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In Australia as elsewhere, the national government is keen to improve pathways between vocational education and training (VET) and higher education. The limited availability of such pathways is often attributed to a lack of will on the part of universities. VET teacher-education in Australia has been grappling since 1998 with the challenges imposed by a VET-sector qualification at Certificate IV level that has become, through government regulation, a ‘licence to practise’ in VET teaching. This paper uses the discussions within the national community of VET teacher-educators and a case study in one university to illustrate the difficulties that exist in laying pathways and guiding students along them. It draws on the debates that have taken place in AVTEC, the Australian VET Teacher Educators’ Colloquium, the author’s research into assessment issues in embedding the Certificate IV within university courses, and preliminary data from an evaluation of students’ reactions to authentic and deep embedding. These data are used to argue that difficulties in cross-sectoral integration are real and are derived from different approaches to pedagogy and evidence requirements, rather than being manufactured by education providers anxious to maintain their boundaries. The VET teacher education community holds unique expertise in this area and therefore the work done in its own courses is of substantial significance.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of AARE.

Selected papers from the 2006 AARE National Conference are indexed from TD/TNC 89.545 to TD/TNC 89.550 and from TD/TNC 89.701 to TD/TNC 89.710. Show less

This publication reports on an investigation, commissioned by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) through the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) and carried out by Charles Sturt University’s Group for Research in Employment and Training (GREAT), which examined the impact that competency based training (CBT) has had on the role and responsibilities of instructors across the vocational education and training (VET) sector. The following five questions were investigated in the study. What is the quality and nature of CBT instruction in a range of providers across Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels, industry areas and geographical locations? To what extent are levels of understanding of CBT by instructors in the VET sector common across a range of locations? How have instructors adapted their practice to accommodate CBT, and how have new practices evolved? What are some of the staff development issues present in CBT? What type of staff development model can be applied to instructors in the VET sector when introducing an innovation like CBT? The range of techniques used in the investigation process included a literature review, a nation-wide survey of instructors, detailed case studies of six VET providers who use CBT, and two focus groups with staff development personnel and new instructors. Show less

Training packages have been fiercely resisted by many in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Now they are here to stay, with 70 packages already endorsed, the challenge is for players at all levels in the VET system to work with them. This paper sets out the views of those working with training packages, from the academics who view them as ticky-tacky boxes constraining workers within narrowly defined fields of activity, through the bureaucrats and teachers who must, through gritted teeth or alternatively with pleasurable anticipation, implement them, to the 'enthusiastic campaigners' who have tried to win hearts and minds to the concept of a workers' paradise where anyone can gain a qualification through learning in his or her daily work. The paper identifies some of the basic underlying difficulties with training packages which, it is argued, stem from their being written for the workplace while their primary field of application is in educational institutions

Excerpts from printed abstract used with the permission of the copyright holder.

Volume one of these proceedings is indexed at TD/TNC 68.31, volume two is indexed at TD/TNC 68.32 and individual papers may be found from TD/TNC 68.17 to TD/TNC 68.29 and TD/TNC 68.33 to TD/TNC 68.100. Show less

The paper draws evidence from a recent research project that analysed 10 national apprenticeship systems to suggest options for the development of the Indian apprenticeship system. Apprenticeship systems are often viewed as pivotal to the development of a skilled workforce. The combination of on and off the job learning, together with a period of extended practice overseen by expert workers, provided by apprenticeships, is believed to be ideal for the development of skilled workers. The impact of the global financial crisis raised the profile of apprenticeships as a way of combating youth unemployment (e.g. ILO, 2013). Apprenticeships vary considerably between countries and many aspects are culturally, socially, politically and economically specific. Thus one cannot transplant a system from one country to another and expect it to operate as it did in the relevant homeland. However, key features of countries' systems can be identified, sensitively adapted, and developed in other countries. This paper describes [the authors'] project's findings, with particular reference to countries where the 'school-to-work transition' is a primary concern. The paper also provides insights from the English apprenticeship system which treats young and older workers differently, and from a detailed study examining challenges faced by young people commencing apprenticeships.

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This is an overview of a national research project which set out to evaluate the benefits, challenges and outcomes for all stakeholders of the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) qualifications delivered through work. It was undertaken through a study of Enterprise Registered Training Organisations (Enterprise RTOs), since they are the 'heaviest users' of nationally recognised training. Enterprise RTOs are companies and other organisations (such as government departments) which are registered as training providers to deliver qualifications to their own workers. The project had four research questions: What are the benefits and challenges for companies associated with training through their own Enterprise RTO? What are the benefits and challenges for workers associated with Enterprise RTOs? What is the equivalence of workplace-delivered qualifications among companies and with qualifications delivered in educational institutions? How do Enterprise RTOs help us to understand the extent and nature of an emerging, alternative employer-based VET system? The report explains, by phase, how the project was carried out and what was found in each phase. The appendices provide illustrative data from each phase. The final section of the main report presents some theoretical models developed and proposed from the research.

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This article explores some different ways of providing vocational qualifications, specifically for young people who do not go directly to university from school. The examples of Germany and Australia are discussed and show that historical, political, economic and social factors influence the preferred modes of training and their relative perceived status. Advantages and disadvantages are outlined for each mode of provision. Various remedies to address the disadvantages identified for the different modes are explored.

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

Intermediary organizations in apprenticeships are those which act on behalf of, link, or mediate between the main parties - apprentices and employers. An intermediary organization in apprenticeship systems is thus one that undertakes one or more of the following activities: employs apprentices as a third-party employer; trains apprentices as part of a specific arrangement with groups of employers; or undertakes other apprentice support activities on behalf of an employer or a specified group of employers. This discussion paper highlights different ways of classifying intermediary organizations, provides examples of different types of intermediary organisations and examines the different roles they can play to support the effective operation of apprenticeship systems. In particular, the report includes brief case studies of intermediary organisations in Australia, India, England.

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Apprenticeship is increasingly seen as a promising option for policy makers. An apprenticeship offers a chance to find further education and a place in society and the workplace. In an increasing number of countries, apprenticeship is available to mature-aged workers, providing a chance for a career change or re-entry into the workforce. The sixth International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) conference was held at the Federation University Australia in Ballarat, Victoria on 1-2 September 2015. The publication contains all the papers presented at the conference. The conference demonstrated the diversity of approaches to apprenticeship in practice. It also highlighted the need to share experiences from country-specific developments and that the learning process and knowledge base of apprenticeship is continuously growing and developing. The most popular themes for papers at the conference were: (1) governance, including stakeholders' roles and responsibilities; (2) vocational education and training (VET) teaching and learning; (3) quality in apprenticeship; and (4) school to work transition and youth employment.

Introductions to the conference were provided by Philipp Gonon, Erica Smith and David Battersby. The keynotes were as follows: Two distinct conceptions of apprenticeship / Stephen Billett; Can traditional apprenticeships in the informal economy of least developed countries be integrated as legitimate pathways in formal skills development systems? [keynote address] / Paul Comyn; Developing T-shaped people: transforming skills into skilfulness to meet the demands of the 21st century workplace / Raymond Patel. Section one, 'Governance and stakeholders', contains the following papers: A history of apprenticeship and trade training in Victoria, Australia / Mike Brown; Exploration and practice of modern apprenticeship training with school-enterprise dual system: a case study of Guangzhou Industry and Trade Technician College / Weiqun Tang; Associations between adaptation of German-style vocational education models and impact on apprenticeship pathways in regional American labour markets / Nicholas M. Wyman and Joanne B. Gedge; Governance and financing of dual VET: foundation of an evaluation framework and findings of a comparative research in five European countries / Ursel Hauschildt and Wolfgang Wittig; Insights in governance of vocational education from a historical perspective / Volker Bank; The governance framework for VET school-enterprise cooperation in China at the local level / Haisheng Pan; Irish apprenticeship system reform 2013 to date / Maurice Doran; Stakeholders in the German and the Swiss VET system and their role in innovating apprenticeships / Thomas Deissinger and Philipp Gonon; Research and practice on 'tripartite collaboration' of innovative apprenticeship / Jinlan Wang and Yuqi Chen; Modern apprenticeship as a supplement to the school based vocational education system in China / Zhiqun Zhao and Junlan Chen; Development and definition of National Occupational Standards (NOS) as the curriculum basis for vocational education and training (VET) / Willi Peterson and Maik Jepsen; Why apprentices drop out in Australia and the policy implications / Phil Loveder. Section two, 'Teaching and learning in apprenticeships', contains: Competence measurement in South Africa: teachers' reactions to feedback on COMET results / Helen Brown; Research on the modern apprenticeship based on the talents training mode of the national skill master studio: the construction of the Lingnan Industrial Art Inheriting Base / Ye Junfeng and Luo Wei; Me siento bien en mi centro de formacion - I feel good at my training institution: results of an international competence assessment in nursing / Ursel Hauschildt; Teaching and learning research in master studio apprenticeship training / Bamei Yang, Kejing Li, Bin Bai and Enmin Zhai; School-based technician training under the framework of modern apprenticeship: experiences from a pilot program in Guangzhou / Donglian Gu; Improving the dynamics of feedback through deploying mobile technology-enhanced learning during pre-apprenticeship / Selena Chan; Skilled trade worker to a teacher of high school youth: a little bit of luck and a lot of courage / Bonnie Watt; Pre-apprenticeships towards apprenticeships using practice-focused learning / James Cannan; Learning as an apprentice: a comparative study on affordances for vocational learning in school and work life apprentice education / Magnus Fjellstrom and Per Kristmansson.

Section three, 'What makes a high quality apprenticeship', contains: Working process knowledge acquiring and working tasks research: a case study of technician apprenticeship training in Guangzhou Technician College / Xiang Geng, Bin Bai, Bamei Yang and Enmin Zhai; On motivations, predicament, and countermeasures of the modern continuation of China's handicraft apprenticeship / Liangcai Xie; Using apprenticeship as a whole-of-workforce training strategy: what are the effects on training quality? / Erica Smith; Efficacy of CBQ (cost benefit and quality) as an advisory tool to optimise cost-effectiveness and quality development of in-company apprenticeship training / Lusanda Bantwini and Tsholo Mungoni. Section four, 'Economic investment and benefit of apprenticeship', contains: A qualitative assessment of the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) / Robert I. Lerman and Devlin Hanson; Concerns, costs and calculation for apprenticeship: who invests? who benefits? how? / Michaela Marterer and Peter Hartel. Section five, 'School to work transition and youth employment', contains: Creating pathways to enhance college to work transition using COMET competence diagnostic model to assess and develop occupational competence and commitment in technical vocational education and training (TVET) / Patricia Jacobs; Application and contrastive analysis of the different apprenticeship training modes for automobile majors: taking Guangzhou Communications Technician Institute as an example / Cai Changwen; Higher apprentices' transition from school to work: case analysis on the education of technicians in Guangzhou Technician College, in China / Zongguo Li and Hao Wu; Working their way to school completion: school-based apprenticeships and traineeships for young Australians / Kira Clarke, Malgorzata Klatt, Nicky Dulfer and Emlyn Cruickshank. Section six, 'Status of apprenticeship as a career path', contains: Apprenticeships should work for women too: supporting meaningful exploration of 'non-traditional careers' for young women / Linda Simon and Kira Clarke. Section seven, 'Apprenticeship's contribution to social justice', contains: The development of skills for sustainability for Australian apprentices and trainees during the UN Decade of Education and Sustainable Development 2005-2014 / Mike Brown and Fabian Sack; A quest for social justice: exploring the possibility of expanding the South African apprenticeship system to provide access to informal apprentices / Ansa Leibenberg. Additional presentations [full papers not submitted] were: Preparing TVET graduates from small Pacific nations for international employment / Antoine Barnaart; Apprenticeship in former Soviet Union countries: the role of employer organisations and intermediary bodies / Didier Gelibert and Helmut Zelloth; Women in the auto trades: views from employers, tradeswomen and apprentices / Hugh Guthrie, Anne Jones and Berwyn Clayton; The role of regional occupational standards and potential for apprenticeships in ASEAN countries / Bob Paton. Show less

The development of occupational identity is taken for granted in Australian apprenticeships. The sense of 'being' a carpenter, a mechanic or a hairdresser is integral to thinking about a career in a craft or trade, applying for an apprenticeship, undergoing the training period and the eventual practice as a skilled worker. Trainers, employers, trade unions and policymakers share a commitment to the apprenticed trades as distinct and valuable occupations. This chapter looks at the issue of identity in occupations covered by traineeships, which are similar to apprenticeships but have been established for a much shorter time. In an initial and small-scale exploration of this complex area, this chapter reports on data from two industry studies of traineeships in Australia, which were undertaken as part of a larger project on traineeships. The industry studies showed the complex issues surrounding the presence or absence of clear senses of occupational identity in traineeships. This chapter draws some initial conclusions and suggests some policy implications and some directions for further research.

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This publication reports on a project that set out to examine learning and training in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, in particular school-based New Apprenticeships, where young people are employed and engaged in a contract of training while still involved in full time or part time school studies. Surveys were sent to a sample of these students in the three states with the highest numbers in such arrangements: Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The research methodology is described and a profile of the respondents detailing their reasons for undertaking school-based New Apprenticeships is given. The working environment and the nature of school-based New Apprenticeships are discussed. The authors look at links with schools and how the respondents combined their school-based apprenticeships with their school work. The comments of the respondents relating to work based learning and on the job training are analysed and the conclusion of the publication draws together the research findings and, while concluding that the overall findings are very positive, identifies some problem areas for future action. Show less