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This publication reports on research that was carried out within Australian enterprises in the second half of 2003 in order to gain a greater understanding of how and why enterprises use nationally recognised training (training based on national training packages or courses/programs that have been formally accredited through state or territory accreditation bodies) for their existing workers. Data were collected by means of focus groups, case studies and a survey of enterprises. The project findings indicate that nationally recognised training has much to offer enterprises, and that many enterprises take full advantage of the availability of both training packages and government funding to support and extend their training activities. However, there appears to be a need for increased national promotion of nationally recognised training, as not only were some non-users completely unaware of suitable training packages and qualifications, but even those who used nationally recognised training were sometimes unaware of many of the subtleties involved in using packages. It is clear that the use of nationally recognised training by enterprises is strongly influenced by availability of funding. However, this study showed that funding could be more closely targeted to the start-up phase, and consideration could be given to tapering off funding once nationally recognised training becomes embedded. More research is required to examine whether the customisation of qualifications by, or for, enterprises compromises the integrity of the qualifications. If the training becomes too firm-specific, issues arise, not only about portability of qualifications, but also about the use of government funding. Show less

Public policies on training are firmly rooted in the historical, political, economic and social context of their countries. A number of stakeholder groups such as employer groups, state and local governments, and trade unions affect the formulation of policy. Training policy is also affected by public policies in other areas of government, such as industrial relations. The acceptability of policies to stakeholder groups and, most importantly, to learners and to employers, is bound to affect their take-up and therefore their viability and longevity. The paper uses a comparative analysis of developments in the English and Australian systems in three key areas, using elements of public policy theory, to explain the factors affecting stakeholder acceptance of training policies. In particular, the paper focuses on the role of employers and the importance of employer acceptance to the successful implementation of vocational education and training (VET) policy.

Published abstract. Show less

This report describes and analyses how the work activities undertaken by students while at school affect their post-school pathways into and between work and study. Increasingly, students are involved with workplaces while still at school. The three major ways in which this is happening (in order of extent of engagement) are through work experience, paid part-time work, and VET in Schools programs, which generally include structured work placements. A special form of part-time work, which also involves gaining vocational education and training (VET) qualifications, is a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (collectively known as school-based New Apprenticeships). The research questions for the project were as follows: To what extent does involvement with workplaces (including multiple involvements) while at school affect school leavers' subsequent pathways, and in what ways? How can multiple pathways be described and conceptualised? What are the students' views about the worth to them of their different involvements with workplaces? The main findings of the survey include: work experience performed a useful function in opening respondents' eyes to career possibilities; those who had undertaken school-based New Apprenticeships had a smoother transition into secure and substantial post-school activity than those who had not, but this path was not likely to lead to a full-time university course; even after leaving school, the jobs of both groups were concentrated in the industries of retail and fast food/hospitality, the areas in which school students typically worked; part-time jobs acquired by students while at school remained important after leaving school, occasionally as the only activity, but more commonly as a supplement to full-time study or another full-time job; a school-based New Apprenticeship could confirm their decision for those who had decided upon their careers however, it could also deter some from that career; school-based New Apprenticeships were likely to provide a pathway into apprenticeships or traineeships in a similar industry area, but the long-term career plans of those who had undertaken them were less likely to be within that industry area; work experience and school-based New Apprenticeships both had some influence on respondents' study intentions; a high proportion of the respondents held VET qualifications: two-fifths had completed a Certificate II and one-quarter a Certificate III; about one-eighth were currently enrolled in either Certificate III or Certificate IV qualifications.

The study builds on the work of two previous studies (School students' learning from their paid and unpaid work / Erica Smith, Annette Green, indexed at TD/TNC 68.01, and School students' views on their working and learning in the workplace / Erica Smith, Lou Wilson, indexed at TD/TNC 70.13). Show less

Young people experience work and work-related learning in a number of contexts before leaving school. Some of these contexts are mediated by the formal education and training system whereas others are independent. After leaving school these diversities continue whether the young people go directly to full-time work or whether they continue in education programs. The paper reports on the findings of a longitudinal study of young people who had experienced a variety of types of engagement with workplaces while at school; several years later they were contacted again to find out the effects of that engagement on their post-school activities. A number of concrete and important findings emerged, particularly about the role of school-based new apprenticeships, and also a series of models were developed to describe the complexity of the young people's pathways.

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This article is a critical review of policy and literature relating to vocational education and training (VET) in schools in Australia. Over the past decade in Australia, VET in schools has grown considerably so that not only are nearly half of senior school students now involved, but also VET in schools represents around 10% of total VET activity. In both schools and the VET sector itself, VET in schools was originally marginalised and this article explores its movement from the margins towards the mainstream in both spheres. An overview of the growth of VET in schools in Australia, along with other vocational developments in schools, is given, along with discussion of some of the benefits and challenges of VET in schools, both from a schooling perspective and from a national skills formation perspective. The consequences of the move from margins to mainstream have not yet been fully digested and debate rarely moves beyond consideration of implications for the school sector. The article moves beyond these narrow confines to raise broader questions for the VET sector.

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