Greater emphasis on skills development and availability

Summary

A well-functioning vocational education system is a partnership between students, employers, education providers and the government. Each has a critical role to play, with communication between them all the key. Establishing feedback loops which ensure students are receiving learning relevant to today's workplaces is essential.

Students and their parents deserve clear and objective information on which to make their study choices. Students should know before they invest significant time and money into courses what prerequisite courses are required, what their qualification will give them, and their likely employment prospects.

Engaging workers in lifelong vocational learning, particularly older workers, allows for any catch-up literacy and numeracy skills to be incorporated into the curriculum.

Background

Vocational education is practical learning which emphasises the skills, knowledge and attributes required to perform a specific role or work in a particular industry. Vocational education is sometimes variously referred to as trades training, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training.

Vocational education ensures key economic sectors such as construction, manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture, among others, have a well-trained workforce. Vocational education’s importance is growing at a time when many countries are experiencing skills shortages and are having to both expand training schemes and use immigration to provide employers with the workforce they need...

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