Search Results | VOCEDplus, the international tertiary education and research database

Developing global, virtual teamwork skills for VET graduate employability

An increase in the exchange of knowledge, trade and capital around the world, driven by technological innovation ha ... Show more
An increase in the exchange of knowledge, trade and capital around the world, driven by technological innovation has created a globally connected world. Rapid advances in information communication technology has reshaped the style and frequency of global communications and led to an increase in work being conducted online using global, virtual teams. This is driving a need for students, the future work force, to have high level intercultural communication skills and digital literacy to manage working across computers, cultures and time. As it is incumbent on tertiary education to prepare graduates for employability, business and government are putting pressure on tertiary institutions to design authentic learning opportunities that build skills to manage the technology and intercultural communication required to work in this globally and digitally connected world.
The Fellow responded to this new skill demand by investigating international educational approaches to developing graduates' global skills in order to inform a pedagogical approach for training Australian vocational education students in this field. This addressed core policy priorities of the Department of Education and Training which included developing quality education and training systems for [vocational education and training] VET, delivering innovative and quality training that meets current and future industry needs and developing greater employment and further educational outcomes.
The Fellowship research began at the end of 2016 with the Fellow attending two international conferences in the Netherlands; Beezr: Virtual Collaboration across Cultures and COIL: Collaborative Online International Learning Europe, to learn from educators actively conducting global, virtual student collaborations. The Fellow interviewed key speakers at the conferences and gained valuable insights from the presentations into the challenges and benefits of various methodologies for educating teachers and students on how to work with the complexities of different cultures in multiple time zones using new digital technologies. The Fellow also visited tertiary institutions in Belgium to interview practitioners working on strategies for expanding global collaborations. In order to gain understanding of business practices in preparing employees for global virtual teamwork, the Fellow undertook training in business methodologies for identifying and developing intercultural competency in employees to prepare them for working with other cultures.
This report captures the key learnings from the international discoveries and recommends actions for tertiary institutions, government and industry for developing intercultural competency and digital literacy to prepare vocational education graduates for employability in the highly digitised and culturally connected 21st century.
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Authors: Parrott, Sally

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Australia; Oceania; Belgium ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship report

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Technology; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
Aiming for the best possible result

When members of AUSTAFE, the Australian professional association for managers in vocational education and training ... Show more
When members of AUSTAFE, the Australian professional association for managers in vocational education and training (VET), visited the United Kingdom, they were interested in the development of National Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) and to learn about best practice and understand similarities and differences. CoVEs are tasked to provide for the development of the skills and careers of those already in work as well as to enhance the employability of those entering the labour market. The aim is to secure enhanced vocational learning opportunities in post-16 learning with an emphasis on post-19 provision, to upskill the workforce and develop work-based learning and to increase proactive employer/college engagement for the development of innovation. Show less

Authors: Rothery, Ian

Date: 2004

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Europe; Australia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Article

Journal title: Training agenda

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Innovation; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
Young VET learners with disabilities: acquiring 'learning skills' for life and work

Young people are being prepared for employment through VET [vocational education and training] studies both at scho ... Show more
Young people are being prepared for employment through VET [vocational education and training] studies both at school and in TAFE. Students with disabilities are actively encouraged to access VET studies delivered by either provider. Within VET, the 'employability' skills are recognised to be of increasing significance, particularly by employers. 'Learning' is identified as one of these generic skills - that is, students need to acquire the skills for learning, particularly for work. Lifelong learning skills are recognised as essential in preparation for a vocation, and should be addressed within VET in Schools modules. This paper reports on a 5-week overseas study tour to investigate various approaches to developing the 'learning skills' component of generic (employability) skills in young VET students - especially those who have a disability. People who are specialists in equity, integration, diversity, vocational learning in schools/polytechnics/institutes, lifelong learning and generic skills - including students - were interviewed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and France. The findings of this study, and the resultant recommendations to the NSW Department of Education and Training, will be discussed.
Published abstract.
Available papers from the 8th Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference, 'Emerging futures: recent, responsive and relevant research', are indexed from TD/TNC 81.564 to TD/TNC 81.610. Show less

Authors: Boote, Jeanne

Conference name: Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association Conference

Date: 2005

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Europe; Australia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Conference paper

Subjects: Youth; Disability; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
Skills deficiencies in the Australian plumbing industry: green plumbing practices and grey water recycling

One way of reducing natural resource consumption is to install new technology into buildings and homes (e.g. geothe ... Show more
One way of reducing natural resource consumption is to install new technology into buildings and homes (e.g. geothermal heating systems, biomass boiler heating systems and grey water recycling). As this technology is still in its infancy in Australia, there are a limited number of tradespeople who are sufficiently skilled to provide advice and services. There is, therefore, a need to increase and improve education in the use of renewable energy, and to develop training programs that incorporate sustainable trade practices. The overseas component of the Overseas Applied Research Fellowship Program, in Ireland and England, allowed for investigation into the use of renewable energy heating systems and grey water recycling technology in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, where there have been rapid advancements in 'green' plumbing practices.
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Authors: Darcy, Tony

Date: 2011

Geographic subjects: Great Britain; Europe; Ireland ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Skills and knowledge; Research; Industry ... [+] Show more
Incorporating BIM into the vocational education curriculum

The aim of this fellowship was to investigate best practice for incorporating BIM into the vocational education cur ... Show more
The aim of this fellowship was to investigate best practice for incorporating BIM into the vocational education curriculum. Given that BIM has not been integrated into the local industries, it was necessary to also investigate how BIM is used as part of industry practice. Specific fellowship objectives included: Obtaining up to date information about how BIM has been adopted into the VET curriculum in Hong Kong, China and the UK; Determining what specific skills are required for to effectively introduce BIM into the local curriculum and how these skills can be translated to the Australian Building and Construction Industry; Using the gained knowledge and skills to make recommendations for appropriate up skilling in Australian Vocational Educational programs.
To achieve these objectives, teaching practices in Hong Kong, China and the UK were observed. Visiting educational institutions allowed the attending Fellow to review different curriculums and teaching practices, inspect the teaching and learning facilities and observe the resources that students are provided with. This gave the Fellows an understanding of how BIM is incorporated into learning programs. Visiting international educational institutions was necessary, because this type of information is lacking in the current Australian training context. In addition, industry engagement was also sought in the UK and a conference on BIM was attended in Spain. Engagement with industry practices allowed the Fellows to gain first-hand knowledge of how BIM has become standard workplace practice. These international visits took place in May 2017.
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Authors: Tinetti, Melissa; Demathieu, Thierry

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain; England ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship report

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Industry; Teaching and learning
The Park Family Fellowship to study school-to-work apprenticeship pathways in the European salmon aquaculture industry

Project description: To investigate structured pathways from secondary school to employment in the salmon aquacultu ... Show more
Project description: To investigate structured pathways from secondary school to employment in the salmon aquaculture industry in Norway and Scotland with specific focus on vocational education apprenticeships involving formal partnerships between industry and education providers. I explored the 2+2 model of apprenticeship pathways in Norway which begin in VGS or upper-secondary school and continue in industry, together with the 4 year TAF model which additionally provides for a tertiary education pathway. In Scotland I explored the connections between secondary school National Progression Award programs in Aquaculture and Modern Apprenticeships in industry including partnerships between colleges and employers. I also explored the developing Foundation Apprenticeships model which is being implemented in the senior years of secondary schooling.
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Authors: Harrison, Steve

Date: 2016

Geographic subjects: Norway; Scotland; Great Britain ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Secondary education; Providers of education and training ... [+] Show more
Social enterprise: a pathway to work for people disengaged and marginalised from the workforce

Social enterprises deliver significant benefits for disadvantaged or marginalised segments of society that need ass ... Show more
Social enterprises deliver significant benefits for disadvantaged or marginalised segments of society that need assistance to transform their social or economic prospects. For individuals they provide meaningful work and skills development and provide a pathway into mainstream employment. In this way they also reduce unemployment in a region and contribute to increased connections and community vitality. From a broader perspective, social enterprises have the potential to grow established businesses and drive inclusive economic growth. The purpose of this Fellowship was to research successful social enterprise programs across the world and identify supports and enablers required to attain similar positive outcomes in the Fellows' community, and apply these learnings to expand the Centre for Participation's social enterprise program, boost engagement and employment, and reinvigorate the Wimmera Southern Mallee.
Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Authors: Millar, Robbie

Date: 2022

Geographic subjects: Great Britain; Europe; Ethiopia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship report

Subjects: Disadvantaged; Employment; Participation ... [+] Show more
All the talk is about technology, but what about the people?: how do we train our workforce to deal with increasing complexity?

Investment in technology in agriculture has driven enormous productivity gains throughout history, with the pace of ... Show more
Investment in technology in agriculture has driven enormous productivity gains throughout history, with the pace of gain increasing exponentially in the 20th century through mechanisation. A major part of these gains has been the reduction in the number of people required to operate modern farms, which in turn has reduced the proportion of the population in first world countries living in rural areas. Agricultural employers around the first world are now facing serious challenges in attracting people back to these areas to work.
Agricultural technology (agtech) is often seen as a potential solution to some of the labour challenges in agriculture, however this is not entirely accurate. Technology is great at taking over the simple repetitive tasks but often fails at the complex, and by introducing more technology, agricultural businesses can often become more complicated. People looking for permanent jobs in agriculture are more likely to have no tertiary education and lack the skills to operate complex equipment. A comment often repeated overseas was that 'it's difficult to get skilled staff', as opposed to staff. Technology is just a tool, and the return on investment (ROI) into it is entirely dependent on the capacity to operate those tools.
While recruiting skilled staff may be ideal for many farming businesses, there are a limited number of quality people actively looking for jobs. There is a competitive advantage for businesses that can actively train people well, and to do this well there has to be capacity to teach within the business. While it is possible to outsource some aspects, most vocational training systems in Australia - and other western countries - rely on the workplace for the majority of the teaching.
Taking on unskilled trainees does not have to be complicated. It can be as simple as identifying the key attributes required for someone to get to the point where they can work independently for some of the time and then teach those skills. That in turn becomes the foundation for teaching further skills. Along with developing the capacity to teach unskilled employees, increasing the scale of the business if the opportunity presents itself has a major benefit in terms of both improving workforce and applying technology. With greater scale brings greater job specialisation, ability to spread the cost of technology further and reduce the teaching load on any one person.
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Authors: Downie, Charles

Date: 2023

Geographic subjects: Australia; New Zealand; Oceania ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Technology; Skills and knowledge; Workforce development ... [+] Show more
Improving plumbing training in Australia considering the implications on global health

Plumbers have always had the responsibility of considering public health in their everyday work practices. With gro ... Show more
Plumbers have always had the responsibility of considering public health in their everyday work practices. With growth in population, the world becoming smaller through easier access to travel, and living in a multicultural world there is a growing need to understand more about managing water safety and security, safe sanitary practices and the prevention of disease spreading through our communities. Today's plumber has to understand the importance of their role in the community. Plumbing training has to stay connected to the global health issues and understand that their practices may affect our community and in turn may affect another community. Plumbing training has to include a high level practical skill, problem solving and critical understanding. Through this Fellowship opportunity, the Fellow investigated the possibility of redesigning plumbing training into an inclusive collaborative training model that will incite learning and increase the plumber's capacity to learn. Traditional plumbing training is extremely skills focussed. With new technologies becoming a major influence in plumbing design there is an even greater need to reconfigure and enhance plumbing training.
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Authors: Funston, Robert

Date: 2016

Geographic subjects: Victoria; Oceania; Australia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship report

Subjects: Skills and knowledge; Governance; Teaching and learning ... [+] Show more
Social and emotional learning for VET (in the Australian context)

The importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) in vocational education is based on the idea that teaching st ... Show more
The importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) in vocational education is based on the idea that teaching students to learn and practice social skills will help them in challenging work environments and other areas of their lives. This report investigates the nature of SEL, outlining its research approach, methods used, research findings, and potential application to apprenticeship training both now and in the future. It investigates best practices in SEL in various settings to learn how they can be applied to vocational education and training (VET) programmes in Australia. Based on the research, several main responses are recommended.
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Authors: Pagnoccolo, Joe

Date: 2023

Geographic subjects: Australia; Oceania; Italy ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship report

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Providers of education and training; Teaching and learning ... [+] Show more