post-compulsory education and training.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Yvonne Hillier about her report, 'Innovation in teaching and learning in vocational education and training: International perspectives'. This publication explores both the characteristics and examples of innovative teaching and learning practice internationally. It found that technologies can be used to support networks of practitioners and resource banks to foster better professional practice and help practitioners exchange ideas and resources.
In this interview, Steve Davis talks with researcher Barbara Pocock about her paper, 'Low-paid workers, changing patterns of work and life, and participation in vocational education and training'.
In this interview Steve Davis talks with researcher Andrew Smith about his report 'To have and to hold: Retaining and utilising skilled people', which looked at the ways Australian employers retain skilled staff and enhance their ability to use the skills of their people.
In this interview Steve Davis talks with researcher Fran Ferrier about her report 'Vocational education and training providers in competitive training markets', which looked at how practices and policies are evolving in the increasingly competitive environment of Australia's vocational education and training sector.
This interview was conducted by Steve Davis with Victor Callan, about his report 'Accelerated apprenticeships', which looked at recent pilots of accelerated apprenticeships in the automotive industry in Queensland.
Mp3 of interview conducted by Steve Davis with Roger Harris and Berwyn Clayton about their report 'Supporting vocational education and training providers in building capability for the future'.