Search Results

Generic skills are taking on increased importance in Australia and internationally. This publication explains why there is such an interest in generic skills and describes how they have been defined and addressed in educational programs in Australia. It also compares the different definitions and interpretations of generic skills in the UK, the USA and Canada. Findings include: that there is a high demand for generic skills in the workplace; that generic skills apply across a variety of jobs and life contexts; that there is no one definitive list of generic skills; that each sector of education has a role to play in helping people develop their generic skills; that a collaborative cross-sectoral approach to facilitating development of generic skills is being developed in Australia; and that the implementation of generic skills is increasingly being seen as a teaching and learning issue.

A companion publication, ‘Fostering generic skills in VET programs and workplaces: at a glance’, may be found at TD/TNC 75.09. Show less

The Australian government recognises that a strong Australian Apprenticeship system is essential to sustain a strong economy. Accordingly, an Expert Panel was appointed to provide recommendations to the government on possible ways to reform the system to ensure that it can meet Australia's skills needs into the 21st century. The panel examined apprenticeship training arrangements, including current incentives, and suggested principles and evidence to improve outcomes for both apprentices and industry. The work of the panel was underpinned by a study on related economic costs and benefits, including research undertaken by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). This report is the first of four prepared by NCVER for the panel and it is intended to provide a background to the other reports which focus on specific aspects of the apprenticeship and traineeship system. The report is structured around four individual papers. The first is a history of apprenticeship and traineeship in Australia. This is followed by a characterisation of apprentices and trainees - apprentices and trainees of today cover a much broader span of individuals than the common perception of an apprentice being a young man in blue overalls. While not strictly part of an apprenticeship or traineeship, prevocational training exists as a pathway into an apprenticeship or traineeship rather than for its own sake. It thus makes sense to consider them alongside the apprenticeship and traineeship system, which is what is done in the third paper. The report concludes with some estimates of the cost of the system to the government. Show less

This issue of ‘Centerfocus’ argues that arts education, encompassing dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts, should be included in the vocational curriculum in secondary school. The authors suggest that study of the arts in addition to skills training is a valuable strategy for educating young people for further study and work. The paper documents the relationship between vocational education and arts education over the course of the 20th century. The discussion then examines the relationship between the changing employee characteristics required of the emerging economy of the new century and the implications of these changes for better collaboration between vocational and arts education. In conclusion, the authors look at circumstances favouring cooperation between vocational and arts education teachers, and recommend strategies to facilitate this relationship. Show less

This report presents the results from the 2002 national survey of students who undertook vocational education and training (VET) during 2002. The survey covered TAFE graduates and TAFE module completers.

TAFE graduates were defined as students who attended a TAFE institute in Australia and who completed a Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Associate Diploma, Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Bachelors Degree of at least 200 hours or one semester duration, and had an Australian address as their usual address. A questionnaire was sent to a stratified, randomly selected sample of graduates (approximately 42,000 graduates).

TAFE module completers were defined as students who were not graduates, had attended a TAFE institute in Australia and successfully completed some training in a course irrespective of the number of hours of the training, and left the TAFE system. A similar questionnaire to that which was sent to graduates was sent to a stratified, randomly selected sample of module completers (approximately 8,000 module completers).

The information collected in the survey includes: the nature of the training undertaken; the outcomes achieved as a result of completing the training in relation to employment; an indication of whether students were satisfied with the training; and whether students achieved the goals they had set for themselves before commencement. This report presents key results at a national level, giving an overview of the results and exploring the trends that emerge when comparisons are made with previous survey data. This national report is complemented by a briefer publication: Australian vocational education and training statistics: student outcomes survey 2002: in summary (TD/TNC 71.12). Show less

This report presents the results of a consultancy undertaken in 2005 by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) for Australian Education International (AEI), Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The aim of this project was to collect statistics about the extent of, and characteristics of, offshore delivery of vocational education and training (VET) by Australian public providers.

Edited excerpt from publication. Show less

This report aims to define, quantify and characterise Australian vocational education and training (VET) programs delivered offshore during 2010 by public VET providers. It provides statistical information about the public providers active overseas, the courses they delivered and the students who enrolled in those courses. It builds on data collections covering 2003-09. This collection covers the years 2006-10. Data for 2003-05 can be found by referring to previous collections.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

This infographic provides a snapshot of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia. It presents statistics on commencements, completions, cancellations/withdrawals, completion rates and training rates.

Published abstract. Show less

This time series presents a summary of training activity in government-funded vocational education and training (VET) in Australia for the period 1981-2014. A timeline of major policy changes affecting VET in Australia from the mid-1970s to the present is provided to give the summary information context. The data tables which follow present student numbers by selected training characteristics for the full period 1981-2014. For the period 1996-2014, a more detailed breakdown of the data is provided, with student, subject enrolment, program enrolment, and program completion figures presented by selected training characteristics.

Published abstract. Show less

This publication presents early estimates of apprentice and trainee commencements for the December quarter 2013. Indicative information about this quarter is presented here; the most recent figures are estimated taking into account reporting lags that occur at the time of data collection.

Published abstract. Show less

This publication presents a summary of information gained from the national survey of students who undertook vocational education and training (VET) during 2000 at a TAFE institute in South Australia. Information is given about two groups of students: graduates and module completers. Graduates were those students who completed their course during 2000 and graduated with a qualification. Module completer information was collected on students who successfully completed part, but not all, of the training necessary to complete a full qualification and had left the TAFE system at the time of the survey. The survey gathered information on the employment situation of TAFE graduates, reasons for undertaking the course, relevance of the training to their employment, satisfaction, and further study intentions. This document contains a summary of the data collected and a brief look at some of the findings from analysis of these data.

A related publication 'Australian vocational education and training statistics 2001: student outcomes survey: in summary' may be found at TD/TNC 67.582; 'At a glance' publications for each state and territory may be found from TD/TNC 67.583 to TD/TNC 67.590. Show less