This report aims to improve our understanding of the causes of skill shortages, the way businesses respond and the short-term consequences of skill shortages. Reponses from small- and medium-sized businesses reveal that skill shortages matter, but that their relationship to firm performance differs according to the nature of the skill shortage. The findings confirm that...

This publication presents early estimates of apprentice and trainee commencements on a seasonally adjusted basis for the December 2011 quarter. Indicative information about this quarter is presented here; the most recent figures are estimated, taking into account reporting lags that occur due to the data collection process.-----------------------------------------------------Note: to access full publication it is necessary to...

This paper investigates the role of lead vocational teachers in TAFE Queensland and their personal and career development needs. Focus group discussions with these teachers ascertained that they wanted to feel valued by their institutes and have more opportunities to contribute to business development. It was revealed that their values did not match those of...

Encouraging older workers to stay in the workforce has become a policy priority. At the same time, the life expectancy of Australians has increased dramatically over the past several decades, effectively inserting a new stage in the life course, often called the 'third age'. This report explores the possibility of using that third age to...

Mixed-sector tertiary education institutions are still only small in number and remain relatively under-researched. This project examines universities that offer a small amount of VET and private providers that offer both VET and higher education, building on previous research examining TAFEs that offer higher education. This research suggests that mixed-sector and dual-sector providers are likely...