TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning Course Non-Completions in Trade Skill Shortage Areas Terry SaunbyAnn Topple Principal Program ManagerChief Education Officer Donna Inkson Mehrassa Farjad Chief Education Officer Project Manager

TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning Why?

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?” “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 3,326 places. The industries in which NSW will meet the target are (ASCO Code and ASCO name): 41 Mechanical and Fabrication Engineering Tradespersons 41 Mechanical and Fabrication Engineering Tradespersons 42 Automotive Tradesperson 42 Automotive Tradesperson 43 Electrical and Electronics Tradespersons 43 Electrical and Electronics Tradespersons 44 Construction 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 Competency Standards Objective Based Curriculum CBT Style Curriculum Unit Based Curriculum ANTA 1993 Institutes      RTOs 2001 Schofield Review ISO AQTF National Training Framework ARF Training Packages AQTF Curriculum mapped to UOC National NSW 2006 ANTA DEST AQTF v.2 AQF

TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning Research about completions: ModulesModules QualificationsQualifications 

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: 1. RTO factors 2. Employer factors 3. 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 modules in a course, the lower the completion rate the more ‘core’ 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 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 hours have the lowest completion rate) the longer the course, in nominal hours, the lower the completion rate (except that course with hours have the lowest completion rate) the greater the average module length, the higher the 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 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 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). 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). 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 where enrolment is combined with paid employment enrolment in courses which are regarded as a normal requirement for entry into an occupation 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 trade certificates and apprenticeships courses leading to occupations in personal and community services 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 conflict with the employer financial concerns (low wages, being treated as cheap labour, and leaving for higher pay) financial concerns (low wages, being treated as cheap labour, and leaving for higher pay) a perception that ‘they were not learning anything’ 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 an inadequate understanding of the industry a lack of basic employability and workplace skills a lack of basic employability and workplace skills poor recruitment processes by employers; lack of selection by employers, open entry to apprenticeships poor recruitment processes by employers; lack of selection by employers, open entry to apprenticeships a negative perception of the trade area.. 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 deliveryquality of course delivery time demands of the course and personal management skillstime demands of the course and personal management skills length, relevance and flexibility of courselength, 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 goalscourse not appropriate to needs; changed career goals appropriateness and timing of assessmentappropriateness and timing of assessment transferring to a more appropriate course or another institutiontransferring to a more appropriate course or another institution location of training and travel.location of training and travel.

TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning How?

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) delivery (RPL, timing, counseling, screening) course design course design

TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning