October 2016

Australia’s innovation performance lags other developed economies. Doing better on innovation means getting smarter about VET. Australia does have a problem with innovation. Not a big problem, but a niggling under-performance. And the link with VET is clear – VET grows the skills base that adapts and applies innovation in practical, day-to-day circumstances. The innovation […]

Federation University TAFE’s Clare Rasmussen explored European professional development systems. She brought back some ideas Australia’s VET system could consider. Earlier this year Claire Rasmussen, Director of VET Practice at Federation University TAFE, completed a Fellowship through the International Specialised Skills Institute (ISSI) which took her to Switzerland and the UK. Concerned by the lack

New Zealand is posing new ideas for tertiary education. It’s seeking an innovative balance student interests, provider innovation, economic demands and social needs. Last November, the NZ Government tossed and interesting brief to the NZ Productivity Commission – investigate how trends in technology, internationalisation, population, tuition costs and demand for skills may drive changes in

The VDC was proud to recently host Mr Jimmy Pham, the founder of the Know One Teach One (KOTO) social enterprise in Vietnam. Jimmy came to Australia via an international fellowship funded by the International Specialised Skills Institute, which was coordinated by the VDC. As well as visiting Crown College , Box Hill TAFE Lilydale

The Commonwealth Department of Employment released the Employment projections report 2016 (11 pages). The Report takes us through to 2020projects most new jobs created between now and 2020 will require tertiary qualifications. Of the one million new jobs projected, almost half will require certificate or diploma level qualifications.   It’s expected that in the five

On 5 October 2016, Minister Simon Birmingham announced the new VET Student Loan Program including the capping of VET student loan amounts. Subject to the passage of legislation, the highly publicised VET Student Loans program will commence on 1 January 2017, replacing the current VET FEE‑HELP scheme, which will cease on 31 December 2016. In September 2016,  Mitchell Institute Victoria University, Melbourne proposed

Compared to other nations, a high proportion of young Australians combine work and study. It’s a combination that seems to have advantages for most students. In the VET sector we know the benefits of integrating work and formal learning. Apprenticeships are built around this notion and traineeships have followed suit. But what about those courses

Given the ongoing focus and importance of Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) in Vocational Education, I thought it would be useful to highlight a free resource that is readily available. Ideas That Work was funded through the Commonwealth’s now defunct Workplace English Language and Literacy Program to develop a number of LLN resources. Even though