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The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) funded a project in 2001 to analyse and report on industry requirements for 'employability skills'. This project was jointly managed by the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was completed in March 2002. Employability skills were defined for the purposes of the project as 'skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one's potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions'. The project was commissioned to provide: (a) advice on possible new requirements for generic employability competencies that industry needs, or will need in the forseeable future, since the development of the Mayer key competencies; (b) clear definitions of what Australian industry and enterprises perceive as employability skills and the terminology being used to describe them; and (c) a proposed suite of employability skills and assessment and reporting options. The project also investigated industry reactions to the proposed suite and reporting options and undertook case studies involving a number of large enterprises and focus group research with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This document reports on the case study research undertaken with 13 large enterprises to determine individual enterprise's views on necessary employability skills, approaches to developing, monitoring and assessing these skills, and how education and training providers could contribute more effectively to the development of employability skills. Analysis of the findings produced a possible model for the consideration of these skills within the wider environment of the organisation and determined a priority set of employability skills and personal and interpersonal skills and attributes. The model embraced four areas: the context in which the skills are applied; a focus (i.e. organisational goal); the skills themselves; and core personal and interpersonal values and attributes. The report describes each of these areas using examples from the case studies. It then addresses three issues: training within companies; ways in which enterprises track and assess employee skills; and a summary of employers' views on how the education and training sector could better support the development of employability skills.

The project final report is indexed at TD/TNC 70.178. The literature review is indexed at TD/TNC 70.179 and the report on the SMEs research is indexed at TD/TNC 70.181. Show less

The Ministerial discussion paper ‘Higher education at the crossroads’ (indexed at TD/TNC 71.381) has raised a wide range of issues and challenges facing the Australian higher education sector. A number of issues papers to follow will examine in greater detail some of the major challenges raised in the Ministerial paper. This issues paper explores issues in relation to governance, management and workplace relations. Over the past decade the environment in which universities operate, and the academic enterprise itself, have changed dramatically. The years ahead will present new challenges to the way in which universities are governed, managed and held publicly accountable. This paper covers some very broad issues about the regulatory environment in which universities operate and the appropriate scope of public accountability. It also deals with more focused questions about government red tape, the effectiveness of university governing bodies, the efficient and effective use of resources and possible improvements to workplace practices within universities. The chapters are: Introduction; Legal and accountability frameworks; University governing bodies; University management issues; Workplace relations. Appendices contain examples of the objects and functions of universities and analysis of Australian university council membership. Show less

This report is prepared in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Skilling Australia's Workforce Act 2005 and includes an assessment of the performance of the national training system during the year. The report provides detailed information on the operation of the national system, its achievements and challenges, and the outcomes achieved for the system’s clients. This report covers the 2005 calendar year and is presented in four sections. Section 1: 'Introduction and context' provides an outline of the report, describing the economic and social context for the national training system during 2005, and outlines the major components of the national training system. Section 2: 'Performance of the national vocational education and training (VET) system in 2005' contains an analysis of the system's performance in 2005 against agreed key performance measures. Section 3: 'Annual national priorities for 2005' reports the achievements and outcomes against the annual national priorities for 2005, and is underpinned by examples and achievements of the state, territory and Australian governments. Section 4: 'Appendices' provides time-series statistical tables on the national training system's performance and includes information on the data sources used as well as additional state and territory data. Show less

The Australian Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of the higher education sector to ensure that Australia’s higher education institutions are best placed to contribute to the nation’s future. This overview paper outlines the expectations of higher education and sets out some of the characteristics of the current system, the challenges the system faces and a number of the key issues that affect higher education. It raises a number of questions that are intended to inform the debate and invites comments and submissions on the issues it raises as well as on other issues relating to higher education. Included as attachments are: Background and statistics; Main policy developments of the last thirty years; Some different national structures of higher education; Diversity and performance of Australian universities.

The issues paper ‘Varieties of learning: the interface between higher education and vocational education and training’ is indexed at TD/TNC 71.378. Show less

The National Review of Nursing Education 2002 was initiated in April 2001 to examine the future nursing educational needs of the health, community and aged care system in Australia and to provide advice on appropriate education policy and funding frameworks. This volume contains the reports of two national studies commissioned for the Review to map in detail nursing education programs and to profile and make future projections regarding graduates from undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education courses in Australia. Data pertaining to enrolled nurses was outside the scope of this study. The reports are: Nursing education and graduates - part 1: profiles for 1999, and 2000, with projections for 2001 / Kaye Robyn Ogle, Elizabeth Bethune, Pauline Nugent, Arlene Walker (p. 3-95); Nursing education and graduates - part 2: profiles for 2001 with projections for 2002 / Kaye Robyn Ogle, Elizabeth Bethune, Pauline Nugent, Arlene Walker, David Wellman (p. 97-202)

‘National Review of Nursing Education 2002: nurse education and training - volume 1’ is indexed at TD/TNC 71.184.

The final report of the National Review of Nursing Education 2002 is indexed at TD/TNC 71.180. Show less

This report reviews progress in implementing the Australian government's five year innovation statement 'Backing Australia's ability'. It represents the first annual report card on the Australian government's actions to ensure the health of Australian innovation. It provides a picture of Australia's innovation landscape, including how the nation reached this point, the progress being made, and future directions. The report looks at the role of government and the private sector in strengthening the foundations and taking appropriate actions, including investment in science, research and development, Australian skills and in the commercialisation of good ideas. It highlights many initiatives that are producing results, and points to other projects under way and some planned for the future.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

In 2004, the Australian Government acknowledged that a ‘cohesive and coordinated approach to accelerate the uptake of e-research by the research community was needed if Australia’s research strengths were to remain internationally relevant and competitive’. In April 2005, the Minister for Education, Science and Training and the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts jointly established the e-Research Coordinating Committee to provide expert advice to the Government about developing Australia’s e-research capacity. In December 2005, an interim report of the e-Research Coordinating Committee was accepted by the Government as the basis for further work to develop an e-research implementation strategy. This current report is the result of the e-Research Coordinating Committee’s work and it proposes the implementation of a strategic framework and activities to accelerate the development of Australia’s e-research capabilities. Key issues addressed are: the need for leadership to drive cultural change; fostering engagement, participation and cooperation; research, development and deployment of ICT solutions for e-research; skills acquisition; support for researchers through a national e-research centre; access, authentication and authorisation; support for the physical resources, software and services that enable e-research activities (otherwise known as the e-research ‘fabric’); data management and accessible databases; and coordination. Show less

This report aims to provide strategic insights and technical tips about reaching online markets using the most effective web strategies. It will help improve online marketing initiatives to attract a wider audience for educational products and training services, both from within Australia and from around the world. The report summarises a research study commissioned by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework to deliver: a global review of 50 e-learning websites; an online marketing plan for Australian e-learning websites; and a strategy to customise the e-learning websites as best practice entry points for e-learning. The report provides examples of best practice online content, functionality and interactivity that educational and vocational websites use to engage their online audience. Show less

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) annual report for 2006-07 contains information about the role of the department, corporate governance arrangements and management accountability framework. It also reports on performance against the Outcomes and Outputs Framework (OOF) set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) 2006-07. This is the last annual report of the department. Following the 2007 election, DEST was disbanded and the portfolio responsibility was transferred to the new Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Show less

The 'Skilling the existing workforce' Project set out to explore how companies are working with their workforce to develop the skills the business needs to remain competitive. The project has not confined itself to an analysis of formal training. Consideration has also been given to the importance and roles of informal and non-formal learning methods such as mentoring and coaching. The project included the following stages: (1) the development of a major background research report on skilling the existing workforce, supplemented by a national and international literature review; (2) consultations on the findings of the research report; (3) trials of and case studies into enterprise experiences with skilling the existing workforce; and (4) an overview report into the trials and case studies. In addition to these project stages, in April 2008 the Ai Group asked almost 500 companies as part of the 'Skilling for innovation' survey to identify the most effective means of meeting skills requirements. The project identified a clear set of recommendations: (1) develop a workforce skills development advisory network; (2) establish a workforce skills development fund; (3) establish a national workforce literacy strategy; (4) build understanding and capability in registered training organisations of workforce skills development; (5) increase priority for investment in workplace and organisational learning programs; and (6) continue to advocate and support flexible, demand and outcomes-based funding.

Excerpt from published report reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

A background paper is indexed at TD/TNC 90.811. Show less