Search Results

This book is an updated version of 'Making sense of training reform and competency-based training' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 54.08], which was published in 1997 by the same authors and was intended to explain the vocational education and training (VET) sector to those involved in it, or about to enter it, as practitioners.

The book examines the growth and change in the VET sector in terms of a number of tensions, including the interests of government and the interests of industry, the interests of the Commonwealth Government and those of the states, the interests of individuals and those of industry and the interests of industry and those of organised labour. It facilitates understanding of the VET sector by describing the complex issues of training reforms and the nature of VET curriculum in simple terms.

Part one of the book provides an overview of the evolution of VET in Australia, the reasons why large scale reform of the system was undertaken and a description of the major features of the VET system, including the most recent changes. Part two focuses on curriculum issues: the nature of competency based training and the way in which training packages are developed and delivered. In part three the implications of VET policy and VET curriculum for teachers and trainers are considered. Show less

Steve Davis interviews a collection of presenters from two panel discussions at the 29th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference 'No Frills', held on 7-10 July 2020. Topics covered in the lively discussion include new directions in skills planning, digital technology and the role it plays in aged and community care, insights from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), and the role of parental influence in taking on apprenticeships. Speakers are Professor John Buchanan, The University of Sydney; Ms Anne Livingstone and Dr George Margelis, Australian Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council; Mr David Redway, Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment; and Professor Erica Smith, Federation University.

Published abstract. Show less

This article examines the nature of employability skills in the context of broader notions of generic skills, and the ways in which employability skills can be developed, assessed, and reported. The issues, which are similar in all developed countries, are illustrated primarily with examples from Australia. The article concludes with some issues for future consideration.

Published abstract. Show less

The vocational education and training [VET] system in Australia has been rocked by continuous change for the past 15 years. The three most radical changes have been the move to competency-based training, the privileging of industry as opposed to students as the most important stakeholder group, and the opening up of government funding to private providers as well as to TAFE, the public provider. In 1997 training packages became the basis for all future curriculum in the Australian VET system. Like any curriculum change, the introduction of training packages has aroused controversy but so far there has been only a limited amount of empirical research. This paper summarises the debates about training packages, using the existing body of research and comment, interviews with key national and State figures in training package development, and the author’s experience as a director of a State Industry Training Advisory Board involved in the development and review of several training packages. 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.

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

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

This paper reports on aspects of a recent project carried out for the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank, which was designed to feed into the process of updating and expanding India's apprenticeship system. The apprenticeship system in India is extremely small for the country's population, even taking into account the high proportion of jobs that are in the informal economy, and is subject to very rigid regulation. Expansion of the system has been seen as vital in order to improve the supply of skills to the rapidly expanding economy, and also to address issues of disparity in labour market participation and equity for certain groups in Indian society. The paper firstly explains how findings about apprenticeship systems from 10 other countries, together with analysis of the Indian situation, were used to present options for consideration by the Indian government. It then analyses these options for their social justice and equity implications.

Published abstract. Show less

In common with a number of other countries, Australia’s vocational education and training sector has implemented a system of competency-based training (hereafter CBT) in which competency standards serve to provide learning and skill development outcomes for training. It seems that a main attraction that helped motivate the introduction of the CBT system was the assumption by some that such a system was ‘failsafe’ in that achievement of the learning and skill development outcomes would guarantee that the learner was workplace competent. However there were always convincing conceptual reasons for denying that the achievement of standards-based learning and skill development outcomes would be equivalent to being workplace competent. This paper aims to explain these reasons and to address the implications of this gap for the improvement of vocational training. It has two parts: firstly, the conceptual basis for anticipating that there would be such a gap between standards-based learning and skill development outcomes on the one hand and workplace competence on the other, is outlined; secondly, a range of empirical evidence is presented that illustrates the diversity of factors that together constitute this gap.

Excerpt from paper. Show less

Purpose - To report on research that examines the impact of the adoption of nationally-recognised training by enterprises in Australia. Design/methodology/approach - The project involved a mix of methodologies including focus groups, employer survey and case studies. Findings - The research found that there had been a higher than expected adoption of nationally-recognised training by Australian enterprises in recent years and that enterprises were using training packages to support other human resource management activities apart from training. Research limitations/implications - The case studies were confined to four industry areas of hospitality, manufacturing, arts/media and call centres. Originality/value - This paper fills a significant gap in the research literature on the use that enterprises make of nationally-recognised training.

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

The VOCEDplus landmark documents are key documents considered by history and authoritative commentary to have influenced the development of the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system, providing vision and/or leading to significant change. This paper is part of a series of overviews that analyse and describe how these landmark documents impacted on the development of various aspects of Australia's VET sector.

The paper focuses on the influence of four significant and central landmark reports on the development of the apprenticeship system in Australia, along with a consideration of the important role played by two later reports that extend past the landmarks document timeline, included because of their significance and specific focus on apprenticeships. Three key themes relating to the apprenticeship system are explored with reference to these six core reports: (1) system size; (2) gender participation in the system; and (3) the key concerns of the reports. A brief overview of a further six landmark documents with a secondary emphasis on apprenticeships rounds out this overview. The following landmark documents are examined: Commonwealth-State Apprenticeship Inquiry [Wright report] (available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 119.1095); Education, training and employment: report of the Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training [Williams report] (TD/LMR 85.677); Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Labour Market Programs [Kirby report] (TD/LMR 85.649); Report of the Review of the ANTA Agreement (TD/LMR 85.652); The employment of apprentices: the barriers [Marshman report] (TD/LMR 85.655); Skills training for the 21st century: a report on skills training: apprenticeships and traineeships (TD/LMR 85.661); The Australian Vocational Certificate Training System [Carmichael report] (TD/LMR 85.646); Creating a future direction for Australian vocational education and training: a discussion paper on the future of the VET system (TD/LMR 102.715). The two later, significant reports examined are: Apprenticeships Reform Advisory Group: recommendation report (TD/TNC 125.117); A shared responsibility: apprenticeships for the 21st century: final report of the Expert Panel (TD/TNC 103.740). Show less

This chapter examines the potential of quality apprenticeship in meeting multiple demands: skill development, changing industry needs, and promoting inclusivity. There are many and large societal and economic expectations of problems which apprenticeship should solve. These expectations vary among various actors. They range from solving youth unemployment and safeguarding decent jobs for young and disadvantaged persons, to supplying companies with a trained workforce, and boosting international competitiveness. More recent demands including apprenticeships' ability to cope with rapidly changing job roles. There are, however, risks associated with expansion of apprenticeship systems, including the possibility of contributing to exploitation, discrimination and exclusion of social/racial groups and/or certain occupations. Any radical changes risk upsetting existing balances in outcomes for different stakeholder groups. Moreover, apprenticeships need to retain the flexibility to cope with the demands of the future of work.

Guided by the question '(How) can apprenticeship be an answer to youth unemployment?', the chapter provides a conceptual discussion and presents challenges and opportunities in developing such apprenticeship programmes in the evolving world of work. It discusses strategies and policy directions by drawing on several national examples, and provides an analysis of such practical examples from national and/or sectoral cases in Asia and the Pacific. These examples illustrate attempts to address complex social and economic issues and developments through apprenticeships, in a manner that aims to assist inclusion of young people in the labour market but does not neglect other imperatives such as national and company skills needs. Some options are proposed and discussed which could help countries to meet stakeholder needs in this evolving context while also ensuring inclusive outcomes.

Published abstract.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 134.550. Show less