admin

Voices across the VET sector call for more purposeful policy approaches to tertiary education as a whole Our last newsletter reviewed an article by Peter Noonan which presses the case for fixing Australia’s tertiary education funding model so that the complementary strengths of VET and higher education are valued and preserved. (See, Is Australia’s VET […]

Numbers to get you thinking Good data makes for good planning, and helps to test the viability of ideas. Given the lock step relationship between VET and industry, knowing where employment markets are heading helps identify the needs and opportunities ahead. There are many sources of useful data, such as the Regional Australia Institute’s Human

Our near neighbours are setting the pace on innovation in VET Once upon a time, Australia’s VET system was regarded by many nations as world leader. As The Mitchell Institute’s Peter Noonan pointed out in a recent article, ‘Australia was seen as a leader and innovator, in raising the status of and participation in VET

An Australian Parliament Committee recognises VET as a key innovation player VET is an innovation driver for Australia, and that’s as true in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and maths) as it is in disability care and horticulture. An article in the last VDC newsletter quoted a 2015 report from the Office of the Chief

Ten strategies VET teachers can adapt for their learning environments A recent VDC newsletter article, ‘A toolkit of teaching strategies that power up learning’ (23 May), introduced the Evidence for Learning Toolkit published by Social Ventures Australia. This article introduces another valuable resource on teaching practice recently published by the Victorian Department of Education and

Thirteen passionate teachers working in Victoria’s training sector will boost their skills and improve their career opportunities thanks to the Victorian Government. Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney today announced the successful applicants for the 2017 Skills First Academic Grants, which are open to teachers working in the Victorian Government-funded training system. The successful

Our education system tends to organise around technical skills – but soft skills deserve equal weight. The school curriculum is divided into subject streams like mathematics and history. VET teaching teams and departments deliver domain specific skills like technical drawing or hairdressing or accounting. Training packages are designed with technical skills front and centre. Higher

The focus on STEM studies tends to link schools and universities – if anything, the VET link is stronger. Australia needs to increase the proportion of secondary students who pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through to Year 12 and beyond. The Office of the Chief Scientist believed if industry and schools worked more

The Commonwealth’s 2017 Budget announced the establishment of the Skilling Australians Fund – a $1.5 billion allocation through to 2020-21 that will require matching funding from the states and territories. The Fund prioritises apprenticeships, traineeships, pre-apprenticeships, higher level apprenticeships, occupations in high demand, and areas with growth potential. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research