This paper provides a summary of four projects currently funded through Australia's National Center for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), including what they propose to achieve and their preliminary findings to date. After an introduction, an overview of preliminary findings from the four projects is presented. The following barriers to…

Development and implementation of a Victoria College (Australia) bachelor's degree course in technological management is described. The program has innovative features, including flexible entry and exit points, three levels of award, and delivery in the workplace through computers and self-paced materials. Implementation in two motor vehicle…

The evolution of the Workplace Education Service that operates in South Australia is chronicled. Begun as a single program designed to integrate workplace literacy, English as a Second Language, and literacy education for both native and non-native English-speakers in an automobile plant, the project grew into a network of programs and services in…

A study examined training and staff development initiatives in Australian industrial and commercial organizations. It was carried out using a questionnaire and structured interview technique with 24 organizations. Larger organizations had their own facilities and trained in-house whereas smaller organizations made more use of Technical and Further…

Principally concerned with printing, publishing, and paper and paper products, the Australian printing industry is segmented into two sectors: general production and specialist (concerned with a variety of processes and products.) Current arrangements for entry-level training in the industry generally consist of off-the-job training usually…

This guide is designed to orient vocational education and training (VET) providers and adult educators to one approach to work-based learning in small business training and development used in Australia. Chapter 1, "About this Guide" (Merilyn Childs), provides an overview of the key players and conceptual frameworks involved in the small…

This report presents papers and summaries of workshops from a forum on adult literacy training hosted by the Coordinating Agency for Training Adult Literacy Personnel in Australia (CATALPA). An explanation of the nature and aims of the CATALPA project, a brief foreword, and a copy of the forum program are provided, followed by papers presented by…

The conclusion of a 1999 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report that wage gains for training are higher for workers with lower levels of education was revisited using data for males from the 1997 Australian Survey of Education and Training (SET). The study used methods similar to the OECD report (ordinary least squares…

A project investigated the integration of key competencies into workplace training in Australia. Part 1 of the project researched the work of personnel engaged in on-the-job training (OJT) curriculum development in five industries to find out how key competencies were being incorporated into OJT curricula and to suggest models to guide this…

This report gives an overview of the primary issues identified through case studies on exemplary training programs for integrated manufacturing. Following an introduction, Chapter 2 outlines the key elements of integrated manufacturing. Chapter 3 describes the context of integrated manufacturing with reference to Australian and worldwide trends: a…

This paper, on the returns on investment (ROI) in training, introduces some practical examples for enterprises or organizations wanting to find out whether the money they have spent or intend to spend on training is necessary. It provides strategies for researchers who would like to undertake research in this area. The paper begins by examining…

Using the metaphor of a river to describe continuous and lifelong learning, this paper details an action research project aimed at developing effective learning environments in a large, distributed organization called Thiess Contractors Proprietary Limited, an Australian mining and construction company. Two major outcomes of the project are…

This publication contains six essays that offer a range of practical and theoretical perspectives on work-related curriculum. It is part of the study materials for the one-semester distance education unit, Curriculum and Competencies, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University (Australia). An introduction proposes a course design and pedagogy…

Drawing on data collected in a national evaluation, this paper explores the contribution of Frontline Management Initiative (FMI) to the practice of management learning in selected enterprises in Australia. (A competence-based management development strategy, FMI places learning in an organization and links management performance to the…

This report considers how educational providers can develop mentoring and mentor-like schemes for the benefit of student learning. Chapter 1 defines mentoring and looks at recent interest in mentoring; the need for holistic support services; and a link between mentoring and positive student outcomes. Chapter 2 presents findings from the literature…