Analyzes factors associated with entry to skilled trades through the Australian apprenticeship system. Data were collected from nearly 2,500 17-year-old males. Results indicate that young males whose fathers were tradesmen are more likely to participate in apprenticeship training. Other findings are reported and discussed. (JN)

An Australian university honors course in political science used an apprenticeship model to develop student appreciation of and skills in the process of research, in preparation for research careers. In the pilot course, students conducted a survey on corruption. Challenges encountered and lessons learned in implementing the course are discussed.…

Interviews and focus groups with 32 apprentices, 21 employers, and 6 teachers in Australia's construction industry showed that on-the-job learning was perceived as more real and focused on "how"; off-the-job learning was less pressured, broader, more theoretical, and concerns with "why." The different contributions each made to…

Vocational educators (n=12) in an Australian boys' school's apprenticeship program viewed vocational education pragmatically and were concerned that their courses and students were perceived as inferior. They predominantly used a project-oriented approach and a facilitative teaching style. (SK)

This report compares the provision of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom. It finds that training policies are increasingly based on similar general principles which promote the improvement and reform of vocational education and training, although the implementation of these principles tends to…

A study investigated the self-perceived, on-the-job literacy tasks of electrical mechanic apprentices in Victoria, Australia. A random sample of 401 apprentices from 19 locations representing all levels of apprenticeship training were questioned about their reading needs and the consequences of making a reading error in their work. Data were…

A study of Australian journalists was conducted to test three hypotheses: (1) there is little agreement over the "ideal" means of training or educating journalists, (2) Australian journalism is dominated by white, Anglo-Saxon males who increasingly represent upper-middle class backgrounds, and (3) job satisfaction decreases as formal…

Information from the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) indicates that training within New Apprenticeships is more flexible than traditional apprenticeships and traineeships. The ability of employers and employees to select a training provider of their choice, providing that it is registered in their state or territory, is known as…

As engineering technician training developed in New South Wales in the 1950s-1960s, technical educators were marginalized by power struggles over apprentice recruitment and the complications of industrial legislation. However, educators and professional associations took a leadership role in the development of technician training in the metal…

Records from the quarterly collection of data on Australia's apprentices and trainees were matched with the annual data from vocational education and training providers (VET). The results provide information on the courses and modules undertaken as part of off-the-job training of apprentices and trainees who had a contract of training with an…

An overview of Australian apprentices and trainees in 1997 includes the following information about their characteristics: (1) 1.4 percent of the Australian population were involved in an apprenticeship or traineeship, with participation among males (2.2 percent) much higher than among females (0.6 percent); (2) participation was highest in the…

To assess the extent to which the results of implementation studies relating to elementary and secondary schools were generalizable to vocational education contexts, a study of two specific curriculum innovations in vocational education was undertaken in Western Australia. It was designed to yield information about the context of curriculum…

This document provides a variety of material on the Australian training systems. Section 1 summarizes apprenticeship and traineeship training and administration in Australia and provides a broad overview of the responsibilities and roles of industry, government, and trade unions. It also outlines the financial support provided by the state and…

Describes the Australian Traineeship System (ATS), a program integrating formal education and employment designed to increase options for dropouts. Discusses problems involving the centrality of ATS's educational component and implementation of a program evaluation strategy. Includes two references. (MLH)

A study provided information about trends in Australian apprenticeships and traineeships from 1995-98. The number of vocational education and training (VET) commencements grew strongly from 64,470 to 133,750; the number in training grew from 144,990 to 206,370; and the number of completions grew from 31,560 to 52,070. Although the proportion of…