Studies show teaching assistants (TAs) can positively influence the learning environment by increasing student comprehension and retention and impacting students' choices of academic and career paths. However, use of TAs in higher education is not universal. Following a fruitful panel discussion at the 2017 HAPS Conference, we conducted a survey…

The recent focus on graduate employability has exposed the inadequacies of work preparation for science students, who need an employability toolkit to navigate the complex modern work landscape. We implemented a novel peer mentoring activity that focused on work-capability development for Bachelor of Science undergraduate students. The student…

The key drivers of employer investment in workforce training include improving the quality of a product or service, the adoption of new technology, and to meet legislative, regulatory or licensing requirements. Various types of training -- accredited, unaccredited, informal -- are accessed by employers to fulfil their training needs. This report…

There is general consensus that vocational education and training (VET) faces a number of workforce problems, including the ageing of VET teachers, the high level of casualisation, the need to increase the capacity of trainers, and the maintenance of industry currency. These issues, along with the need for the VET sector to respond to critical…

This project is focused on the second element noted by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) to streamline the national vocational education and training (VET) system so that it can better respond to the needs of industry -- faster development of qualifications. It looks at the vocational qualification development processes in different…

Australia entered the COVID-19 pandemic with a youth (15 to 24-year-old) unemployment rate of 11.6% in December 2019, three times higher than the 25 to 64-year-old unemployment rate of 3.6%. The strategies taken by governments to minimise the spread of COVID-19 have had widespread economic impacts. By July 2020, youth unemployment had risen to…

The introduction of strict social distancing measures and mandated lockdowns necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic created new and unprecedented challenges for the vocational education and training (VET) sector. In response, approximately three-quarters (75.2%) of registered training organisations (RTOs) surveyed in early 2021 moved training to…

This paper examines how competency progression and completion is implemented in practice in three trades. In particular, it focuses on: interactions between teachers and/or assessors and workplace supervisors; the different approaches used to integrate on- and off-the job training; assessment and signoff practices; and the ways by which workplace…

In simple terms, it's about new ideas being put into practice, and it underpins human progress, while in economic terms it can drive long-term productivity growth (Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science 2017). The opportunities underpinning the largest growth 'will come from knowledge-intensive companies that innovate and…

This publication presents estimates of apprentice and trainee activity in Australia for the March quarter 2017. The figures in this publication are derived from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection no.92 (June 2017 estimates). The most recent figures in this publication are estimated (that is, for training activity from the June quarter…

According to the 2016 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, Education at a glance, much of the learning at work takes place through employer-supported training. Both employers and employees recognise the benefits of such training because skilling the workforce can lead to better jobs, greater firm competitiveness,…

This report provides an analysis of employer-supported training in Australia. Employer-supported training is the largest share of adult education and training in all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. It has benefits for individuals, firms, and society. Cross-country studies have shown a positive association…

This joint OECD-ILO publication provides guidance on how local and regional governments can foster business-education partnerships in apprenticeship programmes and other types of work-based learning, drawing on case studies across nine countries. There has been increasing interest in apprenticeships which combine on the job training with…

The Skills for Jobs White Paper and funding and accountability consultation set out the Government's plans to introduce a greater focus on the outcomes of learning, including a new Skills Measure that looks at the employment and other outcomes that learners achieve. Will this give colleges and providers greater freedom to deliver for learners, or…

There is a lack of distinction and definition around how the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia might effectively recruit and retain suitably qualified teachers, trainers and assessors. The logic is clear: in order to enable and develop an immediate pool of competent and qualified workers for new and developing industries,…