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In 1985, the Federal Government, in conjunction with all the states, introduced a new national accreditation system. This article outlines the development of the new ACTA (Australian Council on Tertiary Awards) accredited Diploma of Applied Science in Photography, offered at Mount Lawley College of TAFE. The structure of the course, a list of subjects, entrance requirements, selection procedures and assessment policy are described. Suggested course structures which enable students to plan their own course are also included. The report concludes by outlining the benefits of the new course.

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A pressing need for skilled and qualified aviation engineering staff in the New England region led to a unique industry association between TAFE NSW - New England Institute and the private sector, state and Commonwealth governments. The Australasian Pacific Aeronautical College (APAC) was established involving representations from these sectors and from organisations such as Qantas, Tamworth City Council, and the TAFE NSW - New England Institute. This unique venture provides an umbrella structure to facilitate and support accredited aviation training provided by TAFE NSW. Currently there are 40 trainees and apprentices enrolled and courses are delivered in block release to suit the requirements of employers and students. HSC students studying aeroskills training are also enrolled at APAC. Competence can be assessed in the workplace by industry representatives and employers have access to teaching staff. Interviews with teachers are included in the article.

This article is one of a number of articles in this issue presented in the section entitled ‘Special report: teaching in partnership with industry’. These articles are indexed from TD/NSW 72.01 to TD/NSW 72.06 and at TD/NSW 72.08 and TD/NSW 72.09. Show less

This paper is concerned with the way that equity is interpreted through vocational education and training (VET) programs. It recognises that there are some groups that have been disadvantaged in the past such as women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability, people from a Non-English Speaking Background (NESB), people living in rural and remote areas, people without adequate social, literacy and numeracy skills, unemployed people and early school leavers. The reasons for this exclusion can be specific to groups (e.g. lack of a supportive environment for women in male dominated areas), entry level training (e.g. poorly developed pathways), VET (e.g. employers preventing off-the-job skill development) and the need to include cultural sensitive mores and curricula in classes. The success of equity programs has been mixed. For example, on Australian Vocational Training System (AVTS) pilots, it was found that 'while the pilots gave formal acknowledgement of equity issues, usually in the form of targeting defined disadvantaged groups, substantive equity issues were less well addressed.' The problems that are identified are: women in 'white collar' work receive formal training while NESB women do not; difficulty in obtaining employer-supported English programs for NESB workers; and societal values that privileges male dominated employment over traditionally female work (e.g. community services and nursing). Key challenges include: moving from formal to substantive initiatives in equity; and from best practice showcases to deeper organisational cultural change. Policy issues are discussed including: a top-down nationally driven agendas that is not located in the local workplace where equity has to develop; competing interests (education groups, employer groups, public and private training provders, students and trainees, unions and pressure groups); operating within a market context; and how quality and equity issues can interact with each other. Show less

The purpose of this newsletter was to keep Western Australian Department of Employment, Vocational Education and Training (DEVET) and Western Australian Department of Training staff up to date on State and National policy directions. Show less

Two Federal Government-funded programmes aimed at helping the long-term, under-achieving unemployed are the Community Youth Support Scheme (CYSS) and the Education Programme for Unemployed Youth (EPUY). This report describes a course designed to bring together the best aspects of TAFE and CYSS to run a joint EPUY course, which would increase the range of options available to the young unemployed.

Excerpt from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This study explains the origins of federal investment in human capital [in the US] between 1900 and the end of World War II. It traces the formation of public policies, initiated largely by the private sector - elements of business, organized labor, public intellectuals, and professional educators - that led to federal manpower training and workforce education programs over the remainder of the century. Federal funding for manpower training, however, fluctuated over time. It increased during crises, but receded during times of prosperity, when the private sector and individuals made the largest investments in human capital.

While human capital development encompasses most forms of vocational education, commercial education, technical training, apprentice training, and trade school instruction, [the author] includes here on-the-job training, adult education, correspondence instruction, business schools, and training in the workplace. The latter methods of instruction occur outside of formal schools, what the economist of education August Bolino referred to as 'nonformal education'. The emphasis here is on non-agricultural, blue-collar and white-collar occupations, skilled and semi-skilled work.

Public education and workforce training have assumed different functions over time: they served to improve the quality or character of individuals, educate Americans and immigrants for citizenship, or prepare workers for the labor market. New interest groups - labor organizations, women, African Americans, and professional educators, for example - emerged early in the century. The study also charts the collaboration between state and federal governments, the emergence of a national labor market, and structural changes in the national economy. In the final analysis, as technologies and labor market demands continue to change in the 21st century, workforce education and training will remain a central component of national economic life.

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Education supports young people to realise their potential by providing the knowledge and skills they need to participate in the economy and in society, and by contributing to their wellbeing. The National School Reform Agreement (NSRA) is a joint agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories to lift student outcomes across Australian schools. The objective of the NSRA is that Australian schooling provides a high quality and equitable education for all students. The NSRA sets out long-term national outcomes for school education in Australia and national targets and sub-outcomes to track progress. To achieve these outcomes, the NSRA sets out three reform directions which are supported by eight national policy initiatives as well as bilateral agreements specific to each state and territory. The Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia, including the schedule of key performance measures, provides the basis for Australian education ministers to report to the community on the performance of schooling, in accordance with the Education Goals for Young Australians as expressed in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.50].

This review of the Agreement will examine how well national policy initiatives by the Australian, State and Territory Governments have achieved the objectives and outcomes set out in the Agreement. In undertaking the review, the Productivity Commission will assess: the appropriateness of the National Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia in measuring progress towards achieving the outcomes of the NSRA; and the effectiveness and appropriateness of the National Policy Initiatives outlined in Part 3 of the NSRA, recognising that national reform takes time to implement and mature, and for the effects of nationally coordinated reform efforts to materialise. In the context of the National Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia, consideration should be given to current and planned measures and data projects, and their application, utility and relevance to NSRA outcomes. The Productivity Commission released this paper to assist individuals and organisations to prepare submissions. It contains and outlines: (1) the scope of the review; (2) the Commission's procedures; (3) matters about which the Commission is seeking comment and information; and (4) how to make a submission.

Edited excerpts from publication and publisher's website. Show less

Nearly 30 per cent of adults in the United States have a criminal record, and research has determined that nearly two-thirds of inmates return to prison within three years of their release. This report looks at adults with criminal records as an underserved population who might benefit greatly from educational services, which have been shown to increase employability and lower the risk of returning to incarceration. The report examines barriers these individuals face in continuing their education, including federal and state restrictions on financial aid, and the role of re-entry programs in helping former inmates transition into society and lead stable lives.

Published abstract. Show less

Education supports young people to realise their potential by providing the knowledge and skills they need to participate in the economy and in society, and by contributing to their wellbeing. The National School Reform Agreement (NSRA) is a joint agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories to lift student outcomes across Australian schools. The objective of the NSRA is that Australian schooling provides a high quality and equitable education for all students. The NSRA sets out long-term national outcomes for school education in Australia and national targets and sub-outcomes to track progress. To achieve these outcomes, the NSRA sets out three reform directions which are supported by eight national policy initiatives as well as bilateral agreements specific to each state and territory. The Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia, including the schedule of key performance measures, provides the basis for Australian education ministers to report to the community on the performance of schooling, in accordance with the Education Goals for Young Australians as expressed in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 95.50].

This review of the Agreement will examine how well national policy initiatives by the Australian, State and Territory Governments have achieved the objectives and outcomes set out in the Agreement. In undertaking the review, the Productivity Commission will assess: the appropriateness of the National Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia in measuring progress towards achieving the outcomes of the NSRA; and the effectiveness and appropriateness of the National Policy Initiatives outlined in Part 3 of the NSRA, recognising that national reform takes time to implement and mature, and for the effects of nationally coordinated reform efforts to materialise. In the context of the National Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia, consideration should be given to current and planned measures and data projects, and their application, utility and relevance to NSRA outcomes.

This is an interim report prepared for further public consultation and input. The Commission will finalise its report after these processes have taken place.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

The work quality of public servants directly affects a country's administrative performance, and the Taiwan government has recently invested a considerable amount of funds in constructing e-government learning platforms and developing digital courses to provide all public servants with sufficient on-the-job training and enhance the quality of human resources. Therefore, the circumstances under which public servants use e-government learning platforms warrant investigation. In this study, questionnaires were used to collect data for quantitative research, and a theoretical model was created to clarify the impact of 'barrier factors' and 'policy factors' on e-government learning. These factors have been examined inadequately in previous research on the theory of e-learning behaviour. The results presented here show that barrier factors and policy factors strongly influence the willingness of public servants to use e-learning systems, and these factors explain more than 80 per cent of the variance in users' behavioural intention. These results revealed the characteristics of the research participants, and the findings can be used as a reference in future studies and by management agencies responsible for providing e-government learning. Furthermore, these results might facilitate further research on and the practice of adult e-learning.

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