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This speech was presented at the TAFE SA 'Learning futures: are you part of it?' conference in June 1997. Sobski begins by providing an overview of some of the key national policy issues facing the TAFE system for the future. The elements which contribute to competitive performance are explored, together with how these relate to the achievement of equity and efficiency. Show less

What accounts for the rapid growth in the for-profit (FP) higher education sector in the US? How will its growth influence educational opportunity and degree attainment rates in a country that first pioneered a mass higher education built largely on expanding public colleges and universities? The current US experience is a version of what I call the 'Brazilian effect': when public higher education cannot keep pace with growing public demand for access and programmes, governments often allow FP's to rush in and help fill the gap, becoming a much larger and sometimes dominant provider. This is the pattern in many developing economies such as Brazil, Korea, Poland and other parts of the world. Despite new federal regulations intended to better regulate for-profits, my prediction is that they will continue to grow over the long-term in the US not so much because they meet societal demands for diverse forms of higher education, but because of the inability of the public sector to return to the levels of public subsidies they had in the past. The result now, and in the future, is a kind of policy default: the future tertiary market will not be the result of a well thought out policy at the national or state levels, but a quasi-free market consequence that will foster lower quality providers and fail to meet national goals for increasing the educational attainment level of Americans. This article discusses how higher education policymaking is about broad issues of socioeconomic mobility and economic competitiveness, but it is also about money, big business, and political influence.

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

This book of readings brings together the results of a body of research on the funding and financing of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia presented at a research forum hosted by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) in late 2003.

In the early 1990s, the concept of a competitive market in VET was adopted as policy in Australia. As the process of market reform became well advanced in all state and territory jurisdictions, the author set out to evaluate the impact and outcomes of this from a national perspective, primarily on the basis of survey data collected at the end of 2001. This study shows that market reform resulted in fundamental changes in the form and character of VET providers and VET provision. The study finds that the outcomes of market reform in VET appear to be positive in relation to: choice and diversity; responsiveness (to medium and large enterprises and fee-paying clients); flexibility; and innovation. Conversely, the outcomes of market reform in VET appear to be generally negative in relation to: efficiency (due largely to high transaction costs and complexity); responsiveness (to small enterprises, local/surrounding communities, and government subsidised students); quality; and access and equity.

The book of readings is indexed at TD/TNC 84.03; individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 84.21 to TD/TNC 84.29. Show less

This paper reports on the findings of an Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) funded research project which examined key dimensions of choice and lifelong learning in vocational education and training (VET). The study, which comprised a literature review and a national online survey of VET students, raises significant issues for policy making, provider marketing and program delivery. Strategies for enhancing learner choice, information provision and lifelong learning in VET are proposed. The paper concludes by questioning whether the dissonance between the rhetoric and realities of individual choice in VET markets may erode learner motivation and consequently undermine the lifelong learning policy objectives of government.

Excerpt from published abstract.

The collection of refereed papers is indexed at TD/TNC 78.501. Available refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.502 to TD/TNC 78.518. The collections of non-refereed papers are indexed at TD/TNC 78.519 and TD/TNC 78.520. Available non-refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.521 to TD/TNC 78.556. Show less

The author provides comments on the effects on TAFE of recent policy changes which have been made under the guise of creating a competitive market for training. TAFE is being shaped by the following: being part of a bigger system, structures have changed, the mood has changed. It goes on to discuss the training market within which TAFE exists and implications of this on TAFE. Show less

This paper is one of a series of policy discussion papers presented by the LH Martin Institute. The aim is to contribute to the debate the Institute sees as necessary to reform and invigorate the tertiary education sector, in particular vocational education and TAFE. The series covers a range of topical issues, from policy settings, governance, funding, competency based training, social inequality and training markets. In this paper, orthodox economics is used to analyse and explain why publicly funded but privately delivered VET should not have been contracted out and why the large scale adverse outcomes were inevitable.

Edited excerpts from publication and publisher's website. Show less

This paper examines recent developments in the German system of vocational education and training. Since re-unification in 1990, the system has come under increasing pressure and been criticised for its inability to keep pace with rapidly changing economic and social conditions. Problems in the training market, particularly in the east of the country, have resulted in a significant decline in the number of training places available for apprentices. The paper describes the characteristics of the training system and the modernisation issues that have emerged. Modernisation of the apprenticeship system appears to be internal and in the form of ongoing modernisation of training courses and the implementation of specific features of modularisation, rather than through a change in underlying principles. The conclusion is that while the key concern of vocational training policy remains on initial training, the training market will remain the main challenge. Show less

A critical analysis is developed of the dominant meanings of value in marketised higher education. In policy terms, this has become informed by the logics of the measured market whereby value has become synonymous with economic return and institutional accountability. The notion of value is one which permeates many discussions on the purpose of higher education and the perceived benefits it confers onto individuals and society as a whole. This, however, remains largely implicit and unearthing the specific meaning of value (and values) clearly presents challenges. This article critically examines a variety of concepts relevant to discussion of the value of higher education, including the relationship between value and quality, consumerism, goods and performativity. In each case, it unpacks their meanings and implications for the relationship between students and institutions, particularly at a time when this is seen to be increasingly transactional. It then outlines an alternative value framing to the utilitarian 'value for money' so prevalent in much market-driven policy.

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

This infographic looks at how participation in vocational education and training (VET) has changed over the past 20 years, and considers how policy has influenced some of these trends. These graphs are based on the occasional paper 'Trends in VET: policy and participation' by Georgina Atkinson and John Stanwick [indexed in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 125.05].

Published abstract. Show less

The Trade Skills Assessment and Gap Training (TSAGT) program was introduced in 2014-15 with the aim of developing the skills of experienced individuals who can demonstrate substantial competency in a chosen trade qualification, providing Queensland employers with further opportunities to capitalise on competitive local, national and global market conditions. The program minimises current and potential trade skills shortages; address emerging trade skills needs in the economy or in communities; and support individual career advancement within industries. The TSAGT program policy provides information about the program, including eligibility requirements, funding conditions, the training available and expected outcomes. The policy is updated annually and was also referred to as the funding guidelines document. Show less