Effective social partnerships between all the parties (governments, employers, unions and training providers) need each partner to be highly valued \u201cand willing to take responsibility for their component.\u201d These partnerships are \u201cthe key to effective VET governance and, ultimately, improved outcomes for learners.\u201d All this requires skilful co-ordination, they suggest.<\/p>\n

One focus of relevance to VDC News readers is the role of industry in training and assessment. Here, Gitta and Michelle point to roles for governments and policy makers, employers, workers and unions and training providers.<\/p>\n

For providers, they suggest a need to invest in their vocational teaching workforce with up-to-date industry experience (and we would add teaching and assessment skills too), develop their training courses in consultation with industry and governments\/regulators and finally, use and integrate with industry partners for effective competence-based assessments.<\/p>\n

All these are worthy objectives, but maybe there are also a range of operational, bureaucratic and regulatory impediments that need to change to make these worthy aims a reality?<\/p>\n