Innovation has become an increasingly important concept for Australian businesses in enabling them to continue to compete in an international market, but where does vocational education and training (VET) sit in this? To date, VET has been largely overlooked by the National Innovation and Science Agenda as a potential contributor in this field. The research presented in this report investigates how and in what way VET can contribute to the innovation system. The answer, the authors suggest, is through VET applied research. [For related reports, "Explaining the VET Applied Research Developmental Framework," see ED576657 and "Developing VET Applied Research: Steps towards Enhancing VET's Role in the Innovation System," see ED576661.]