• National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Please note this is a 'beta version' and is still being developed and tested here >>

The aim of this suite of products is to extend historical coverage of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia beyond the period covered by Gillian Goozee 1995 revised edition of Development of TAFE in Australia: an historical perspective and to produce timelines covering aspects of the development of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. To assist readers to interpret these timelines we will be offering a series of essays on complementary topics.

Timeline of VET policy

This timeline covers the years 1969 to the present. It documents the key reports that have shaped VET policy and the VET system in Australia since the late 1960s and which heralded the beginning of a national VET system. It is anticipated that electronic links will be provided to the documents in the near future.

Essay by Robin Ryan

This essay offers an analysis of how policy has interacted with vocational education and training (VET) in Australia, with a particular focus on the period since the 1980s.

List of Prime Ministers, Ministers responsible for education, employment and labour

These documents cover Prime Ministers of Australia from 1968, Ministers responsible for Education from 1968, Ministers responsible for Labour from 1940 and Ministers responsible for Industrial Relations from 1987.

Historical time series of vocational education and training in Australia from 1981

This time series presents a summary of training activity in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia for the period 1981-2008.

Apprenticeships

A historical time series of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia and a bibliography of NCVER’s published research and statistics concerning apprenticeships and traineeships are presented.

• Historical time series of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia from 1963
  This time series presents a summary of training activity in apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia for the period 1963-2009.
• Bibliography of NCVER’s published research and statistics
  
  Apprenticeships and traineeships: NCVER publications (649 KB PDF file)

To come: an essay and a timeline on apprenticeships in Australia are in preparation.

Early history

Dustman, milliner and watchcase maker: skilling Australia, a conference paper presented by Francesca Beddie at the 2010 Islands of History Conference on Norfolk Island.

Institutions

Opinion piece: Diversity and excellence: prompts from the history of the tertiary education sector by Francesca Beddie.

To come: an essay and a timeline examining the development of educational institutions in Australia are in preparation.

Further reading

Some suggestions for further reading and a list of relevant legislation are provided here.

List of acronyms

A list of the acronyms used in the timeline (some for organisations that disappeared long ago) is provided here.

Feedback

Feedback on any aspect of the History of VET in Australia timeline is welcome. Please use the feedback form on this web site.