Workforce-Ready: Challenges and Opportunities for VET. 'No Frills' Discussion Paper

"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.