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In 2023, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) invited expert vocational voices from the vocational education and training (VET) sector to share their views, stories, experiences and insights on a range of hot topics. This podcast is a roundup of the most interesting snippets and research findings from across the five podcast episodes NCVER released during the year. Full of short and sharp insights from each of the guest speakers, it covers off some of the best bits of Season 8.

Edited abstract from publisher's website. Show less

Steve Davis interviews a collection of presenters from the 32nd National VET Research Conference 'No Frills', held on 19-21 July 2023 in Melbourne. In the past few years, the vocational education and training (VET) sector has faced rapid socioeconomic, demographic and technological change. When unforeseen events such as [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 emerged, the sector quickly adapted by upskilling workplaces, training organisations and VET trainers in digital and remote work methods. Tune in to our podcast and listen to VET experts share their insights and research. They will also delve into conversations about how the VET sector can continue to respond to skills demands during times of disruption and rapid change.

The topics and presenters are: Contextualisation of VET to pathway disadvantaged groups into employment / Hinemoa Priest, Te Pukenga trading as Whitireia and WelTec (Wellington University) (start time 01:03); Best practice blended learning for disadvantaged VET learners / Melanie Kyle, RMIT University (start time 12:29); Training of VET teachers and trainers: an absence of governance? / Erica Smith, Federation University (start time 28:17); Artificial intelligence ChatGPT in VET education / Olivija Komadina, TAFE Queensland (start time 43:05); Skilling for the green transition: reframing the role of Australia's VET system for climate and environmental action / David Longley, Brotherhood of St Laurence (start time 56:37); Attracting more young women into apprenticeships: listening to their own voices / Christina Scott-Young, RMIT University (start time) 1:09:42; Accelerating veteran pathways with VET / Michael Bassham, TAFE SA (start time 1:27:41).

Edited summary from publisher's website. Show less

Non-university tertiary education institutions such as Wellington Institution of Technology all have in common the dual requirements of maintaining academic standards with respect to the courses and qualifications they offer while being financial sustainable businesses delivering value for money to their main funder - the government. In New Zealand this tension between operating as a business and operating as an academic institution led, over the past two decades, to the development of a compliance culture characterised by quality assurance systems based on financial and quality systems audit. For the past 20 years, polytechnics such as Wellington Institute of Technology [WelTec] have been required to have student representation on both their governing council and their academic board. This lone student voice was meant to provide a reminder at a governance level, of what the true nature of the business is. In 2007, the government in New Zealand signaled that they would develop standardised measures of student performance (course and qualification completion, retention and progression) and would report these publicly, allowing potential students to determine the best performing educational providers. Instead of focusing on an external audit of a provider’s quality management system as had occurred in the past, the system would shift to evaluating the ability of an institution to self evaluate and work together to support continuous improvement in teaching and learning, placing teaching and learning, and therefore the student, at the centre of the quality assurance system. This new system has been steadily rolled out over the last 18 months or so and WelTec has just been through an external review of its self-assessment processes earlier this year. This presentation will discuss some of the mechanisms used at WelTec to gather feedback from its students and will share how we use that feedback to plan for future improvements. We will present three case studies to illustrate our experience. Show less

This presentation outlines the ongoing development of the Tamaiti Whangai approach supporting young Maori engagement and success in tertiary education. The Tamaiti Whangai programme is an iwi-led initiative that builds whanau (family) through the use of mentoring and support, built around common kaupapa or interests. In 2009 the Tamaiti Whangai programme had 39 students studying toward a variety of vocational qualifications. The programme ran two cohorts of students, a sports academy cohort supported by a common kaupapa (sport) for 25 students and a trade training cohort of 14 students who built a common kaupapa based on trade skills development. Results from 2009 show a significant difference in the academic achievements of the two cohorts. The sports students had consistently better retention and achievement statistics which were also higher than results achieved in 2008. It is hypothesised that this is the result of forming stronger kaupapa whanau linkages. Students interviewed for the evaluation identified the factors that helped them to achieve and those that hindered them. The evaluation also looked at the 2008 cohort and what had happened to them since graduating. This demonstrated that the impact of the programme is ongoing with kaupapa whanau being maintained though Facebook.

Authors' abstract.

A list of the presentations from this conference may be found at TD/TNC 100.972; available papers are indexed from TD/TNC 100.973 to TD/TNC 100.986. Show less