Search Results

Young women often limit their career choices through misconceptions about their abilities or the type of work that women are supposed to be suited for. Many people see TAFE colleges as predominantly male, trade oriented places of learning. This video is designed to address these misunderstandings by giving a clear picture of Victoria's modern TAFE colleges and the large number of different courses they offer. Young women who are current TAFE students from a wide range of courses and colleges give their honest opinions on: what it's like to be a TAFE student; the sort of learning environment TAFE offers; whether TAFE courses are relevant for gaining employment skills; how TAFE offers training in practical skills; the sort of social life TAFE students have; what TAFE courses can lead on to; and where you can get further information about TAFE.

Edited excerpt from video cover. Show less

In many countries, there are policy initiatives to promote more 'industry-driven' vocational education and training [VET]. An important corollary is greater press on industries to provide opportunities for training in the workplace and a re-claiming of the workplace as an authentic site for learning. VET practitioners are being increasingly encouraged to 'get out into industry', and a number of issues arise about how they work with and within enterprises. Practitioners are being asked to work in different ways and to undertake new roles and responsibilities substantially different in terms of focus, purpose and practice. This paper explores these issues, drawing on analyses of six case studies in Victoria and South Australia, each comprising a technical institute and an enterprise. In total, 34 interviews were held with four groups of participants - TAFE managers and practitioners, enterprise personnel and worker-learners - from different industries.

Published abstract. Show less

This final report addresses the provision of technical and further education [TAFE] in and from the inner urban area of Melbourne over the next 20 years. The report summarises the special features of TAFE in the inner urban area, sets out the proposed role, aims and objectives of the inner urban TAFE system, canvasses a range of pertinent issues, and lists a series of actions considered necessary to achieve a more rational provision of technical and further education in and from the inner urban area. The TAFE Board did not accept all the recommendations of the report; but set up its own sub-committee to study the recommendations and resolved the following: ‘Resolution 17/1984, that the Board adopt the recommendations from the sub-committee relating to the implementation of the inner urban study as outlined in document TB 14/84, the sub-committee to review and report on progress to the December 1984 meeting of the Board’. Show less

The two projects outlined in this report were undertaken to develop the data base and policy and planning directions for the Enrichment category and for the role of Community Providers (Neighbourhood Learning Centres, Local Advisory Committees, and other community groups offering TAFE programmes). The report points out the inadequacies of current state and national definitions of Enrichment and expresses concerns about the suitability of the term. Alternatives are proposed which are in keeping with philosophical and administrative requirements and which reflect more fully the contributions of Enrichment programmes. The report also develops consistent terms and definitions for Community Providers of TAFE programmes. Show less

As an action-research project, this report investigated the viability of delivering distance-mode small business training to an existing group of owner-operator partners. It identifies three broad training strategies as high priorities for developing small business training initiatives for women in owner/operator transport businesses. The delivery approach to be used is crucial to women participants. Program delivery needs to provide for flexible time and location requirements, opportunities for peer and tutor interaction via open learning avenues, variety of media, work based learning experiences, individual negotiated workplace training, flexible entry and exit points and recognition of prior learning. The design of materials directed at women performing management roles in owner/operator small businesses that take into consideration their industry needs is recommended. The development of transport industry customised materials with priority training topics to suit the needs of women managing small owner/operator transport businesses is recommended. Show less

This publication updates the previous version of New Apprenticeships in Victoria (TD/VIC 55.08). These booklets set out the processes employers need to know to employ an apprentice in Victoria. Information covered includes basic registration information, State and Commonwealth incentives for New Apprenticeships, organisations to contact, registered training organisations in each category and examples of model training programs. Areas covered include: Aeroskills, Agriculture, Arts Media and Entertainment, Automotive, Building and Construction, Business, Certificate in Concrete Products - Farriery - Floristry - Hairdressing - Mortuary Science - Powerline, Community Services and Health, Electrotechnology, Energy and Environment, Engineering, Finance, Food Production, Forests, Furnishing, Horticulture, Hospitality and Tourism, Information Technology, Process Manufacturing, Public Administration, Racing/Veterinary, Retail, Sport and Recreation, Textiles Clothing and Footwear, Transport and Distribution. Show less

Developing academic relationships between vocational colleges and universities in Australia has been problematic, with exchanges between the two sectors limited to linear articulation and prescribed credit transfer. Whilst some very good examples of collaboration exist, in general the two sectors operate independently of each other. The isolation of the sectors has meant frustration for students and employers who want a flexible, collaborative model to meet changing industry needs. This article reports upon a pilot project in construction management at a Melbourne university that attempted to address these needs. It demonstrates how over a five-year period, higher education [HE] students completed electives in practical units within the vocational education and training (VET) sector. The overwhelming success of the project meant that practical electives were firmly embedded in the construction management programme in 2007, and this article reports on the third, final phase of the project in 2009/10 which saw construction management students graduate with a dual qualification - both a vocational qualification and a university (HE) degree. The case studies of this final phase reveal that students and industry want the benefits of a practical and theoretical qualification. The data raise critical questions about educational pathways and suggest long-term implications for construction and tertiary education in Australia and internationally.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

The report documents the outcomes of a project initiated by the Social and Community Services Industry Training Board (SACSITB) to assess workplace basic education (WBE) and related needs of workers in the social and community services (SACS) industry. The aim of the project was to develop a strategy to address the identified need for WBE and related areas of training based on a literacy/numeracy audit of untrained workers in specified occupations within the industry. The sample group consisted of 102 workers , from 32 agencies drawn from three sectors: family support workers, personal care workers in aged care hostels and workers in youth accomodation services. Agencies represented the following demographic areas: Outer, West, Outer East, Grampians, Western Suburbs and NE Melbourne. Show less

This report provides an overview of the sonography workforce in Victoria in 2015-2016. It is based on survey responses from 279 individual sonographers (approximately 42 per cent of the sonography workforce identified in the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census data, or 24 per cent of the Victorian sonographers registered with the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) (Australian Government, Department of Employment, Victoria - Sonographer, 2015), two focus groups involving five participants, and surveys from 36 organisations that provide services across 151 different locations or sites in Victoria. Public sector and older employees were over-represented in the survey sample.

Sonographers were generally satisfied with their jobs, particularly the opportunities for work/life balance, professional challenge and autonomy. Continuing advances in technology added interest and meant their careers were not stagnant. They also valued the independence they have in their roles and take pride in their diagnostic expertise. The sonography profession is relatively stable, with the majority intending to continue working for five or more years.

New training courses have been introduced to try to address the workforce shortages, mostly at the undergraduate level. Many sonographers believe post-graduate training programs are also required to ensure the appropriate quality of training and level of credentialing required to practise safely as a sonographer. The private sector cannot necessarily assist with the lack of capacity in the public sector because tertiary centres do not always provide similar services and the fee-for-service model in the private sector means that the cost of private sonography services can be prohibitive to clients.

The self-reported attrition rate from the sonography workforce was identified as 1 per cent in the next 12 months increasing to 24 per cent in five years. However, 12 per cent of sonographers intend to change jobs within 12 months, mostly to achieve better working conditions or pay. The sonography workforce is predominantly clinical. Respondents to this research would like to have clearer career development pathways including continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities, mentorship and opportunities to perform research. Because sonography does not often have its own separate department within hospitals and other facilities, being usually embedded within larger radiology or medical imaging departments, management opportunities were identified to be somewhat limited. Also, despite an interest by some in research, structures were not available to support this. The cost of and lack of rewards or recognition for additional training were seen as disincentives to undertaking additional study.

There were no systemic skill gaps identified within the sonography profession; however a number of respondents highlighted the importance of broad generalist skills, rather than specialist skills, particularly within the locum and regional workforce. A specific challenge identified by the sonography workforce was the technical difficulties of performing scans on the increasing number of obese clients.

Key areas of consideration for the sonography workforce going forward include: (1) Developing metrics of community need/demand for sonography services; (2) Establishing clear leadership roles and structures to promote professional career growth which would include a culture that acknowledges and rewards research to provide new avenues to expand the sonography scope of practice, as well as career paths; (3) Increasing profession representation in leadership roles to advocate for patients and the profession, particularly around funding models and approaches; (4) Service mapping to identify sonography service accessibility issues (from the patient perspective) arising from the division between public and private sector service provision; and (5) Improving clinical governance and support, particularly for private practitioners.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

Training in the small business sector of Australian Industry has been the subject of a large amount of discussion in recent times. A reasonable amount of research into the type of training and training needs has been undertaken, particularly in the last couple of years. The outcomes of these efforts indicate that very little has changed over the past twenty years; the training needs and types of training undertaken have remained relatively constant. Latterly the National Training Reform Agenda (NTRA) turned its attention to focus upon training efforts in and for small business. In doing so the NTRA has sought to import the preferences of larger businesses, in terms of methodology and focus, and of government, through the bureaucratic measures associated with public funded projects, into training initiatives for small business. This thesis explores through a review of the existing literature, and analysis of a questionnaire and interviews, these issues with particular reference to: the relationship between employer association membership and training; availability of training opportunities to employees of small businesses; changes in training expenditure since the introduction of competency standards; and the impact of commonly accepted issues that have prevented small businesses from participating in training in relation to businesses in the Central Highlands region of Victoria. Previously recognised barriers to small business training such as time and the owner/manager perception of the relevance of training are found not to be major factors in the Central Highlands region. Cost, however, is the primary factor which dissuades small business owner/managers from participating in training and from making training opportunities available to other employees. Small businesses within the region accept the relevance of training and competency standards to their activities. However, competency standards have not had a significant role in influencing the changes in expenditure over the past five (5) years. Owner/managers of small businesses in the Central Highlands region are interested in training. They have demonstrated their commitment by maintaining, and in some cases, increasing, training expenditure in recent years. These are particularly interesting findings as they are not consistent with the generally accepted traits of small businesses in Australia when training is the issue.

Author's abstract. Show less