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Now in the developmental stage, this study aims to investigate the drivers influencing student behaviour, and their impact on choice of provider and course in competitive training markets. Based in Victoria, the research will work closely with three [registered training organisations] RTOs to understand (a) the extent to which young people's choices are restricted by local training supply and labour market needs; and (b) how the [vocational education and training] VET system and underpinning RTO practices are equipping young people with information needed to make an 'informed choice' in a marketised training environment.

There are five research questions: What are the main drivers influencing student behaviour and choice of provider and course? To what extent are young people (15-24 year olds) aware of the various entitlements and eligibility criteria concerning their participation in VET? What are their attitudes towards them, and what impact do they have? What role does 'choice' have when explaining the patterns in training participation and outcomes among groups of young people? What are the perspectives of the target group (and the practitioners who train them) on the opportunities and 'freedom to choose' their provider, course, and occupation in their particular region? How can current approaches to measurement and reporting in VET be broadened to reflect more comprehensive outcomes for young people?

Using a mixed methods approach, the focus will be on identifying three distinctive markets of Victoria in which young people participate in VET at a higher rate than in other parts of Victoria (and Australia) and where there are high rates of youth unemployment. The initial stage of the research will involve mapping what VET options are available in these three regions for young people through a detailed document analysis, followed by a comprehensive analysis of archival quantitative data. The findings from these strands will then be explored in more detail by working closely with three RTOs, each catering to different segments of the 'youth' or 'school leaver' market. At each RTO, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with practitioners and managers, and a selection of focus groups will be conducted with VET learners. The multi-level approach to data collection will capture new information and different perspectives on these issues while retaining a focus on the learner perceptive. This project is one of seven grants awarded in 2015 through [National Centre for Vocational Education Research's] NCVER's National Vocational Education and Training Research (NVETR) program. The principal researcher is Justin Brown, Senior Research Fellow (VET) at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in Melbourne.

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In 2015 the VET Development Centre (VDC) launched the Innovation in Learning Program (ILeP) - a three year Victorian [vocational education and training] VET initiative established to promote cultural change in technology integration. Its goal was to provide innovation and professional development support for practitioners using digital pedagogies. This program was informed out of applied research undertaken in 2014 where [VDC researchers] questioned what kind of professional learning specifically supported the sustained use of and the impediments to adopting digital learning technologies. A critical component of this program was a structured review and reflection process, designed for ongoing continuous improvement. The research aim in 2015 was to consider to what degree ILeP supported innovation and change for practitioners and organisations, as well as inform ways to mature the programs' roll-out in 2016.

The VDC used case studies, peer reviews, surveys, structured interviews and focus groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the first year of the program. The diversity of these different methodologies supported [their] aim to understand in what ways [their] interventions influenced the funded project outcomes and to provide [them] with valuable feedback on ways that [they] could continue to support the sector in achieving digital maturity. The participating target groups (n=130), while not statistically significant, provided [them] with a valuable opportunity to directly engage with the respondents. This methodology enabled [them] to record a rich and informative dialogue and consequently provided [them] with recommendations that can be easily transferable to the greater VET community.

This presentation will continue the conversation about ways to support technological innovation in VET. [The presenter] will share his findings from the research and offer recommendations for continued professional development in the area of cultural change and teaching innovation. [The presenter] will also offer commentary on the importance of having a clear strategy for integration, exploring the intersection at which an organisations' business and education needs crosses the pedagogic and academic requirements of teachers and students. [The] presentation will also position the VDC research outcomes juxtaposed against the current global trends in using technology for learning.

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Key issues addressed in this presentation are research done by the VET Development Centre (VDC) in developing and conducting a program to support [vocational education and training] VET staff in working with Indigenous learners, the evaluation of this program and the constraints and challenges faced by the VDC in working in this area. Strong student-teacher relationships are critical to the success of education programs. Educational research points to 'quality teaching' as one of the important success factors in delivering high quality and equitable education and training. In the VET sector, as in other educational sectors, the delivery of training to Indigenous learners is often by non-Indigenous educators. The creation of culturally safe learning environments is a vital ingredient to successful learning, meaning educators with cross cultural awareness are better equipped to work effectively with Indigenous learners.

This presentation shares action research conducted by the VDC over the last four and a half years. The research is focussed on designing, delivering and evaluating professional development to support VET educators in working with Indigenous learners. This work has been funded by the Victorian government and is aligned to the Wurreker Strategy. It is informed by the federal government's 'Closing the Gap' campaign. This work includes the design and delivery of professional development programs for teachers in TAFE, private registered training organisations and adult community education providers. Delivery commenced in 2011, with programs delivered in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 and planned for 2016. Grants were funded for training organisations to conduct projects aimed at building staff capacity to work with Indigenous learners in 2015 and again in 2016. Participants in programs and grant recipients evaluated their experience and the feedback received was used for continuous improvement. An independent evaluation of the program was conducted in late 2015 by [Australian Council for Educational Research] ACER.

The presentation will report on: the outcomes of an environmental scan of best practice in Indigenous education which supported the design, delivery and evaluation of professional development programs and prioritising of grant applications; the design and delivery of professional development programs delivered in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 to support VET teachers working with Indigenous learners and changes to this in response to the experience gained in previous years and other pressures; the conduct by training organisations of VDC funded projects aimed at building Indigenous capability of the organisation; and evaluation outcomes and VDC's response to these.

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The deregulation of the Victorian [vocational education and training] VET system which began in 2009 and the deregulation of VET FEE-HELP in 2012 has led to widespread and in some cases, extreme, exploitation of students - particularly those who are vulnerable members of society such as young people, people with low skills and literacy levels, people of low socio-economic status, people with disabilities, new immigrants and the unemployed. The deregulation has also led to widespread course fee increases, where by much of the fee was not directly related to delivery costs, but instead provided huge profits for private providers. The incentive of large profits has led to many instances where the quality of the education and training delivered has been very poor. This has led to ill-equipped graduates and highly publicised instances of public safety concerns where 'qualified' employees did not have the adequate skills or knowledge to perform their jobs safely - for qualifications in childcare and aged care, this meant that children and elderly people were put at risk.

The current Federal Government has recently expressed an interest in nationalising the VET system in Australia, with the intent of deregulating fees and moving towards funding parity between public and private training providers (the draft plan is to be presented at the 2016 [Council of Australian Governments] COAG meeting in March). It is in light of these proposed changes - particularly the deregulation of the entire VET system in Australia, that this poster seeks to articulate how fee deregulation in the Victorian VET system, coupled with the deregulation of VET FEE-HELP led to things going so unexpectedly wrong - specifically how gaps and disconnections in public policy directly contributed to widespread system failure in Victoria. This will be partially based on an earlier policy analysis, published in the 'Publicus consilium: Deakin public policy review 2015' (Vocational education and training FEE-HELP: increasing equity, but for whom, the student or the government? pp.47-57) and incorporate further research and analysis. Key learnings and recommendations will be developed to outline how important it is to get not just the ideology, but the policy right when implementing deregulation of the essential service of education and training and ensure genuine equity of access for all students.

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Persistent low completion and participation rates of young people in [vocational education and training] VET - particularly those from low [socioeconomic status] SES communities - pose significant challenges to policymakers and VET practitioners alike. [The presenter] present[s] early findings of research now underway into the factors that impede or facilitate participation, engagement and completion of vocational training, with a particular focus on young people at the margins of the system. The settings are Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania. The research looks at distinct phases of the young person's experiences, from intent to enrol, to the quality of their enrolment experience, and then the level of engagement and completion. This presentation will report on the analytical framework [the presenter] devised that can shed light on these phases. It will also convey insights gleaned from initial consultations, interviews and focus groups with intermediary agencies and services who are in close proximity to these young 'hard to reach' people. These consultations precede direct interaction with young people. Included will be young people who have commenced, but not completed, vocational training as well as those who may have balked at undertaking training.

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Victoria has a number of competitive advantages that create a diverse, flexible and resilient economy. Despite these advantages, the Victorian economy has underperformed in recent years. The Victorian Government has identified the construction materials and technologies industries as one of a number of sectors strategically important for the state. This sector has the potential for strong growth and jobs. The construction industry is a major sector in the Victorian economy contributing $21.6 billion or around 6.7 per cent of the State's gross value added in 2014. Construction is undertaken within a complex system that coordinates the activities of many actors in order to design, build and complete projects within regulatory and institutional frameworks. The construction sector accounts for 238,000 jobs (December 2014) or 8.2 per cent of the workforce, placing it as Victoria's fifth largest industry sector. Productivity improvement in the construction section is key concern for the overall economic well-being and prosperity of Victoria/Australia. The Productivity Commission's 2014 Inquiry into public infrastructure found some evidence that Australian productivity and efficiency in construction industries lagged behind some comparator countries. The construction workforce is dominated by the technician and trade group, followed by labourers, managers and clerical and administrative workers. The workforce needs to be trained according to the emerging skills requirement of the industry.

This research aims to explore the unique industry needs assessment technique ([Developing a curriculum] DACUM job analysis) for the identification of skills required for building and construction industry. Industry training is accomplished by using training packages. Training packages are developed by Industry Skills Councils on behalf of industry. They are sets of nationally endorsed standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing people's skills. A training package describes what sort of skills and knowledge a person needs in the workplace. Training packages need to be continuously improved and nationally endorsed to ensure they continue to meet the needs of industry, training participants, and the community. DACUM job analysis can provide a significant input in the continuous improvement process of training packages. In the DACUM process, a qualified facilitator works with a panel of experts who collectively and cooperatively describe the occupation in the language of the occupation by developing a job profile chart. The chart contains a list of general areas of competence called duties and several tasks for each duty. Brainstorming techniques are used to obtain the collective expertise and consensus of the panel. The completed chart represents a graphic profile of the duties and tasks performed by successful workers in the occupation. The panel identifies the general and emerging knowledge/skills, tools, equipment, supplies, and materials required for successful workers. In addition, the list includes the important worker behaviours essential for success, and the future trends and concerns likely to cause job changes. With the support of the relevant industry bodies, the knowledge and insight gained from DACUM job analysis can be applied to develop strategies for conducting industry needs assessment and improving curriculum and training components in building and construction industry in Australia.

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