Outcomes for vocational education and training diploma and associate diploma students

This study examines outcomes for graduates and module completers who studied in associate diploma, diploma and advanced diploma courses, using data from the 1999 Student Outcomes Survey (SOS), together with a series of focus groups convened in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. For convenience, these courses are generally all referred to as diplomas in this report. One aim of the study is to determine whether module completers have different training needs to those graduating in these courses. The hypothesis is that if there appear to be differences between graduates and module completers, it might be possible either to redesign some courses or to develop new courses that would better meet the needs of those not completing existing courses.

The SOS is a large-scale questionnaire survey of technical and further education (TAFE) students who completed at least either a certificate course or 'modules' (subjects) from such courses. The collection of outcomes data on module completers in this survey allows, for the first time, some examination of the characteristics of students enrolling in vocational education and training (VET) courses but leaving before completion. One issue that this study aims to examine is whether there are module completers who are undertaking the course merely to complete certain modules, in the way some people undertake short training courses outside the formal VET system.

A review of the literature has found little research specifically focussed on outcomes for diploma level students, particularly those enrolling in but not completing such courses. The literature on outputs and outcomes tends to focus on the debate over how much weight should be given to economic outcomes (such as employment, earnings and skills matching labour market demand) and other educational and social outcomes.

This analysis indicates that module completers and graduates from diploma courses have similar characteristics, having similar field of study profiles and similar employment outcomes. One marked difference, however, is that module completers are twice as likely as graduates to report that they did not achieve their main reason for undertaking their study. In this regard, module completers from diploma courses are also quite different from module completers from other courses.

The main findings from the analysis of data are:

• Graduates and module completers from diploma courses are more likely to be employed than are all TAFE graduates. Overall employment outcomes were very similar, with about 78% of graduates and 77% of module completers employed when surveyed. Diploma module completers were more likely to possess a university qualification and were a little older than diploma graduates.
• Graduates and module completers from diploma courses resemble each other more than they resemble all VET graduates. Their fields of study patterns are similar and their employment outcomes, by occupation and industry, are also very similar. One exception is that module completers were less likely than diploma graduates to be employed in the Health and community services industry division.
• Module completers in diploma courses were much less likely than either module completers from all courses or diploma graduates to have achieved their main reason for undertaking study. Just under half of all module completers across all courses indicated that their study had helped them to achieve their main aim. Only about 30% of module completers from diploma courses, however, reported this outcome, whereas more than 62% of diploma graduates said that they had achieved their main aim.
• Despite this, 30% fewer than 6% of the module completer respondents said that their main reason for discontinuing was either because they had gained what they wanted from the training or that they had got the skills they needed for their job.
• While both graduates and module completers were primarily motivated to study for vocational reasons, module completers were more likely to be studying for reasons related to their current job. Graduates, however, were more likely to be job seekers (that is, either unemployed and seeking a job or employed but wanting to change their job). Module completers were, however, also more likely to be motivated to study for personal reasons.
• Module completers and graduates studied in similar fields of study. The main difference appears to be in the Health and community services field of study with fewer module completers, a finding apparently consistent with the industry of employment outcome, where graduates were relatively more likely to find employment than module completers.
• Training-related reasons account for about one-third of the main reasons for module completers not continuing to study.
• Module completers who wanted to change their career were much less successful than graduates in achieving this aim.

The analysis of data suggests that module completers from diploma courses are different from module completers in other courses in some respects, especially field of study and in achievement of main aims. They are, however, quite similar to diploma graduates in their employment outcomes, although they are more likely to be studying for reasons related to their current employment. Graduates, on the other hand, are more likely to be either wanting to get a job or to change their job.

There seems to be scope, therefore, to explore further the issue of whether some diploma courses could be presented in different modes, perhaps more explicitly designed for those currently in the workforce. These diploma courses are particularly those in which relatively large proportions of module completers were evident and appeared to enjoy positive employment outcomes. While the small sample of module completers in the 1999 SOS limits the extent to which such students can be identified, it does seem that module completers in business and administration, and perhaps several other fields, achieve good employment outcomes without achieving the complete qualification. It is suggested that further, more targeted, research should examine module completers in these fields of study.

There is also scope to investigate why such large proportions of module completers from diploma courses are not achieving their main aim in undertaking study and how these aims could be better addressed.