The role of VET in helping young people’s transition into work: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australia

Citation

(2007), "The role of VET in helping young people’s transition into work: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australia", Education + Training, Vol. 49 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2007.00449dab.006

The role of VET in helping young people’s transition into work: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australia

Helping young people make a smooth transition from school to the workplace or further study has become an important role for the vocational education and training (VET) sector. To provide a clear picture of young people’s participation in vocational education and training in Australia, and the impact and role of VET on their transitions to work, Davinia Woods has summarised the most recent research for young people up to 24 years of age. Using longitudinal research ndings where possible, Woods seeks to answer the following questions:

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  How important is vocational education and training for young people?

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  Is vocational education and training helping the transition from school to work?

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  What factors impact on the employment outcomes that result from vocational education and training?

Key findings include:

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  The outcomes for young people who have participated in vocational education and training vary, and are dependent on many factors. These include the gender of the student, the nature of the VET programme undertaken, and how much time has passed since they participated in vocational education and training. However, one nding is clear: those young people who do not go on to university have better employment prospects if they have undertaken a VET course.

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  For many VET students, it can often take more than six months to obtain an employment outcome, because some qualications – such as certicate I and II courses – require further study at a higher level before students can achieve the job that they want.

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  School VET programmes have a particularly positive effect on the transition to successful post-school activities for early school leavers.

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  Pathways to work undertaken by young people from VET programmes both within and outside schools are typically not straightforward. (An exception to this is vocational education and training which is linked to the workplace, such as apprenticeships and traineeships.) Although this diversity can be advantageous – for example, it can encourage students to explore different types of jobs, hence gaining more skills and experience – the transition could be made easier by schools providing good career advice.

Woods concludes: “The statistics indicate that vocational education and training is clearly an important pathway for young people, and could also benefit the “at risk” group who experience multiple or prolonged periods of unemployment. However, until now, researchers have lacked an accurate understanding of the role VET plays in assisting the transition to work for young people. The difficulty in researching transitions and outcomes for young people is due to the individual and complex nature of their pathways from school to the workplace or further study. By tracking young people, researchers are now able to conclude that vocational education and training assists the transition to work. However, the smoothness of this transition does vary depending on student demographics and the nature of the VET program undertaken. Students undertaking certificates 1 and II may not, in the short term, attain the jobs they hoped for without further study. Career development services can have a positive impact on transitions by better informing prospective students of the typical outcomes and further study required after completing particular VET courses. As Harris, Rainey and Sumner (2006) note, the students who experience multiple pathways are generally not aware of the career development services available or do not think they need them.”

This work is summarised in an “at a glance” publication available from the NCVER website: see www.ncver.edu.au/