The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) recently reported on updated employers’ use and views of the VET system to May 2017. This survey, conducted biannually since 2005, covers businesses with more than one employee, so excludes sole traders and owner operators. This survey is particularly useful to industry because it provides sound evidence of what is working well, and not so well in the VET system and helps guide RJSA’s interactions with the government funders and regulators of training packages. Below are key snapshots of some data for Agriculture (national) and Queensland.
% EMPLOYERS | Using VET System | Using Unaccredited Training | Using Informal Training | No Training | ||||
Year | 2015 | 2017 | 2015 | 2017 | 2015 | 2017 | 2015 | 2017 |
National % | 52.8 | 54.4 | 49.3 | 50.8 | 77.9 | 81.4 | 10.9 | 8.7 |
Queensland % | 57.9 | 54.9 | 52.3 | 51.4 | 81.2 | 81.0 | 9.4 | 9.5 |
Agriculture % | 28.0 | 38.2 | 31.9 | 43.0 | 66.8 | 75.8 | 24.3 | 15.2 |
% Satisfied
(National) |
84.0 | 82.2 | 90.3 | 88.5 |
VET is an important means for skilling new entrants and upskilling employees and the current evidence is it does meet employers’ needs across a number of delivery systems. For Agriculture, where strong improvements are noted, 38% of employers are now using VET formal training, 43% using unaccredited training (eg. short courses) and nearly 76% using VET informal training. But these figures are off a low base, so we need to continue to be vigilant to ensure the providers and delivery systems respond flexibly to our industries’ needs.
Queensland VET Investment to focus on Quality and Market Performance
The Queensland 2017-18 VET Investment Plan outlines, among other things, a significant new project to boost the VET Quality Framework by conducting Market Performance Reviews in the Certificate III Guarantee area which has boomed in recent years. DET has already advised that AHC32816 Cert III Rural Operations is to be reviewed and stakeholders are encouraged to get involved with regional forums as and when announced. We need all the help we can get to improve the design and delivery of training that our industries’ requirements.
Feedback from industry has helped RJSA identify what units are most relevant to farm and agribusiness in the Rural Operations scope and this is now itemised on our website. This is a good bench mark of targeted training needs that will help conversations during the C3G review as they occur.