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This study explores how industry in regional areas addresses skill needs realistically and… Show more

This study explores how industry in regional areas addresses skill needs realistically and economically. Labour shortages are far more crucial to industry than skill issues. The study found that enterprises, when they train, use in-house and private registered training organisations to supplement provision by technical and further education (TAFE) institutes. Show less

This report examines the nature and effectiveness of 'inclusiveness' strategies implemented by TAFE … Show more

This report examines the nature and effectiveness of 'inclusiveness' strategies implemented by TAFE institutes in Australia. Inclusiveness strategies address barriers to participation in vocational education and training (VET) experienced by disadvantaged people, thereby maximising the stock of skills available to industry. The research identified three approaches to inclusiveness: compliance, Show less

The participation of Australians in vocational education and training (VET) varies a great deal in… Show more

The participation of Australians in vocational education and training (VET) varies a great deal in terms of levels of training, industry fields and demographic aspects; that is, age, gender, locality and socioeconomic status. The purpose of this study was to undertake an analysis of various aspects of VET participation by age, gender, socioeconomic status and Australian Qualifications Framework Show less

The ageing of the Australian population has become an issue of national concern. How ageing impacts … Show more

The ageing of the Australian population has become an issue of national concern. How ageing impacts on the supply of vocational skills is less well known, and different age groups vary in the extent and character of vocational skills they possess. This report analyses and quantifies the compositional effects of changing demographics on both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the Show less

Vocational education and training (VET) has a role to play in sustainable regional development.… Show more

Vocational education and training (VET) has a role to play in sustainable regional development. Through five regional case studies this research examines how well VET is tailoring supply to skill needs, how VET has become more flexible to obtain a better match between demand and supply, and whether partnerships have been linked to whole-of-government frameworks in ways which support sustainable Show less

In the context of an ageing population, the opportunity for people aged 45 years and older to… Show more

In the context of an ageing population, the opportunity for people aged 45 years and older to update their work-related skills and knowledge is potentially important in enabling some of these workers to remain in, or return to, employment. This study considers the diverse nature of older workers in the labour force and their learning preferences. It suggests that some changes to skill development Show less

This report investigates the role that vocational education and training (VET) can play in the… Show more

This report investigates the role that vocational education and training (VET) can play in the transition from welfare to work. Case studies showed that VET can, and often does, help people move into paid work. However, target groups have varied needs and the study concludes that the VET sector has more to do in catering for these subgroups. Show less

Through the experiences of refugees from Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan, this research sought to explore… Show more

Through the experiences of refugees from Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan, this research sought to explore the role multicultural community organisations play in creating important informal networks and learning spaces that connect people from refugee backgrounds to the wider Australian community. In particular, the research sought to identify how such organisations assist refugees in their learning of Show less

Recent trends in the provision of vocational education and training (VET) diplomas and advanced… Show more

Recent trends in the provision of vocational education and training (VET) diplomas and advanced diplomas are outlined in this paper. The paper also looks at how people with diplomas and advanced diplomas are faring in the labour market. The picture is rather mixed, suggesting that those with diplomas and advanced diplomas fare, on average, better than those with other VET qualifications or no post Show less

This study examined the implementation of an intensive reading pedagogy, Reading-to-Learn, in adult … Show more

This study examined the implementation of an intensive reading pedagogy, Reading-to-Learn, in adult literacy classrooms. In this method, the teacher plays a crucial role in carefully selecting relevant topics, genres and texts that are slightly beyond the current reading ability of students, and in designing 'scaffolding moves' that build very deliberate preparation into every level of classroom Show less

School-based apprentices and trainees have recently been given more prominence as an element of… Show more

School-based apprentices and trainees have recently been given more prominence as an element of vocational education and training in school, partly as a response to skill shortages in a wide range of areas. The purpose of this paper is to provide data on school-based apprentices and trainees to enable a judgement to be made about how this policy push is unfolding. The number of school-based Show less

This report examines the ways in which Australian employers retain skilled staff and the ways in… Show more

This report examines the ways in which Australian employers retain skilled staff and the ways in which employers enhance their ability to use the skills of their people. The study found that while strategies such as increasing wages and family friendly policies may increase an employee's job satisfaction, the key driver in employee retention is if they feel they are learning and progressing in Show less

In this interview Steve Davis talks with researcher Andrew Smith about his report 'To have and to… Show more

In this interview Steve Davis talks with researcher Andrew Smith about his report 'To have and to hold: Retaining and utilising skilled people', which looked at the ways Australian employers retain skilled staff and enhance their ability to use the skills of their people. Show less

This literature review, undertaken for Australian Industry Group, shows how multiple variations and … Show more

This literature review, undertaken for Australian Industry Group, shows how multiple variations and combinations of formal, informal and non-formal learning, accompanied by various government incentives and organisational initiatives (including job redesign, cross-skilling, multi-skilling, diversified career pathways, action learning projects, quality assurance arrangements, job rotations and Show less

This podcast features a panel discussion recorded by the ABC at NCVER's August 2008 forum… Show more

This podcast features a panel discussion recorded by the ABC at NCVER's August 2008 forum Apprenticeships: Sustaining Australia's skills base in Melbourne. The ABC's Peter Mares chaired the session on Australia's skilling issues with panellists Neil Gow, Master Builders Australia, John Hart, Restaurant and Catering Australia, Linda Heron, Heron Human Resources and Peter Tighe, Communications, Show less

Organisational capability is recognised as a key to organisational success. The combination of… Show more

Organisational capability is recognised as a key to organisational success. The combination of human capital (peoples' skills and knowledge), social capital (relationships between people) and organisational capital (the organisation's processes), is central to building an organisation's capability. The presentation highlights the lessons learnt about building VET provider capability from an Show less

Design is an increasingly important component of our world-at-work. This project reveals the views… Show more

Design is an increasingly important component of our world-at-work. This project reveals the views of design educators working within vocational education and training (VET). Research participants called for a review of design education teaching methods in the VET context, with a particular focus on promoting innovation and creativity in diploma level programs. Show less

This research investigates cooperation amongst Australian firms with regard to training. It… Show more

This research investigates cooperation amongst Australian firms with regard to training. It identifies the characteristics of firms that cooperate, the business practices that support such cooperation, the type of training delivered jointly and the benefits that arise. Show less

Course completion and student satisfaction is likely to be influenced by how realistic the… Show more

Course completion and student satisfaction is likely to be influenced by how realistic the expectations of students are when they enrol. This report explores the idea that students' expectations would be more realistic if students have well developed career management competencies. Show less

This report is the final report - the synthesis report - from the research program, A well-skilled… Show more

This report is the final report - the synthesis report - from the research program, A well-skilled future: Tailoring VET to the emerging labour market. This overview draws together the key points identified across the research and integrates the conclusions from each of the five research themes to produce a coherent picture of the vocational education and training (VET) sector's role in Show less