After lunch, Keynote 2 is presented by Associate Professor Peter Hurley, Director of the Mitchell Institute based at Victoria University. He speaks on 'Measures and meaning: Diagnosing policy challenges in the VET sector'. In Australia, the VET sector, as with many other countries (UK being a prominent example), have been subjected to continual change. Reforms introducing contestable funding 15 years ago created extensive confusion, radical change, and continual challenges. Misunderstanding between, without and within the VET sector has led to implementation of reforms which no one has a common language/understanding of!! Policy makers need to be able to interpret what VET understands and how these are interpreted by government, funding agencies etc. Used the example of how VET students are counted, revealing diverse numbers and divergent stats on whether the numbers have increased or are decreasing. Qualifications, outcomes, grades, marking etc. etc. all have different ways to interpret their 'results'. These 'results' often tied to a person - their accomplishments, qualities, accreditation, competence etc. these measures are commensurable and do not decay, have a memory and create the possibility of exchange (i.e. qualification = acceptance for a job = individual 'gain'. Reminder that embodied skills is different from a representation of a skill. Returned to policy measures with examples of relevance to VET - contestability, more units completed = more skills attained?? does what is 'purchased' equate to actual hours of learning? Concludes there is a risk of atomisation due to way all of these outcomes are valuated. Therefore, a better way to 'count' needs to be created; all measures are constructions - relational and perhaps not realistic; education experience that can be valuable may be lost, crowded out due to the 'measures'; VET sector risks being hollowed out; and important to look behind what has been the result (which has not been successful).
Then a panel discussion on chaired by Kira Clarke on 'Policy, place and partnership: The interoperable tertiary system'. Panel included Jenny Dodd (CEO TAFE Australia), Jenny MacAffer (CEO Adult Learning Australia), Dr. Don Perlgut (CEO Community Colleges Australia), Felix Pirie (Deputy CE Policy and Research, Indepedent Tertiary Education Council) and Liam Sloan Deputy CE Federation University and CEO of FedTAFE). Each provided perspective from their context on the connection (or not) between policy, place and partnership and suggestions as to how these may be improved, enacted and more effective.
Keynote 3 is with Professor Pi-Shen Seet who is professor of entrepreneurship from Edith Cowan University. He presents on 'Disruptive technologies, Industry 4.0 and their impact on the Australian skills and training system'. Provided background to his project on the changing world of work. Will robots take my job?? try this site to find out - uses USof A statistics. Technological change is an engine for long run economic development. Mckinsey's 12 disruptive technologies provide a guide to the items with greatest impact. The fourth industrial revolution poised to create rapid and radical changes in social/economic developments. Drivers and impacts of industry 4.0 uneven across countries, dependent on their mix of industries, workforce capability, demographics etc. So are there more threats or opportunities? Shared and summarised a range of Australian reports, generally 30% new jobs with lost of at least 10%. Many type of work will be impacted, again, with spikey effects, dependent on job tasks composition. Summary in NCVER report - 2018. Shared opportunities for further research - how are VET providers meeting the skills for Industry 4.0? How are new collaboration entities meeting education and training KPIs? Ongoing disruptive technologies and their impact on VET.
The afternoon's concurrent sessions then begin.
First up, Ramesh Radhamony on 'Nursing education to enhance culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community access to mental health services: A scoping review'. Summarising a paper published in 2021. Considering immigrants and the refugee populations have high risk of mental health issues, enhancing health workers' knowledge regarding mental health service provision and cultural responsiveness can reduce health disparities. Scoping review completed to try to find out what could be initiated, how effective these are, and their impact. Summarised methodology to undertake the review including the inclusion/exclusion criteria for the scoping. Shared themes, limitations, gaps in the literature and discussion points. Good overview on how to conduct a valid review and how to bring some of the findings into practice.
Last presentation of the day with Professor Stephen Billett on 'localised decision making and enactments: Engaging individuals, communities and workplaces in vocational education'. This follows on from presentation made earlier in the day. VET has been perenially challenged by poor standing, but requirements to meet specific needs. National mandates may not always fit well into all contexts. Overviewed the many projects undertaken to try to understand workplace/organisational learning and VET education provisions. The centrality of context and localised processes often made a difference. Being locally responsive is not sufficient. VET also needs to realise change by encouraging and supporting innovation.
Rationalised the importance for VET to meet local communities' needs. Connected the focuses of VET to the needs of the local community. Shared the findings from a 2022 project in how local actions may assist. Engaing conditions need to be made visible. Work needed to be fulfilling. Support required along with relevant education. Three ways to help young people learn about work include visits and walk-throughs, information sessions from experts and workplacement / internships. Additional support to ensure young people able to attend, whole community engagement and school-based provisions are also important. Assisting young people to identify suitable occupations also important including engagement with parents, visibility of the occupation etc. Specific strategies include social partnerships with local schools, tertiary education and enterprises. Initial occupation preparation also important but must be contextualised to context and individual needs. Local strategies through building local relationships coupled with local decision-making can be effective. CET programmes need to also follow similar strategies, responding to local needs. Initiation and development of workplace innovations can draw from communities. Local educational infrastructure and governance often work if they are provided sufficient support, and resourcing.
AVETRA AGM runs before the conference reception and presentation of awards. A long but interesting day.
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