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This report presents the findings of an external review and analysis of relevant recent practices, research and data on the delivery of Vocational Education and Training (VET) to secondary students. The review and analysis were commissioned by the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education and were conducted by the Centre for Vocational and Educational Policy at the University of Melbourne to identify best possible practices and make recommendations for future practice. Research questions underpinning this review were: What do the VET programs offered in Australian schools look like? Who participates in these VET programs and why? What are useful measures of VET program effectiveness? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current VET programs in NSW government schools? What recommendations are made for improving VET programs in NSW government schools?

Edited excerpt from publisher's website. Show less

A variety of data sources exists for monitoring student progress through the post-compulsory years and into tertiary education, non-college vocational training, and the labour market and for evaluating the effectiveness of institutional arrangements. This report describes: systems in place for reporting on student pathways; pathways' monitoring and expenditure effectiveness; accessibility and comparability of state education data; adequacy of existing data for monitoring student progress and for evaluating institutional arrangements; and alternative models. In regard to the latter, this study identified two main criteria for improving the quality of data available for policy development. They are that: (1) data must be generated and must be accessible at the geographical level at which administrative authority is exercised; and (2) data must be collected at the student group level, i.e. by socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, Aboriginality, locality, in order to target policies more effectively and to monitor their impact. It is essential that qualitative data on 'the student perspective' be gathered, along with curriculum and assessment data. Show less

The On Track project, the research project on which this report is based, is an attempt to provide alternative measures of the success of schools in securing positive outcomes for their students. Schools and system authorities require a more detailed picture of retention and transition, which is important not only for the global management of the large and complex system of post-compulsory education and training in Victoria, but for achieving effective outcomes for individuals. The project seeks to provide a measure or profile of post-school transition which takes into account the range of academic and vocational pathways available and thereby provide a balanced and accurate view of outcomes for students in a range of settings. To achieve this, school leavers who exited Victorian schools from Years 10, 11 and 12 in 2002 were surveyed by telephone in March-April 2003. Data collected were subsequently analysed by the research team in the Centre for Postcompulsory Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Melbourne. The project found that it is important that the survey itself become an ongoing aspect of the policy process, in order to compare destinations from year to year, measure progress towards the achievement of educational targets and continue to provide schools with relevant and recent data on the postschooling destinations of their students. Stakeholders have made clear during the process of reporting findings that a longitudinal perspective is needed in order to put the findings reported in this survey into perspective.

The report 'The destinations of school leavers in Victoria: on track 2004' is indexed at TD/TNC 84.166. Show less

The aim of this study was to find out how students experience technical and further education (TAFE) from the point of view of the learning experience, and what factors influence them to continue or discontinue their studies. The study aimed to test two propositions: (1) that the quality of instructional experience is a factor in student retention; and (2) that many of the student-level reasons for non-completion can be addressed successfully at the institution level by formulating successful instructional and organisational responses.

The study focused on students undertaking training at certificate levels I, II and III in four fields of study: business studies, engineering, hospitality and TAFE multifield, the latter which generally comprises courses to prepare people for study and for employment and includes literacy, numeracy and basic education. It is based on a classroom-administered written survey of TAFE students in 2000 and a follow-up telephone survey in 2001. Due to the unrepresentative nature of the original sample (comprising four fields of study only) and subsequent attrition in the follow-up sample, findings cannot be generalised to all TAFE students. However, the study does provide an opportunity to explore the relationship between quality of instruction and actual outcomes, and to highlight themes and issues which may merit further research and analysis.

The study recommends progressive diagnostic assessment within courses, together with closer screening of students on enrolment to determine learning needs and strategies to address those needs. These could serve to address some of the factors which influence some students to leave their courses prematurely. In addition, professional development for TAFE staff, with a focus on the strong outcomes currently reported in some institutes, might also address the issue of flexibility in instructional approach demanded by a diverse student body. Show less

The re-shaping of the Australian senior secondary landscape in recent years and the emergence of a new space for vocational knowledge within Australian senior secondary certificates of education have been underpinned by a national focus on raising retention rates and achieving Year 12 or equivalent attainment rates in the context of a diversifying senior secondary cohort, and on delivering effective training to meet the skills needs of the growing economy. Absent from this policy agenda is a focus on the efficacy of the expanding vocational education and training (VET) in Schools. At the core of this discussion are the impacts of ongoing tensions between the instrumentalist labour market role of VET in Schools programs and the expectation that an equitable senior secondary landscape should respond to the education and training needs of all students. Despite rapid growth, low achievers and socioeconomically disadvantaged learners remain the dominant participants in VET in Schools programs, and pathways for these students into post-school education and training or full-time employment remain weak. This paper draws on the views of students, teachers, and policy-makers to examine the ways in which vocational programs are delivered within the different curricular contexts of VET in Schools across Australian senior secondary education systems.

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

This study was undertaken to determine the value to students of the VET in Schools programs in New South Wales (NSW), given that the number of students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) subjects as part of their Higher School Certificate (HSC) has increased dramatically in recent years. A controlled study of HSC VET and non-VET graduates was conducted to identify their work and study destinations and measure their satisfaction with VET in Schools subjects. This study shows that HSC VET students successfully access a broad range of study and labour market destinations, and that they also unequivocally endorse the value of their VET in Schools subjects. HSC VET graduates considered themselves to be better prepared than non-VET graduates to make an effective transition to work and study, on most measures. VET in Schools programs contributed proportionally twice as many graduates to apprenticeships and traineeships than did non-VET programs, supporting the view that HSC VET steers school completers away from unskilled, low-paid occupations and towards jobs (including apprenticeships and traineeships) with better career prospects. VET in Schools graduates have a higher rate of transition into further education and training than non-VET graduates, and a large proportion of students make use of the HSC VET curriculum to enter university. VET in Schools programs also influenced students to continue in schooling, including those at risk of early leaving, enabling more students to have a positive experience of the HSC and facilitating better post-school transitions.

Excerpt from published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Non-completion of school remains a major policy challenge in Australia and elsewhere. Its costs to society have been well documented: early leaving is associated with unemployment and underemployment (Shannon and Bylsma 2005, King, 1999), lower wages (Bellfield and Levin 2007) and the greater likelihood of imprisonment (Wald and Losen 2003), in addition to the impact of loss of revenue and the costs of welfare, unemployment benefits and crime (Lehr et al. 2004). Leading to increased demands on the health system, decreased participation in the political process, less charitable giving and weaker social cohesion (King 1999, Bellfield and Levin 2007), it has been shown to impact particularly severely on the most disadvantaged young people in society (Curtis and McMillan 2008). Increasing student retention rates in Australia is likely to require a combination of system-level approaches with school-level changes. The provision of a broad suite of educational programs that includes quality [vocational education and training] VET offerings, initiatives that increase student achievement, the strengthening of pathways to work and further education, and an increase in the quality and quantity of collaboration with a range of organisations beyond the school will all be vital. In addition, specific programs tailored to the needs of the most at-risk students will be necessary to ensure the best outcomes for young people and for the community more generally.

Excerpts from paper. Show less

This report presents results from the longitudinal survey undertaken as part of the Victorian On Track survey of school leavers. The purpose of the longitudinal research component is to follow samples of Victorian school leavers over a five-year period, to enable in-depth analysis of pathways from school to further study and work. The current report examines the activities and experiences of the cohort of 2004 Year 12 completers and early school leavers during their first year since leaving school. The results indicate that many school leavers enter study and training or work on leaving school and continue in study in the following year. The completion of a vocational education and training (VET) qualification results in early school leavers having a much greater chance of gaining full-time work. There are strong associations between a student's school experiences and their destinations in their first post-school year. Key findings are that: apprenticeships and traineeships are integral to the pathways of early school leavers; apprenticeship training is an important avenue out of unemployment for early leavers; early experiences of unemployment have lasting effects for early leavers; university continuation rates are strong for Year 12 completers; many who initially defer, enrol in post-school study the following year; apprenticeships and traineeships are increasingly important sources of training for school completers; and completion of Year 12 or a post-school qualification leads to improved employment outcomes. The results highlight the importance of preventative measures in the school system, the need for continuing support for the development of young people's lifelong learning foundation skills at school, and continuing to recognise and reinforce the important role of apprenticeships and other VET certificate courses as viable pathways to employment, particularly for early school leavers.

Earlier reports are indexed at TD/TNC 84.165 and TD/TNC 84.166. Show less

The aims of this study were to identify the factors that promote and frustrate school retention in socio-economically disadvantaged schools, in particular: the key reasons for non-completion; the characteristics of schools that create a strong sense of belonging and engagement in learning, and high expectations for success; approaches to improving student engagement and increasing completion levels; and ways of raising expectations of teachers, parents and young people. Key findings are presented under the headings of: Socioeconomic factors. The role of teachers; The role of curriculum; Factors associated with high and low retention; and Strategies for promoting retention. They include: low family income was thought to impact on students’ access to resources for learning, and limit their post-school aspirations due to the increasing cost of tertiary education; difficult family circumstances were reported to contribute to high welfare needs, non-attendance, disengagement from school, and high risk of early leaving; students were generally very positive about their teachers’ ability to provide a supportive and encouraging environment, such as motivating them to do well, and having high expectations of them; pedagogical skills were more important to students than classroom management and pastoral functions; there was a strong perception that the curriculum was somewhat inflexible in its ability to deal with the needs of all learners; teachers were concerned with the restrictions imposed by the structure of the curriculum, such as the assessment regime in Year 10, the narrowness of pathways associated with the Higher School Certificate (HSC), and limited access to vocational education and training (VET); teachers’ perceptions of the goals their school held for its students did not differ in high and low retention schools, but teachers in low retention schools were more likely to perceive shortcomings in their school’s ability to reach those goals; and case studies indicated that a range of strategies were used by schools to create a school climate that promoted retention and identified five dimensions of good practice, of which curriculum initiatives comprised the third dimension and VET in Schools Programs were seen as making an effective contribution to school retention. The study concludes that the quality of retention must be assessed in terms of the transition outcomes associated with it, including transition to a vocational alternative, and that vocational alternatives to retention have an important role to play. Show less

This document reports on the continuing work in 2004 of the On Track project, the research project initiated for the year 2003 which is attempting to provide alternative measures of the success of schools in securing positive outcomes for their students. The On Track survey is designed to provide a valuable tool for guiding program policies both at the government and school level and at the local or regional level. The data collected in this 2004 study are based on a telephone survey of school leavers in March/April of 2004, and were analysed by the research team in the Centre for Post Compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Melbourne. The study found that at this time, 4 out of 5 young Victorians complete secondary school; of the remainder, many begin an apprenticeship, traineeship or other accredited vocational training. This high level of participation in education is taking place in a context in which industry, occupational and labour market changes require an increasing investment of effort in lifelong learning. However, given the complexity of the evolving economic and social environment and the range of different regional settings, no single pattern of destinations can be identified as representing the optimum outcome.

The first report for this project, 'The destinations of school leavers in Victoria: report of the 2003 On Track project', is indexed at TD/TNC 84.165. Show less