Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the availability of qualifications through work-based traineeships in Australia assists social inclusion. Design/methodology/approach: Industry case studies, of the finance and cleaning industries, were undertaken as part of a national research project on quality in traineeships. The two…

This report is an interpretative examination of on- and off-job sites as learning environments. It explores meanings that apprentices, workplace mentors, and technical and further education (TAFE) teachers develop and place on integrated training. Key insights from research on 32 apprentices, 21 host employers, and 6 TAFE teachers in South…

In 2000, a quantitative telephone survey of 2,098 businesses in Australia determined employer awareness of and participation in structured workplace learning (SWL) programs. It explored "drivers" of participation and employers' decision-making process. Comparisons with a 1998 survey identified changes in employer awareness, attitudes,…

Research identified feasible strategies to support flexible delivery in operating workplaces. Sites were 12 enterprises in Victoria. Findings indicated flexible delivery was largely implemented by enterprises through the provision of a range of learning opportunities that included on-the-job observation, practice and mentoring, access to learning…

Despite the enduring problems of equity and access in the delivery of education in rural Australian schools, vocational education and training (VET) programs appear to have had a significant impact on many such schools and their communities. Vocational educational programs in Australia are based on structured workplace learning. There are three…

A search of recent research on group training apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia found that group training companies (GTCs) are making a strong contribution to Australia's apprentice and trainee system. Key findings include the following: (1) group training apprentice and trainee numbers doubled over the period of 1995-2000; (2) over…

This report describes apprenticeship system development in Australia and provides a quantitative macro-level analysis of apprenticeship, traineeship, and new apprenticeship trends. Following an introduction (chapter 1), chapters 2-3 trace its European origins and establishment in colonial Australia, development and evolution through the twentieth…

Changes in the extent, pattern, and outcomes of young Australians' participation in firm-based training from the 1980s to the 1990s were analyzed by comparing data from the Australian Youth Survey (AYS) and the Australian Longitudinal Survey (ALS). In 1994, 46% of those in the AYS sample participated in formal training (at age 16-24 years) and…

According to data regarding apprentices and trainees in Australia in 1985-1999, the number of apprentices and trainees in Australia reached a record level of 256,000 in June 1999 (versus 172,800 in 1990). Apprentices and trainees undertaking training at Australian Qualifications Framework level III or higher for more than 2 years accounted for…