Search Results | VOCEDplus, the international tertiary education and research database

Will we run out of young men?: implications of the ageing of the population for the trades in Australia

The ageing society has been attracting the attention of policy makers in Australia and in many other countries. Thi ... Show more
The ageing society has been attracting the attention of policy makers in Australia and in many other countries. This paper considers the labour market for the traditional trades in Australia over the next 40 years and investigates whether the ageing society will pose a workforce problem. The broad conclusion is that the ageing society will significantly impact on the size of the potential trades workforce, but that this is unlikely to result in shortages. Rather, any shortage is more likely to occur if the trades lose their attractiveness relative to other occupations. Moreover, the age distribution of the trades workforce will remain largely unaltered. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Ong, Koon

Date: 2007

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Workforce development; Policy; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships

Vocational education and training (VET) has been seen to be an important element of school education for some time ... Show more
Vocational education and training (VET) has been seen to be an important element of school education for some time now. More recently, school-based apprentices and trainees have been given more prominence as an element of VET in Schools, partly as a response to skill shortages in a wide range of areas. The purpose of this short paper is to provide data on school-based apprentices and trainees to enable a judgement to be made about how this policy push is unfolding. After providing some context on the policy environment relevant to school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, this paper provides data on how many and what areas are covered, and goes on to look at attrition and completion rates. To provide a comparison group, data on apprenticeships and traineeships among young people are also given, noting that they form a very important entry point into the labour market for a large proportion of young people. The study found that despite a concerted policy push, the number of school-based apprentices and trainees is small and highly concentrated in Queensland and Victoria, among retail and hospitality training packages, and at the certificates I and II level. Attrition is lower among school-based than all young apprentices and trainees, both within the first six months and year, and at both certificate I and II and certificate III and above levels. With regard to the proportion completing their training, completion rates for certificates I and II are higher for school-based contracts than for all young apprentices and trainees, but substantially lower for certificates III and above. Completion rates in hairdressing, metal and engineering, and automotive certificates III and above are particularly low among school-based apprentices and trainees. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Mlotkowski, Peter

Corporate authors: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Date: 2008

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: NCVER occasional paper

Subjects: Apprenticeship; Traineeship; Policy ... [+] Show more
Associate degree or advanced diploma?: a case study

The distinction between [vocational education and training] VET and higher education in Australia is blurring. The ... Show more
The distinction between [vocational education and training] VET and higher education in Australia is blurring. The purpose of this paper is to examine - through the conduct of a case study of engineering qualifications (AQF6) delivered in Victoria - how education and training providers and students are likely to respond to different fees and funding arrangements under the student entitlement model.
Published abstract. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Lu, Tham

Date: 2012

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia; Victoria

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: NCVER occasional paper

Subjects: Qualifications; Research; Students ... [+] Show more
Welfare to work: does vocational education and training make a difference?

One of the most important social policy pushes in recent years has been to encourage individuals in the receipt of ... Show more
One of the most important social policy pushes in recent years has been to encourage individuals in the receipt of welfare payments to take up paid work. Welfare to Work initiatives have focused on four particular groups: (1) parents of children aged between six and 15 years - these recipients will be required to seek part-time work if their youngest child has reached the age of six years; (2) mature-aged recipients aged between 50 and 64 years; (3) people with disabilities who can work part-time - this group will be required to seek part-time work; and (4) the long-term unemployed. The purpose of this occasional paper is to look at the more fundamental issue of whether vocational education and training (VET) does improve the employment prospects of the groups in question. It exploits data from the Student Outcomes Survey (SOS) to construct samples that proxy the first three of the welfare groups listed above and models the post-training employment outcomes. The paper concludes that VET can make a difference, but not any VET, and not for all individuals Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Nguyen, Nhi; Mark, Kevin

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: NCVER occasional paper

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Disability; Culture and society ... [+] Show more
Competition in the training market

In late 2008, NCVER commissioned six people to write essays about competition in the Australian training market. Mo ... Show more
In late 2008, NCVER commissioned six people to write essays about competition in the Australian training market. Most were from outside the vocational education and training (VET) sector. In order to ensure their ideas were tied into current concerns within VET, NCVER went on to invite six insiders to respond to the essays. The results from both groups are contained in this volume. It should be noted that the participants in this exercise do not entirely agree with each other. But there is general acknowledgement that the risks associated with the state determining the supply and demand for training mean that governments cannot retreat from the training market. However, the role of the state, relative to that of individuals and employers, remains contentious. Papers and their responses include: Markets and central planning in meeting labour market needs: lessons from higher education / Andrew Norton, discussant: Leslie Loble; A market for vocational education and training in the Australian Federation / Mark Burford, discussant: Pat Forward; Competition policy and the VET sector / Richard Denniss, discussant: Megan Kirchner; Contestability, information asymmetry and quality signals in a competitive training market / Terri Seddon, discussant: Robyn Tudor; Improving information flows for users of post-secondary education / Nicholas Gruen, discussant: Gerald Burke; Possible governance structures and autonomy of TAFE institutes / V. Lynn Meek; discussant: Michael Keating. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Beddie, Francesca; Dawe, Susan

Corporate authors: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Higher education; Policy ... [+] Show more
Interview with Tom Karmel, Erica Smith and Damian Oliver on 'Insights from research into apprenticeships'

In this 30 minute podcast, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel, Erica Smith and Damian Oliver on insights from resear ... Show more
In this 30 minute podcast, Steve Davis talks with Tom Karmel, Erica Smith and Damian Oliver on insights from research into apprenticeships. Interested 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. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Smith, Erica; Oliver, Damian; Davis, Steve

Date: 2011

Geographic subjects: Australia; Oceania

Resource type: Webinar or podcast

Subjects: Research; Apprenticeship; Statistics ... [+] Show more
Opinion pieces 2009

Ten opinion pieces were released in 2009: (1) 'Adult Literacy Research Project: what we have learnt' by Michelle Ci ... Show more
Ten opinion pieces were released in 2009: (1) 'Adult Literacy Research Project: what we have learnt' by Michelle Circelli (released 1 March); (2) 'Work-life, low pay and vocational education and training' by Barbara Pocock (released 16 March); (3) 'Welfare to work, does VET make a difference?' by Tom Karmel (released 24 April); (4) 'Implications of the economic downturn for vocational education and training' by Tom Karmel (released 25 May); (5) 'Keeping informal learning informal' by Sian Halliday Wynes (released 1 July); (6) 'Rejuvenating the art of teaching and learning' by Francesca Beddie (released 17 July); (7) 'Putting the V-E-T in R and D' by Francesca Beddie (released 27 July); (8) 'Teaching TAFE teachers: is a certificate IV up to the challenge?' by Tom Karmel (released 9 October); (9) 'Is vocational education and training keeping up with the Joneses?' by Tom Karmel (released 10 November); (10) 'Young people: finding their way in a new era: summary of key findings of the policy forum' by Tom Karmel (released 25 November). Show less

Authors: Circelli, Michelle; Pocock, Barbara; Karmel, Tom; Halliday Wynes, Sian ... [+] Show more

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: NCVER opinion pieces

Subjects: Adult and community education; Literacy; Employment ... [+] Show more
What has been happening to vocational education and training diplomas and advanced diplomas?

As part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) work on skills, there has been a policy push to increase th ... Show more
As part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) work on skills, there has been a policy push to increase the number of people completing higher-level vocational education and training (VET) qualifications: diplomas and advanced diplomas. The foundation for this paper was a set of projections prepared by the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) which pointed to a significant shortfall in people with diploma and advanced diploma-level qualifications in 2016. The paper outlines recent trends in the provision of these qualifications; overall there has been virtually no growth over the period 2003-07, with growth in some areas offset by declines in others. It also looks at how those with diplomas and advanced diplomas are faring in the labour market. The picture is rather mixed, suggesting that people with diplomas and advanced diplomas fare, on average, better than those with other vocational qualifications or no post-school qualifications, but face severe competition from degree holders and others who have obtained skills through experience. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom

Corporate authors: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Conference name: National Senior Officials Committee

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Conference paper

Subjects: Outcomes; Skills and knowledge; Labour market ... [+] Show more
National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development Review, Productivity Commission: a reflection

This opinion piece contributes a response to the Productivity Commission's Review of the National Agreement for Ski ... Show more
This opinion piece contributes a response to the Productivity Commission's Review of the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development which was published on 21 January 2021. The paper comments on the key points of the review and provides reflection on issues currently impacting the vocational education and training (VET sector) including: marginalisation of educators, unevenness of qualifications, assessment, and the institutional structure of VET. Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom

Date: 2021

Geographic subjects: Australia; Oceania

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Apprenticeship; Governance ... [+] Show more
Opinion pieces 2011

Twenty-two opinion pieces were released in 2011: (1) 'Impact of the downturn on apprentice commencements and the lo ... Show more
Twenty-two opinion pieces were released in 2011: (1) 'Impact of the downturn on apprentice commencements and the long term implications for the number of tradespersons' by Tom Karmel (released 24 January); (2) 'Training: it makes dollars and sense to check on course outcomes' by Tom Karmel (released 26 March); (3) 'Australia and China: linking industry with VET' by Josie Misko (released 27 March); (4) 'No country for straw men' by Tom Karmel (released 28 March); (5) 'Measuring SES: less can be more...' by John Rice (released 11 April); (6) 'A question of degrees: launch of the VOCEDplus database' by Stephen Parker (released 19 April); (7) 'A portrait of initial teacher training' by Hugh Guthrie (released 5 May); (8) 'India cries out for an all-encompassing vocational training system' by Francesca Beddie (released 12 May); (9) 'As clear as mud: defining vocational education and training' by Tom Karmel (released 12 May); (10) 'New contributors to adult education' by Bridget Wibrow (released 15 May); (11) 'Young people in an economic downturn' (released 1 June); (12) 'Apprenticeships pave path to success' by Tom Karmel (released 4 June); (13) 'Pre-apprenticeships in need of a renovation' by Damian Oliver (released 18 July); (14) 'Learner persistence, it's the journey that's important' by Lisa Nechvoglod (released 25 July); (15) 'Land of opportunity: scholarship in tertiary education' by Francesca Beddie (released 7 September); (16) 'By degrees and trades: more and better job prospects for young people' by Tom Karmel (released 10 September); (17) 'Putting the jigsaw together: work, life, VET and low-pay' by Barbara Pocock (released 12 September); (18) 'Which paths work for post-school success?' by Tom Karmel (released 15 September); (19) 'Apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia' by Brian Knight and Tom Karmel (released 11 October); (20) 'Age matters: a profile of young people and study' by Davinia Blomberg (released 18 October); (21) 'Socioeconomic status and the allocation of government resources in Australia: how well do geographic measures perform?' by Patrick Lim, Sinan Gemici, John Rice and Tom Karmel (released 9 November); (22) 'Vocational education and skills policy in Australia' by Tom Karmel (released 6 December). Show less

Authors: Karmel, Tom; Misko, Josie; Rice, John; Blomberg, Davinia ... [+] Show more

Date: 2011

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia; Asia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: NCVER opinion pieces

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Apprenticeship; Outcomes ... [+] Show more