Vocational Education and Training in Australia: Interests and Challenges

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VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING 1
In Australia, Vocational Education and Training system provide facilities like valuable and
career-focused skills to students that are needed by the employers. Vocational Education and
Training is technical or career education that prepares student or people to work in various
jobs such as technician, craft, trade etc. (Savion, 2018) Private colleges, Technical and
Further Education and many other universities and schools offer Vocational Training. The
Curriculum of Vocational Education and Training is developed by industry and Government
together by combining lectures and tutorials in small classes. Higher education, post-
education and further education students can take the Vocational Education and Training
(Savion, 2018). In Australia, Vocational Education and Training is mostly availed during
post-secondary education level and mainly provided by the Vocational Education and
Training system conducted by the registered training organisation (Fieger, 2017). In the past,
there were 24 Technical colleges in Australia which have now reduced to five. Among such
technical colleges one is in Brisbane, other is in Townsville and third one is at Queensland
(Fieger, 2017). The Vocational Education and Training sectors accounts for approx. $8
billion of public spending. From $8 billion, around 6 billion spent on a government service
provider includes Technical and Further Education (Parliament of Australia, 2018). Technical
and Further Education is the main institution of Australia and is a large service provider
which is generally funded and managed by the State government (Parliament of Australia,
2018). The Vocational Education and Training sectors include various types of qualifications
such as Certificate 1 to 4 which provide introductory training and skills. Diploma course
prepares the student for paraprofessional careers, enterprise and industry. Advanced diploma
provides a high level of practical skills. Vocational graduate certificate/diploma is equivalent
to the higher education graduate certificate and English language courses (Fieger, 2017).
This essay is designed to discuss the interests and challenges of Vocational Education and
Training related to the Australian government.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING 2
In 2013, the government of Australia decided to make some changes in Vocational Education
and Training. For Vocational Education and Training reform, the government has established
a task force in November 2013 whose duty is to engage training sectors with industries. In
2015, the Department of education and training has brought out the reform in the Vocational
Education and Training (Department of Education and Training, 2018). The government
brings the changes in the Vocational Education and Training system because the role and
responsibilities of the industries, territories, states and commonwealth are not clear. With the
help of the new changes in the system, the government will come to know about the major
state and national priorities and emerging areas of skills needed. With the help of new
changes in the Vocational Education and Training, the Australian government will benefit
through increasing the employment opportunities, maintaining the supply of workers in the
industries etc. (Parliament of Australia, 2018).
The two interests of the Australian Government in the Vocational Education and Training are
relating to the enhancement of the economic position of the country and better employment
opportunities to the resident of Australia. The students who get into Vocational Education
and Training program mostly belong to the labour class. If the industries hire a properly
trained and skilled worker for a particular work, the production time and labour cost both will
get improved. This need of industries is fulfilled by Vocational Education and Training
(Zoellner, 2012). When the operating cost of the product or service reduces, the price of the
product also falls. The low price of the product in the market will provide benefits to the
customers and as well to the industry and will assist in the quick circulation of the currency in
the country (Zoellner, 2012). Vocational Education and Training improves the ability, skill
and knowledge of the students to work effectively, and when they get hired by the industry
they use those ability, skill and knowledge in the live work field with the help of which the
productivity of the industry get boosted.