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This annual report draws on the investigations undertaken for the Strategic ICT Advisory Service (SICTAS) that Education.au is providing to the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). The SICTAS reports into collaborative learning, workforce capability, and national software infrastructure to provide evidence to support a role for Australian Government to ensure the best return on investments in [information and communications technology] ICT for education and training. The role recommended is one of cross-jurisdictional and cross-sectoral coordination, collaboration and cooperation between and amongst education and training stakeholders led by the Australian Government. Technology innovations will continue to occur. This report focuses on providing advice on creating an education and training sector that is a ‘change maker’, i.e. it has the people, policies and processes in place to normalise change and to take advantage of emerging ICT. This will enable the timely introduction of new and emerging ICT and enable the education and training sector to respond to the need for new skills, knowledge and abilities, to adjustments to assessment, pedagogy and curricula as research and practice, and our teachers, leaders and learners, show the way. This report provides recommendations where the Australian Government can provide a national focus and strategic direction for ICT in education while acknowledging and encouraging the contributions of jurisdictions and sectors.

Excerpt from published foreword. Show less

This report presents the findings from an evaluation of the first phase of the London European Social Fund (ESF) Youth Programme 2014-2020 (the Programme), with delivery occurring between April 2016 and March 2019. This report was written in late 2018, while some projects were still underway. It presents a snapshot of the results achieved and lessons learnt to that point. The Programme was designed to support young Londoners, aged 15-24 who were either not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk of becoming NEET, into sustainable employment, education or training (EET). The Programme involves seven strands of activity, aimed at different cohorts of young people and working with employers and schools. Five of the programme strands are intended to work together, with providers referring young people between strands in order to access targeted support. Key findings include: (1) the programme has been successful so far in supporting most participants (53 per cent) into EET; (2) despite the collaborative design of the programme, providers made fewer referrals than anticipated; (3) despite some reservations, the payment by results approach was generally viewed as the best payment model for this type of programme, incentivising the intended outcomes for providers; (4) providers had different ways of working but in terms of good delivery practice, the most effective approach they have found is to use skilled advisors, have strong local partnerships and to work flexibly with the young person; and (5) participants typically enjoyed the programme and found it helpful in improving their confidence, skills, prospects of getting a job, knowledge of options available to them, and motivation to take next steps.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This study was undertaken for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) during May, June and July of 2010. It focuses on students who study at higher education institutions (HEIs) in regional parts of Australia, with particular attention paid to their characteristics, motivations, experiences and outcomes, both in terms of further study and of employment. The study catalogues a number of existing data sources which can be utilised for research into this population and identifies key gaps in the current collections which inhibit some areas of analysis into students at regional HEIs. Key findings include: (1) students at HEIs in regional parts of Australia are predominantly from surrounding regional areas; (2) students enrolled at regional HEIs are more likely to be female, tend to be older than their metropolitan counterparts, are more likely to care for dependents and are more likely to be Indigenous; (3) students from regional areas who wish to attend HEIs are often prevented from doing so by the costs associated with study, and are highly likely to defer the commencement of their courses for financial reasons; (4) students who complete their studies at regional HEIs tend to remain in regional areas for both further study and employment; and (5) students at regional HEIs in the fields of agriculture and environmental studies, and who undertake further study, are much less likely than metropolitan students to continue in the same field of education. Show less

Apprenticeship non-completions are a major concern for the Australian business community and are a significant drain on the national training effort. Increasing completion rates will lead to better return on investment in training for employers and governments and increase the skills level of the Australian workforce. The research reported here presents an evidence-based, logical, rigorous, systematic and thorough approach to retaining apprentices for all employers. This approach provides employers with recommended principles to follow and processes to implement as part of a holistic workplace management strategy through the recruitment and employment of an apprentice. The key findings of the research are structured around the following core concepts for retention as identified in the research: attracting the right person; recruiting and inducting good apprentices; making work and training meaningful; providing personal and professional support; providing effective training; and making full use of information and support services. It focuses on employer perspectives to determine views, actions and attitudes of employers that have a positive impact on completion rates of apprenticeships, and is aimed at ensuring that the Australian business community has access to a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

A companion document, ‘A systematic approach to retaining apprentices: findings from the 25 national interviews’ is indexed at TD/TNC 96.965. Show less

This report identifies findings arising from 25 interviews conducted in a project aimed at identifying an evidence-based, logical, rigorous, systematic and thorough approach to retaining apprentices for all employers. Interviews were conducted with 25 employers who were drawn from a range of industries, from automotive to electrical engineering to marine, mining, defence, healthcare, construction and manufacturing. The interview questions are based on the findings of the literature review and survey of employers undertaken earlier in 2008. The findings and recommendations arising from these interviews and from the survey and the case study work are presented under the following headings: Attracting and retaining good apprentices; Recruiting and inducting; Making work meaningful; Providing personal and professional support; Providing effective training; and Using government information. A significant finding from the literature review is that a key to the retention of apprentices is the effective collaboration between different parties, including the employer, schools, parents, communities, training providers, governments and the individual apprentice.

A companion document, ‘A systematic approach to retaining apprentices’ is indexed at TD/TNC 96.964. Show less

[This report] examines re-engagement and retention strategies for disengaged former apprentices and developing options that actively encourage reengagement for disengaged apprentices. The research for the project showed that it is possible and important for employers to take a positive and systematic approach to re-engaging and retaining previously disengaged apprentices. A major finding from the research is that it is worth the effort to implement a positive and systematic approach to attracting and retaining disengaged apprentices, for a number of reasons including: previously disengaged apprentices come with experience and expertise which can link directly to the needs of the business; the often broader employment and life experience of a previously disengaged apprentice can make it easier to reliably assess their skills, attitude and potential; if employers are willing to examine the reasons why a person dropped out of an apprenticeship, including that the person was young and might have made mistakes, then they and the apprentice may benefit from giving that person a second chance. [The report] focuses on employer perspectives to determine views, actions and attitudes of employers that have a positive impact on building positive employment and training outcomes for employer and disengaged apprentices ensuring that the Australian business community has access to a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

Published summary from ACCI website. Show less