Steve Davis interviews a collection of presenters from three panel discussions at the 30th National VET Research Conference 'No Frills', held on 7-9 July 2021. Topics covered in the lively discussion include future-focused education and training delivered with, and in, industry; the 'futures' of work; understanding employers' training choices; and what is a VET system fit for the future? Speakers are Professor John Buchanan, The University of Sydney; Ms Megan Lilly, Australian Industry Group; Dr Kaye Bowman, Callan Consulting Group; Mr Michael Hartman, Skills Impact; Dr Martha Kinsman, Australian National University; and Professor Stephen Billett, Griffith University.  

Vocational Voices

Past informing the future

Short-course training, often referred to as 'micro-credentials', is seen as an increasingly important form of training, particularly as governments respond to the social and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Davis talks to Bryan Palmer, Private Consultant and author of An analysis of micro-credentials in VET, and Simon Walker, Managing Director, NCVER about the different intepretations and definitions of a micro-credential, why so many students pursue enrolments in subjects not part of a nationally recognised program, and why a majority of activity in this space is privately funded. The discussion largely draws from forthcoming research An analysis of micro-credentials in VET, to be published by NCVER on 3 June 2021.

The role of micro-credentials in VET

Youth unemployment post-COVID is an all-hands-on-deck challenge. For young people who have lost work or have been looking for work, post-COVID recovery is going to be a fraught time if Australia doesn't take a well-structured pathway to recovery.  Join Steve Davis as he talks to Kira Clarke, Senior Research Fellow at the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Jo Waugh, Senior Research Officer, NCVER and Simon Walker, Managing Director, NCVER about the role the VET sector can and should play in the process. They discuss why vocational pathways in schools, work-based training, and career guidance are critical to youth employability, especially for disadvantaged people.  The discussion refers to research What VET can offer to COVID-19 youth unemployment recovery, published by NCVER on 13 May 2021.

VET's role in youth unemployment recovery

Should we be concerned about the quality of VET teaching? Recent research suggests there are key issues affecting the quality of VET teaching that need to be addressed. These include entry level requirements, limited career pathways, workforce casualisation, and lack of support for professional development. Steve Davis talks to NCVER Managing Director, Simon Walker, Educationalist and Researcher, Linda Simon and VET Development Centre CEO, Martin Powell about what helps build capability and quality in VET teaching.

Quality of VET teaching: perceptions and realities

In 2020, we invited expert vocational voices from the VET sector to share their views, stories, experiences and insights on a range of hot topics.‘Best of 2020’ is a roundup of interesting snippets and research findings from across the eight podcast episodes we released during the year. Full of short and sharp insights from each of our guest speakers, we cover off some of the best bits of Seasons 4 and 5.The transcripts and recordings of all eight podcast episodes we've drawn from can be found on the NCVER Portal.

Best of 2020: highlights from Seasons 4 & 5

Are there too many underutilised qualifications in the Australian VET system? Are some qualifications past their expiration date?  One potential method to reduce qualifications is through grouping them into clusters so individuals can train for several jobs at once. This approach also creates greater transferability of skills in the labour market.  Do we have the appetite for such transformative change? Is there a role for good quality training that may sit outside the formal national training system?Steve Davis talks to Professor John Buchanan, Business School, University of Sydney, David Morgan, CEO, Artibus Innovation and Simon Walker, Managing Director, NCVER about the notion of ‘clustering’ qualifications into vocational streams for a range of occupations and how it could be achieved. 

Rationalising VET qualifications: support for a clustered model

Young people are finding it harder and harder to get a foothold into those highly-skilled, better paying jobs that will set them up for the future.How can we increase the number of jobs available, and provide better pathways into jobs and industries that have been increasingly out of reach?Join Steve Davis as he talks to Simon Walker, NCVER Managing Director; Dr Peter Hurley, Education Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy at Victoria University; and Ian Curry, National Coordinator - Skills, Training & Apprenticeships at the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) about:The concepts of cadetships, higher apprenticeships, and work-ready skillsWhat are the merits of a national cadet program for those jobs more often associated with diploma or bachelor degree qualifications? Will it lead to better employment outcomes for young people?Do employers expect too much of new recruits in terms of skill sets?Do we focus too much on training for the skills employers want, rather than creating more broadly-skilled people?

Investing in our workforce: cadetships vs apprenticeships

Do we value tertiary and vocational education equally? Have apprenticeships lost their sense of purpose?With recent budget announcements and the need to build a skilled workforce to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing economy, apprenticeships are in the spotlight. Steve Davis talks to NCVER Managing Director, Simon Walker and Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) National Coordinator – Skills, Training & Apprenticeships, Ian Curry, about the future of traditional trades and how the perception of apprenticeships has changed over the years. Discussion focuses on regulation, flexibility, completion rates as well as the complexity around the status of VET.

Traditional trade apprenticeships: still a trusted brand?

Steve Davis interviews a collection of presenters from two panel discussions at the 29th National VET Research Conference 'No Frills', held on 7-10 July 2020.Topics covered in the lively discussion include new directions in skills planning, digital technology and the role it plays in aged and community care, insights from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), and the role of parental influence in taking on apprenticeships.Speakers are Professor John Buchanan, The University of Sydney; Ms Anne Livingstone and Dr George Margelis, Australian Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council; Mr David Redway, Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment; and Professor Erica Smith, Federation University.

Workforce ready: challenges and opportunities for VET

Digital skills are now essential for almost all occupations and workers in Australia. So how do we best incorporate them into VET courses? And how do we make sure our VET educators have the digital skills they need?Join Steve Davis as he talks to Suzi Kuti, Head of Organisation Development and Learning at Metro Trains Sydney, and NCVER researchers Michelle Circelli and Bridget Wibrow about what teaching digital skills means for VET educators. They also discuss the integration of digital skills into VET delivery and why digital skills should become a key component of foundation skills.This discussion refers to two new ‘Good Practice Guides’, which will be published by NCVER on 10 June 2020.

VET’s response to industry 4.0 and the digital economy: what works

Thirty years ago, the Australian VET system was on tenterhooks as two major reports were released into the management and costs of training for enterprises against a backdrop of award restructuring that was being championed at the time by the government. How do the projections and goals in these reports compare to the reality facing TAFE today?How has TAFE embraced fee-for-service, and are there myths and assumptions surrounding the size of the fee-for-service market and its efficacy or otherwise?Steve Davis talks to NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker, Robin Shreeve, Adjunct Professor at Federation University and President AVETRA, and Craig Robertson, CEO TAFE Directors Australia about the next evolutionary stage in fee-for-service in the VET sector.

The future role of public providers

Are skill sets likely to take on extra significance as Australia responds to the shifting workforce demands and challenges, particularly in the health sector during the COVID-19 pandemic? ?Looking ahead, can skill sets or micro-credentials play a role in getting vital competencies into the workplace so the economy can rebuild?To find out, Steve Davis talks to NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker and Director Employment, Education & Training at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jenny Lambert. They start by defining what skill sets and micro-credentials actually are and the role they currently play in the VET system. 

Skills sets: their role now and into the future

Online learning can be just as effective as face-to-face instruction if it’s done well. But what makes for good quality and good practice?While subject withdrawal rates are higher and course completion rates lower for VET courses delivered entirely online, new research has shown that the outcomes for those students who do complete online courses are similar to those of other delivery modes.Steve Davis talks to NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker and NCVER Senior Researcher Dr Tabatha Griffin about how online VET courses are being delivered, the outcomes for those who do complete them, and why students may withdraw or not complete online courses. 

Online VET: a good course of action?

Qualifications are an essential part of the VET system, and therefore a key consideration in the broader approach to VET sector reform.Join special guest Peter Noonan, Professor of Tertiary Education at Victoria University and Expert Panel Chair of the recent AQF Review, as he talks with Steve Davis and Simon Walker, Managing Director NCVER about the recently released Review of the Australian Qualifications Framework Final Report 2019.Discussion focuses on micro-credentials, identifying general capabilities, the Pathways Policy, and the proposed new qualification types or classification of VET qualifications.

Qualification design for the future of VET

New research has revealed how young people’s post-school pathways are diverse, individualised and complex. Steve Davis, Simon Walker Managing Director NCVER, and William Stubley CEO & Co-founder Year13, discuss if the reliance on ATAR, the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, as our lens for evaluating educational achievements is too narrowly focused, and if so, what are some of the options for broadening our approach to understanding post-school pathways? 

Youth pathways: from school to work and everything between

Tune in to ‘Vocational Voices’, the official podcast of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, to hear leading experts discuss current trends in vocational education and training.

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Vocational Voices

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