This research examined the lived experiences of young people aged about 20 in 2020, during the second wave of COVID-19 infections in Australia.
This report presents data trends in apprentice and trainee training activity in 2020 as compared with 2019, to provide insights into the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis focuses on monthly counts of contract commencements, suspensions, cancellations and withdrawals, and completions.
New research shows that five years after participating in VET in Schools, 87% of students were working, studying or both.
Increasing competition in the vocational education and training sector over the last two decades means it is timely to understand how the market structure has changed.
This paper considers whether single-sex schooling affects gendered patterns in the uptake of science courses in year 11 and the development of science-related career paths.
The purpose of this research is to examine whether, for those who have left full-time education, a low-skill job provides them with a good start to their working lives. It was found that starting out in a low-skill job gives lower payoffs than starting out in a high-skill job. Five years after leaving full-time education, the wage penalty (after conditioning on education and other characteristics) still exists but this scarring effect diminishes over time. However, any job is better than having no job.
The authors of this paper explore whether low socioeconomic status (SES) students benefit to a greater or lesser extent from attending high-quality schools when compared with their more advantaged peers.
This research reports on the effects of Youth Allowance using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY).
This report uses Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) data to look at the impact of schools on a student’s tertiary entrance rank (TER) and the probability of them going to university (controlling for TER).
This research shows that older Australians use computers and the internet less than younger Australians. Therefore, in the short term, information and services aimed at older Australians will need to be provided in additional ways.
This study provides new evidence on the inter-relationships between Indigenous Australians' association with their traditional culture and their engagement with vocational education and training.
The focus of this paper is on the factors, other than access, that influence the decision for Indigenous Australians to participate in education.
This report explores the movements that workers make in the workforce and whether there are any commonalities.
Increasing education and training is considered one means by which to reduce the extent of social exclusion and as such has been a key focus in recent public policies. This study investigates the impact of education and training on the extent of social exclusion using a measure of multidimensional social exclusion. A simulation of the effect of the COAG target relating to halving the proportion of 20-64 year olds without at least a certificate III qualification between 2009 and 2020 on the measure of multi-dimensional social exclusion is also undertaken. The study finds a clear dichotomy in the extent of social exclusion experienced between those with low levels of education (early school leavers or those with a certificate II qualification at the most) and the rest.
This discussion paper introduces the overarching concepts for the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market'. The paper also outlines the key findings from the initial investigations of each of the related research strands in the program. Overall, initial research has found that, due to the fragmentation of pathways within education and within the labour market, the relationship of pathways between education and the labour market are also fragmented. In order to understand this more clearly, the authors explore the concepts of transition systems, skill ecosystems and capabilities. A number of dilemmas for further research are also put forward.
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.
As part of the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market', this working paper sets the policy context and direction of the entry to vocations research stream. After looking at the current ‘in-school’ element of VET in Schools programs and jurisdictional differences, the paper raises a set of questions for discussion. For example, are more advanced and intense programs of VET in Schools needed to deliver stronger labour market outcomes? Do VET in Schools programs need to be more directly connected with post-school VET programs?
This working paper is an initial examination of what is known about pathways in tertiary education, as well as the loose associations between vocational qualifications and the jobs graduates do. The author is also interested in the link between educational qualifications and work and finds that these are not as strong as might be expected in a vocationally oriented tertiary education system like Australia’s. This work is part of the three-year research program, 'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market'.
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).
Using data from the 2009 Student Outcomes Survey, this report looks at the pay-offs of completing of a vocational education and training (VET) qualification on a range of outcomes, and identifies the groups for whom completion is particularly important.