Workplace Development

The Journal of Vocational Education has issued a call for a special edition that explores the social role of colleges in international perspectives. The role of universities and schools has been well theorised, but less so the role of colleges. When they are theorised at all, they are often cast in residual terms, as doing […]

Regular readers will know we have written a lot about micro credentials over the last several years. This article is an attempt at some consolidation, plus offering some new insights.  There is a growing focus of policy and revised practices in relation to these shorter-form ‘qualifications’ and will be interesting to see how they are

There is an image of an echidna on the cover of the interim report. This, they say, is “to signify that there are ‘spikey’ ideas in the report.”   It also notes that:  “Australia’s skills needs are growing and changing fast, with industry needs evolving and requiring skills and knowledge that cross the boundaries of our

Each year NCVER releases a discussion paper in advance of its No Frills conference which was held recently. This year, it has focused on the issues related to “meeting current skill needs and preparing the workforce for ongoing change” coupled with the resilience VET needs “to absorb disturbance and reorganise during change” while still remaining

In a recent report from the National Skills Commission, it is forecast that there will be a shortfall of about 100,000 care workers across the aged, disability and mental health care sectors by 2027-28, with the gap widening to 212,000 by 2050. This represents a significant challenge to develop the skills required to meet current

The NSW Government has announced a comprehensive review of the vocational education system to restore TAFE to the heart of it. Dr Michele Bruniges, the former head of the Commonwealth Department of Education, will lead a three-member expert panel that will undertake it. The other members of the panel are Professor Verity Firth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of

June 30 saw federal and state/territory skills ministers meet to consider where VET is going nationally. The communique issued after the meeting highlights a range of issues, including the architecture of the new 5-year national skills agreement. Other issues considered qualification and quality reforms, including “the ongoing development of nationally networked TAFE Centres of Excellence.”

This 2022 submission by Colleges and Institutes Canada to Natural Resources Canada recognizes the role of education as an instrument to help that country succeed in moving towards a net zero and ‘green’ economy. The paper suggests that “Canada’s colleges and institutes believe that win-win solutions for this transition are not only possible but are