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Market principles have been introduced into the training system in England and Wales through the creation of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) and their funding arrangement. The specific focus is on two forms of government-funded training, namely initial vocational training provided through youth training and modern apprenticeships, and vocational training for adults who are unemployed.

The first part of this article is largely descriptive and gives some background to the reforms that have taken place. It goes on to describe the introduction of the TECs, the current funding arrangements and the system of training credits for young people. The second part of the article discusses the extent to which the structures and mechanisms that have been introduced have provided for a training system that is effective and equitable. Show less

This paper outlines the training reform agenda and discusses a conflict of policy principles between competition and cooperation. The author recommends that some of the presently inarticulate policy premises of the training reform agenda need to be spelt out more clearly to resolve this conflict. Show less

Australian vocational education and training (VET) policy makers have persistently proposed more user choice when reforming the national training system. Increasing alternatives by encouraging multiple providers to trade in regulated contestable markets remains the cornerstone of governments' policies. However, despite policy intentions, students' options are declining. Longitudinal quantitative jurisdiction-level statistics identify well-established trends of a reduced variety of providers, a smaller range of qualifications on offer and decreased public funding. These outcomes are occurring notwithstanding the continuous supportive policy environment for intensified competition and amplified choice.

Rather than portray reduced choice as policy failure, this research makes novel use of large nationally consistent regulatory and enrolment data sets to provide evidence of successful public policy implementation that is approaching the end of the market life cycle. The results invite an exploration of issues that arise when VET markets are considered to be mature rather than unrealised aspirations. Choices provided in these fully-fledged markets that balance public and private provision are still necessary, but no longer sufficient, to meet national skills needs. It is argued that policy success is not permanent and should be revisited in light of contemporary economic alternatives to guide future VET policy making.

Published abstract. Show less

This report provides an economic analysis of the further education (FE) market in England. FE in England refers to any study taken after the age of 16 that is not part of higher education (that is, not taken as part of an undergraduate or post-graduate degree). It is delivered by a range of public, private and voluntary sector providers and, in general, equips a learner for further learning, including higher education, or for employment. It also plays an important role in reaching out to disadvantaged groups to encourage their participation in learning when they otherwise might not. To inform decisions about how best to fund and regulate the FE market so that it can deliver effectively for learners and employers and contribute to a skilled and productive workforce, this report has four key objectives. They are to: (1) describe the FE market and its sub 'markets': the economic structure, policy landscape and key players in the market; (2) investigate the extent to which features are observed in the FE market and its sub 'markets' that are common to well-functioning markets and to identify where such features would not be appropriate given the wider objectives of FE; (3) identify the barriers that prevent the FE 'markets' from functioning effectively; and therefore (4) stimulate discussion of priorities for policy intervention to improve effectiveness.

The focus in this report is on the publicly funded components of the FE market and not the wide range of education and training that is privately funded by employers for their staff. Also excluded is other study that FE providers may offer within the school and higher education systems, e.g. vocational provision for 14-16 year olds. The analysis draws on three substantive forms of evidence: a review of published literature, a quantitative analysis of data, and around 60 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across the market.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This information booklet attempts to answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Government Funded Training Program in Victoria. It includes information on the 2000 Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Program and the New Apprenticeship Training Program. It also provides information on the location of New Apprenticeship Centres and the current fees and charges policy. Show less

Most of the basic features of the American higher education sector started to evolve during the latter half of the nineteenth century. In response to the deficient demand in higher education, the suppliers (higher education institutions) adopted various marketing strategies to stay afloat in the market. Such strategies not only contributed a great deal to stabilise the higher education market, but also had a lasting impact on the higher education sector. This paper examines the way in which the higher education sector endured during the latter half of the nineteenth century. This analysis offers some suggestions for higher education policy-makers.

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

The vocational education and training (VET) sector has been characterised by rapid reform to funding arrangements over the past decade. Since 2008, the state and territory governments, as well as the Australian Government, began instituting a series of VET funding reforms. This report examines the patterns of government investment in the VET sector, at both federal and jurisdictional levels. The key points are that: (1) Australia's total reported investment in the VET sector is at its lowest level in real terms since at least 2008; (2) most states and territories are spending less in real terms on VET recurrent funding than they did ten years ago; there are some signs of an increase in investment in the VET sector in certain jurisdictions; however, overall investment in VET is still trending downwards; (3) the Australian Government is investing more in real terms in the VET sector than it did in 2008; as a proportion of government investment in education provision in the VET sector, the Australian Government has increased its share of investment from 26.5 per cent in 2006 to 38.2 per cent in 2018; (4) Australian Government investment increased significantly between 2012 and 2016 due to the introduction of VET FEE-HELP - this program generated concerns about financial sustainability and quality of provision, resulting in the scheme being closed down and replaced by VET Student Loans (VSL); and (5) it is necessary to arrive at a sustainable model of VET funding to reverse declining trends in participation, and achieve the right balance between quality and efficiency.

Promising areas of policy reform include: (a) implementing agreements that more directly specify funding commitments made by all levels of government; (b) aligning VET funding policy with higher education funding policy to create a more cohesive tertiary education environment; this should include reforms that enable VET students to access the same level of support as higher education students, such as the ability to defer payment for all out-of-pocket costs; (c) establishing an efficient price per course, similar to the approach that has been taken to guide investment in the school education and higher education sectors; and (d) giving greater attention to the limitations of market based reforms, such as contestability, as a principle for investment and policy in the VET sector, especially in balancing the agility of the sector with appropriate quality assurance for new and existing providers.

Edited excerpts from publisher's website. Show less

The conjunction of equity and market logics in contemporary education has created new and different conditions of possibility for equity, both as conceived in policy discourses and as a related set of educational practices. In this editorial introduction, the authors examine how equity is being drawn into new policy assemblages and how, in the context of marketisation, equity is evolving and being enacted in new ways across education sectors. Different conceptions of equity are considered, including the increasingly influential human capital perspective promoted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The authors argue that, separate from critiques of neoliberalism and its deleterious effects on equity in education, it is necessary to analyse carefully the increasing rationalisation of equity agendas in economic terms, the associated effects on education governance and policy-making, as well as on the work of educational institutions and educators. Providing an overview of the contributions to this special issue, the authors direct particular attention to the multiple, complex and often contradictory effects of the current education reform agenda in Australia, which has prioritised equity objectives and intensified performance measurement, comparison and accountability as means to drive educational improvement and reduce disadvantage.

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

This paper provides a snapshot of the higher education sector following recent policy changes that have promoted growth and expansion. The emphasis of this work is to highlight the relative enrolment changes among the different types of higher education providers in the sector during this growth period. The analyses show that most growth in the sector has been in universities - because it is universities which were the specific aim and beneficiaries of substantial change in policy and funding provision. However, the data also suggest that at the same time, other providers such as private [higher education providers] HEPs and [technical and further education institutes] TAFEs have managed to continue to find a market in domestic undergraduate enrolments and have continued to grow their small but notable share of these students in Australia. With these findings in mind, the paper contextualises the potential role that could be played by non-university higher education providers in future expansion of the system.

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This document reports on an examination of the UK system of education and training with a focus on the 14-19 age group. The inquiry was undertaken from the perspective of quality and choice for learners. Policy was assessed against a 'values consensus' summarised by five guiding principles: (1) focusing always on 'what is right' for each and every learner; (2) ensuring 'dynamic quality' across the whole of the 14-19 system of education and training; (3) achieving fairness across the whole of the 14-19 system of education and training; (4) enabling transfer between pathways within the 14-19 system of education and training; and (5) creating real choice for all learners through effective information, advice, and guidance. The report provides several recommendations and urges policymakers to use these five principles to guide education and training policy. Show less