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This study explores the challenges of assessing student workplace performance during work-integrated learning. It highlights the need for, yet difficulties with, combining positivist and constructivist assessments where workplace supervisors make evaluative judgements on performance, yet students are also agents in their own assessment. It examines the ratings awarded by 163 workplace supervisors for 213 business undergraduates completing a work placement as part of their degree program in Western Australia. Students were rated on 17 capabilities associated with employability and results indicate, in alignment with previous studies, a tendency among supervisors to assign inflated marks across capabilities. The mean capability rating awarded to each student was significantly higher than their weighted course average, suggesting workplace supervisors mark more highly than academics in coursework units. To identify solutions to manage leniency bias, the study examined variations in supervisor ratings for a range of personal and contextual variables such as gender, organisation size, work area, and sector. Although supervisor ratings were inflated, they were consistent across the sample with variations recorded for only four capabilities in certain work areas. Reasons for leniency bias among workplace supervisors are explored in light of the findings and alternative approaches to evaluating student workplace performance are presented.

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This research examines the effects student jobs have on the study performance, and the competency and career development of hospitality management students. A 13-item survey was administered to a sample of 82 hospitality management students to see how they think about their student job. Qualitative data was collected by a focus group interview with hospitality entrepreneurs. The sample consisted of 48 MHS students and 34 HHS students. 78,8 per cent of the respondents think a student job is useful for their study. For nine students, the student job affects school results. 63 students think they will find a future job easier because they have had a student job. The average of worked hours per week has a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 40 hours per week. Of all collected data, it can be concluded that having a student job is beneficial for the study performance, competence and career development of hospitality management students. A recommendation for Mise en Place is to put more focus on hiring hospitality management students. They tend to stay longer in the company because they gain knowledge, skills and experiences which are very useful and well-linked to their study and career.

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To better understand how accountability for performance against equity policy goals and funding operates across the Australian higher education system, this research involved four strands of activity: (1) theoretical perspectives on equity and accountability, through a review of the literature - this process informed research design, data collection and analysis; (2) analysis of secondary data to identify how equity and accountability is embedded within relevant legislation, regulation, statistics, strategic plans and annual reports; (3) interviews with leaders from across the sector, including current and former Vice-Chancellors, to understand their perspectives on student equity and accountability; and (4) surveys of managers from across the sector to understand the perspectives of staff within institutions on equity and accountability.

In looking at systemic changes to the way in which equity in higher education can be advanced, the report does not focus on isolated recommendations of an incremental nature - instead, it proposes a framework through which four priorities for change can unleash significant and continuous system-wide reforms. These priorities are: refine equity goals; improve information management; embed student equity goals across the higher education system; and analyse, report and communicate outcomes. The report proposes that the Australian Government is the only authority that can lead this process, one that requires cooperation and coordination in a process-based consultation and consensus building exercise with all stakeholders. Two significant recommendations consistent with this position are made: (1) the Australian Government adopts an Operational Framework for Student Equity that integrates system, national, local and individual dimensions of student equity across Australian higher education; and (2) processes for developing pathways for each of the four strategic priorities for change be developed and implemented, with reference to each other, and in consultation with all stakeholders.

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The Office for Students (OfS) is currently undertaking a review of how it regulates access and participation and the ways in which it funds and supports related activities. To inform this review, the OfS commissioned CFE Research in June 2018 to undertake a survey of students, higher education providers and other experts. The OfS also held discussions with the OfS student panel and hosted a number of consultation events throughout September 2018. The findings from these exercises informed the development of a consultation on access and participation which was launched by the OfS on the 7th September and ran until 12th October, 2018.

This report summarises the key findings in order to inform the work of the OfS as it refines and implements its proposals. It is presented in three chapters: chapter 2 details the methodology, including a summary of the sample characteristics and the approach taken to data analysis; the consultation asked for levels of agreement with seven proposals and invited comments on each; chapter 3 details the responses to each of the proposals in turn, outlining the benefits as well as the potential risks identified by respondents; as CFE Research also conducted the access and participation review survey on behalf of the OfS, broad comparisons between the consultation and survey findings are made as appropriate; and chapter 4 summarises the perceived benefits as well as the challenges and risks associated with the proposals, identified by consultees. There is broad, overall support for all seven of the proposals put forward by the OfS in the consultation. There is a widespread perception that, together, the proposals will form the basis of an approach that will support the sector to take a more strategic, long-term view which meets the needs of current and potential students at each stage of the lifecycle.

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This report looks at the employment outcomes of the 2015-16 graduates and the degree outcomes of the 2016-17 UK-domiciled first degree graduates from Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funded higher education institutions (excluding further education colleges). The report follows on from a series of reports by HEFCE which show that there are significant differences in degree outcomes and employment for different groups of students. In this report the focus is on degree and employment outcomes rather than the entire degree journey; progression and non-continuation are examined in other HEFCE publications. The focus of this analysis is to examine the differences in the proportion who gained a first or upper second class degree and graduate employment outcomes for more recent cohorts. It considers how outcomes differ according to various student characteristics measured in terms of class of degree awarded and outcome six months after graduation. It also considers the changes that have taken place since the previous reports on 2013-14 graduates.

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At a time when the importance of teachers is becoming increasingly apparent, what are the main challenges in the teaching profession related to supply and demand? How do education systems address these issues? How does one qualify to be a teacher? What support is available once qualified? What are the career opportunities in this profession? The comparative overview of national policies on teacher careers across Europe, which covers 43 European education systems, provides an analysis of different aspects of the teaching profession. The report focuses on primary and general secondary education. The main themes include: forward planning and main challenges in teacher supply and demand, entry to the teaching profession and teacher mobility, continuing professional development and support, career development, and teacher appraisal.

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Governments have long sought to assess and reward higher education institutions for their performance. Understanding the relative performance of institutions in teaching, retaining and graduating students would provide accountability for growing public funding, and would also be extremely helpful for prospective students. What constitutes performance though, and how should it be measured? To answer these questions, it is helpful to refer to the national objectives of higher education. Enshrined in legislation, the goals of Australian higher education include quality, diversity, and the promotion of student equity. 'Performance' would ideally be defined by institutional success against these inter-related objectives, whether assessing teaching quality or the ability to develop thoughtful, productive and employable graduates.

This report details why and how a proposed performance funding model for higher education institutions would benefit by incorporating principles of student equity. Drawing on Australian higher education history, evidence from the US and the UK, and an analysis of contemporary Australian data, the authors argue that there are three fundamental principles required to ensure an effective and equitable performance funding model: (1) Integrating student equity as an explicit objective of the model; (2) Rewarding genuine performance rather than simply outcomes; and (3) Creating student-centred performance funding models, including students in the design and assessment of any proposed model.

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This study examined the use of dexterity as an indicator of future performance of beginning welders. This could lead to the selection or recruitment of participants for welding training programs. With a high demand for welders, it is imperative that welding training programs be efficient at producing certified welders. The time required to train certified welders is one of the obstacles training programs face. Many occupational fields have tried to predict a student's future performances before admitting them into a training program by analyzing their dexterous ability. This study utilized the complete Minnesota Dexterity Test to examine Participants' dexterity during a welding training program. Upon completion of the training program, participants performed tests welds that were overseen by a certified welding instructor (CWI) who visually inspects each weld. All three dexterity tests were found to have statistically significant relationships with the visual pass/fail rates for basic shielded metal arc welds.

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Work-integrated learning (WIL) programming has gained considerable momentum across the Ontario university sector, fueled by support from numerous stakeholders, including industry, government and students. WIL has been framed as a solution to the present 'skills mismatch' in the province, and as a way to smooth university graduates' transition into the labour market. There are numerous ongoing industry and government efforts to improve access to WIL programming across postsecondary education (PSE) in Ontario, given the many perceived benefits available through it. To date, however, little effort has been made by researchers to explore issues of diversity and inclusion within this space. Through this report, we aim to ameliorate this gap in existing academic and policy research on WIL.

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In 2017, the number of international migrants reached 258 million, while the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers in the world reached 25.9 million. The economic dimensions of mobility, in terms of access to jobs and sustainable livelihoods, are central to the integration process of these groups, yet they often face structural, legal and other barriers. This rapid scoping review, based on ODI's work over the past three years, aims to explain these barriers, and present case studies of where the barriers have been successfully overcome. Key messages are that: (1) the search for better livelihood opportunities has always driven people to migrate; it can also contribute to fostering local development and growth; (2) migration is frequently perceived as a threat, which tends to result in more barriers and restrictions to mobility; these often lead to irregular migration and informality of work, where the economic gains of mobility are lost; and work in the informal economy is often characterised by low wages, exploitative work conditions, increased work hours and lack of job security; (3) asylum-seekers and refugees often find their access to jobs and sustainable livelihoods restricted by legal, social, economic and other barriers; and (4) worldwide, there are many job facilitation and training initiatives aimed at providing migrants with opportunities to facilitate mutual knowledge and skills transfers and at integrating displaced populations in the local labour market; however, these initiatives need to be better utilised to maximise the development potential of mobility.

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