Erica Smith

A Review of Twenty Years of Competency-Based Training in the Australian Vocational Education and Training System

In this paper, the author reflects, both as an academic researcher and as a senior practitioner, on the experience of competency-based training (CBT) in the Australian vocational education and training system. She seeks to draw conclusions about the Australian experience using a typology drawn from the academic literature which focuses on the philosophical, educational, technical and market aspects of CBT. She concludes that, despite many improvements over the past 10 years, some potential problems remain. The system is controlled overly tightly by the interests of industry and it also exhibits some inflexibilities. Both of these act to disadvantage some groups of learners. Teachers and trainers do not have adequate skills to work skilfully and critically with CBT, leading to thin pedagogy and a narrow focus on assessment of individual items of performance.

Ten years of competency-based training: the experience of accredited training providers in Australia

This article examines ten years of implementation of competency- based training (CBT) in the vocational education and training sector in Australia. It begins by explaining the meaning of CBT in Australia in the 1990s, and the way in which CBT is organised, and then describes the findings of two national research projects carried out during the period 1995– 1997. The first project reported on the extent of CBT pen-etration and the second examined the effects of CBT on teaching and learning. Finally the article speculates on the future direction of CBT in Australia, with the introduction of ‘training packages’.

The role of training in the development of human resource management in Australian organisations

Abstract This paper analyses the impact that nationally recognised training has had on the practice of human resource management in Australian organisations. Since the late 1980s, the Australian vocational education and training system has undergone major reforms. These reforms have been aimed at making training more relevant to the needs of Australian business. A key development in training reform has been the emergence of Training Packages, sets of occupational competency standards, qualifications and assessment guidelines covering most jobs in the economy. The research reported in this paper shows how nationally recognised training in the form of Training Package qualifications has been taken up by Australian employers and has begun to re-shape not only training practices but also broader approaches to human resource management. Many employers are now using the competency standards contained in Training Packages to underpin other human resource management practices such as recruitment and selection, performance management and management development. The use of consistent national standards to underpin these activities has led to better alignment and integration of human resource management in some organisations, as predicted by theories of bundling in the strategic human resource management literature.

Strategy and human resource management

This book provides an excellent and elegant analysis of the field of human resource management. While the title implies that it is only about the relationship of human resource management to organisational strategy, the book is broader than that. It provides an overview of the functions of human resource management and also a broader insight into issues of work organisation and workplace relations (or ‘employee voice’ as it is called here). The structure of the book is as follows. An introductory chapter on the goals of human resource management is followed by three main parts:

Vocational education and training in schools in Australia: What are the consequences of moving from margins to mainstream?

Abstract This article is a critical review of policy and literature relating to vocational education and training (VET) in schools in Australia. Over the past decade in Australia, VET in schools has grown considerably so that not only are nearly half of senior school students now involved, but also VET in schools represents around 10% of total VET activity. In both schools and the VET sector itself, VET in schools was originally marginalised and this article explores its movement from the margins towards the mainstream in both spheres. An overview of the growth of VET in schools in Australia, along with other vocational developments in schools, is given, along with discussion of some of the benefits and challenges of VET in schools, both from a schooling perspective and from a national skills formation perspective. The consequences of the move from margins to mainstream have not yet been fully digested and debate rarely moves beyond consideration of implications for the school sector. The article moves beyond these narrow confines to raise broader questions for the VET sector.

What industry wants: employers' preferences for training

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse what retail and hospitality industry employers want from training and trainers.Design/methodology/approach – The research project was undertaken for Service Skills Australia, the Australian Industry Skills Council that oversees formal training for a range of service industries in Australia. The paper utilises data from focus groups and telephone interviews with representatives of the retail and hospitality industries, and telephone interviews with staff of the relevant UK Sector Skills Councils, to provide international benchmarking for the issues raised.Findings – Results showed that, while industry representatives stated that they prioritised industry skills and knowledge above education skills and knowledge, a complex mixture of the two was required, which was generally felt to be lacking. Curriculum for training was also perceived to be deficient, despite Training packages having been developed in consultation with industry. A comparison w...

Theory and practice: the contribution of off-the-job training to the development of apprentices and trainees

Abstract This article uses the findings from a qualitative study of Australian young people in their first year of full-time work to examine the nature and utility of off-the-job training in apprenticeships and traineeships. The findings confirm the conclusions of earlier studies about the importance of off-the-job training as a supplement for workplace learning. It was found that, while initially not attaching much value to off-the-job training, the young people gained more of an appreciation, during the course of the year, of what off-the-job training had to offer. Other findings about off-the-job training included: the superiority of face-to-face training as opposed to other forms of delivery; the importance of the young peoples relationships with their off-the-job trainers; the ‘implicit contract’ of expectations of the parties to the training contract; the different viewpoints of the parties; and the dissatisfaction of those in traineeships with the lack of intellectual challenge in their competency-based curriculum.

Contesting tertiary teaching qualifications: an Australian perspective

This paper utilizes the findings of a small research project into academics’ perceptions of the value of formal qualifications in university teaching and learning to reflect upon the current status of teaching and tertiary teaching qualifications in Australia. The findings are based upon a survey of and interviews with participants and non-participants in one Australian universitys Graduate Certificate in University Teaching. The study reveals varied attitudes and perspectives in relation to teaching and to formal teaching qualifications, in particular. While the study provides evidence that a formal teaching qualification was considered beneficial by some respondents, the paper also reveals cynicism about the validity of such qualifications. The paper argues that the complex, more management and market-oriented context in which academics currently undertake their work has had a significant influence upon such perceptions.

Old Dogs, New Tricks: Training Mature-Aged Manufacturing Workers.

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the employment and training of mature‐aged workers, so that suggestions for improving training for mature‐aged workers may be offered.Design/methodology/approach – Six expert interviews were carried out by telephone, and three case studies involving company site visits were completed. Each company case study involved interviews with managers, trainers and mature‐aged workers. The study was confined to the manufacturing industry.Findings – Mature‐aged workers bring many advantages to workplaces and some employers show a definite preference for them over younger workers; but in some cases training needs to take account of lack of confidence and literacy and health issues. However, there is great diversity among mature‐aged workers.Research limitations/implications – The research is confined to shop‐floor workers in manufacturing, and does not address training of mature‐aged managers and professionals. The research is small‐scale but provides new insights, and importantly...

Qualifying the Workforce: The Use of Nationally-Recognised Training in Australian Companies.

Purpose – To report on research that examines the impact of the adoption of nationally‐recognised training by enterprises in Australia.Design/methodology/approach – The project involved a mix of methodologies including focus groups, employer survey and case studies.Findings – The research found that there had been a higher than expected adoption of nationally‐recognised training by Australian enterprises in recent years and that enterprises were using training packages to support other human resource management activities apart from training.Research limitations/implications – The case studies were confined to four industry areas of hospitality, manufacturing, arts/media and call centres.Originality/value – This paper fills a significant gap in the research literature on the use that enterprises make of nationally‐recognised training.