The VET FEE-HELP (VFH) scheme was a component of the Australian Government’s Higher Education Loan Program. Under the program, eligible students could access Government income contingent loans, which removed up-front cost barriers to tertiary education and training. VFH loans were incurred by the student and the course fees paid directly to the education provider. Students...

Training packages and accredited courses are the core training products of the nationally accredited vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia. This report considers the use of these training packages and the qualifications contained within them. It also examines the pattern of enrolments in qualifications to determine how extensively the qualifications in the training...

The transition confronting workers, businesses and communities that have historically relied on Victoria’s automotive industry is highly significant. The decision by Australia’s three remaining carmakers—Ford Australia, General Motors Holden (GMH) and Toyota Australia—to wind down local car manufacturing operations will have a major impact on closure-affected regions, especially in Melbourne and Geelong. While Victoria has...

No young person must be allowed to leave school to nothing - no job, no further training, no hope. The Salvation Army is issuing this challenge to the New Zealand community in a report titled ‘What Next?’, focused on the employment needs of 15 to 24 year-olds. New Zealand needs to fully resource a set...

The concept of ‘STEM’ (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has influenced many education and workforce strategies and policies. Generally, the focus has been on how the school and university sectors can help equip the workforce with the STEM-related skills and knowledge considered necessary for the changing economy. This paper explores ways to measure how the...