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This article focuses on co-operation between industry and two TAFE colleges in New South Wales, which were used as case studies. It found that while there were links with industry, there were many unrealised possibilities for expanding the range and extent of industry/TAFE liaison. Show less

As a result of the Government’s initiative on equal opportunity, an inter-sectoral education development was undertaken at Chisholm Institute of Technology in Victoria in cooperation with the Holmesglen and Frankston TAFE Colleges. This paper describes the course in which students complete the 1st year in a TAFE college and finish a further two years at Chisholm to gain a degree. The performance of these students is examined. The results indicate that this development is enabling students who may have otherwise been excluded from higher education, to participate in such studies successfully. Show less

This article describes the strategy adopted at South Manchester Community College in the United Kingdom for providing a responsive approach to those students seeking to return to study, as well as one which gives appropriate credit for the experiential learning of their students. Show less

In this paper the state of current research into TAFE and TAFE-related activities undertaken within the higher education sector is described. The author argues for greater involvement between TAFE and higher education researchers in the field of vocational education and training. He also highlights the difficulties encountered in identifying research into TAFE being undertaken by the higher education sector, arguing for a more effective mechanism for the dissemination of such information. The need for establishing priority areas for research is argued and some areas identified. Show less

The article discusses the importance for the Australian Traineeship System (ATS) of standards of training in the workplace. It describes the aims, operations and outcomes of a project in supervisor training, conducted at Hawthorn Institute of Education in Victoria. The long term benefits and potential to adapt the project experience to supervisor training for apprenticeships, traineeships and labour market programs in other states are examined. Show less

After initial teacher training, many TAFE staff seek to continue their professional development through further formal study. A challenge exists for higher education to respond to these needs by offering relevant and flexible higher degree courses especially designed for the purpose. This paper argues that such courses should be designed for national delivery through distance education. A consortium approach is suggested whereby TAFE, industry, universities and distance education centres in each state collaborate to design and deliver a shared pool of resources. Show less

Societal and technological changes have led to changing needs and demands being experienced by those persons responsible for vocational education and training. Recent studies completed by TAFE teachers at the University of Technology, Sydney provide data gathered from employers and employees relevant to issues raised by the Employment Skills and Formation Council (ESFC) on the need for improving the quality and responsiveness of vocational training, and the need for improving access. This paper discusses the findings of the studies. Show less

This paper reports a study which investigated the impact of institutional influences upon the attendance behaviour of part-time students in a certificate course in TAFE. Students’ satisfaction levels with four institutional influences were surveyed: curriculum relevance, student learning factors, student/lecturer relations, and administrative policies and procedures. The study found that dropout respondents recorded significantly lower satisfaction levels that persisters in the case of student/lecturer relations and curriculum relevance. The findings suggest that key institutional variables are strongly linked with the attendance behaviour of part-time students in TAFE. Show less

This research examines the question of whether a general industrial relations course taught at TAFE over short duration provides any significant change in student knowledge about the material covered and its relevance for their particular trade school. It was hypothesised that the teaching of the ‘Industrial Relations and Apprenticeship Module’, taught to all pre-apprentices and apprentices enrolled in trade courses at New South Wales TAFE colleges, would have a significant positive effect on the relevant knowledge base of a group of TAFE students. That is, that the present module is effective in meeting its stated objectives. The study is based on a pre-test/post-test design and pre-apprenticeship students are the subjects. The results indicate that there is no value, in terms of providing a lasting knowledge base about industrial relations matters for students, from teaching the module in its present form. Implications, in terms of the effectiveness of such general, short duration courses, are discussed. Show less

This paper makes some suggestions concerning problem areas associated with the industry/education interface. It identifies specific problem areas which relate to the working relationships between occupational practitioners and educationalists involved in curriculum development. It is argued that participative planning methodology may improve these relationships and result in more relevant curricula. Show less