This essay discusses on the Australian vocational education and training (VET) as a formal learning system that is intended for out-of-school youth who are past secondary education. It explores the drivers that shape the economic, social and political contexts in which VET was established like human capital theory, changing nature of work, globalisation, lifelong learning and the learning society. The paper analyses and evaluates the VET strands and mode of delivery and argues that VET is a good channel for out-of-school youth to be mainstreamed to the job industry but the mode of delivery is not sustainable. The experiences of VET practitioners interviewed and the researches on disengaged learners and reasons of early leavers were used to support the argument. It also explains the impact of VET had on my institution and the implication on my teaching practice using the concepts of reflexive modernisation, globalisation and lifelong learning.
The formal education system in the Australia is divided into three levels: (i) basic education which is handled by the Department of Education (DepEd), (ii) technical/vocational which is handled by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and (iii) higher education which is handled by Commission on Higher Education (CHED). In addition, there is a preschool level and a non-formal component that provides basic literacy and livelihood skills to out-of-school youth and adults who have either not attended school at all or who dropped out of school early. Basic education, which usually starts at age six, is divided into 7 years of primary schooling and 5 years of secondary schooling. TESDA provides pre-employment preparation in middle-level technician and craft skills. At the...
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...ok of readings. And, this time I made use of NCVER which is indeed a very good resource for teachers of adult education. Lastly, I conferred with my mentor as regards to this assignment because she is directly involved with VET and interviewed VET practitioners for me.
The part of my assignment I consider the weakest would be the implications of VET in my teaching practice because I know I need to substantiate my explanation on the identified implication however perhaps because I am not directly involved with VET I cannot really reflect on how I should view my teaching practice. On the other hand, the part of my assignment that I consider the strongest are the three arguments I discussed against VET mode of delivery because I was able to back up my arguments with researches, concepts and experiences of VET practitioners to stress my point.
(Bennett, 2014 Para. 9). NGV Gordon Bennett Education Resource. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/03.html#06. [Accessed 06 May 2014].
The complexity and diversity of the animal kingdom has always captivated me. This has resulted in a desire to accomplish a place in Veterinary Nursing. This aspiration has it’s origins in an early family life occupied with animals and pets, a developing interest in the science and wellbeing of animals and an expanding sense of duty for the care we owe to the creatures which convey true companionship and loyalty. Work experience and volunteering has taught me to recognise and appreciate the ‘guardian’ roles performed by the veterinarian and veterinary nurse which has served to increase my determination to pursue a career in a field which has an everlasting effect on animal companionship and welfare, as well as human industry, community and
In the early 1600s, America was given the opportunity of higher education. As decades flew by universities grew and flourished to a point where it’s no longer a struggle to be admitted into a university, and it’s also more accessible to pay for, such as student loans, federal loans, scholarships and grants (Kirszner). Since attending university has become an essential to most high school graduates, universities have welcomed larger classes. A common argumentative debate when it comes to college is whether every American should attend. An example of someone who believes college is only for a handful of individuals is Charles Murray. Murray wrote, “What’s Wrong with Vocational School?” an article published in 2007 for the Wall Street
... to rigidity of the upper secondary school in the form of vocational education and training schools. The objective of vocational education is to foster students' development into good and balanced individuals and members of society and therefore provide them with the skills relevant to a specific career path (Sarjala, 2001) and thus relevant to the demands of the Finnish modern society.
The Australian curriculum has been designed for children in their schooling years from foundation to year twelve. Currently the curriculum has covered four learning areas (English, Mathematics, Science and History) from kindergarten to year ten. “The Australian Curriculum describes knowledge, skills and understanding organised by learning areas.” (ACARA, 2010 d). Each learning area contains a: rationale – describing the nature of learning, aims – the intended result of learning from the curriculum, year level description, strands – interrelated broad organisers for the content in each learning area, content descriptions – describe what teachers are expected to teach, content elaborations – content description sup...
The health of a labour market can be judged by levels of unemployment and changes in wage growth. Both of these issues come into play when The Australian Financial Review reports that the Australian labour market has tightened over the past twelve months and comments on predictions for the coming year.
The development of a national curriculum for Australia is not a new endeavour (Marsh, 2010). The ideal is that national curriculum across Australia would mean that students are provided with a quality education that helps to shape the lives of the nations citizens and continue developing the productivity and quality of life within Australia. The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] have the task of developing and implementing a nationwide curriculum. ACARA (n.d.-c) claims have addressed needs of young Australians while considering that changing ways in learning and challenges will continue to shape students education in the future. A look at what the Australian Curriculum is, its purpose, structure and scope, learning theories and teaching processes and whether the curriculum has the capacity to meet the needs of 21st century learners will show that the initial construction of a national curriculum appears to be successful. However, the effectiveness of the Australian Curriculum will only be able to be evaluated in the future after implementation across the country.
This semester, I had the opportunity to interact with many different people in my field of interest. Of these people, one that stood out to me was a veterinary technician by the name of Marisa Kabbash. She was able to sit down with me and discuss her career of choice and her desire to be around animals in a clinical setting. In our interview, we talked about issues she has faced while working and how it affected her decision to continue her career as a vet-tech. The following questions and answers are direct quotes from Ms. Kabbash.
In “Tuning In to Dropping Out’’, Alex Tabarrok explains how vocational is important and how it can help students achieve their goals though it is not always respected. While many people judge vocational programs, others support and believe that is worth it. For example, Tabarrok explains the United States government pays less attention to vocational schooling, while in contrast Germany shows greater respect. “In Germany, students enter training and apprenticeship programs, many of which begin during high school” (Tabarrok). For the United State...
* Stevenson, J. (2005) The Centrality Of Vocational Education and Training’. In Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 57/3, pp. 335-354.
In one way or another, I have been taking care of animals my entire life. Growing up, I was completely dedicated to animals, caring for what could be considered a mini zoo. Naturally, as a child, I was set on a career as a veterinarian. Like most children, I was naive about the veterinary profession, but I had plenty of people to warn me about its challenges. Albeit initially discouraged from becoming a veterinarian, my search for a meaningful career not only revived my spark for veterinary medicine but also gave me the maturity and experience necessary to succeed in it.
A real education is something that everyone should value, and all of us should strive to live up to our true potential. Contrary to popular belief, heading off to a four-year college to reach that true potential may not necessarily be the right choice for everyone. Vocational training is not only less expensive than college, but it is also a better use of time and provides students with skills critical for their job of interest. In six months, the class of 2014 will put on their caps and gowns and walk across the stage with their diplomas. All of those graduates will be excited to move onto the next chapter of life. But what path will they choose? Will they go with the flow, or will they take a walk down the unbeaten path?
The common problems I have identified when conducting my research for this training are as follows:
Finally, research has shown that basic education is paramount to a nation’s ability to develop and achieve economic development and sustainability targets. Once these targets are identified, a country will need to re-examine its education curricula at all levels, that is, pre-school to tertiary education. Also, as a government develop policies within their countries they should ensure that there is an interconnection between the environment, economy, and social structures and that they become an integral part of formal education, starting with kindergarten and continuing through primary and secondary school and then on through training at the college, university and professional levels.
Competency-based education is perceived by some as the answer, by others as the wrong answer, to the improvement of education and training for the complex contemporary world (Harris et al. 1995). Popular in the United States in the 1970s in the performance-based vocational teacher education movement, competency approaches are riding a new wave in the 1990s with the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) system in England and Wales (begun in 1986), New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework, the competency standards endorsed by Australia's National Training Board (NTB), and the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and the National Skills Standards initiative in the United States. Competency standards are propelled by a strong political impetus as the way to prepare the work force for the competitive global economy. At the same time, a growing chorus of critics argues that the approach is conceptually confused, empirically flawed, and inadequate for the needs of a learning society (Chappell 1996; Ecclestone 1997; Hyland 1994). Much of the debate is taking place in Britain and Australia, where there has been more time to examine the impact of the competency approach, and this publication therefore focuses on literature from those countries. However, the issues are relevant to vocational education anywhere. This publication looks at the claims of both sides in an attempt to locate the reality of competency-based education and training (CBET).