The aim of this synthesis piece is to provide an overview of some aspects of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia. In particular, the synthesis brings together research and data on what could be considered five enduring issues.

Employment-based training (EBT) is training for paid employees within a work setting, related to their role, and provided or supported by employers. This report explores alternative approaches to employment-based training—cadetships and internships, higher apprenticeships, and on-the-job structured training such as mentoring—and their implications for VET...

This is the first of two reports which examine how the VET sector initially responded to COVID-19 through the increased use of online training delivery and begins to explore possible implications this might have on future training delivery modes.

This paper outlines the methodology used in the exploratory analysis of the similarity of VET courses across and within training packages in Australia. The analysis employed natural language processing to calculate similarity scores for each national VET qualification to all other qualifications across all training...

This report seeks to deepen understanding of the persistent issues registered training organisations (RTOs) encounter when conducting independent moderation and validation of assessments, and of the nature of industry involvement in these processes.

Short-course training, often referred to as micro-credentials, is being seen as an increasingly important form of training, particularly as the world comes to terms with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This report explains the concept of 'subject bundles’ and their features.

This review report reinforces that in order to maximise a skills-led economic recovery, the skills sector must continue to innovate, to meet the changing needs of students and industry in creative, collaborative ways.

This report sets out the Productivity Commission's Review of the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development (NASWD). Its key messages are that the NAWSD should be replaced with a new principles based agreement, and there is manifest capacity for governments to get a better...

This research investigates the contribution community education providers make to foundation skills training in regional Australia, the models of delivery which seemed to work best, and whether the undertaking of foundation skills training helps build social and human capital of the individual and broader community.

This publication provides a summary of data relating to students, programs, subjects and training providers in Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system, defined as all Commonwealth and state/territory government-funded training delivered by technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, other government providers (such as...

Australia’s vocational, education and training (VET) sector is underperforming, excessively complicated and suffers from ad hoc policy approaches. This report floats options for a fundamental re-orientation of Australia’s VET system, with a revised Commonwealth-State agreement to set out an agreed, coherent policy direction.

This report provides an analysis of data on training package skill sets uses data from the National Register of VET and the National Provider Collection – Total VET activity. The report identifies how much nationally recognised training package or training package skill set activity is...

This study investigates the impact of group training organisations' additional support services on contract completion rates and how these compare with the rates for apprentices and trainees placed with direct employers. Many direct employers also provide pastoral care and support to their apprentices, but such...

This report explores the reasons employers are using unaccredited training, why they chose this form of training over others and whether it is meeting their skill needs.

The Smart and Skilled program commenced in January 2015, with the then Department of Education and Communities having primary responsibility for its implementation. This audit assessed the effectiveness of the department in identifying, prioritising and aligning course subsidies to the skill needs of New South...

A failed experiment in market-led education needs to be buried once and for all, writes John Quiggin.

This publication provides a summary of 2015 and time-series data relating to students, programs, subjects, training providers and funding in Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system (broadly defined as all activity delivered by government providers and government-funded activity delivered by community education and...

This study by Roger Harris, Michele Simons, Carmel McCarthy examines the nature of the training activity of private registered training organisations (RTOs) offered to Australian students in 2003, based on data from a national sample of 330 RTOs. The study also provides estimates of the...