Vocational education and training in Australian schools: issues for practitioners

Abstract

Originally a series of local initiatives, Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools is now largely driven by policy makers and politicians who, too frequently, fail to appreciate the challenges the reform poses to teachers, school managers and workplace coordinators. Research has identified perceptions of poor quality in training, inadequate delivery methodologies, sometimes profound cultural incompatabilities and resourcing issues as barriers to successful implementation. Recent research has clarified many of these issues and provided some pointers to their resolution. These challenges should not detract from the positive achievements of VET in Schools that include a range of benefits to students of a personal and vocational nature as well as a broader impact on school culture.