Young people's participation in post-compulsory education and training: report of the Australian Education Council Review Committee [Finn review]

The Australian Education Council (AEC), at its October 1988 meeting, resolved to establish a working party on links between schools and TAFE. The working party’s report was considered by the Ministers in the June 1990 AEC meeting and it was agreed that a small group of officials would develop an issues paper and recommend an agenda for a major national review of postcompulsory education and training. The Review, undertaken by a Committee chaired by Brian Finn, reported to the AEC and to the Ministers of Vocational Education, Employment and Training on the future development in...  [+] Show more

The Australian Education Council (AEC), at its October 1988 meeting, resolved to establish a working party on links between schools and TAFE. The working party’s report was considered by the Ministers in the June 1990 AEC meeting and it was agreed that a small group of officials would develop an issues paper and recommend an agenda for a major national review of postcompulsory education and training. The Review, undertaken by a Committee chaired by Brian Finn, reported to the AEC and to the Ministers of Vocational Education, Employment and Training on the future development in postcompulsory education and training in Australia, particularly with reference to those young people who had left school and were not participating in any formal education or training. A major initiative of this Review was the establishment of local industry vocational training for young people. The Review stressed the need to re-emphasise the importance of vocational education and recognise its increasing convergence with general education. It proposed a set of new national targets, for both attainment as well as participation, that encompassed schools, higher education, TAFE and other training, and identified six key areas of competence essential for all young people in preparation for employment: language and communication; mathematics; scientific and technological understanding; cultural understanding; problem solving; and personal and interpersonal characteristics. The goal was that by the year 2001, 95% of 19 year olds would have completed Year 12 or an initial post-school qualification or be participating in education and training. This Review has had significant impact on efforts to try and determine the skills required by all those seeking to enter the world of work.