Which providers will dominate VET in future, asks John Mitchell. What is the ideal size for a VET provider? This question springs to mind after one vice-chancellor recently called for the creation of large polytechnics to offer vocational certificates and ...

Frontline managers in the VET sector have been found to conform to reform processes while simultaneously opposing them, according to an award-winning thesis. Dr Annette Foley, a lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Ballarat, spent six ...

Is there a role for enhanced TAFEs to help achieve the government’s social inclusion targets, asks Meeuwis Boelen. Professor Stephen Parker, vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra, has recently speculated in the media on the capacity, or otherwise, of Australian ...

Australia needs to raise the bar for new colleges seeking accreditation to train international students, and it can do this by closely monitoring the consultants that advise them, according to the head of Australia’s multi-state VET regulator. accountant. It usually ...

While Australia is becoming increasingly sophisticated in its approaches to workforce skills development, Scotland holds some salient clues to dealing with one of the more entrenched issues of workforce development. Ewart Keep, professor of social sciences at the University of ...

The Rudd government’s green jobs and training initiative needs to be applauded, but there are many unanswered questions as to how it will be delivered at the coalface, writes Larry Smith. On 30 July, the Rudd government announced funding for ...

Quality private VET providers are desperately trying to differentiate themselves from the dodgy end of the sector, writes John Mitchell. Some surprises might be in store from the government’s recently announced review of international education. For those expecting it to ...

Further industrial action looming in NSW TAFE teachers in NSW have voted in favour of further industrial action if an agreement on hours and conditions is not reached. A stopwork meeting last week heard from the NSW Teachers’ Federation that ...

While TVET Australia’s continuing existence hangs in the balance, the body’s new chief – former Canberra heavyweight Jim Davidson – says its functions in supporting VET system advisory bodies should be maintained. And he questions whether a government regulator is ...

TAFE institutes often make the point that they are expected to shoulder a stronger community obligation than their private sector counterparts. This in turn imposes heavier cost and workload burdens on them. The latest figures from the NCVER lend some ...