Case studies of Australian school industry programs

This set of case studies presents a range of ideas and examples of best practices from sixteen school industry programs for senior secondary students from around Australia. The first section discusses the context in which the Enterprise & Career Education Foundation (ECEF) was established in 1994 and examines factors such as school industry programs, policy reform and observations from the US. This section also outlines the methodology for conducting and reporting the case studies. The next section outlines the key themes of school industry programs including an integrated approach to structured workplacement, servicing levels to schools and business groups, program management skills, and access and equity issues. The case studies are: 'Dulwich High School', which describes a vocational pathways program for at risk students in an inner urban government secondary school; 'Sandringham Secondary College', which looks at the provision of a range of vocational courses in a large government secondary college in Victoria; 'Box Hill Senior Secondary College', which details three initiatives - a business partnership in the hospitality industry, the development of a sport and recreation program, and a Victorian Certificate of Education general technology program for students at risk of leaving school early; 'Hellyer College', which examines how the introduction of vocational programs at this college in Tasmania has supported the skill needs of the community and increased school retention rates for students; 'The Don College', which examines how a program in this Tasmanian school has increased student retention and community involvement; 'Mungindi', which illustrates how the difficulties of vocational education provision in rural and remote areas can be overcome; 'Iona Presentation College', which demonstrates how the college acts as the centre of activity for the provision of workplace learning for 10 other non-government schools; 'Trinity College', which provides ideas about the integration of curriculum and organisation of vocational subjects into traditional or conservative educational settings; 'St. Joseph's College', which shows how the development of vocational education programs extended the school's role to that of comprehensive training provider and group trainer; 'The Mackay Region School-Industry Links Scheme Incorporated', which demonstrates a successful program encompassing nine schools and over 1700 industry placements each year; ''Gladstone', which examines the development of a part-time school-based apprenticeship; 'Nambucca Valley', which looks at a program operating in a low socioeconomic area with at risk students in the Northern New South Wales (NSW) area; 'Kwinana Industries Council and its Excellence in Education Compact', which highlights an industry-led consortium providing structured work-based learning as one of a range of educational and training activities; 'Narrogin Agricultural College', which outlines the work of this Western Australian school in running vocationally focused programs to meet the skill needs of the primary industry sector; 'The Engineering Pathways Program of South Australia', which describes a state-wide program with the support of state government and training agencies; and 'Bendigo EDGE', which represents a model regional partnership where students combine participation as employees in a traineeship and as school students undertaking a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).

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