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Many professionals involved in adult learning are perplexed by the dichotomy of 'competent' or 'not yet competent' as the two main outcomes recognised in vocational education and training (VET). Reports of poor quality in the VET sector often relate to people being assessed as competent when they are not able to perform all of the functions described in competency standards to the standard required in a workplace, as per the current definition of competency: ...the consistent application of knowledge and skills to the standard of performance required in the workplace. It embodies the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations and environments. (Federal Register of Legislation, Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017C00663).

This study was driven by the apparent contrast between the VET sector's current competency paradigm and the reality, perceived by learning and development professionals, that competency is not a yes or no proposition. Competency is developed over time, with various levels of expertise gained from ongoing experience in the performance of work functions under specific operating conditions. This belief is regularly voiced by trainers and industry stakeholders as Skills Impact goes about its contracted work to develop national skills standards, commonly known as competency standards and qualifications, on behalf of industry.

To explore this issue, Skills Impact engaged Griffith University, to conduct a literature review of recent and legacy publications and develop a survey, conducted in 2019, which was aimed at VET professionals and stakeholders. The research questions whether a system that only defines competency outcomes can reliably guide an individual's competency journey. It posits that the current system would benefit by balancing its focus on outcomes with a focus on process. Central to conceptualising a balanced system is understanding the relationship between the outcomes expressed in units of competency and the process of developing competency on students' learning journeys.

The report draws three main conclusions: (1) The system is focused more on competency outcomes than learning and developmental processes, which is to the detriment of students, trainers and the consistency and quality of outcomes; (2) Competency is developed over time, through a learner's developmental journey. A system focused only on outcomes perpetuates unacceptably wide variance in the student journey and the assessment of competence; and (3) National curriculum to support learning and development processes is seen as an important solution. While not currently part of the VET system, national curriculum would help to balance the system's focus on outcomes with a focus on process, including a greater emphasis on workplace-based learning.

For the VET system to be successful, industry needs to continue to define the competency outcomes required and more emphasis needs to be placed on the learning and development process leading to those outcomes. Overall, the research shows that developmental processes in Australian VET could be better supported with the formulation of training objectives within newly designed curriculum and assessment resources, and by a greater role for workplace experience throughout students' learning journeys.

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the definition, prevalence, antecedents, consequences and coping behaviours associated with apprenticeship bullying in the building and construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: The sample comprises 13 participants aged between 22 and 27 (M=23.8, SD=1.26) who were all men who had completed their apprenticeship within the past five years. Participants completed an individual semi-structured interview in which several themes and sub-themes were identified.

Findings: Four characteristics (intention to harm, imbalance in power, repeated behaviours, target interpretation) and two types (personal, work-related) were identified by participants as fundamental to the definition of apprenticeship bullying. Being the target of bullying was found to be commonplace during an apprenticeship. Several antecedents were identified at the individual level (age, personality, physical appearance, work ethic, work performance) along with factors at the organisation level (culture and leadership style) that determined whether bullying would occur. The consequences of apprenticeship bullying included poor individual (personal and work-related) and organisational outcomes. Targets of apprenticeship bullying also tended to use avoidance coping. Originality/value: This study has provided clarification on the characteristics and behaviours associated with apprenticeship bullying, as well as identified the antecedents and consequences of apprenticeship bullying from the perspective of past apprentices in the building and construction industry.

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This study used Control-Value Theory to examine the extent to which appraisals of control and value predicted students' intentions to complete their studies and whether the effects of these appraisals on completion intentions are mediated by the achievement emotions of enjoyment, frustration, anger and boredom. A sample of 158 Australian vocational education students completed a survey measuring control, value, achievement emotions and intentions to complete. Structural Equation Modelling revealed that both higher levels of control and higher levels of value predicted intentions to complete, though no support was found for an interaction between control and value in predicting completion intentions. Contrary to expectations, no support was found for achievement emotions mediating the relationships between both control and value and intentions to complete. It was concluded that subjective control and value may act as protective resources for students in maintaining their intentions to complete their studies.

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to examine whether there is a relationship between goal attainment and overall training satisfaction among vocational education and training (VET) completers, and in turn whether this relationship varies across the different goals for undertaking training in a VET course. Design/methodology/approach: A request was made to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research in Australia for access to the unit record data from the 2016 Student Outcomes Survey. Approval was obtained. The final sample comprised 149,632 students who completed a VET course in 2016, where 55 per cent of the sample were women and the average age was 36.55 years (SD=13.17).

Findings: Students who achieved or did not yet know whether they had achieved their training goal were more satisfied with their overall training compared with those who partly achieved their goal, who in turn were more satisfied than those who did not attain their goal across the various training goals. However, participants who were training for personal reasons or reasons other than for employment or pursuing further study, and either partly achieved, did not achieve or did not know yet whether they had achieved their training goal reported the lowest levels of training satisfaction, although these participants were still satisfied overall with their training. Originality/value: These results highlight the importance of understanding the impact of goals on achievement-related activities and should be used to inform learning and teaching approaches as well as the provision of support services in the VET sector.

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