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This report is prepared in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Skilling Australia’s Workforce Act 2005 and includes an assessment of the performance of the national training system during the year. The report provides detailed information on the operation of the national system, its achievements and challenges, and the outcomes achieved for the system’s clients. This report covers the 2006 calendar year and is presented in four sections. Section 1: ‘Introduction and context’ provides an outline of the report, describing the economic and social context for the national training system during 2006, and outlines the major components of the national training system. Section 2: ‘Performance of the national vocational education and training (VET) system in 2006’ contains an analysis of the system’s performance in 2006 against agreed key performance measures. Section 3: ‘Annual national priorities for 2006’ reports the achievements and outcomes against the annual national priorities for 2006, and is underpinned by examples and achievements of the state, territory and Australian governments. Section 4: ‘Appendices’ provides time-series statistical tables on the national training system’s performance and includes information on the data sources used as well as additional state and territory data. Show less

This research report explores options for the use of the Workplace Modifications Scheme [WMS] to assist the employment of people with mental illness. Suggestions are made on how best to promote the Scheme to employers, job seekers, employees and employment service providers to assist in the employment of people with mental illness. The accommodation of employees with mental illness requires workplace adjustments that are different to those currently funded through the WMS. The research suggests there is a lack of confidence among employers regarding the employment of people with mental illness, due to a lack of understanding of mental illness. There is also concern about the impact the illness may have on the person’s ability to work, possible legal obligations regarding discrimination, and a lack of awareness of available supports.

A review of international literature and practice in the area of workplace adjustments has identified several ways a workplace can accommodate an employee with mental illness including: the provision of mentoring; higher levels of support; flexible work hours; training of supervising staff and co-workers; and changes to the physical environment. Several suggestions are provided as to how this assistance to employees with mental illness in the workplace can be provided. The research clearly demonstrates a need for the promotion of the WMS, through JobAccess, to employers, employment service providers, organisations assisting people with mental illness and individuals with mental illness.

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Higher education will clearly be a major contributor to the development of a skilled Australian workforce but must address the rights of all citizens to share in its benefits. This review was established to address the question of whether this critical sector of education is structured, organised and financed to position Australia to compete effectively in the new globalised economy. The panel has concluded that, while the system has great strengths, it faces significant, emerging threats which require decisive action. To address these, major reforms are recommended to the financing and regulatory frameworks for higher education. Key reforms are to increase the number of university graduates by more than one-third and to determine university funding according to student demand using a voucher system. Recommendations affecting the vocational education and training (VET) sector include that: (1) VET and higher education providers should continue to enhance pathways for students through the development and implementation of common terminology and graded assessment in the upper levels of VET; (2) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to expand the national regulatory and quality assurance agency to cover the entire tertiary sector (including VET and higher education) and that the government assume full responsibility for the regulation of tertiary education and training in Australia by 2010; (3) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to introduce a tertiary entitlement funding model across higher education and VET commencing with the upper levels of VET (diplomas and advanced diplomas) and progressing to the other levels as soon as practicable; (4) the government negotiate with the states and territories to extend income contingent loans to students enrolled in VET diplomas and advanced diplomas; and (5) the Australian government and the governments of the states and territories agree to: establish a single ministerial council with responsibility for all tertiary education and training; improve the scope and coordination of labour market intelligence so that it covers the whole tertiary sector and supports a more responsive and dynamic role for both VET and higher education; and expand the purpose and role of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) so that it covers the whole tertiary sector. Show less

Reverse marketing is funded under the Employment Pathway Fund (EPF) to encourage [Job Services Australia] JSA providers to actively market job seekers to potential employers where vacancies have not been advertised, and to refer and place job seekers into those jobs. Reverse marketing provides a mechanism to stimulate demand for labour by pre-empting employers' labour needs before they create a vacancy. Effective reverse marketing can play an important role in the wider employment services framework by providing job ready job seekers with access to vacancies that may not otherwise exist. The EPF was designed to give JSA providers flexibility to be innovative and creative when servicing their job seeker caseload, to improve the chances of job seekers finding sustainable employment. Consistent with this principle, the definition of reverse marketing has flexibility incorporated to allow providers to use it effectively within their local environment. However reverse marketing is a service similar to the general servicing which JSA providers are contractually obliged to deliver, with key differences that are sometimes difficult to distinguish and are open to interpretation and possible inappropriate application in practice. This paper assesses the use of reverse marketing under the EPF in terms of how it is being targeted, and how effective it is in achieving increased job referrals and job placements for job seekers. Length of employment was not used as an effectiveness indicator due to the difficulty in attributing differences in employment sustainability to how job seekers were recruited, rather than other factors operating before the job seekers became employed and after placement.

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The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), on behalf of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, produces the annual national report for the national vocational education and training (VET) system. This report covers the 2009 calendar year and provides an assessment of the performance of the national training system as well as detailed information on the operation of the national system and its achievements and challenges. The report is presented in three sections: Section 1: Overview provides an outline of the report, describing the national vocational education and training system, the relevant Intergovernmental Agreements that relate to VET and the economic and social context for the national VET system during 2009. Section 2: Performance of the national VET system in 2009 contains an analysis of the system’s performance in 2009 against performance indicators agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). This section includes information about the participation, achievements and outcomes of all VET students and those that are identified as having a disadvantage in VET. VET system efficiency and employer engagement and satisfaction with VET are also covered. Section 3: Commonwealth, State and Territory achievements gives examples of achievements of the State, Territory and Australian Governments.

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The learning in this workbook is intended for people working in or wanting to work in the community services industry. Hazards are dangers that can cause injury or disease to people, or damage to property or can stop people from working. In the workplace it is important that hazards are identified and removed. Chapter one focuses on identifying hazards, chapter two on following procedures for hazard control and chapter three on reporting hazards effectively. There is a final assessment at the end of the workbook.

In this collection there are 11 workbooks and one 'Trainer's guide' on CD ROM; they are indexed from TD/WELL 94.05 to TD/WELL 94.16. Show less

This report describes how a selection of organisations and practitioners in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia undertook professional development projects and assisted industries, enterprises and individuals to increase workforce productivity and enabled individuals and groups to participate in the workforce. The projects were managed and supported by Reframing the Future, the national staff development and change management program that supports the implementation of the national training system.

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This investigation compiles the evidence currently in existence to build a case for implementation of an Australian e-portfolio or e-portfolios. E-portfolio applications have been around for a number of years and are widely adopted in Australian education institutions. However, once learners are no longer involved in formal education, their access to e-portfolio services can be severely limited, even though they are by no means at the end of their education and are just beginning the work phase of their career. Several e-portfolio implementations around the world demonstrate the potential of e-portfolios for users post-education, including: supporting workers facing redundancy; career development; workforce development and planning; continuing professional development; lifelong learning; and articulation of skills and experience. E-portfolios have the potential to contribute to the policy response to an economic environment that includes complexities such as skills shortages, ongoing adjustment of the Australian labour market, the life-long learning agenda, and the impact of the global financial crisis. Worldwide, e-portfolios are at an interesting stage. Many implementations are considered highly successful by their stakeholders, in terms of benefits for individual users and labour market outcomes. However, the implementations are too recent for a solid base of evidence to have emerged, which means that several successful e-portfolios have been developed and implemented simply on the basis of an understanding that this is the way of the future. This report is part of the series of investigations commissioned by the Australian Government's Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as part of the Strategic ICT Advisory Service (SICTAS) project.

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In accordance with the Skilling Australia’s Workforce Act 2005, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), on behalf of the Minister for Education, produces the annual national report for the national training system. This report covers the 2008 calendar year and is presented in four sections. The report provides an assessment of the performance of the national training system during the year and provides detailed information on the operation of the national system, its achievements and challenges, and the outcomes achieved for the system’s clients. Section 1: Introduction and context provides an outline of the report, describing the economic and social context for the national training system during 2008, and outlines the major components of the national training system. Section 2: Performance of the national vocational education and training (VET) system in 2008 contains an analysis of the system’s performance in 2008 against agreed key performance measures. Section 3: National priorities for 2008 reports the achievements and outcomes against the national priorities for 2008, and is underpinned by examples and achievements of the State, Territory and Australian Governments. Section 4: Appendices provides timeseries statistical tables on the national training system’s performance and includes information on the data sources used as well as additional State and Territory data.

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This discussion paper aims to encourage debate and provide ideas on economic development and jobs for Indigenous Australians. Nationwide consultations will focus on how to reform two existing employment and work-readiness programs - Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) and the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP). The discussion paper looks at how individuals, businesses, communities and partnerships must be involved to lift Indigenous employment rates. It also builds on the principle that improved universal employment services and training places are essential for sustained economic development. The paper also looks at how employers of Indigenous workers can be better supported, building on the success of the Structure Training and Development Program (STEP) and Structured Training and Employment Projects Related Services (STEPERS) programs. The Australian Government is developing a new strategy to build the strong foundations necessary for sustainable Indigenous economic development across Australia. The Indigenous Economic Development Strategy (IEDS) will be launched later this year and will complement the Government’s new employment services model to be implemented from July 2009. Show less