National VET Research Priorities

1
National VET Research Priorities

• Andrea Averis
• Manager, Research Management NCVER

2
About NCVER

• NCVER is a professional and independent body
  responsible for collecting, managing, analysing,
  evaluating and communicating research and
  statistics about vocational education and
  training.
• Its vision is that Australias VET policy and
  practice are informed by a sound base of quality
  information.

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About NCVER

• Its two major contractsto manage the national
  collection of VET statistics and the national
  competitive research grants programmeare funded
  by the Australian Government and State and
  Territory governments, through the Department of
  Education, Science and Training (DEST).
• Other research is undertaken on a contractual
  basis for a range of government and other clients.

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National VET Research and Evaluation Program -
Process

• Research Management Branch
• program management
• contract management
• administration

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Statistical collections and surveys

• NCVER conducts the following regular national
  collections to provide statistical information
  about the VET sector within Australia
• Students and courses
• Apprentices and trainees
• Financial information
• Student Outcomes Survey
• Survey of Employers' Use and Views of the VET
  System

6
National Strategy for VET 2004 -2010

• There are four objectives for VET at the
  national level and 12 strategies have been
  developed for achieving these objectives

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National Strategy for VET 2004 -2010

• The four objectives are
• Industry will have a highly skilled workforce to
  support strong performance in the global economy
• Employers and individuals will be at the centre
  of vocational education and training
• Communities and regions will be strengthened
  economically and socially through learning and
  employment
• Indigenous Australians will have skills for
  viable jobs and their learning culture will be
  shared

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History of determining national research
priorities

• In 2004 it was agreed by Australian National
  Training Authority (ANTA) that future national
  research priorities for the VET sector would be
  informed by the advice of the NCVER Board.
• Subsequently, NCVER managed an abridged
  consultation process on 2005 research priorities
  with industry groups, VET providers and
  government agencies.

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History of determining national research
priorities

• In 2006, views on what contemporary VET issues
  required research or further research were sought
  from education and training providers,
  researchers, policy bodies, industry and
  community organisations, employers and
  individuals.
• All responses were considered by the NCVER Board
  in late June. The Board made recommendations
  regarding national VET research priorities for
  2006 to Ministers through the National Senior
  Officials Committee.

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History of determining national research
priorities

• Under the new arrangements for determining
  priorities, after the demise of ANTA, NCVER was
  to continue to have the responsibility for
  consulting every 18 months with stakeholders to
  develop research priorities.

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2006 Consultation Framework

• The consultation framework was structured around
  seven broad subject areas the four objectives
  (and supporting strategies) of Shaping our
  future, and an additional three areas which
  ranged across the four objectives of the National
  Strategy.
• In addition an open category was included for
  other areas not covered by the above.

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2006 Consultation Framework

• Objective 1 Meeting industrys need for a highly
  skilled workforce
• Objective 2 Client centred - employers and
  individuals
• Objective 3 Communities and regions
• Objective 4 Indigenous Australians
• Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy
• Funding and Financing VET
• Investing in VET providers
• Open Category

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Consultation Questions

• Q1. What are your views on the specific areas
  for further research suggested in this paper?
  Which proposals would you support? Which do you
  see as a lower priority, or not worthwhile? Can
  you offer specific questions that the research
  should address?
• Q2. Are there other specific research projects
  which you would like to see undertaken in 2006?
  Why? Can you offer specific questions that the
  research should address?

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Consultation Questions

• Q3. Please list the three research
  projects/research questions which you would see
  as warranting the highest priority in 2006.
• Q4. How would you rank the seven broad areas of
  research listed in this document? (rank
  from 1 Most Important to 7 Least Important)
• Q5. Are there other broad areas of research
  which you consider to be important but which are
  not adequately catered for under this framework?

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How you can input

• Individuals and organisations interested in
  participating in the consultation process were
  able to do so by written submission or attendance
  at meetings of key stakeholder groups at which
  presentations have been arranged.

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Outcomes of Consultation

• Twenty-seven key stakeholder groups involving in
  excess of 260 people were consulted mainly
  face-to-face and in a few instances by
  teleconference.
• In addition, 17 written submissions were received
  from individuals and special interest groups.

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2006 Research Priorities
Research Priority Area Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 4
Contemporary models for employment based training x
Industry-by-industry approach to skills planning x
Higher level VET training (at certificate IV level and above) x x
Private return to VET x
Welfare to work reforms How VET can best help x
Matching VET offerings to regional development skills needs x
Flexible funding models x x x x
VET workforce renewal x
Initiatives for key equity groups (Indigenous Australians and people with a disability) x x
Open category x x x x
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2006 Funding Round
Objective 1 Three projects funded Contemporary
models for employment based training No
projects funded, readvertised Industry-by-industr
y approach to skills planning One project
funded Higher level VET training (at certificate
IV level and above) One project
funded Flexible funding models One project
funded
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2006 Funding Round (continued)
Objective 2 Four projects funded Private
return to VET Two projects funded Welfare to
work reforms How VET can best help Two
projects funded VET workforce renewal role of
reward and recognition and information retention
systems No projects funded
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2006 Funding Round (continued)
Objective 3 No projects funded Matching VET
offerings to regional development skills needs -
readvertised Objective 2 4 No projects
funded Initiatives for key equity groups
(Indigenous Australians and people with a
disability)
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Objective 1 research
Industry-by-industry approach to skills
planning To have and to hold the role of modern
human resource management practices and high
performance work systems in the utilisation and
retention of skills in organisations Higher
level VET training (certificate IV level and
above) Higher level VET relevant alternative or
outmoded qualification level? Flexible funding
models VET provider experiences and initiatives
in funding
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Objective 2 research

• Private return to VET
• Expected private return on VET pathways and
  career management competence
• Private returns to Vocational Education and
  Training
• Welfare to work reforms How VET can best help
• The role of vocational training in Welfare to
  Work reforms
• The role of VET in the transition from welfare
  to work

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Current funding round
Contemporary models for employment based training
Matching VET offerings to regional development
skills needs Open category - proposals that are
national in scope and focus on research that will
test and make a difference to the way in which
the VET sector currently operates (forward
looking and innovative)
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Review of the NCVER Research and Statistical
Services

• The Hon. Gary Hardgrave MP, Minister for
  Vocational and Technical Education, initiated a
  review in 2006 of the two key research and
  statistical services that DEST has entered into
  with NCVER on behalf of the national vocational
  and technical education system.

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Review of the NCVER Research and Statistical
Services

• The review examined
• The range of services provided in the research
  and statistical contracts
• Value for money for the research and statistical
  contracts
• The impact of research and statistical work
  completed by NCVER and
• The responsiveness of NCVER to shareholder and
  stakeholder priorities for research and
  statistical services.

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Outcomes of the Review

• 29 recommendations were made as a result of the
  review.
• While there is widespread endorsement for the
  work of NCVER and its staff, the consultations
  indicated a number of areas of concern where
  improvement was recommended.
• Many in the consultations have commented on the
  importance of the shared ownership of NCVER by
  the Commonwealth and the States as a means of
  ensuring the independence and authority of the
  organisation.

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Outcomes of the Review

• The process for setting research priorities was
  generally well regarded but the consultations
  indicated concern that there should be
  flexibility at the margin to address broader
  needs and to respond quickly to changing needs
  for policy-related research.

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Specific recommendations

• Recommendation 4 Open research category
• NCVER should retain provision for an open
  category of high-quality research proposals.
• Recommendation 5 Research priorities
• That senior officials and NCVER bear in mind
  that nominated research priorities may need to be
  reviewed in light of significant changes in
  circumstances, noting that urgent research in
  support of agreed national initiatives may
  require separate resourcing if the research
  grants programme is to be maintained as a
  balanced ongoing programme.

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Specific recommendations

• Recommendation 27 Coordinating the cycle of
  statistical and research priorities
• The National Training Statistics Committee work
  plan should provide for input from the cycle of
  NCVER public consultations on statistical and
  research priorities. Proposals to senior
  officials and ministers should be submitted for
  consideration in tandem with proposals on
  research priorities.

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2007 Consultation

• As part of the process for establishing the
  research priorities for the 2007 national VET
  research and statistics programmes, NCVER is
  embarking on consultations with a range of key
  stakeholders in the VET sector.
• Consultation document Meeting the vocational
  education and training sectors information needs
  2007-08.

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2007 Consultation

• The national VET statistical and research
  programmes - provides an overview of these
  programmes and outlines the framework for
  identifying and determining information needs
• The VET landscape - outlines the broad forces and
  institutional context that provide the backdrop
  to current issues of concern to policy makers and
  practitioners in the VET sector, before narrowing
  into these issues under the five themes by which
  NCVER organises and presents its research and
  statistical activity
• Ways of meeting information needs - of key
  stakeholders and the VET community

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2007 Consultation

• The five themes by which NCVER organises and
  presents its research and statistical activity
• Industry and employers
• Students and individuals
• Teaching and learning
• The VET System
• VET in context

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Conclusion

• Individuals and organisations interested in
  participating in the 2007 national consultation
  process can do so by written submission or
  attendance at various meetings of key stakeholder
  groups at which presentations have been arranged.
  
• Written submissions can be sent via e-mail to the
  coordinator of the consultation process, Andrea
  Averis, Manager, Research Management Branch,
  NCVER, e-mail andrea.averis_at_ncver.edu.au
• Thank You