Vocational Education Policy Of Australia

1970s-1980s

Discuss about the Vocational Education Policy of Australia.

The students are enabled to achieve qualifications for employment of all types and certain skills with the help of Vocational education and training (VET). VET, as a result contributes in the performance of the workplace on the part of the students. Technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, private providers, community organizations etc. are some of the providers of VET in Australia. In addition to it, some schools and universities are also the providers of VET.

Hence this assignment will deal with the aspect of VET in Australia and further emphasize upon the territory governments and eight state’s network, and the Australian Governments with the help of which VET is provided.

As already mentioned, with the help of VET in Australia, it acts as a contributing factor for the achievement of all kinds of employment on the part of the students along with certain skills that helps them in terms of functioning in the workplace (Asqa, 2016). As a result of this, it plays a vital role in terms of economy of Australia, in terms of both the national development and for export industry of the nation as well. To get in depth of the matter, with the help of territories governments, eight state’s network and Australian Government, in addition with providers of private and public training and industry VET is provided in Australia. The main purpose of VET is to provide training nationally consistent in nature.  The providers with the help of which VET is offered in Australia are adult and community education providers and agricultural colleges, commercial and enterprise training providers and industry skill centers, technical and further education (TAFE), private providers, centers for industry skills and industry community organizations.

Here, it becomes essential to discuss upon the origin of VET in Australia. A vigorous training system was absent in Colonial Australia. In 1971, Australia joined the OECD. In 1974, like various aspects in vocational training and education, research in VET started in Australia. It is further mentionable here that, in 1974, Australia commissioned the OECD study of “the transition from school to work.” The initiative began with the help of Kangan Committee report of 1974 (Rauner and Maclean, 2008). In 1973, by the Whitlam Federal Government the committee was established. The main purpose for the formation of the committee was to providing with advice to Mr. Kim Beazley, the then Minister of Education, regarding enhancement of technical and higher education in Australia.  There were number of arenas on which the proposal made by Kangan emphasized upon. Firstly, establishing Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) was recommended by Kangan. Hence with the help of this the significance of TAFE as a contributing factor in terms of implementation of social and economic change was recognized.  The main purpose put behind the formation of TAFE was adoption of technology in terms of vocational research and education, produce and enhance learning and related other education aids with the help of itself or others (Studiesinaustralia, 2015).  Some of the purpose as mentioned in the initial conceptual thinking regarding enhancement of a coordinated national research capacity in relation to VET in Australia were- training researchers, journal publication etc.

1990s

However, when with the help of the recommendation made by Kangan, no fruitful result could be derived, five years later; with Committee of Injury into Education and Training it was revived.  The establishment of National Centre for Research and Development in TAFE was recommended by the inquiry. In this regard it was mentioned that in areas like courses accreditation, the job of conducting projects will be allotted to it. In June 1980, National Centre for Research and Development in TAFE was established.  It is mentionable here that in the time period of, 1970s to 1980s the Commonwealth support increased drastically. It was observed, increased pressured in terms of enhanced funding in association with technical education on Commonwealth was prevalent in the beginning of 1970s. As a response to Commonwealth report, TAFE in Australia: a report on needs in technical and further education 1974, for the purpose of new libraries and buildings, curriculum development, staff development and research the Commonwealth granted significant funding to TAFE (Federation, 2015). A number of labor market programs that bought training at TAFE institutes, was introduced by Commonwealth. These labor market programs bought training at TAFE institutes on the basis of fee-for-service, with the intention to address increasing concern regarding unemployment of the youth. A major factor that promoted Commonwealth to get engaged with the help of National Apprenticeship Assistance Scheme for the first time in the year 1963 was apprenticeships system’s criticisms in addition with issues regarding tradespeople skill shortage. Financial assistance was provided by it in order to encourage employers, in terms of allowances for living away from home to country area’s apprentices, in addition to taking on first-year apprentices.

In the following period in 1990s, a national VET system was agreed upon on the part of the Commonwealth and States and Territories. A new economic strategy was put forward by the Commonwealth in the year 1992. The purpose of this new economic strategy was to promote growth and employment, named, One Nation. It included an offer with the motive to assume complete funding responsibility for TAFE. The basis of the offer of Commonwealth was the perspective that in the one level of government aspects like educational and efficiency is required to be vested instead of segregating it between the states and the Commonwealth. On the part of the States and Territories the offer was rejected as they wanted to maintain a local control of the systems.  However, it is mentionable here that, in establishing a national VET system, the agreement reached a conclusion. It became possible with the help of joint responsibility in terms of funding under the support and sponsorship of the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) (Training, 2016). It is a Commonwealth statutory body that started operation in 1994.  It was approved that, the joint investment in VET would be facilitated by ANTA by the States and Commonwealth, with the help of synchronized, national approach in terms of funding and planning. The inception of a period of enhanced public investment in national training and VET was marked by the creation of ANTA. Under the agreement of ANTA, it was agreed upon by the Commonwealth to give to the Territories and States an additional amount of $70 million/annum for a period of three years. The purpose behind the fund was expansion of the system.

2000-2013

During this period, the foremost features of a national training system were introduced. The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is included in this. In 1995 it integrated the quality-assured qualifications that were available across Australian schools, higher education and VET (Federation, 2015). In the process of progressing introduction of other features, it was agreed by the ministers to introduce a new National Training Framework (NTF) in the year 1996. It was introduced as a section of implementation of an industry-driven system.

Nationally-equivalent training packages were included in NTF which was developed with the help of industry and the Australian Recognition Framework (ARF). The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF), later replaced ARF. It is a nationally consented quality framework intended towards VET system of Australia, which was developed in the year 2001 with the help of National Training Quality Council. The main aim of AQTF was providing the edifice for nationally equivalent, enhanced quality VET system.  It also included regulatory standards for the purpose of State and Territory recognized bodies and registered training organizations. ANTA was abolished by the Commonwealth in the year 2004. In its place, the responsibilities were transferred to Commonwealth department, in order to ensure continued effective functioning of national system. In 2009, the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development came into force, as a portion of the new Intergovernmental Agreement which was associated with Federal Financial Agreements (IGA FFR). Following it, the association with SPP became effective. It is mentionable here that, it was a national agreement. In 2012, the agreement was further updated, wherein a new National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform was agreed upon. The purpose of it was to formulate and execute reforms of the national training system. It also included entitlement of national training and demand-driven contestable funding of the market. The income dependent loan scheme (VET FEE-HELP) was introduced by Commonwealth in the year 2009. Its purpose was     to provide the students with VET in Diploma and Advanced Diploma full-free qualifications. The regulatory presence on the part of the Commonwealth was also improved with the help of establishment of Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) which acted as the national regulator (Asqa, 2016). The establishment of ASQA was the aspiration of maintaining VET’s quality reputation, the consequence of which was national accord to its establishment. With the help this agreement, all Territories and States other than Victoria and Western Australia, to the Commonwealth, referred their regulatory powers.

On May 2015, Australian Industry and Skills Committee (ASIC), was established by COAG Industry and Skills Council. The purpose of its establishment was to provide industry with a formal and vast role in the arena of decision making and policy direction for the purpose of VET sector. On 1^st January 2016 new arrangements for the purpose of boosting training products became effective. In this new model, a leading role is given to industry in terms of national CET system (Education, 2016). It also entitles industry to prioritize the review and enhancement on the training packages. The basis of it would be aspects like demand of skills of the industry along with regulatory and technological changes. Basing on new Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), AISC forms on the advice. The advice provided on the part of IRCs ascertains the fulfillment of the training requirements on the part of the modern economy and employers. This recent amendment associated with VET ensured, Trade Support Loans establishment as of July 2014. According to the budget 2015, the allocated budget in association of Trade Support Loans was up to $ 20,000 (Miller, 2015).    

Conclusion

In the conclusion it can be stated that the aspect of VET in the context of Australia, it has undergone a number of evolutions and gradual development. In this process of development Kangan Committee report, Technical and Further Education, Australian Qualifications Framework, Australian Quality Training Framework are some of the major path breaking dimensions that contributed to the development of VET.     

References

Asqa.gov.au. (2016). Agency overview | Australian Skills Quality Authority. [online] Available at: https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/agency-overview/agency-overview.html [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Asqa.gov.au. (2016). Australia’s VET sector | Australian Skills Quality Authority. [online] Available at: https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/australias-vet-sector/australias-vet-sector.html [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Education.gov.au. (2016). Australian Industry and Skills Committee | Department of Education and Training. [online] Available at: https://www.education.gov.au/AISC [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Federation.dpmc.gov.au. (2015). 1970s to 1980s: Commonwealth support increases | Reform of the Federation White Paper. [online] Available at: https://federation.dpmc.gov.au/1970s-1980s-commonwealth-support-increases [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Federation.dpmc.gov.au. (2015). The 1990s: A national VET system | Reform of the Federation White Paper. [online] Available at: https://federation.dpmc.gov.au/1990s-national-vet-system [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Miller, D. (2015). National Scene. [online] cmd.act.gov.au. Available at: https://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/738588/1_NationalScene_DavidMiller.pdf [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Rauner, F. and Maclean, R. (2008). Handbook of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Research. Springer Science & Business Media, pp.32-40.

Studiesinaustralia.com. (2015). Technical and Further Education | Study in Australia. Study Abroad with Studies in Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.studiesinaustralia.com/types-of-education/technical-and-further-education [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].

Training.com.au. (2016). Australian National Training Association – Training.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.training.com.au/anta/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2016].