Search results

The shift in western economies from resource-based to knowledge-based economies with the focus on innovation to provide competitive economic advantage has pressed nations to invest in and promote national research and development efforts. This interest in innovation and the emergent technologies in the information and communication industry, biotechnology and nanotechnology, are underpinning the development of new technologies, products, processes, services and industries. The research reported in this paper sought to identify and develop good practice principles for identifying the emerging technology industries and their training needs, as well as to identify the skills these industries will require of their workers, now and in the future. The research also sought to propose mechanisms for a vocational education and training (VET) response to these training and skill needs. To achieve this, a detailed analysis of interactions was made between the VET sector and the Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). The findings from this analysis show that involvement with research and development organisations, by creating strong, formalised partnerships particularly early in the commercialisation phase of a technology, will help to ensure that a technology's new skills are identified, training needs are anticipated, new knowledge and practice are transferred into VET and the timely development and provision of industry training is achieved.