Increasing Opportunities for Apprenticeships and Traineeships in Melbourne's Western Region.

A research study was conducted to identify barriers to enrollment in and expansion of apprenticeships and traineeships in the western region of Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected through conducting six focus groups (a total of 180 tenth- and twelfth-grade students) from six schools in three Local Government Areas; surveying 400 local businesses; and interviewing key stakeholders such as group training companies, industry training boards, employers, and school career education teachers. The barriers identified included career counseling; the importance of vocational and technical education (VET) in schools; community and media perceptions quality and source of information; and organizational issues. The research resulted in recommendations--for schools, employers, and government--to provide a way for all parties to improve the quality of apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities and outcomes. Among the recommendations were these: (1) a pathways planning model should be developed; (2) a more effective media and information campaign that targets employers, including nontraditional sites for apprentices, should be developed; (3) the state government should implement the findings of the Kirby Report on postcompulsory education in Victoria. (KC)