Vocational education is a type of education that provides the students with the real-world experience in a particular occupational field they may want to major in. It is thus an occupation upon which an individual is suited, qualified, individually drawn or trained. For an individual, the only thing that can balance his/her social services with their distinctive capacity is an occupation. The only key to happiness for a person is finding out what one is fitted into doing and giving them an opportunity to do it. In case one is forced by different circumstances to do something that was not part of their wish in life, it becomes a tragic experience for them. Dewby argued that the broad concept of vocation can be associated with these two provisions of education too; assistance of students in the identification of their true calling (vocation) and assisting them in the realization of the calling (their vocation).
According to the Education Council (2014), it indicates that the 21st-century Global competition, technological change, increased consumer demands and a shift from a knowledge-based economy should be met by modifying the schooling methods into those that can respond to these requirements. It is by ensuring that there are changes that will meet the employer requirements, nature of work and instill the workers with the skills that they will need in this new environment. Long before, the schools only prepared young people on how they will work, but now there is need to prepare them on how they will meet the higher workplace demands. In an attempt to make this possible, the Australian government went ahead and started a new initiative that would see schools retort to these demand within the labor market for the young people. The government came up with policies that saw the expansion and development of vocational education in the schools. According to the Ministers of Vocational Education, Employment, and Training, MOVEET (1992) the goals for introducing this program in the curricula were intended to advance the quality of outcomes (be effective, efficient), and collaborative improvement of opportunities and the results for the young people. As such, this will increase their responsiveness to the industry and improve the disadvantaged group's access and outcomes.
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The Australian policy makers and the education system managers found in the state, and federal levels came to an agreement that the adoption of this new initiative would solve the country's problem of students transition from school to work. They focused on expanding this program without having in mind what the broader goals of education wereSkilbeck noted that the general education still had a vocational content though it was not recognized as such. The introduction of vocational education did not put into consideration the adequacy and quality of what it provided. The balancing of vocational education was not done for other purposes and values of general education. Despite these challenges that revolve around its introduction; vocational education was still well received by the schools for there was an upsurge in the senior students participating in VET from 30% in 1999 to about 45% by 2003. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) established that students' population in VET increased from 229, 000 in 2009 to 257,000 by 2014.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Vocational Education
Australia has derived the use of vocational education basing on different aspects of competing and complementary forces. The relationship that exists between the various vocation notions and educational purposes (cultural, social and personal economic, etc.) is what has led to vocational education being adopted in the country. It is mostly post-secondary and is only provides by registered training organizations. However, some senior schools are known to offer school-based traineeships and apprenticeships. Vocational education training covers a range of occupational fields ranging from trades and office work, technology, hospitality, and retail. One can graduate with an advanced diploma, , a diploma, certificate IV and certificate. The vocational educational training programs, however, have their pros and cons about the traditional colleges and universities
Increased retention of students
In the two decades since VET was introduced in schools by the Australian government, it has become an essential segment of the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. An estimated 90% of the schools have integrated the program into their curriculum for students who are between eleven and twelve years. The states have also come up with means that are aimed at increasing the number of retention in schools among the students. The initiation of this program was so that the students’ transition from school to work and further studies would be solved. According to the student's statistics from 1999-2003, the student's enrollment in VET programs has increased from 140,000 to about 200,000 (NCVER, 2004).
In 2008, there were about 220,000 students who were part of the VET programs. These statistics translate to 28.5% increase from the previous year. It is an indication that about 40% of all the senior students for that year were involved in VET schools. The school apprenticeship and traineeship are part of VETis programs, and about 9% of the programs are being undertaken by students, with Queensland having the highest percentage of about 14%. The Australian schools had about 3,645,519 students in 2013 which was a 1.5% increase (55,533) from the previous year, 2012. In 2012; the growth rate was recorded at 1.4% as compared to the previous years that only saw increases of less than 1% each year. The indigenous groups also saw an increase in the enrolment for VET programs and retention.
The retention rates for 10 to 12 years were at 45% in 2009 (ABS, 2010). It, however, is far below the non-indigenous students. As per the Australian Bureau of Statistics data of 2014, the retention rates for the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal students for year 7/8 to 12 in 2013 was 55.1%.This figure had substantially increased from 2003 which was recorded at 39.1%. Despite this increased retention rate, it was still far behind the national retention rate by about 27.8% for all the other students. The completion rates for the male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student for 2006 and 2011 saw a 43% increase but for those who undertook VET in schools, it was up by 60%. It is evident that with the introduction of VET in schools the student's retention were able to increase. Few students dropped out of school.
Introduction of School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships
The VET programs allowed young people to undertake SATs that would see them get opportunities in year 10, 11 and 12 to engage in both work and training as paid workers while they complete their senior years. For the traineeship, they can be full or part-time basing on the type of training arrangement. They are offered in non-traded related areas which include hospitality, health and business and can last for twelve months. For the school-based trainees, upon completion of their program, they are entitled to a minimum of Certificate II depending on the vocational specialty they chose.
Regarding the apprenticeship, they are also full or part time depending on the training arrangement. For full-time arrangement, it can last for a maximum of four years. Therefore, students can enroll in this program while still in school and continue afterward. Full-time or part-time employment based training arrangement are offered in traditional technical areas such as metal trades, building, and construction and automotive industry. After completing the program, a student a qualified tradesperson with a Trade Cert III. The only difference that exists between these two is the level of commitment between the employer and the apprenticeship and traineeship. For the apprenticeship, the employee is given full support during the entire period by his employee. In case the employer sells the business, the new owner of the firm cannot terminate the apprenticeship's contract. For the traineeship, the employee is guaranteed full support by the employer during the entire period of training.
However, if a business is sold, the new company can decide not to keep the trainee. The apprenticeship and traineeship programs despite being different, they share many a lot of advantages for the young people who undertake them. These include; provision of opportunities for the young people by developing their skills and knowledge when they are introduced to practical work situations. It also enhances the links between education, industry and the local community. Other advantages are the development of post-school training and employment pathways for the young adults, supporting the transition of youth from school to work and promotion of education, training and job opportunities for senior students.
With the Australian government focusing all its efforts on ensuring vocational learning programs are adopted all over the country, it has met various challenges as compared to other OCED countries. The Vet program focused only on work, and it made the program to lose the focus on what general education involved. With the government putting its focus on vocational learning, it made the learning process to be more industry and skill oriented for the young people ( Durand-Drouhin et al., 1998; OECD, 2000). According to the Melbourne declaration of 2008, general education has one goal. It aims at ensuring that young person once they attain their senior years, receive an education that is of high quality. It will allow them to complete their secondary education and have a smooth transition towards work and training ( McKenzie, 2012). When the vocational education was implemented, it disrupted this goal of general education. Despite vocational training ensuring there is a high retention in schools it had weak outcomes as a result.
According to the Mayer report of 1992 during the formation of the VET in its policy documents, it had to be based on certain Key Competencies that ensured that the students are learning in preparation for employment. They include Collecting, analyzing and organizing information, expression of information and ideas, working in collaboration with others, problem solving, utilizing mathematical techniques and ideas, using technology, and planning and organizing activities. However, as per the employers, these skills that were emphasized by the Key Competencies were not what they were expecting. They were seen as rather generic and not a reflection of what the workplace required. They also focused more on the current labor market issues rather than future. It led to an extensive consultation amongst the different industries and enterprises on what skills they required. Following an extensive consultation between the stakeholders involved, a new framework of competencies drafted. They included teamwork, technology, communication, planning and organizing,enterprise and initiative , problem-solving, learning and self-management.
Factors Hindering Successful Transition of Senior Students to Post-School Work and Further Learning
The young people at times face a range of implications that impact their successful school to work transition, further studies and even to adulthood. This young population has come to experience highest levels of unemployment as compared to other age groups in Australia. Individuals who fall in the age bracket of 15-24 years is twice that of nation's average for those in the 15-64 age.The youth unemployment rates according to the working hour's data highlights is 11.8% for the younthful men and 15.9% for the youthful women (Healy, 2013).
The major factor that affects the smooth transition of school to postwork has been mainly the ever changing Australian labor market. For the past twenty years, the Australian labor market has experienced a reduction in its capacity to offer full-time entry level jobs opportunities to young people.It is what has significantly affected the young individuals. There has been a significant shift from the once primary based industries and manufacturing sector to new industries and service sector. The changes in employment throughout the country’s economy has affected the young people as they transition from school to work in the following ways:
Growth in jobs in the economic sectors that do not have in place structures that can facilitate entry level experience-The labor areas in the country has seen a shift in a more knowledge requiring one mostly in the technical specialist roles and business services. The new jobs that have arisen in this sector have started requiring high skills levels, attract higher wages thus requiring vert high professional and managerial experience levels as the main prerequisites for entry.Most of the knowledge sector employment opportunities are also found in the multinational business. Thus their head office location is relocated overseas.
The decline in the traditional entry points for the young people-The global financial crisis did have not had an immense impact on Australia thus forcing many expert-oriented industries to try and manage the incidence of the Australian currency. It has resulted into many employers from different industries such as the retail, engineering, and building becoming reluctant in the recruitment and training of their young people for thy have no belief they will be able to offer ongoing work. It has led to apprenticeship and traineeship not provided in case it is seen as critical to the operations of the employer. The learning saw a decline since 1970, mostly in traditional and technical related jobs; most of the low to intermediary skill level jobs require them to have a very strong academic record accompanied by a Year 12 certification or its equivalent. It should be a minimum of certificate IV. It means that the core entry levels for apprenticeships have increased in the labor market (Cuervo and Wynn, 2011).
Provision of Best Vocational Learning Experiences
With the different transitions being made by the senior students' transition to post-school work and further learning becoming sophisticated. There is needed to come up with a means by which they will be given the necessary "life skills' that will assist them in the transition. This is through ensuring they undergo through the best vocational learning experiences. The change is termed as "new vocational" (Skilbeck et al.,1995).The young people who will pass through this will indeed be able to achieve better post-school work and further learning transition as compared to those who do not undertake it.
VET should be viewed as a beginning point for the further post-school education and training but not as an educational endpoint. These programs should be in such a way that the students career become guided in a very clear and articulated way. Through the focusing on higher VET and entry to work-based training. There is needed to come up with better career guidance mechanism pathways that will support the career choices for all the young people. It can be achieved through various means such as:
Engaging Schools and teachers
The schools should become part of the response formation process by the local, state and national bodies to aid in the implementation of means to overcome these transition challenges. It is because they are the fundamental institution by which the students engage. The school support staff and teachers are among the greatest influencers of the students during their formative years. The schools provide the favorable conditions in the identification and early intervention for the students who might face risks of poor transition from school. Appropriate support to the young people at this early stage will allow removing any need of an individualized case management in their future. The foundation of a real school to work transition is determined by the different work programs provided by the schools. They should be given the priority when it comes to changing vocational learning experiences.
Collaboration and coordination between all government levels
If the federal government can align together youth policies that will see the inclusion of the social and economic sector for the young people, they will indeed see a very successful transition from school to work. Some of these policy and program structures revolve around the education, training, employment, economic policies and labor market. The federal government has the responsibility of providing critical support services that can enable easier labor market entry. It can also ensure there is the provision of good educational foundation such as support for VET.
It is evident from the government's reform agenda that aims at lifting the quality of the training providers together with the courses they offer.The government has come to realize that VET plays a vital role in improving the competitiveness of the country's economy and improving the job prospects of the young people. More than 90% of the schools are offering VET programs in year eleven and twelve. It has reduced the students' numbers had to leave school early to go to an apprenticeship or disengaged entirely from education, training, and employment. From 2005-2012, there has been an increase of 38% in the number of students taking VET programs.
In conclusion, many challenging labor market aspects affect the young people once they leave their high school and became senior students. The entry levels that would allow them to access the jobs have significantly narrowed as compared to how they were in the 1970s.There is, therefore, need to ensure that the young people become equipped with necessary skills that will ensure they have a positive transition from learning environment to job placement and further education. This is the improvement of the VET programs in the different schools and ensuring they have a smoother integration into the school curriculum.
References
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