440 likes | 571 Views
THE LEARNING P WERHOUSE. Course Non-Completions in Trade Skill Shortage Areas. Terry Saunby Ann Topple Principal Program Manager Chief Education Officer Donna Inkson Mehrassa Farjad Chief Education Officer Project Manager. Why?. Once apon a time in a far away
E N D
THE LEARNING P WERHOUSE Course Non-Completions in Trade Skill Shortage Areas Terry Saunby Ann Topple Principal Program Manager Chief Education Officer Donna Inkson Mehrassa Farjad Chief Education Officer Project Manager TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Why? TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Once apon a time in a far away Curriculum Centre there was PLANNING ADVICE TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Several years ago it was observed that completions of the trade qualifications in the Automotive area had a peculiar characteristic of not following the trend for overall enrolments – If enrolments increased or decreased completions didn’t reflect that trend… TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
The phenomenon raised the question: “What happens if we are measured on outcomes?” TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
This anomaly was recommended for research but didn’t rank sufficiently high enough on the organisation’s priorities… TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Then COAG decided that training would progressively move to an outcomes based model… TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
…and TAFE NSW would be funded on the outcomes model… TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Interest was renewed… TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
COAG identified six skill shortage trade areas: • Bricklayers • Carpenters and joiners • Electricians • Motor mechanics • Plumbers • Refrigeration/air-conditioning mechanics TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Bi-lateral Funding Agreement Additional New Apprentice commencements in skills shortages in traditional trades: The NSW target is 3,326places. The industries in which NSW will meet the target are (ASCO Code and ASCO name): • 41 Mechanical and Fabrication Engineering Tradespersons • 42 Automotive Tradesperson • 43 Electrical and Electronics Tradespersons • 44 Construction Tradespersons (4 of 7 identified trades) TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
What’s wrong with this idea? TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
VOCED has a legacy of continuous improvement of quality inputs TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
National Training Framework Training Packages ARF AQTF ANTA ANTA Competency Standards DEST AQF National NSW AQTF AQTFv.2 ISO Institutes RTOs Schofield Review Objective Based Curriculum Unit Based Curriculum Curriculum mapped to UOC CBT Style Curriculum 1993 1990 1994 1997 2001 2005 2006 TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Research about completions: • Qualifications • Modules TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Research into Non-Completions: TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Current destination surveys of VET students in Australia tend to focus on course and module completers and there is little follow-up with those who did not complete their course/qualification TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
The findings from a preliminary literature review have been grouped below in three categories: • RTO factors • Employer factors • Personal factors TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Relationships between course completion and course design for all courses (not just apprenticeships and traineeship courses) are few and weak. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Courses that are ‘bigger’ have lower completion rates: • the more modules in a course, the lower the completion rate • the more ‘core’ modules in a course, the lower the completion rate • the more ‘elective’ modules in a course, the lower the completion rate TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Courses that are ‘bigger’ have lower completion rates: • the longer the course, in nominal hours, the lower the completion rate (except that course with 601 -700 hours have the lowest completion rate) • the greater the average module length, the higher the completion rate. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Courses that have more choice have lower completion rates: • courses composed of core plus electives had lower completion rates then ‘core only’ courses • core-elective courses with more electives from which to choose had lower completion rates than those with fewer electives TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Courses that have more choice have lower completion rates: • where students had to choose several electives (M) out of a larger number (N), the lower the value of the M/N, the lower the completion rate (analysed only for Victoria). • courses consisting of modules with ungraded assessments had higher completion rates than courses consisting largely of modules with graded assessments (analysed only for New South Wales). TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
In general terms it appears that higher completion rates are associated with: • enrolment in courses where enrolment is combined with paid employment • enrolment in courses which are regarded as a normal requirement for entry into an occupation TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
In general terms it appears that higher completion rates are associated with: • trade certificates and apprenticeships • courses leading to occupations in personal and community services TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Employer Factors Reasons given by apprentices for not completing their apprenticeship were: • conflict with the employer • financial concerns (low wages, being treated as cheap labour, and leaving for higher pay) • a perception that ‘they were not learning anything’ TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Reasons given by apprentices for not completing their apprenticeship were: • an inadequate understanding of the industry • a lack of basic employability and workplace skills • poor recruitment processes by employers; lack of selection by employers, open entry to apprenticeships • a negative perception of the trade area.. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Personal Factors Students rated how important each of a range of 58 possible reasons for leaving a course prior to completion was for them. Analysis targeted seven key themes: • quality of course delivery • time demands of the course and personal management skills • length, relevance and flexibility of course TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Analysis targeted seven key themes (cont.): • course not appropriate to needs; changed career goals • appropriateness and timing of assessment • transferring to a more appropriate course or another institution • location of training and travel. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
How? TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
The purpose of this project is to identify approaches and strategies that will assist Institutes in addressing low completion rates in apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Methodology Tool: Survey (5,000 survey documents mailed out, followed by phone interview of 500 respondents). The research methodologies used will reflect those identified in the 2005 NCVER report Technical report: Survey methodological options for a) non-completers of VET and b) apprentices and trainees over time, by Stephen Lamb. TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Who: Past students who enrolled in 2001 or 2002 in TAFE NSW and did not complete their trade qualification including those who were and were not registered as an apprentice or trainee (as recorded on the Student and Course Information System; and the Vocational Training Tribunal for Craft Certificate data). This would include trade apprenticeship qualifications (Certificate III or Certificate IV) involving a Training Plan or indenture; and non-trade qualifications at all AQF qualification levels. (+7000 pop sample) TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Factors that will be investigated through data from the TAFE NSW Data Warehouse: • age at enrolment (teens; twenty year olds; over 30 year olds) • gender (male; female) • geographical location (metropolitan Sydney or regional NSW, including campus) • TAFE NSW Institute (12 Institutes). TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Factors that will be investigated through the survey: • personal variables (time, difficulty, LLN, etc) • employment variables (changed circumstances, employer; NACs; GTCs; employment outcome/no employment outcome; employer recruitment/screening) TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
Factors that will be investigated through the survey: • the student’s intention in choosing the alternative path to employment through the Vocational Training Tribunal (rather than starting/completing a qualification) • RTO variables: • delivery (RPL, timing, counseling, screening) • course design TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning
The Quest for answers Continues...... TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning