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The COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe challenges to health systems and economies around the world. While Australia has fared better than many countries in limiting collective and individual hardship, the impact of personal losses and lockdowns, along with a drastically changed global environment, has had a toll on young Australians especially. As with all economic downturns, young people have been particularly exposed to unemployment, lost earnings and reduced opportunities for education and social wellbeing. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this report examines the lived experiences of Australians aged about 20 years in 2020, during the peak and aftermath of the second wave of infections. Notwithstanding the variations between states and territories, which are likely to be obscured by reporting on Australia-wide trends, the LSAY data for 2020 are well positioned to capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian youth (also noting that, at the time of writing, the pandemic is ongoing and additional waves of infections occurred in Australia during 2021 and 2022). This report summarises the key events, relevant policy announcements and the extant literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people in Australia. The various sub-sections have been organised according to the topic areas covered by the LSAY questionnaire, the data for which are explored in the sections that follow.

'Transforming the future' can have different connotations in different contexts, but here the author focuses on the way in which the vocational education and training (VET) sector is adapting, anticipating and activating change in response to future skill demands. This discussion paper explores how the sector assists learners to skill, upskill and reskill, which in turn actively contributes to the Australian economy. Without a doubt, the past few years have been both difficult and unpredictable for many, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters such as bushfires and floods. This paper therefore also considers how the VET system has been able to adapt to these unforeseen events and what can be learnt from these responses and adapted for the future.

This publication provides a summary of data relating to students, programs, subjects and training providers in Australia's government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system, defined as all Commonwealth and state/territory government-funded training delivered by technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, other government providers (such as universities), private providers and community education providers. [For the 2019 report, see ED600838.]

This paper is the first publication from a project focused on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia -- what we understand these to be and how they might be measured. Based on a review of the literature, this paper explores current definitions of quality in VET, the factors that impact on the quality of delivery and the various measures used to make judgements about it.

This support document contains a literature review for the project entitled: "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce. Research Report" (ED616445). The aim of the overall research project is to identify strategies to improve employer uptake of nationally recognised training in the current environment. This requires deepening the understanding of employer thinking and approaches to workforce training in general and in relation to nationally recognised training in particular. There is a significant body of literature on employers and workforce training. This literature review points to factors that affect employer training choices for their workforce as background to identifying strategies for improving employer engagement in nationally recognised training to develop their workforce. It suggests that an ongoing adaptation of the national vocational education and training (VET) system is required to meet the continuing needs of Australia's workforce. [For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Peak Body Interviews - Support Document 2," see ED616447. For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Employer Interviews - Support Document 3," see ED616448.]

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce. Research Report" (ED616445) and is an added resource for further information. This support document reports on the outcomes of 35 interviews with employers in five industry sectors with relatively low engagement with the national vocational education and training (VET) system in 2019. These five sectors are: Agriculture, Retail, Transport, Warehousing and Information Media and Telecommunications (NCVER 2019). The full set of questions that guided the discussions with employers is provided in the appendix. The questions were informed by learnings from phases 1 and 2 of the project involving a literature review and interviews with VET stakeholder peak bodies. [For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Literature Review - Support Document 1," see ED616446. For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Peak Body Interviews - Support Document 2," see ED616447.]

Australia's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic depends on the ability of employers to fill the skills shortages resulting from lower migration and upturns in economic prosperity associated with ongoing technological change. The national vocational education and training (VET) system is best placed to support employers to meet these skill needs. However, data from the Survey of Employers' Use and Views of the VET System show that, prior to the onset of the pandemic, employers' engagement with the VET system had trended downward over the previous 14 years up until 2019. This research examined the factors in the current VET environment that influence employers' decisions when choosing training options, in particular, nationally recognised training. The research is based on interviews with a range of peak stakeholder bodies in late 2020 and early 2021 and of employers between March and June 2021. The research was supported by a review of the most relevant national and international literature. According to the peak bodies and employers interviewed, the development of more skill sets is linked to the need to reduce the number of existing training packages. Also acknowledged is the reality that many employers have a limited understanding of nationally recognised training, underlining the requirement for improved messaging as a starting point for better engagement. [Additional information relating to this research is available in: "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Literature Review - Support Document 1" (ED616446); "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Peak Body Interviews - Support Document 2" (ED616447); and "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Employer Interviews - Support Document 3" (ED616448).]

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce. Research Report" (ED616445) and is an added resource for further information. This support document reports on the outcomes of the interviews with representatives of the peak stakeholder bodies. The peak stakeholder bodies included: (1) employer networks and advisory bodies (six bodies); (2) government industry training and skills bodies (six bodies); and (3) vocational education and training (VET) training provider peak bodies (three bodies). The perspectives of senior representatives of these key peak stakeholder groups are considered as they may affect employer views and practices in training their workforce, while offering a strategic overview of the motivations and trends behind employer engagement in training, including nationally recognised and other types of training. [For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Literature Review - Support Document 1," see ED616446. For "Engaging More Employers in Nationally Recognised Training to Develop Their Workforce: Employer Interviews - Support Document 3," see ED616448.]

This report provides a summary of the outcomes and satisfaction of students who completed nationally recognised vocational education and training (VET) delivered by registered training organisations (RTOs) in Australia during 2020 using data collected between June and August 2021. The figures are derived from the National Student Outcomes Survey, which is an annual survey of VET students. Historically the National Student Outcomes Survey included graduates (students who completed a qualification) and subject completers (students who completed at least one subject and left the VET system without obtaining a qualification). To better reflect the training undertaken in the VET system, the survey has been segmented by training type, consistent with the Total VET students and courses publication.

This report is the support document accompanying "An analysis of 'micro-credentials' in VET," which examines subject-bundle enrolments in Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system in 2019. This support document is a technical discussion of how the raw data were extracted and transformed for analytical purposes and it provides the key descriptive statistics identified. [For the full research report, see ED612978.]

In recent years, there has been substantial interest in micro-credentials in post-secondary education. In November 2019, Australian skills ministers agreed to fast-track work exploring micro-credentials in the national vocational education and training (VET) system, with the aim of ensuring that the system responds more effectively to the needs of students and employers. Nevertheless, a surprising amount of other, shorter, non-qualification training occurs in the VET sector, officially known as enrolments in subjects not part of a nationally recognised program (course). This report refers to them as 'subject bundles'. This is construed in this paper as a student enrolling in a 'bundle' of subjects at a single registered training organisation (RTO), termed here 'RTO-student pairs'. This report contributes to the information already available on the largest segment of the VET sector, by analysing these subject bundles and their salient features. The author found that engagement in subject bundles was found to be typically short, with bundles of three subjects or fewer accounting for 89.5% of RTO-student pairs. Furthermore, engagement was focused on a small number of bundles (with 601 of around 50 000 bundles accounting for 90% of the RTO-student pairs) and with a relatively small number of RTOs (with 456 RTOs registering 90% of student activity). [For the technical support document, see ED612979.]

The COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertain economic conditions due to restrictions put in place to control the spread of the virus. These restrictions have significantly impacted the economic activities of businesses and industries, and in turn the demand for labour. As the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia continues, it is important for the vocational education and training (VET) sector to understand how VET students who have recently completed their training are faring in terms of their outcomes. This includes which industries, occupations, demographic groups and regions have been and might continue to be affected by the economic circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the National Student Outcomes Survey, this report examines how domestic students who finished a VET qualification in 2019 fared in terms of their employment outcomes at the end of May 2020; amid the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. To enable comparisons with previous years, results are presented for students aged 18 years or over at the last Friday in May of the survey year. An overview of the survey is provided in appendix A. Tables summarising the impacts of the pandemic on other student groups are provided in appendix B.

This project is focused on the second element noted by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) to streamline the national vocational education and training (VET) system so that it can better respond to the needs of industry -- faster development of qualifications. It looks at the vocational qualification development processes in different countries to see how they compare with Australia in terms of timeframe, the stakeholders or bodies involved, and qualification design. The information contained in the case studies is based on desktop-based research examining the qualification development process in several countries including: Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The level of publicly available detail on processes varies for each country. The desktop-based research has been supplemented by contacting individuals within relevant agencies overseas but, overall, this approach had limited success. The key findings from this research are presented in this report, followed by a discussion of the similarities and differences between the development process in Australia and the comparison countries. Detailed information on each country is then presented thereafter. This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Vocational Qualification Development: Lessons from Overseas" (ED612841) and is an added resource for further information.

Streamlining the vocational qualification development process in Australia is a current priority of the skills ministers of both the Australian Government and state and territory governments. This research summary explores the development processes associated with vocational qualifications in selected countries and compares them with the current process in Australia, with the aim of identifying any areas where efficiencies can be made. The international processes examined apply to Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Detailed information for each of these countries can be found in the support document: "International Models to Streamline VET Qualifications: Case Studies. Support Document" (ED612861).

Australia entered the COVID-19 pandemic with a youth (15 to 24-year-old) unemployment rate of 11.6% in December 2019, three times higher than the 25 to 64-year-old unemployment rate of 3.6%. The strategies taken by governments to minimise the spread of COVID-19 have had widespread economic impacts. By July 2020, youth unemployment had risen to 15.8%. Youth underemployment rose by 11.1% between December 2019 and May 2020. By examining responses to past economic downturns and recessions, both in Australia and internationally, this paper discusses the role of vocational education and training (VET) in mitigating the effects of economic downturns on young people and assisting them to move into employment. Vocational pathways in school, quality career guidance and work-based training are found to be critical to youth employability, especially for disadvantaged young people. VET qualifications with a work-based training component have been shown to protect youth from the scarring effects of unemployment but can be more effective when their training is linked to lasting employment, with the opportunity to progress.

Australia's system of vocational education and training (VET) is based on the principle of partnerships between key stakeholders: governments (Commonwealth, state and territory), training providers, employers and employees. Industry representation and governance in the VET sector in Australia has undergone several transformations in the past, and continues to do so, reflecting changes in the economy but also the continuing challenges in embedding an industry presence in VET leadership and governance. This summary brings together findings from, primarily, international country comparisons on industry's role in VET over the last decade, identifying the key characteristics of industry's successful engagement in VET governance. Although some work referenced may appear outdated, governance structures have not substantially changed in the countries investigated. At the time of writing this summary, the COVID-19 pandemic was causing disruption to all sectors of society, including education and training, paradoxically providing a further opportunity for new perspectives on industry representation, leadership and governance in the VET sector.

This publication presents information on how different equity groups fare in their VET journey. The featured equity groups have historically been disadvantaged in accessing and benefitting from education in Australia. The focus is on their participation, achievement in and outcomes from VET. Data on the following equity groups are presented: (1) People with disability; (2) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; (3) Non-English speaking background; (4) Low socioeconomic status; (5) Remote; and (6) Not employed.

The past informs the future. It achieves this in two ways: first, by providing the context in which decisions are made, and, second, by delivering the various experiences that enable discovery of what does and does not work. As the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system has evolved, the institutional structures and frameworks that are now in place may determine the direction of its next turn, while the willingness to learn from past experiences will dictate whether it will turn at all. 'The past informing the future' is the theme for the 2021 'No Frills' Conference -- a conference to be held online, because if anything has been learned from 2020, it is that the freedom to travel is no longer guaranteed. This 'No Frills' discussion paper reflects on some key developments in VET's past and how they have shaped the sector's approach to enduring issues such as VET's purpose, national harmonisation, and quality.

There is renewed interest in better aligning vocational education and training (VET) and higher education (HE) to enable students to move between, and draw from, both sectors. This is not a new concept, with a long history of policies, research projects and reports examining and promoting pathways between the two sectors. Loosely integrated qualifications, whereby pathways might be endorsed but where no credit is specified or arranged, are numerous. In these examples, the possibility of following a pathway (usually from VET to HE) exists, but responsibility falls on the student to navigate it. This project is focused on more highly integrated VET and HE qualifications, those that can be described as 'consecutive', 'concurrent' or 'embedded'. These integrated models are designed to provide clear linkages and pathways between VET and HE qualifications, enabling better student engagement with both. Through the examination of existing examples of these more highly integrated qualifications, this project explored the characteristics of such arrangements, determining whether and how they might be implemented more broadly. [For the support document, see ED616033.]

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "The Best of Both Worlds? Integrating VET and Higher Education" and is an added resource for further information. This support document includes two sections: (1) Tables and Figures; and (2) Literature Review. [For the full report, see ED616032.]

This research summary provides an overview of aspects of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia. More particularly, it provides an overview of some of the more enduring issues, or what could be considered the 'pain points' associated with apprenticeships and traineeships. These include issues around congestion, harmonisation, apprenticeship and traineeship completions, incentive payments and other supports to employers and apprentices or trainees, the interface between apprentices/trainees and training providers, and the relevance of the current model of apprenticeship training. Also included is an overview of apprenticeship and traineeship activity over the last 20 years. The discussion in this paper is limited to post-school apprenticeships and traineeships that involve a contract of training. It largely excludes discussion of school-based apprenticeships or traineeships or those falling outside the contract of training model (for example, higher apprenticeships at university).

There is general consensus that vocational education and training (VET) faces a number of workforce problems, including the ageing of VET teachers, the high level of casualisation, the need to increase the capacity of trainers, and the maintenance of industry currency. These issues, along with the need for the VET sector to respond to critical national workforce development requirements, have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry experts, who are highly knowledgeable and experienced in their sector, are an underutilised resource as VET practitioners. Their knowledge and experience can provide rich information on up-to-date workplace skill needs, thus adding value and quality to the VET sector. The continuing debate associated with the minimum qualifications for VET practitioners and flexibility in entry points to the VET profession indicates that further input into innovative and practical solutions is required. Through interviews and surveys with registered training organisations (RTOs) and VET practitioners, this report explores approaches to attracting industry experts to become and remain VET practitioners. Drawing on findings from the research, the authors provide strategies for consideration by government, industry, regulators, RTOs and VET practitioners that can help the journey from industry expert to VET practitioner be more rewarding and productive. [For the supporting literature review "Attracting Industry Experts to Become VET Practitioners: Literature Review -- Support Document," see ED615948.]

There is a lack of distinction and definition around how the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia might effectively recruit and retain suitably qualified teachers, trainers and assessors. The logic is clear: in order to enable and develop an immediate pool of competent and qualified workers for new and developing industries, as well as develop the skills and knowledge of workers in the stalwarts of Australian industry, such as the mining, building, finance and service industries, particular talented individuals are required. This is a requirement for a dynamic training environment that is also impacted by, for example, the internet of things, the diversity of learners and the consequences of an aging population. In order to make sense of the VET landscape and the demand for VET practitioners, the following literature review firstly provides a snapshot of the current state of the VET workforce and the changing industry climate in Australia. It then considers some of the factors that appear to be barriers or 'stumbling blocks' to recruiting teachers and trainers into vocational education and training. This is followed by examination of some of the incentives that have been adopted in other countries in an effort to boost their VET workforces, and exploration of other strategies that might help to increase the number of educators and to retain their services. [For the research report "Attracting Industry Experts to Become VET Practitioners: A Journey, Not a Destination. Research Report," see ED615947.]

This publication presents information on employers' use and views of the vocational education and training (VET) system. The findings relate to the various ways in which Australian employers use accredited and unaccredited training to meet their skill needs and their satisfaction with the training. Australian employers can engage with accredited training in three main ways, by: (1) having jobs that require vocational qualifications; (2) having apprentices and trainees; and (3) using nationally recognised training, other than through apprenticeships and traineeships.

Extensive evidence demonstrates a trend of positive outcomes related to learning in the workplace. Despite this, no examination of the outcomes has been undertaken using the available Australian vocational education and training (VET) data. This publication uses VET administrative data to examine trends in the delivery of workplace-based training, including where entire programs are delivered in this way. Additionally, data from the National Student Outcomes Survey are used to model the effect on employment and achievement outcomes of a student receiving workplace-based delivery. As previous work has extensively examined the role of workplace learning in apprenticeships and traineeships, this publication does not include these students. The relationship between mode of delivery and factors such as the field of education studied complicates efforts to understand the effects of workplace-based delivery. As a likely consequence of this, the analysis of the impact of workplace-based delivery using administrative data did not identify a material impact on student outcomes. A more conclusive understanding of the extent of the impact exerted by workplace-based delivery on student outcomes may only be possible through a randomised trial, whereby the only difference in the program is the presence of workplace-based delivery.

Efforts to contain COVID-19 through lockdowns and social distancing prompted swift changes to the delivery of vocational education and training (VET), with questions subsequently arising about the impact of this rapid transition on students and trainers/assessors. This report, the first of two reports for this project, explores the VET sector's response to COVID-19 through the increasing use of online training and assessment. The overall objective of this two-report study is to investigate the immediate response to COVID-19 by examining the transition from a face-to-face learning environment to online training and assessment. The study also aims to understand how registered training organisations (RTOs) navigated the changes necessitated by the pandemic. The two data sources informing this report are total VET activity (TVA) data for 2019 and 2020 and high-level findings from an online survey of RTOs, administered in collaboration with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). The intention of this report is to provide an initial indication of how the VET sector responded to COVID-19.

Employment-based training (EBT) is training for paid employees which is integrated within a work setting, related to their role, and provided or supported by employers. It can be nationally recognised or non-nationally recognised. It can be structured, or unstructured. For many employers, the crucial aspect of EBT is whether the training helps with productivity and profitability. This review, which is supplemented by insights from interviews with employers in the healthcare and social assistance, construction, and information technology industries, explores alternative approaches to EBT; for example, cadetships and internships, higher apprenticeships, and on-the-job structured training such as mentoring. While these approaches are not necessarily new, their application often has implications for vocational education and training (VET) content and delivery. The interest in these forms of EBT are attributable to their fit-for-purpose designs. This review complements recent National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) work "Work-Based Education in VET" (ED609681), which explored the benefits and challenges of including a work component in VET programs (excluding apprenticeships and traineeships), and a forthcoming report, which focuses on whether programs containing workplace-based delivery led to better outcomes for students, compared with those programs without the workplace-based component.

This research examines the merits of vocational education and training (VET) for secondary school students (VfSSS) in preparing students for work or further training from the perspectives of students, parents, industry stakeholders and employers. It also explores the models of provision used in government and non-government school sectors. Case studies of a sample of government and nongovernment schools that have been successful in state, territory and or national training award competitions, or nominated as having successful programs, provide useful learnings for the VET sector. The study also extends previously published analysis (Misko, Chew & Korbel 2020) to examine the differences in employment and training outcomes between students undertaking VfSSS compared with other student cohorts, including students who attained an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and those who did not, using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY).

The ageing labour force, and concerns with productivity and social inclusion have driven foundation skills policy development in Australia and internationally (SCOTESE 2012; Newton 2016). However, little existing literature focusses on the relationships between foundation skills, community education providers and regional location. Thus, this review addresses the main national policy and funding arrangements affecting general foundation skills provision and productivity in regional areas as a context for the operation of community education providers in regional areas. Varying international definitions of 'foundation skills' and little research into foundation skills policy and its implementation makes foundation skills policy development challenging. Australia is the only country to use the term 'foundation skills' in policy documents and to explicitly include employability skills in the definition (Newton 2016, p.20) but most research has focussed on LLN skills. This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Provision of Foundation Skills Training by Community Education Providers in Regional Australia" (ED610608) and is an added resource for further information.

Recent vocational education and training (VET) reforms in many countries have focused on reducing the number of VET qualifications available and restructuring qualifications so that they better meet the needs of working life. This literature review provides examples of how VET qualifications have been rationalised in various countries and briefly explores the impact on qualification development. [For the research summary "Rationalising VET Qualifications: Selected International Approaches," see ED608323.]

Reducing the number of vocational qualifications available is a current or recent priority area of many VET [vocational education and training] systems internationally, but what is the best way to achieve this and is there anything that needs to be considered? Focusing on cases studies on New Zealand, England, Finland and the Netherlands, this research summary explores approaches taken to rationalise VET qualifications, such as occupational clustering, and how they might be applied in the Australian context. [For the supporting document "International Models to Rationalise VET Qualifications, Including Occupational Clusters: Case Studies -- Support Document," see ED608326.]

The apprenticeship model of work-based training is often held up as an effective mechanism for enabling individuals to learn specific skills and subsequently transition to employment in a skilled occupation. Over time, technological, regulatory and social changes have affected the training of apprentices. It is in this context that the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) undertook a three-phase study to investigate the demand for traditional trade apprentices and determine whether the training they receive meets current needs. This final component of the project draws primarily on findings from the 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations Survey to examine the experiences of the traditional trade apprentices themselves. It looks at the experiences of the traditional trade apprentice and in doing so focuses primarily on findings from the 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations Survey, with data from the 2010 survey included, where relevant, to examine changes over time. The survey allows the authors to investigate the experiences and outcomes of apprentices who did and those who did not complete their traditional trade apprenticeship. [For "Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations - 2008, 2010 and 2019. Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics," see ED606121.]

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) are a series of nationally representative surveys of young people, which follow their transitions from compulsory schooling to postschool education and into employment. The survey program is administered by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment. This publication presents research highlights from the past 25 years of the LSAY program, with a focus on schooling, vocational education and training (VET) in schools programs, the influences of socioeconomic status and demographics on later opportunities, and pathways taken from school into further education and the workforce. In late 2018, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) identified the previous research that best demonstrated the broad coverage of the LSAY data. The authors of those studies were invited to submit summaries for inclusion in this publication. A total of 14 submissions have been organised into the following six sections: (1) Research using LSAY: Reflections from Tom Karmel; (2) Socioeconomic status and family background; (3) VET in schools; (4) School experiences, maths, and expectations of enrolling in university; (5) Employment and post-school outcomes; and (6) An overview of school-to-work transitions. [The following authors summarized their research into chapters for this publication: Alison Anlezark, Jenny Chesters, Emerick Chew, Grant Cooper, David D. Curtis, Tom Karmel, Helen Law, Jung-Sook Lee, Philip Parker, Francisco Perales, Cain Polidano, Rasika Ranasinghe, Joanna Sikora, John Stanwick, Domenico Tabasso, Wojtek Tomaszewski, and Ning Xiang.]

The aim of the vocational education and training (VET) for Secondary School Students program, formerly referred to as VET in Schools program, is potentially to give students an advantage by providing access to training that combines classroom-based learning with experience in actual or simulated workplaces. Importantly, the program also enables them to complete their secondary school studies. The benefits of the VET for Secondary School Students program (hereinafter referred to as VfSSS) can be assessed by the extent to which it prepares students for employment and further training -- a measure favoured by industry and to some degree by government -- and the extent to which it fulfills the objectives that schools have for their students in relation to this program. These include developing awareness of career options and gaining the skills and knowledge necessary for navigating their life and work journeys. On occasions these two purposes for VfSSS conflict. The research presented in this report looks at school students who undertook a VfSSS program in 2011 and investigates whether they are in work and/or further studies four to five years later (2016), as well as exploratory analysis of data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY 2009 commencing cohort) to enable comparisons between VfSSS and non-VfSSS students. The authors look specifically at the employment and further training or education destinations and outcomes of students participating in these programs, including the type and level of training they undertake and the relevance of their VfSSS courses to the type of jobs they were employed in four to five years after leaving school.

To better understand the return on investment (ROI) from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) requires an overarching view. Hence, this Guide presents an analytic framework that summarizes some of the main elements and issues that need to be considered in measuring ROI. This includes establishing the scope, context and purpose for measuring ROI, adopting guiding principles, identifying costs, benefits and factors that impact on ROI, and approaches to data collection and analysis. The Guide then introduces a framework that looks at the ROI equation from a range of perspectives -- including economic and social dimensions -- and for different stakeholders, including individuals, businesses and societies. The Guide presents relevant ROI indicators and measures drawn from the existing international research. Finally, it provides guidelines to planning and collecting ROI data, along with a set of practical pro forma resources and case studies to assist the reader. The primary aims of this Guide are: (1) to identify the main issues and key elements to measure the ROI; (2) to present a framework that encompasses different stakeholder groups and identifies key ROI indicators; and (3) to provide fundamental guidelines and tools for ROI planning and data collection.

A companion to "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Training Activity, Employer Incentives and International Practice," this report collates qualitative material from in-depth interviews and focus groups with employers, trainers, apprentices and relevant government officials describing what is effective, what is not, and what needs improvement in apprenticeship training. The research finds that the current combination of off- and on-the-job training is, on the whole, working effectively and should continue to play a key role in apprenticeship training for the traditional trades. Both forms of training are required if apprentices are to develop the technical skills, underpinning knowledge, attributes and behaviours required for their trades. Nevertheless, research identified a number of challenges in ensuring that this combination continues to operate well. Recommendations for improvement were offered, of which many were similar or the same, while other issues were less common, although all aimed at ensuring that the system works effectively and efficiently for all involved. [For "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Training Activity, Employer Incentives and International Practice. Research Report," see ED604022. Funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.]

This report is the first component of a larger study investigating training practices relating to traditional trade apprenticeships, with a view to developing policy directions on how to maintain their relevance and usefulness. This first phase of the study explores data on trends in training activity and completions, provides details on the application of incentives, and highlights international apprenticeship models and practice, as identified in the relevant literature. An examination of government incentives for employers of apprentices in the traditional trades indicates that despite the numerous changes to the overall apprenticeship incentives scheme they have remained relatively stable. This is primarily because the traditional trades are aligned to the skill shortages identified in the National Skills Needs List. However, the value of the base incentives for the traditional trades has, in real terms, declined since 2012. Research identified some important lessons that Australia could glean from the dual systems of apprenticeship operating in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Austria. These lessons include the need for: better synchronisation of knowledge acquisition and skills development in off-the-job and on-the-job training venues; higher levels of prescription and expectations about the nature and level of the qualifications required of teachers and trainers; regular monitoring of the market for apprenticeship training positions; and industry involvement in practical assessments. [For "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Learnings from the Field. Research Report," see ED604023. Funding was provided through the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.]

The inclusion of work as a distinct component of an education program is a key element of a successful vocational education and training (VET) system. This summary explores available literature with the aim of identifying the benefits and challenges associated with work-based education experiences. It also presents a range of best practices for the provision of work-based education. The benefits of work-based education for students include smoother transitions into ongoing employment and the development of broad occupational skills. Employers benefit from productivity gains through 'work-ready' recruits, having current employees upskilled in the workplace, and the more effective transfer of skills learned in the classroom to work tasks. The challenges of work-based education for employers relate to costs and resourcing. For training providers, on the other hand, resourcing and coordination of placements are areas identified as problematic. Students are constrained by motivation and access to work-based education opportunities.

This report provides a summary of the outcomes of international students who completed their vocational education and training (VET) qualification in Australia in 2018. These students were surveyed as an additional component to the 2019 National Student Outcomes Survey. Highlights include: Reason for training - 70.0 per cent of international onshore VET graduates undertook training for employment-related reasons, 24.9 per cent for personal reasons and 5.1 per cent for further study reasons; and 88.8 per cent fully or partly achieved their main reason for training, up 0.9 percentage points from 2018; Employment and further study outcomes - 57.6 per cent of international onshore VET graduates improved their employment status after training; and 51.3 per cent were enrolled in further study after training in Australia, up 12.5 percentage points from 2018; Satisfaction with training - 84.4 per cent of international onshore VET graduates were satisfied with the overall quality of the training, similar to 2018; 86.9 per cent would recommend the training, similar to 2018; and 83.2 per cent would recommend their training provider, down 1.6 percentage points from 2018. [For the 2018 report, see ED594824.]

"Workforce-Ready: Challenges and Opportunities for VET" is the theme for the 29th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference 'No Frills' from July 7-10, 2020. The phrase 'workforce-ready' might bring several different scenarios to mind. It may conjure an image of graduates making their first foray into the world of work. Or perhaps it evokes a sense of preparing for future jobs, the details of which are not yet clear. It might also elicit thoughts of people needing to upskill, perhaps to re-enter the labour market after an absence, or in response to some change in their organisation or with their job. It could also mean something as simple as getting the necessary accreditation to work in a particular industry. The vocational education and training (VET) system plays a large role in meeting all these needs. A large focus for the VET sector is on providing individuals with the skills they need to get a job or change jobs. This function of the VET sector is clearly reflected in the National Student Outcomes Survey, which shows that two commonly reported reasons why graduates undertook their training was to get a job (30.7% in 2019), or to try for a different career (11%; NCVER 2019a). This role is particularly pertinent in the current environment of substantial job losses due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Treasury expects the unemployment rate to rise to 10% in the June quarter, up from 5.1% (Frydenberg 2020). Young people are likely to be particularly affected, being overrepresented in the jobs hardest hit by the pandemic, for example, hospitality, retail, the arts, and sports and recreation. Many will explore training as a pathway to re-enter the labour market. This No Frills discussion paper considers the balance between ensuring that people have the skills they need to work now and equipping them with the knowledge and/or skills that will enable them to adapt to the changes they will inevitably see in their working lives.

This publication summarises the outcomes of apprentices and trainees who completed (completers) or cancelled or withdrew (non-completers) from an apprenticeship or traineeship. The figures are derived from the 2008, 2010 and 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destination Surveys. Information is presented on apprentices' and trainees' reasons for training, their employment outcomes, reasons for non-completion, further study outcomes and satisfaction with the apprenticeship or traineeship.

This report explores, from a variety of perspectives, the volume and nature of recognition of prior learning (RPL) currently granted in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system. Of particular interest are the areas where most RPL is taking place, including the qualifications being completed with high rates of RPL. The report also includes an analysis of the factors that most affect the likelihood of RPL being granted to a student. Over the last four years, the rate of RPL being granted has fallen. During this time, the completion of subjects through RPL has only represented a small proportion of all successful results. Some general trends are identified in the areas where the rate of RPL granted is higher. In 2018, a higher proportion of successfully completed subjects with an RPL result (7%) was found in training package qualifications, compared with less than 1% for any other program type. Significant differences in the granting of RPL among the Australian states and territories are evident. Between 2015 and 2018 the trends in granting RPL also differed between the states and territories, with some rising or falling, while others remained stable. The student perspective on the granting of RPL is also examined in the report. Overall, the student analysis found that no single element of a student's background or characteristics was a strong determinant in the granting of RPL. The overall analysis demonstrated that no single element stood out as a predictor of RPL being granted, with the results confirming that the granting of RPL relies on a complex interplay of factors. While some factors might be more likely to predict an RPL outcome than others, no one single factor can be relied upon to explain RPL outcomes.

This report examines whether a distinction can be made in Australian VET between initial vocational education and training (IVET) and continuing vocational education and training (CVET), as applies in a number of other countries. Assisting students to more effectively identify and undertake courses that will optimise their outcomes from VET is the major rationale for this investigation. The other objective of this research is to enhance our understanding of VET, enabling useful input into future policy development and implementation. This report covers the following: (1) a brief overview of key aspects of IVET and CVET internationally (with a focus on Europe) and commentary on the Australian context; (2) an outline of the context of the Australian VET system and the features pertinent to the IVET/CVET distinction; and (3) a summary of expert views in relation to six questions on the distinction between IVET and CVET.

A comprehensive picture of the overall vocational education and training (VET) market combined with an updated profile of the VET workforce is essential to informing policy development and workforce planning to ensure the sector has the capacity to meet the skill development needs of industry in a rapidly changing economy. This report presents estimates of the size and nature of the Australian VET workforce as of February 2019. Using data collected between March and May 2019 through the 2019 National VET Workforce Survey, the report provides an estimate of the number of individuals working in registered training organisations (RTOs), with a particular focus on the qualifications held by trainers and assessors. Information is also presented for volunteers, who play an important role in some RTOs.

This publication presents information on employers' use and views of the vocational education and training (VET) system. The findings relate to the various ways in which Australian employers use the VET system to meet their skill needs and their satisfaction with the training. Australian employers can engage with the VET system in three main ways, by: (1) having jobs that require vocational qualifications; (2) having apprentices and trainees; and (3) using nationally recognised training. Also presented in this publication is information on employers' use and satisfaction with unaccredited training, and recruitment difficulties experienced in the last 12 months. The figures in this publication are derived from the Survey of Employers' Use and Views of the VET System. A total of 7007 interviews were conducted with Australian employers between February and June 2019 and the results relate to employers' training experiences in the 12 months preceding their interview. Note for the purposes of this publication, nationally recognised training excludes training that was part of an apprenticeship or traineeship as employers' use and views of apprentices and trainees is reported separately. All organisations in Australia with at least one employee are in scope of the survey. For this survey, an employee is defined as 'a person working in, or operating from, this organisation, including full-time, part-time and casual employees'. An owner-operator is not classed as an employee, regardless of whether or not they pay themselves a wage.