New investment in TAFE

Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, announced that the Rudd Government will invest $200 million in the delivery of Better TAFE Facilities to support the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. 60 TAFE institutes across Australia will receive grants of between $2 million and $8 million to upgrade and improve education and training infrastructure and support local jobs. As part of the Education Revolution, the Rudd Government's $200 million Better TAFE Facilities program will modernise teaching and learning environments right across the vocational education and training sector.

VET E-portfolio Showcase

E-portfolios are becoming evermore popular around the world as a tool to enhance learning and assist with personal career development.

The VET E-portfolio Showcase will bring together leaders in education and training from across Australia to discuss how the national training system can best utilise e-portfolios. This event will demonstrate how e-portfolios can:

· support Australia’s economic prosperity by addressing skill shortages
· be successfully implemented to realise key vocational education and training (VET) initiatives including:
- RPL (recognition of prior learning)
- fast tracking apprenticeships and traineeships
- reengagement, retention and reintegration
- work-based learning
- learner mobility
- lifelong learning
· be fostered through communities of practice and the sharing of local case studies at a national level.

This event is a valuable opportunity for anyone interested in adopting e-portfolios in their organisation. The showcase will include a range of guest speakers and break-out sessions, to encourage collaboration and sharing of ideas and experiences.

Register for updates about the VET E-portfolio Showcase at http://tiny.cc/VFXzg

Event details:

Date: Friday 16 October 2009
Time: 8.15am to 4.30pm
Venue: William Angliss Institute
555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

This event is being run by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework). For more information about the Framework, its products, resources and support networks, contact: (07) 3307 4700, email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au or visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au

New research

Reasons for training: Why Australian employers train their workers

Andrew Smith, Eddie Oczkowski, Mark Hill
Analysing data from the 2005 NCVER Survey of Employer Use and Views of the VET System, this report looks at the reasons why employers train their workers. The report highlights that there is no simple fix to increasing employer investment in training which has generally not been a core component of long-term business planning.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2147.html

NCVER research fellowships

NCVER has launched a fellowship scheme. The scheme aims to build researcher capacity through promoting the use of NCVER data on the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Researchers in any of the social science disciplines who are working on topics covering the VET sector are encouraged to apply. Between $10 000 and $20 000 of funding will be offered per annum.
For further information visit:
http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/opportunities.html#Fellowships

Calling all VET students

300,000 selected students from across Australia are being asked to have their say about vocational education and training (VET) as Australia's largest student survey gets underway. Managed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), the Student Outcomes Survey (SOS) serves as a national report card on the employment outcomes of VET graduates. Dr Tom Karmel, Managing Director, NCVER is encouraging the selected graduates to participate in the SOS.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/newsevents/mr/2009/2009may23.html

Last call for NCVER nominations

Nominations for the 2009 Vocational Education and Training (VET) Researcher of the Year Award will close on Friday, 12 June. If you know a researcher of a high standing whose work has had a positive impact on policy or practice in the VET sector, nominate them for this important award.
For further information visit:
http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/opportunities.html#VET_Researcher_of_the_Year_Award

NCVER Report

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) has released preliminary data from the annual collection of students in the Australian public vocational education and training (VET) system for 2008.

To access a copy of this publication visit: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2159.html

NSW Apprenticeship and Traineeship Figures

New figures released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research confirmed NSW is the premier state in driving growth and delivering quality apprenticeships and traineeships across Australia. Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth today said 70 percent of all growth in apprenticeship and traineeship completions in the year to December 2008 were in NSW. That’s an incredible market-share and proof that NSW is the driving force in equipping the nation’s workforce and delivering the highest quality of training, said Ms Firth.

NCVER Report

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research has released the December quarter 2008 apprentice and trainee statistics for the Australian vocational education and training system.

For a copy of this publication please visit: http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2155.html

New VET Report

Vocational education and training (VET) will be pivotal to Australia’s economic renewal, according to a new report commissioned by the AEU. Prior to the global financial crisis, Australia’s skills shortage was pronounced. This was partly created by neoliberal policies preoccupied with ‘contestability’ and ‘market design’ - policies represented by a low quality quick fix approach, said AEU Federal President, Angelo Gavrielatos. The success of Australia’s recovery will rely on a strong education, training and skills base.

Dusseldorp Skills Forum

'Keeping up' and 'How young Indigenous people are faring'

These two papers can be seen at www.dsf.org.au/projects/detail/?id=52

Social Enterprise Qualification

Obtain a postgraduate qualification that specialises in Social Enterprise from one of the top universities in Australia – The University of Adelaide
Get the edge - our Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation will give you the advantage in a market environment that is overcrowded with competing causes and worthwhile social initiatives seeking sponsorship, grants and the community dollar.
Up-skill now – This is the ideal time to enhance your credentials and increase your skills through further study.
Personal and organisational advancement - a postgraduate qualification not only better equips you for career advancement but can significantly help your organisation to reach its objectives and fulfil its mission.
Excellence in the not-for-profit sector - the key 'point of difference' of this program is its specific design for the social enterprise and not-for-profit sectors. One of the first such programs of its type in Australia. This is not just about 'theory'. This is a real hands-on, practical, problem solving environment that is 'outcome' driven.
Flexible study in two campus locations - SYDNEY and ADELAIDE. Two intensive sessions (2 x two days at beginning and end of semester, plus assignments and supported online learning). Entry points - July and March. Completion over one or two years. Assessment is assignment based. ‘Fee-Help’ available.
To find out all the details on offer – click here

Financing Adult Education for Development

International ConferenceBonn, 23 - 24 June 2009

Global attempts, like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Monterrey Consensus on Financing or the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness were initiated to support a more comprehensive and effective development policy. Education for All (EFA) targets improved access, quality, and gender parity of the education, learning and training sector.All these initiatives should have a direct or indirect impact on the development of adult education as well. However, in most of these processes our field is playing a marginal role only. This is especially true for the EFA framework, which almost read as "Except For Adults". The Fast Track Initiative (FTI) has even up to now no component to support youth and adult literacy.On the other hand, several interesting developments and initiatives could be witnessed in the global lifelong learning movement for the last decade: linking literacy to livelihood skills training and social issues, the genesis of HIV/AIDS prevention, the revival of target group and labour market oriented vocational education and training (VET), the transformation of universities in lifelong learning institutions and many initiatives for cooperation between civil society and the governmental sector are only a few examples.We observe changes in the donor community as well. New instruments like budget support and a wide range of new instruments developed over the last years. New actors emerged. However, again the non-formal education sector as well as youth and adult education are seldom included.In May 2009, CONFINTEA VI, the UNESCO World Conference on Adult Education will bring Governments and adult educators around the world to Brazil to reflect on "Living and Learning for a Viable Future - The Power of Adult Learning".The International Conference "Financing Adult Education for Development" in June 2009, will provide the opportunity to reflect on the challenges and chances in financing these new developments.The ConferenceThe conference will bring together key representatives, decision makers and practitioners in adult education and lifelong learning with representatives of donor agencies, ministries, development banks and foundations.The objectives for the event are: * To reflect on the impact of recent development policies and financing mechanisms to strengthen youth and adult learning in the South * To discuss the challenges development policy is facing and to identify the role and the needs of adult and lifelong learning in this context * To share best adult learning practices and experiences in development action and programmes * To create a possibility for networking between actors in adult education and major donor agencies The conference will at the same time present and discuss the experience of 40 years of cooperation between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and dvv international in promoting adult education globally.The conference receives strong support from BMZ. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning is a welcome partner in this CONFINTEA VI follow-up venture.OrganisersThe conference is organised in partnership, including their representatives:ICAE - International Council of Adult Education, Paul BélangerEAEA - European Association for the Education of Adults, Gina EbnerASPBAE - Asian South-Pacific Bureau of Adult Education, Maria Almazan Khandvv international - Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association, Heribert Hinzenwww.dvv-international.de www.icae.org.uy www.eaea.org www.aspbae.org

UN Conference Registration Process To Be Reopened

In a teleconference today, the Global Social Economy Group (previously the DNG plus others group) acting as facilitators to the UN June Conference agreed to reopen the registration process to allow those people that either missed the previous deadline or were unavailable for the original dates of the Conference to now register for the new dates of the Conference (June 24 - 26). Official notice will be issued by the UN-Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) office with links to registering. Round Tables - It was also agreed that new registrants would be able to apply for Roundtables, but with the disclaimer that the new applications would be placed in an alternate pool that would only be consulted in the event that Roundtable selections and alternates on the existing list were unavailable for the new dates of conference. This decision was reached on the basis that it would be unfair to bump people that had already been selected for Roundtables. So, if you were unable registered for the June Conference but can now attend, look for the Registration notice. What we heard was that registration will most likely open for about one (1) week, beginning perhaps tomorrow. Open registration dates, deadlines and other details will be determined by NGLS and the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA).Please check www.un-ngls.org for more information.

$1.4 Million for Apprenticeships in the ACT

One hundred young Canberrans will be able to learn while working in ACT public schools under Australian School Based Apprenticeships (ASBA). Minister for Education and Training Andrew Barr said the ACT Labor Government is meeting its election commitment with a $1.4 million investment in young Canberrans over four years. Under ACT Labor's 'earn or learn' policy every young Canberran will be required to be at school, in training or in work until the age of 17.