National Centre for Vocational Education Research, 2017
The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not... more The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, or state and territory governments or NCVER. Any interpretation of data is the responsibility of the author/project team.
Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 2017
This paper highlights troubling patterns within the Australian School-based Apprenticeships and T... more This paper highlights troubling patterns within the Australian School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) by analysing statistical data of 21,000 of 15 to 19 year old apprenticeship/traineeship learners engaged in Vocational Education and Training in School (VETiS). It confirms the alignment of social groups to certain qualification fields and levels and provides a compelling picture of the learner profile of SBAT including the type of occupations and qualifications being undertaken at school level. In a complex policy environment, where VET in Schools has been assigned the important task of preparing "workforce job-ready" students (Birmingham 2015) for the "high skill and high earning roles our economy demands" (Ley 2014), we argue that the SBAT pathway is not yet adequate to meet these high expectations. It is not an effective apprenticeship pathway as it potentially 'locks-in' already disadvantaged young people to precarious pathways, and reinforces the nature of an already highly gender-segregated Australian labour market. The paper helps to focus attention on endemic weaknesses in the Australian VET system that serve to entrench disadvantage in Australian society.
This paper draws on a project commissioned by economic Security 4 Women (eS4W) and conducted by W... more This paper draws on a project commissioned by economic Security 4 Women (eS4W) and conducted by Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE). Entitled ‘Women and girls into non-traditional occupations and industries: career exploration — options for secondary school students’, this research seeks to identify new and effective approaches to encouraging and supporting young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and non-traditional occupations. The patterns of participation in STEM and trades-based fields of education and training during school mirror and reinforce the highly gender-segregated nature of the Australian labour force. The foundation for transition from education and training to employment is established during school. It is during these formative years of schooling that young men and women are made aware of what is possible for them and what is not. This paper draws on a national survey of career exploration practitioners and...
As part of the three-year research program,'Vocations: the link between post compulsory educa... more As part of the three-year research program,'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market', this working paper sets the policy context and direction of the entry to vocations research stream. After looking at the current'in-school'element of ...
It is seldom acknowledged that Australia's VET sector is now more than ever one part of a broader... more It is seldom acknowledged that Australia's VET sector is now more than ever one part of a broader safety net catering for the needs of a large number of disadvantaged Australians. Although disadvantaged students are dependent on the sector to provide the skills, qualifications, networks and psycho-social resources they need, the sector struggles to respond effectively. Poor completion rates for 'equity cohorts' give rise to real concern. In this chapter we explore the experiences of young early school leavers undertaking vocational education to illuminate broader issues of equity and access. We argue that to overcome many of the sector's shortcomings, policymakers and provider communities must first affirm equity and access as central to the sector's core business. We see little recognition of this and, as a result, poor connectivity and integration of the VET sector with other community supports. There is a relatively weak commitment to 'inclusion', and a lack of understanding of the range of support needs of disadvantaged learners at key moments in their educational journeys. Our conclusion points to changes that might enable the VET sector to better respond to the needs of early school leavers and, indeed, all disadvantaged learners.
The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not... more The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, or state and territory governments or NCVER. Any interpretation of data is the responsibility of the author/project team.
This research aims to shed light on the role of private providers in delivering training to a par... more This research aims to shed light on the role of private providers in delivering training to a particular cohort of learners, young people who have left school early. The authors surveyed 130 private 'for profit' registered training organisations (RTOs) to find out their perspectives on teaching and learning practices, engaging with early school leavers, and the educational and wellbeing support services provided to the young learners. A number of key messages emerged from the research. Young early school leaver learners face a range of barriers to participating in education and completing their qualifications. The extent and persistence of these barriers is not always evident until after enrolment. Given the often small size of private RTOs, there remain challenges as to how they can help address barriers to participation in and completion of vocational education and training (VET). The size of private RTOs is important, with private RTOs claiming their small scale appeals t...
This paper reports on a case study that tracked a group of beginning teachers who were undertakin... more This paper reports on a case study that tracked a group of beginning teachers who were undertaking an employment-based model of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This ITE program combined academic study for a Masters-level degree with part-time employment in secondary schools. The beginning teachers were concurrently engaged in face-to-face and blended learning, with substantial professional in-school experience (0.8). The focus of the study was an investigation of the development of clinical judgement and how these beginning teachers articulate the knowledge, skills and attributes required for their professional decision-making with a model of clinical teaching. Drawing on data collected using open-text questionnaires at two-time points, findings of the study indicate a strong acknowledgement of the centrality of a student centred focus by the beginning teachers. Participants' responses indicated awareness of the importance of using data to identify learning need/s and for planning pedagogic interventions. However, there was comparatively limited evidence of beginning teachers generating data on or reflecting on the implications of their pedagogical choices to inform adjustments for future interventions. This highlights the importance of providing beginning teachers with ongoing support to build their clinical judgement and refine its application in clinical teaching.
A significant body of research documents the negative consequences of dropping out of school for ... more A significant body of research documents the negative consequences of dropping out of school for both the individual and society. In attempting to respond to the problem of early school leaving, schools and systems internationally have put in place a range of system-level and local responses such as mentoring, targeted additional career guidance and homework clubs. Unfortunately, these ‘add-ons’ often stop outside the classroom door, and do not consider the impact of teaching practices on students’ engagement in school and their decisions to remain or leave. This article reports on the development of instruments aimed at measuring four constructs that have been shown to be related to student engagement and school completion, namely competence, autonomy, relatedness and an appreciation of subject relevance. Analyses of data from a small sample of Year 9 students ( N = 48) in two Australian secondary schools indicated that, with some adjustments, the research instruments developed pro...
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the issues affecting successful employm... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the issues affecting successful employment outcomes for young women in male-dominated careers, focusing on those generally accessed via a traditional Australian apprenticeship model. Current patterns of participation in trades-based fields of education and training reinforce the highly gender segregated nature of the Australian Labour Force. Women are particularly under-represented in the large industries of construction, mining and utilities, where female employees account for only around 12, 15 and 23 per cent of employees, respectively, an issue of concern both in terms of increased economic participation of women and girls, and gender equality more broadly. The foundations for transition from education and training to employment are established during school. It is during these formative years that young men and women have notions of what is possible for them, and what is not possible, reinforced. Unfortunately, gendered ...
... John Polesel Richard Teese Stephen Lamb Sue Helme Tanya Nicholas Kira Clarke CENTRE FOR POSTC... more ... John Polesel Richard Teese Stephen Lamb Sue Helme Tanya Nicholas Kira Clarke CENTRE FOR POSTCOMPULSORY EDUCATION & LIFELONG LEARNING ... Author: John Polesel; Richard Teese; Stephen Lamb; Sue Helme; Tanya Nicholas; Kira Clarke ...
This paper describes Forst's approach to university entrance examinations at NTCIR-11 QA-Lab Task... more This paper describes Forst's approach to university entrance examinations at NTCIR-11 QA-Lab Task. Our system consists of two types of modules: dedicated modules for each question format and common modules called by the dedicated modules as necessary. Our system uses Basic Element in order to more exactly grasp and reflect the import of questions. We also tackled short-essay questions in the secondary examinations.
How VET in Schools can be strengthened to provide stronger links to post-school pathways is explo... more How VET in Schools can be strengthened to provide stronger links to post-school pathways is explored in this report. Integrating vocational learning into the general disciplinary curriculum or having a school-based vocational program separate from the Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications were identified as possible ways to strengthen VET in Schools. The author also proposes a 'programmatic' approach to VET in Schools, whereby study is focused on a specific industry rather than an occupation. This work is part of the three-year research program Vocations: the link between post-compulsory education and the labour market.
Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) is playing an increasing role in the senior ... more Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) is playing an increasing role in the senior secondary education of Australian young people. Now more than ever before, large numbers of students in their final years of schooling are using and relying on VETiS programs to not only facilitate their school completion but also to enhance their successful transition to jobs and further study. As users of VETiS, they have expectations that the vocational skills and qualifications they attain will be building blocks for direct entry to sustainable employment and further and higher level study. With increasing numbers of young people selecting a VETiS pathway, the question must be asked, to what extent can current models of provision build effective foundations for access to the career and training futures to which VETiS students aspire. This paper draws on findings from a current three year NCVER funded study of models of VETiS to analyse the capacity of VETiS to play an effective role ...
National Centre for Vocational Education Research, 2017
The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not... more The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, or state and territory governments or NCVER. Any interpretation of data is the responsibility of the author/project team.
Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 2017
This paper highlights troubling patterns within the Australian School-based Apprenticeships and T... more This paper highlights troubling patterns within the Australian School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) by analysing statistical data of 21,000 of 15 to 19 year old apprenticeship/traineeship learners engaged in Vocational Education and Training in School (VETiS). It confirms the alignment of social groups to certain qualification fields and levels and provides a compelling picture of the learner profile of SBAT including the type of occupations and qualifications being undertaken at school level. In a complex policy environment, where VET in Schools has been assigned the important task of preparing "workforce job-ready" students (Birmingham 2015) for the "high skill and high earning roles our economy demands" (Ley 2014), we argue that the SBAT pathway is not yet adequate to meet these high expectations. It is not an effective apprenticeship pathway as it potentially 'locks-in' already disadvantaged young people to precarious pathways, and reinforces the nature of an already highly gender-segregated Australian labour market. The paper helps to focus attention on endemic weaknesses in the Australian VET system that serve to entrench disadvantage in Australian society.
This paper draws on a project commissioned by economic Security 4 Women (eS4W) and conducted by W... more This paper draws on a project commissioned by economic Security 4 Women (eS4W) and conducted by Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE). Entitled ‘Women and girls into non-traditional occupations and industries: career exploration — options for secondary school students’, this research seeks to identify new and effective approaches to encouraging and supporting young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and non-traditional occupations. The patterns of participation in STEM and trades-based fields of education and training during school mirror and reinforce the highly gender-segregated nature of the Australian labour force. The foundation for transition from education and training to employment is established during school. It is during these formative years of schooling that young men and women are made aware of what is possible for them and what is not. This paper draws on a national survey of career exploration practitioners and...
As part of the three-year research program,'Vocations: the link between post compulsory educa... more As part of the three-year research program,'Vocations: the link between post compulsory education and the labour market', this working paper sets the policy context and direction of the entry to vocations research stream. After looking at the current'in-school'element of ...
It is seldom acknowledged that Australia's VET sector is now more than ever one part of a broader... more It is seldom acknowledged that Australia's VET sector is now more than ever one part of a broader safety net catering for the needs of a large number of disadvantaged Australians. Although disadvantaged students are dependent on the sector to provide the skills, qualifications, networks and psycho-social resources they need, the sector struggles to respond effectively. Poor completion rates for 'equity cohorts' give rise to real concern. In this chapter we explore the experiences of young early school leavers undertaking vocational education to illuminate broader issues of equity and access. We argue that to overcome many of the sector's shortcomings, policymakers and provider communities must first affirm equity and access as central to the sector's core business. We see little recognition of this and, as a result, poor connectivity and integration of the VET sector with other community supports. There is a relatively weak commitment to 'inclusion', and a lack of understanding of the range of support needs of disadvantaged learners at key moments in their educational journeys. Our conclusion points to changes that might enable the VET sector to better respond to the needs of early school leavers and, indeed, all disadvantaged learners.
The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not... more The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author/project team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, or state and territory governments or NCVER. Any interpretation of data is the responsibility of the author/project team.
This research aims to shed light on the role of private providers in delivering training to a par... more This research aims to shed light on the role of private providers in delivering training to a particular cohort of learners, young people who have left school early. The authors surveyed 130 private 'for profit' registered training organisations (RTOs) to find out their perspectives on teaching and learning practices, engaging with early school leavers, and the educational and wellbeing support services provided to the young learners. A number of key messages emerged from the research. Young early school leaver learners face a range of barriers to participating in education and completing their qualifications. The extent and persistence of these barriers is not always evident until after enrolment. Given the often small size of private RTOs, there remain challenges as to how they can help address barriers to participation in and completion of vocational education and training (VET). The size of private RTOs is important, with private RTOs claiming their small scale appeals t...
This paper reports on a case study that tracked a group of beginning teachers who were undertakin... more This paper reports on a case study that tracked a group of beginning teachers who were undertaking an employment-based model of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This ITE program combined academic study for a Masters-level degree with part-time employment in secondary schools. The beginning teachers were concurrently engaged in face-to-face and blended learning, with substantial professional in-school experience (0.8). The focus of the study was an investigation of the development of clinical judgement and how these beginning teachers articulate the knowledge, skills and attributes required for their professional decision-making with a model of clinical teaching. Drawing on data collected using open-text questionnaires at two-time points, findings of the study indicate a strong acknowledgement of the centrality of a student centred focus by the beginning teachers. Participants' responses indicated awareness of the importance of using data to identify learning need/s and for planning pedagogic interventions. However, there was comparatively limited evidence of beginning teachers generating data on or reflecting on the implications of their pedagogical choices to inform adjustments for future interventions. This highlights the importance of providing beginning teachers with ongoing support to build their clinical judgement and refine its application in clinical teaching.
A significant body of research documents the negative consequences of dropping out of school for ... more A significant body of research documents the negative consequences of dropping out of school for both the individual and society. In attempting to respond to the problem of early school leaving, schools and systems internationally have put in place a range of system-level and local responses such as mentoring, targeted additional career guidance and homework clubs. Unfortunately, these ‘add-ons’ often stop outside the classroom door, and do not consider the impact of teaching practices on students’ engagement in school and their decisions to remain or leave. This article reports on the development of instruments aimed at measuring four constructs that have been shown to be related to student engagement and school completion, namely competence, autonomy, relatedness and an appreciation of subject relevance. Analyses of data from a small sample of Year 9 students ( N = 48) in two Australian secondary schools indicated that, with some adjustments, the research instruments developed pro...
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the issues affecting successful employm... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the issues affecting successful employment outcomes for young women in male-dominated careers, focusing on those generally accessed via a traditional Australian apprenticeship model. Current patterns of participation in trades-based fields of education and training reinforce the highly gender segregated nature of the Australian Labour Force. Women are particularly under-represented in the large industries of construction, mining and utilities, where female employees account for only around 12, 15 and 23 per cent of employees, respectively, an issue of concern both in terms of increased economic participation of women and girls, and gender equality more broadly. The foundations for transition from education and training to employment are established during school. It is during these formative years that young men and women have notions of what is possible for them, and what is not possible, reinforced. Unfortunately, gendered ...
... John Polesel Richard Teese Stephen Lamb Sue Helme Tanya Nicholas Kira Clarke CENTRE FOR POSTC... more ... John Polesel Richard Teese Stephen Lamb Sue Helme Tanya Nicholas Kira Clarke CENTRE FOR POSTCOMPULSORY EDUCATION & LIFELONG LEARNING ... Author: John Polesel; Richard Teese; Stephen Lamb; Sue Helme; Tanya Nicholas; Kira Clarke ...
This paper describes Forst's approach to university entrance examinations at NTCIR-11 QA-Lab Task... more This paper describes Forst's approach to university entrance examinations at NTCIR-11 QA-Lab Task. Our system consists of two types of modules: dedicated modules for each question format and common modules called by the dedicated modules as necessary. Our system uses Basic Element in order to more exactly grasp and reflect the import of questions. We also tackled short-essay questions in the secondary examinations.
How VET in Schools can be strengthened to provide stronger links to post-school pathways is explo... more How VET in Schools can be strengthened to provide stronger links to post-school pathways is explored in this report. Integrating vocational learning into the general disciplinary curriculum or having a school-based vocational program separate from the Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications were identified as possible ways to strengthen VET in Schools. The author also proposes a 'programmatic' approach to VET in Schools, whereby study is focused on a specific industry rather than an occupation. This work is part of the three-year research program Vocations: the link between post-compulsory education and the labour market.
Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) is playing an increasing role in the senior ... more Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) is playing an increasing role in the senior secondary education of Australian young people. Now more than ever before, large numbers of students in their final years of schooling are using and relying on VETiS programs to not only facilitate their school completion but also to enhance their successful transition to jobs and further study. As users of VETiS, they have expectations that the vocational skills and qualifications they attain will be building blocks for direct entry to sustainable employment and further and higher level study. With increasing numbers of young people selecting a VETiS pathway, the question must be asked, to what extent can current models of provision build effective foundations for access to the career and training futures to which VETiS students aspire. This paper draws on findings from a current three year NCVER funded study of models of VETiS to analyse the capacity of VETiS to play an effective role ...
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