VET practitioner education in Australia: issues and approaches

Appropriate qualifications and professional development opportunities for vocational education and training (VET) teachers, trainers, and assessors are key to the future success of VET in meeting industry and individual needs. This chapter, based on qualitative analysis of research on the development of teacher capability and the authors' lived professional experiences, examines the main issues and approaches in the training and development of VET practitioners in Australia. It describes the VET system in Australia and the nature of the VET teaching workforce, documents the history of VET teacher preparation and development, highlights key dilemmas confronting VET teacher education and professional development, draws conclusions, and provides potential ways forward.

The chapter contends that, while the Australian VET system is highly regarded, most of the issues relating to VET teacher development since the 1970s have been exacerbated by sectoral change and remain unresolved. Important and consistent messages from past reports continue to be ignored or not actioned. Yet the lesson learned is that 'one size can't fit all' and that, given the diversity and complexity of the VET sector, dual status of its practitioners, and nature of their employment, only a wide variety of well-supported preparation and ongoing development approaches can be the way forward.

Published abstract.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 137.1084. Show less