Response from John Price regarding VET Sector Newsletter.

John Price

John started his career in education and training over 40 years ago. He was the Head of the School of Printing and Graphic Arts, became a TAFE Queensland Professional Development Coordinator and mentored many new TAFE teachers through their Diploma in Technical and Further Education.

He left TAFE in 1987 and in conjunction with InPrint Limited, one of Australia’s finest printers, established Australia’s first high technology training centre in industry for printing and graphic arts in 1988.

Since then he has assisted hundreds of organisations to gain registration as an RTO against the training standards established in the 1990s through to today, and regularly assists RTOs to maintain compliance of their quality system through internal auditing and in-house professional development.

He currently presents nationally and internationally on a range of professional development topics to assist trainers and assessors to maintain their current skills and knowledge in vocational teaching and learning. These topics include: Systematic validation of assessment; developing assessment tools, internal auditing, trainer and assessor currency, engaging with learners; and developing efficient and effective RPL assessments.

 John is the owner of John Price & Associates Pty Ltd as well as a founder and partner of The VET Gurus.

Kerri Buttery

Kerri began her education career working in Queensland secondary schools as a business teacher in the late 1990s. This included teaching vocational education subjects and later became the RTO Manager for the school. Since then, Kerri has undertaken roles in the broader Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector such as trainer/assessor, RTO Compliance Manager and Senior Lead Auditor. She has extensive experience as a VET compliance consultant including the delivery of professional development services through workshops, webinars, online courses and conferences including as a keynote speaker.

In 2017-2018 Kerri undertook postgraduate studies in eLearning to further hone her skills in this area. She now specialises in the administration and development of eLearning courses within the Canvas LMS by Instructure.

In 2018 Kerri started her own consultancy company, VETNexus, and in 2019 became co-founder and partner of The VET Gurus, an organisation providing professional development services to the wider Australian VET sector.

Angela McGregor

Angela started her career in the VET sector as a trainer and assessor of hospitality qualifications and the Workplace Trainer category 2 qualification.  Angela went on to train the TAA and TAE qualifications and hold management roles before becoming a freelance consultant in June 1999.

Additional to having first hand experience as a trainer, working in management roles and operating her own consultancy, Angela set up and operated her own RTO (offering business qualifications and the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment) for 9 years from 2003.  Angela sold her RTO in 2012.  Angela’s has been providing consulting services to new and existing RTOs.  Her extensive experience includes assistance in setting up new RTOs, assistance with compliance and rectification, auditing, professional development, accredited course development and assessment design, validation and review.

1. What is your experience of working in the vocational education and training sector?

We are a bit scared to add up our combined years in the sector!! The number will be quite large and show our age. Let’s just say that it is more than 20 years each.

John joined TAFE Queensland in 1976 as a teacher of printing and graphic arts, became Head of the School of Graphic Arts and left to set up in industry with one of Australia’s international award-winning printing companies to establish Intech Australia, a specialist in high technology training.

He has delivered and assessed the BSZ40198, TAA40104, and the TAE40110 and uses his complementary skills, knowledge and experience to develop and present a range of VET professional development programs including student engagement and leadership in a quality environment.

His specialist area is the development of RPL assessment kits but also enjoys conducting internal audits of RTOs as a proactive strategy for improvement rather than as a reactive strategy to regulatory compliance.

Kerri began her career with VET in Schools as a trainer and assessor and later became an RTO Manager. She moved on to become a Senior Lead Auditor in Queensland before moving on to become a TAA/TAE trainer and assessor.

Her vocational teaching background was in business and information technology which led to an interest in using technology in education. As well as working as a compliance consultant for the past 12 years Kerri has also undertaken formal qualifications in eLearning and now also specializes in this area.

Angela began as a hospitality trainer and later delivered the Workplace Trainer Category 2, BSZ40198, TAA40104 and TAE40110.  Before becoming an RTO consultant Angela held a range of management roles in RTOs, developing an all round understanding of the operations of RTOs.  Additional to operating a consultancy Angela set up and managed her own RTO for 9 years.

2. What is the purpose of The VET Gurus and how can training organisations benefit?

The VET Gurus was established to enable the key skills, knowledge and experiences of Kerri, Angela and John to combine into the opportunity to provide solutions to RTOs in the fields of Administration, Training and Assessment and Compliance monitoring.

RTOs benefit from a one-stop-shop approach to obtaining the comprehensive support they need whether it be for RTO compliance to the 2015 Standards, the ESOS National Code 2018 for CRICOS providers, eLearning and RTO administration.

3. How is The VET Gurus different from other professional development organisations in the training sector?

It allows us to focus on the features we offer as a team, i.e. not just three VET people who have been in the VET industry for almost 70 years, but rather the benefits of these 70 combined years as specialisations in specific RTO operations, a professional approach built on a reputation to provide practical solutions through our internal collaborative processes; and a dedication always in the back of our minds that relates to doing it right for the students.

4. What do you think are the main threats to training organisations in the current environment?

There will always be threats associated with competition between RTOs and funding but the main threat is focusing on compliance to the detriment of quality in processes, practices and outcomes. A favourite saying of John’s is “How can an auditor find a problem with our assessments and trainer and assessor qualifications when they  are not vocationally competent?”.

If we are not careful the focus on compliance is often mis-directed and RTO staff can become so close to what they do, particularly in the preparation of assessments as subject matter experts and the daily reflection on vocational currency, that they miss the obvious. Obvious to auditors, that is.

5. What are your views of how we can improve the vocational education and training sector in Australia?

The VET sector is still comparatively young, professionally. Education, health and other professional sectors have been around a long time and have profited from the wisdom of professional standards that direct and maintain competent workplace practice. I believe the focus of RTO standards in the future needs to include an emphasis on ensuring outcomes go beyond those of meeting the students’ needs and determine are they meeting the needs of the industry and community our students work and live in.

Questions to John Price

Sukh Sandhu: I have known you for about 20 years. We have worked together on a number of projects and frankly, you are truly one of my Gurus who taught me so much about the vocational education and training sector. Here are some questions I always wanted to ask but never had the opportunity to: 

6. You have been in the industry for over 40 years as a Head of Department at TAFE, mentor, facilitator of national workshops covering delivery and assessment, risk management, auditing, leadership and interpersonal skill development, ASQA auditor, keynote speaker at conventions and conferences, you have also assisted over 300 organisations in Australia to achieve quality certification to the range of National Training Standards, What role have you enjoyed the most and where do you think that you have made a positive difference?

On the 19th January I returned home from my first day as a teacher. My next door neighbour knew this was an important day in my life and over the fence with a beer in hand he said to me “What was it like today?” I replied to him “It was great, I can see this being the rest of my life!”. To which he responded, “I wish I was an epidemic like you!”. It has been the rest of my life.

I’ve never forgotten that statement and although having to continue study, as we all have had to do, all I’ve ever wanted to be is an ‘epidemic!’

My greatest enjoyment is working with people no matter what task I’m doing. I hope that I’ve made some impact by being a role model in my behavior towards people; and every day I ask myself “have I treated people today the way I’d like to be treated myself?” And when the answer is no, which in reality it has been on one significant occasion, I did something about it. The job I enjoy the best is breaking the perception that auditing is a chore and in doing so reinforcing the opportunity to improve through the process results in quality outcomes.

7. Do you think the ISO 9001 standards would assist the auditing practices of the vocational education and training regulator?

This is very close to my heart, not just at the moment but over the past thirty years. Back in the days of the Australian Recognition Framework (ARF) standards I assisted an RTO to become not only compliant to the ARF but also to the ISO9001 International Standards for the scope of Education and Training. In responding to your question there are a large number of similarities between the ISO 9001 standards and our current Standards for Registered Training Organisations (SRTO) 2015.

Back in 1999 I asked the question regarding why didn’t Australia adopt the ISO 9001 Standards for Education and Training? and was told “We didn’t know they existed”. If we had we would have had a quality system for Australian RTOs that was internationally recognized. I think we ‘missed the boat’.

I do see, and positively recognize, in the SRTO standards an increased focus on the customer (the student) which is very important. I think they can be expanded to include other stakeholders who are just as important. In my discussions with RTO senior management regarding the alignment of ISO 9001 with SRTO 2015 they see the opportunity international recognition presents and currently I’m putting together a document that indicates quite clearly the alignment of both standards. I also believe opportunities should be considered to examine the quality processes that have been established by the City and Guilds Institute of London that has now established an International division which for our region is based in New Zealand. Sukh, as you know I’m in my 70s now but every day that I get up I look forward to work and the opportunity we all have to improve the VET system.

Questions to Angela McGregor

Sukh Sandhu: You are a highly experienced owner and principal consultant of an RTO Consulting business. You are also one of the main Gurus of The VET Gurus panel. You have been offering consulting services throughout Australia since 1999 and here are some questions for you:

11. What motivated you to work in an industry which includes a lot of auditing, compliance and many regulations? 

When I started in the industry, back when RTOs were operated under the Australian Recognition Framework (ARF), I struggled with the panic I observed during the first audit undertaken that I witnessed, while employed with a large national training company.  From that point forward I made a commitment to understand the legislation and obligations of Trainers and Assessors.  The more I learnt about the industry and the fear and confusion surrounding compliance the more I became committed to understanding and helping others to understand and meet their obligations.

I find it very rewarding being able to simplify and explain the obligations of RTOs in a way people understand and removing the fear and confusion.

12. What are the main areas of non-compliance you have identified in the administration systems?

The main non-compliances I am seeing in administration systems is in the information provided to students prior to enrolment or commencement and in the area of identifying student needs.

Many RTOs are still not providing the minimum information required (and clearly documented in the Standards for Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) 2015) prior to enrollment or commencement of training.  Potential students need to be provided with all of the information required to make an informed decision and yet the information they receive (often not until after they enroll or commence training) is often missing the duration, location, dates and times of training ad costs, fundamental information to making a decision.

Determining the support needs of students still remains an administrative process that is not implemented in many RTOs.  RTOs have an obligation to identify the support needs of students and establish if there are any needs that the RTO can’t assist with or that will impact on the likelihood of the student completing.  Each RTO needs to identify a systematic approach to determining individual support needs that is relevant to the training being undertaken and the mode of delivery, going beyond the assessment of the students LLN skills.  With regards to LLN assessments, I am still seeing the majority of RTOs I work with using a one size fits all approach.  By this I mean they are using an LLN assessment that does not assess the skills relevant to the training the student is going to undertake.  To determine an individual’s LLN ability the assessment used needs to assess the skills required for the course they are entering in to.

By reviewing the pre enrolment information and the process followed to identify student needs the RTO is going increase the likelihood of students enrolling in training that suits their needs and ability, increasing their likelihood of success.

13. How do you give an RTO client feedback that might be difficult to hear?

As an auditor I am often required to give feedback that may be difficult to hear.  My approach is to simply explain the issue, such as non-compliant practices, then recommend strategies that may address the issue and work with the RTO to find a solution that fits their organization and resources available.  There have been occasions that I have provided feedback that a client has not wanted to hear and they have has refused to address or simply disagrees with the feedback.  On such occasions I provide the feedback in writing providing the client the opportunity to explore their options further or seek another opinion.

14. What is your message to organisations that do not spend money or time on improving their systems, processes and staff?

Every business, not just RTOs, needs to be investing in the processes, staff and be looking for ways to improve the quality of service provided to clients.  When RTOs fail to do this not only are they are risk of non-compliances which can risk the business continuity, reputation and result in expensive rectifications, they are at risk of missing opportunities to improve client service, develop staff and increase staff satisfaction, get ahead of competitors and take advantage of technological advancements.

Questions to Kerri Buttery

Sukh Sandhu: You have been working in the industry for over two decades as a Trainer/Assessor, RTO Manager, VELG representative and also as a Senior Lead Auditor for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. You are working as a consultant for a range of organisations in the areas of establishing Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), conducting internal audits, consulting on VQF compliance, developing accredited courses, convening conferences and events, developing training and assessment materials, conducting professional development workshops and delivering Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

15. How has been your experience of working with VELG Training as their former Director of Content and Strategy?

My introduction to working with Velg Training first started back in 2010, however I didn’t follow through initially as I had a few months off to start a family. I initially began in late 2010 as a contracted consultant to conduct audits for Queensland schools before expanding that position to work a number of days in the office as a consultant and resource developer.

This initial work gave me some very good grounding in the sector in terms of developing my experience in presenting webinars and workshops as well as larger conferences, and broadening the horizons on how RTOs operate across the country. After approximately 5 years with Velg Training I was promoted to Director and took on responsibility for the content that would be delivered by the organisation.

I had opportunities there that I would not necessarily have had elsewhere, especially in introducing initiatives such as the development of Velg2Go and bringing true eLearning to professional development in the VET sector.

I immensely enjoyed the opportunity to work with, and learn from, a number of key consultants in the sector, including John Price and Angela McGregor. I am extremely grateful to Michelle Weaver and Suzanne Puzaras for the opportunities that Velg Training provided me with.

16. The VET Gurus is a great platform providing invaluable experience and assistance in the vocational education and training sector. What main objectives do you want to achieve through The VET Gurus?

There are many providers of professional development in the VET sector, and often consultants are working on their own to do this. Each of us have our own strengths in where we provide consulting services and professional development, for example Angela is across RTO admin, John works in the CRICOS/ELICOS space as well as specializing in RPL and I cover eLearning, with all of us working in general compliance and assessment development – but together we are able to provide a more comprehensive support service to our clients, as well as providing support to each other.

All three of us are passionate about the sector and have been in positions within RTOs. Our main objective is to ensure we provide accessible, accurate and timely support to people within RTOs. To achieve this we have some great plans for what we will offer to the VET sector over the coming years, with our aim to make sure we can get the right information, to the right people, at the right time. Exciting times ahead!

17. What opportunities do you see providing education and training through the e-Learning and m-learning platforms? How can training organisations and students benefit from these platforms?

The options becoming available for RTOs are enormous with platforms that are flexible and adaptable including cloud hosted, software as a service, and self-managed installations. Any RTO that is using eLearning needs to be considering mLearning. Students are often studying using their mobile devices and don’t necessarily always have access to a laptop or desktop computer.

Ensuring resources can be accessed on mobile devices also opens up options for utilizing resources in the workplace. Imagine a student going on work-placement, being presented with a situation they need to problem solve and wanting to have access to the learning resources from their course. All they have with them is their mobile phone. If the course is designed to use on a mobile application, students will be able to make use of their course materials while on that placement and this provides added value to their learning experience.

Even when training in a face-to-face situation, making use of mobile applications can really engage learners. High percentages of learners coming through are from Gen Y, Gen Z and onwards, and often very tech reliant. Making use of apps they can use in the training room can add to engagement. We do need to remember though that we shouldn’t just use mLearning or eLearning for the sake of it. It must be based on sound educational practice and enhance the experience for our students.

18. When you were with VELG Training and even after, we had several discussions about assessment validation and moderation. My question is; why should an RTO involve an independent VET expert such as one of the Gurus from The VET Gurus panel as part of their review of their assessment systems and resources?

There are many areas to keep up to date with working in an RTO. Compliance, current industry trends, professional development, the list goes on. It is difficult to keep up with everything and this is where there is benefit in engaging an external consultant – someone who has the job of keeping up with it all. We aren’t currently working in RTOs, therefore we aren’t trying to juggle all of the things an RTO Manager or trainer/assessor needs to do. We focus on specific areas and make sure we are up to date with current practices, what is happening in other RTOs, what is happening in regulator audits, etc. We might point out areas that the RTO had not even thought of, or maybe the goalposts at audit have changed. This experience is what we bring to the assessment review, internal audit and validation processes.

Questions (to all of you):

Our last two questions are:

19. What are your views on the comparison between public and private training providers?

One of the most important values in our society is the freedom of choice. Everyone wants to be able to make a decision about all parts of their life. Both personal and professional. For this reason, it is important that both public and private (and enterprise, and community) providers exist to allow students the choice of where they would like to complete their studies. Employers also want to have that choice when employing trainees, apprentices, or sending their staff to update their skills. There will always be comparison between providers – but what is most important is that what is being offered to students is of a high standard and producing quality outcomes that meets the needs of industry.

20. What message would you like to convey to people who plan to work in the VET Sector or are in the industry but do not know where to find help and support?

There are a whole range of providers of information! Of course, the VET Gurus provide one source of information, but there are lots of places to go and people to talk to.

Firstly, join relevant groups on LinkedIn and become active in those groups. Beware that the information presented isn’t always going to be accurate, use your judgement as to what to take on board.

Look for professional development that will fill the gaps in what you need to know. There are many options for online PD (check out www.vetgurus.com.au as one place!) but also look for face to face opportunities so you can build up your support network.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. This industry has been known to be quite transient, and as a consequence there are often people new to the sector. There are always people willing to help (this is where that support network comes in!).

ASQA’s Sample AQF documentation gets updated to meet the requirements of third-party arrangements

The ASQA Fact Sheet Sample AQF documentation has been updated for a clarification in light of recent Third Party arrangements guidance.

https://www.asqa.gov.au/news-publications/publications/fact-sheets/sample-aqf-documentation

The fact sheet now states “Only the name of the issuing organisation (your RTO) can be included on testamurs/statements of attainment. Refer to the Fact sheet—third party arrangements for more information” 

All VET Providers should take note of this clarification and review any AQF documentation arrangements where other organisation’s names or logos might be used in prior ‘dual branding’ arrangements of testamur documentation.

You can read more information here.

New $1.6 billion blueprint aims to lift the status of teaching

Australia’s best and brightest school graduates are turning their backs on teaching – but a $1.6 billion reform package proposed by the Grattan Institute aims to lift teaching’s slumped professional status.

You can read more information here.

Tech challenge leaves Australian Unis vulnerable

Where pen and paper were once king, portable pads now reign supreme. We are no longer at the point where tech is a nice-to-have addition to the learning process, but rather a revolution in culture and lifestyle that educational institutions need to ensure their future success.

With faster and more innovative technologies entering the market every day, there is no shortage of solutions built to accommodate this shift in behaviour and students value quick access to smart technologies. So much so, that a huge 85 per cent recently rated up-to-date technology or good online options as either the most important or highly important factor when choosing a college or university. So, this begs the question, why aren’t educational institutions falling over themselves to provide the highest spec tech for their students?

You can read more information here.

Australian universities are overly reliant on international students for revenue

Australian universities have been warned against overly relying on international students as their major source of revenue.

A report by The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is sounding the alarm, calling the practice a “high-risk” and “multi-million dollar gamble” on taxpayers’ money. 

You can read more information here.

TAFE NSW campuses join I-CAR Education Resource

I-CAR and TAFE NSW Wagga Wagga and TAFE NSW North Wollongong Campuses have signed the Education Resource Agreement to deliver select I-CAR courses to meet the requirements for AUR32116 – Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology and AUR32416 – Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology training packages for apprentices.

Ian Chalmers, Head of Department, Autobody South Region said “With TAFE NSW being the leading provider of vocational education and training in Australia, we aim to provide high quality, personalised vocational education and training to build prosperity, sustainability and innovation throughout New South Wales. We’re passionate about helping you build skills, create success and become inspired to achieve a better future. We believe in helping students and businesses to unlock their potential and helping them achieve long term success.”

Read more here.

Spotlight on Vocational Education & Training

Today the country celebrates the important contribution Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) makes to the economy and to the lives of everyday Australians, with National Skills Week.

“National Skills Week is an occasion to promote our vocational training system as being equal to a university education to school leavers, job seekers and career changers who are looking for pathways into good job outcomes and long term fulfilling careers,” said the Australian Chamber’s director of employment, education and training, Jenny Lambert.

“We should be celebrating the many successes of VET graduates – their valuable skills are much needed in the economy. Often a graduate of an engineering or construction apprenticeship goes on to run their own business, employing people and reaping the rewards of self-employment.

“This week is also an opportunity to focus on the vocational training system. It should be seen as a catalyst for industry and training providers to work together with the Federal, State and Territory governments to improve the system for students and employers.

Ms Lambert said the Council of Australian Governments’ latest agreement to commit to a new vision for VET and seek a road map for genuine reform was a vital start.

“We also need to highlight the benefit of vocational education to the broader public. Business and Governments need to work together with schools, career advisers and training providers to understand where the job opportunities are for the future and encourage students to choose VET as a career pathway.”

For more information please refer here.

Government-funded students and courses – January to March 2019

This publication provides a summary of data relating to estimated students, programs, subjects and training providers in Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system.

For more information, please refer here.

Rising international student numbers in New Zealand

Official statistics from the Ministry of Education show that international student numbers made up 18% of university students throughout New Zealand in 2018. NZISA welcomes this increase, but warns universities that rising numbers must be matched by improved wellbeing policies to continue the sustainable growth of the export education sector. 

For more information, please refer here.

Top universities lowering English standards – Report

A new report says top Australian universities are using backdoor entry programmes to lower English standards for overseas enrolments amid a reliance on foreign student income that is unmatched in the English-speaking world, write Jordan Baker and Adam Carey for the Brisbane Times.

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) research paper said the institutions, including the universities of Melbourne, Sydney and New South Wales, were compromising standards and taking “massive financial risks in pursuit of this pot of gold”. The report’s author, Sydney University sociologist and CIS fellow Salvatore Babones, called on vice-chancellors to urgently raise admissions standards and reduce international enrolments to reduce their vulnerability to sudden revenue collapse.

Overseas students now make up a quarter of Australia’s university enrolments, and two of the country’s most prestigious institutions, the universities of Sydney and New South Wales, rely on a single country, China, for almost a quarter of their total revenue, the report said.

Full report on the Brisbane Times site 

International student fallout becomes too big to ignore

Last week’s damning report on Australia’s international trade from the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) has finally awoken the mainstream media to the substantial hidden costs arising from our universities’ extreme over-exposure to international students.

In its report, the CIS warned that Australia’s universities have badly lowered standards to gain the world’s biggest per-capita intake of international students:

For more information please refer here.

Destination Australia open for applications

The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Education, officially launched the Destination Australia Program today. The 2020 application round will be open for four weeks from Monday 19 August 2019 until Thursday 12 September 2019.

The aim of the Destination Australia Program is to attract and support international and domestic students to study in regional Australia, to grow and develop regional Australian tertiary education providers and offer students a high quality learning experience. 

The $93.7 million Destination Australia Program High-quality allows tertiary education providers, including vocational education and training and higher education providers, to apply for funding through a competitive grants process to administer and promote scholarships for Australian and international students who live and study in regional Australia. Scholarships are valued at $15,000 per student, per year, and will be available for students undertaking a Certificate IV through to PhD.

For the purposes of the Destination Australia Program, a regional location is classified as any area outside of Major Cities of Australia, in line with the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Structure. 

Further information about the Destination Australia Program including how to apply can be found at www.education.gov.au/destination-australia. 

Chinese students have already stopped coming to Australia

While the government hauled the Group of Eight universities to Canberra to caution them over research collaboration with China and the Centre for Independent Studies warned of a “catastrophe” if Beijing stopped students coming to Australia, the vice-chancellor of Melbourne University was in India.

Professor Duncan Maskell was the latest of Australia’s higher education chiefs to make the trek to the subcontinent in search of new markets. Unusually among VCs he stopped at Jakarta on the way back to tie up some new connections for the university.

If you ask Professor Maskell what he hopes to get from such markets he bristles: “What do you mean by markets? Supermarkets?”

He is not alone in university chiefs resisting the implication that Australian universities are in the business of student markets.

Privately, universities admit the flow of students from China is so large it is effectively commoditised.

For more information please refer here.

New performance-based funding system for universities

Australia’s federal government has promised to allocate an additional AU80 million (US$54 million) to universities next year – but only on a ‘performance-based’ set of criteria.

Adoption of the so-called ‘performance-based funding’ scheme was the main recommendation in a report to the government by an independent panel of senior academic leaders.

Subsequently, the government announced that funding for bachelor level courses would be capped at 2017 levels for 2019. Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said that from 2020, funding for student places would increase according to population growth in the 18- to 64-year-old age bracket.

He added, however, that universities would only be able to access additional grants if they met specified performance requirements.

For more information please refer here.

Telugus second largest Indian group on Australian campuses

Telugu students are the second largest group from India on Australian university campuses, reveals an internal study by Australian education providers based on the number of visa applications. Punjab students make for the biggest group from the country.

A total of 5,161 students from Telangana and 2,299 from Andhra Pradesh have applied for visas this year, according to the study. Punjab region students are said to be 12,644 while those from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh combined are 17,277.

The actual visa issuance was around 80% of applications for Telugu students while that for Punjab students would be lesser than Telugu students, say education consultants. “The actual figures can’t be revealed as they are yet to be made official,” a consultant says, seeking anonymity.

For more information please refer here.

Why reskilling can seem so difficult

Well for many of us, work not only provides us with an income but an identity as well. If we work in the medical profession, we may be known as a doctor or nurse. We ask each other, “what do you do?”, as our daily tasks often define our identity. In this context reskilling into a new role is not just about gaining new skills to transition. It is also a shift in our identity.

At an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference in 2018,  Jean-Michel Blanquer, the French Minister for Education explained this point further, “[Reskilling] is not just about supply meeting demand. It is essentially a human process: people digging down deep within themselves to bring new skills to the surface.”

It is clear that the effectiveness of reskilling is not just about acquiring new skill sets, it’s also about a change in mindset, shifting from jobs to skills, and away from our occupation defining us. So how do we equip workers with the mindset to more easily transition across jobs and reskill when necessary?

For more information please refer here.

From Netflix to Edflix: now it’s on-demand education

The future of tertiary education is an on-demand, Netflix-style model where learners get to pick when, what and how they study, says Macquarie Business School Associate Professor Lan Snell. As organisations restructure to deal with constant disruption from new technologies, the nature of work and workers are fundamentally changing, says Snell – opening up new horizons for education providers such as Macquarie University.

“We have had what is called a front-loaded model of education, where most of the formal education is done in one place, typically at the beginning of a career,” says Snell, the Academic Program Director for Macquarie’s Global MBA.

“But now, to keep apace of those constant changes in the marketplace, we need to continually reskill, upskill and retrain ourselves, and that’s the spirit of life-long learning.

For more information please refer here.

Student debt is an impediment to lifelong learning

About 45 million Americans now collectively owe $1.6 trillion in student debt, and it’s a burden that is taking a toll on both workers and their employers.

A recent survey found that half of employees say they feel worried about student loan debt most or all of the time — and more than 65 percent say they have considered finding a second job to help them keep up with their loan payments. Another found that some 40 percent of borrowers believe student debt has stopped them from obtaining their career goals.

Employers should be troubled by these findings. They paint a picture of a generation of workers paralyzed by student loan debt, fueling unprecedented turnover at a time when the labor market is already tightening. About 40 million employees quit their job last year. And churn is even higher for millennials (now the largest generation in the workforce) which accounted for more than half of these separations.

For more information please refer here.

TAFE figures hit new low

Enrolments at Albany’s TAFE campus last year dropped to their lowest level since it opened in 2013.

Department of Training and Workforce Development figures showed 3786 students enrolled at South Regional TAFE Albany in 2018, down nearly 19 per cent on its opening year.

That continued a trend of decreasing enrolments recorded in the previous year.

South Regional TAFE Albany opened with 4653 students in 2013, and enrolments remained steady in 2014 before dropping to 4100 in 2015.

For more information please refer here.

The universities which rely most on international students for cash

One university received almost a billion dollars in international student fees in 2018, while eight received more than 30 per cent of their revenue from international student fees, with major sandstone universities spearheading a race for the lucrative market.

An analysis of university financial statements reveals that three of the elite Group of Eight universities – University of Sydney, University of New South Wales and Monash University – earned more than one in every three dollars from international students last year in a rising trend.

For more information please refer here.

Federal Government launches an investigation into foreign interference at Australian universities

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan announced the new measure, which he said would be a collaboration between government, security agencies and the university sector.

He said it would have a wide-ranging role in looking at foreign interference in the nation’s education sector, from assessing cybersecurity to the theft of research and intellectual property.

Mr Tehan said he was concerned at recent reports that information about pro-democracy students had been collected during protests about China.

“One of the things that the taskforce will be doing will be looking at security on our university campuses, to make sure that students can go about their business freely, and be able to express their views freely,” he said.

Punches were thrown at the University of Queensland last month as students clashed over their views on China and pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

For more information please refer here.

International students stranded, asked to pay for new visas as education provider goes bust

The private business institute’s collapse in New Zealand has left more than 200 international students in the lurch, with students now claiming that neither the education provider nor the regulator, New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA) are coming to their rescue.

NZQA claims that the Kiwi Institute of Training and Education known as KITE had requested them to cancel their registration as a private training establishment, as a result of which it was put into liquidation, earlier this month.

For more information please refer here.

US No Longer Top Choice for Foreign Students

In the past decade, the U.S. saw a steady rise in the number of international students who enrolled in colleges and universities here. But because of high tuition and fees, immigration concerns, divisive political talk and perceived crime, international students are considering other options. Top competitors to the U.S. include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and China. These countries are making it less expensive and more convenient for students. 

For more information please refer here.

Canada wants to diversify international student intake

Canada’s new five-year international education strategy is calling for greater diversity, innovation and global ties.

The federal government’s strategy, released this week, recognizes the strong presence of international students in Canada, noting that 570,000 foreign study permit holders contributed over $21 billion to the Canadian economy since the start of 2019.

A key aim of the new $148-million strategy is to increase the variety of source countries for international students. It has pledged almost $30 million to diversify recruitment efforts in this domain.

As is, more than 50 per cent of Canada’s international students come from China and India, and they are concentrated in large cities such as Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. The strategy’s expanded recruitment efforts will target Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Turkey, France and Ukraine.

For more information please refer here.

How Rod Jones grew Navitas

Australian universities could learn from the recipient of the AFR Higher Education Award for Lifetime Achievement, 2019, Rod Jones, co-founder and part owner of education company Navitas.

Navitas prepares international students for university and had revenue of nearly $1 billion in 2018, drawn from a global operation.

For more information please refer here.

Australia’s education system is stagnating at best, heading backwards at worst.

We have recorded a decade of declining school and student performance against OECD standards and the most recent NAPLAN results revealed there’s been no significant improvement across most year levels since 2008.

Children and young people who are disadvantaged are most vulnerable to the impact of an education system that is no longer fit for purpose or designed for their future needs. Mounting evidence is telling us that too many learners are struggling with an education system that is not setting them up for success in life and work.

Australia is currently ranked as having the fourth-most socially segregated school system in the OECD, with 51% of disadvantaged students concentrated in disadvantaged schools. We have also seen the largest increase in social segregation since 2006.

Education is not meeting the needs of a diverse community of learners at a time when skills and jobs are changing faster than ever before.

For more information please refer here.

VET in Schools participation declines

Over a five year period, the number of school students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) as part of their Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) has declined by 6.7% to 230 700, according to new data released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The report VET in Schools 2018 also reveals that the number of school-based apprentices and trainees decreased to 18,200 in 2018, down 13.3% from 2014, while those undertaking other VET that contributed to their SSCE decreased to 212,500 in 2018, down 6.0% from 2014.

Certificate II qualifications continued to be the most popular (undertaken by 54.8% of all VET in Schools students), however the number of students undertaking qualifications at this level has declined by 2.6% since 2014.

In contrast, the number of VET in Schools students enrolled in Certificate III qualifications has increased by 1.7% since 2014, with 34.6% of all students undertaking training at this level in 2018.

Tourism, travel and hospitality remains the most popular training package, with 14.8% of all VET in Schools students undertaking qualifications in this training package in 2018.

Business services training package was the second most popular, with 12.4% of VET in Schools students undertaking qualifications in this training package in 2018, followed by the Sport, fitness and recreation training package.

Australian vocational education and training statistics: VET in Schools 2018 is now available from: www.ncver.edu.au/publications.

For the latest data and further year-on-year and state and territory comparisons please visit here.

National Skills Needs List to be updated

The government will replace the National Skills Needs List (NSNL) after a review of the program.

Since 2007, the NSNL has determined which jobs are eligible for payments under the Incentives for Australian Apprenticeships (IAA) program.

Senator Michaelia Cash announced the modernisation project on Thursday.

“The review will ensure skills shortages are identified using a forward-looking, up-to-date methodology and that apprenticeship incentives are targeted at addressing critical skills shortages in the Australian economy,” Minister Cash said.

For more information please refer here.

Education policy should be based on evidence and worthwhile goals, not on borrowed fads

This week has seen the annual commotion around Australia’s standardised testing regime, the National Assessment Program —  Literacy and Numeracy. 

Once again, despite huge increases in taxpayer funding, there is little to give parents, employers and the public any confidence that students are mastering the essential knowledge and skills they need for success in life and work. 

The reality is that NAPLAN cannot deliver the improvements we seek unless it — like the other elements of the so-called national education architecture — is rebooted in purpose, design and operation to establish the highest possible national standards of teaching and learning, from kindergarten to Year 12. 

For more information please refer here.

ESOS Changed Reporting Requirements 

Amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2019 (Cth) will mean that from 1 October 2019 providers will be required to include additional student data on the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) database. The reporting obligations includes information on agents, English language proficiency tests and breaches of visa conditions. 

For more information please refer here.  

Education sector could boost a soft economy 

The higher education sector could be used to boost a flat local economy, with the deteriorating global trade environment adding to the case to increase student numbers, Deloitte Access Economics partner John O’Mahony said. 

For more information please refer here.

Annual Registration Charge – Due July 30th 2019

ASQA will issue RTOs with an invoice for their annual registration charge. RTOs must pay the charge within 30 days of ASQA issuing the invoice. 

The annual charge recovers some of the costs ASQA incurs when conducting activities necessary for effective regulation of the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

For more Information, please click here. 

Change in how unit codes are allocated in VET accredited courses  

The method for allocating codes to units of competency is changing and will apply to VET accredited course applications received from 1 September 2019.

You will need to assign codes as Unit 001, Unit 002 (etc.) for reference during course development. ASQA will allocate unique unit codes upon granting accreditation for the parent course.

For more Information, please click here.  

Fraudulent VET provider ordered to pay $200,000

The Federal Court has ordered a Tasmanian man to pay significant penalties for providing a VET course without registration and for issuing qualifications that were not genuine.

On 30 May 2019, the Federal Court found that Leon Vere King had committed multiple contraventions of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (the NVR Act).

For more Information, please click here.  

Five things RTOs should know about copyright 

To deliver high quality vocational training and education, RTOs need to access and use information quickly and efficiently from a variety of sources such as textbooks, websites, newspapers and journals. However, there is often uncertainty around what information an RTO can legally use. Here are five things RTOs need to keep in mind when copying and sharing copyright content for educational purposes. 

For more Information, please click here.  

Updating your USI transcript if your RTO has closed

If your training provider is no longer operating and you discover that your USI transcript isn’t showing the training you completed with that RTO, the relevant VET regulator may be able to assist you in some circumstances.

For more Information, please click here. 

NAPLAN review

The Federal Government remains committed to national standardised testing of school students to ensure parents, teachers and the community have visibility of student and school performance.

For more Information, please click here. 

So I Heard VET Can’t Get You A Good Job

So I Heard is a series launched by the Foundations for Young Australians (FYA) centred around the experiences of graduates, careers counsellors, TAFE teachers and other industry professionals involved in all areas of Vocational Education and Training. The world of work is changing and taking on VET is one way to put your best foot forward. We’re here to debunk some myths and highlight the opportunities that VET pathways can provide. 

For more Information, please click here. 

A knowledge portal on learning assessments for South Asia

The World Development Report 2018 states that almost one-third of those who complete primary school in South Asia lack basic literacy and numeracy skills, hindering the region’s growth potential and competitiveness. It points out that even when access to education has increased, improvement in learning levels remains a challenge. Moreover, countries need robust assessment systems that help them to monitor progress in learning and undertake evidence-based corrective measures. A number of countries in South Asia are yet to mainstream systematic monitoring and measurement of learning that enables them to evaluate the impact of their education policies and programs.

For more Information, please click here. 

NSW committed to vocational education and training 

The NSW Government is following through on its election commitment to help more people get quality jobs by committing $2.3 billion in the 2019-20 NSW Budget towards vocational education and training.

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the Government is dedicated to strengthening our VET sector as a means of preparing the most dynamic, qualified and skilled workforce.

For more Information, please click here. 

First ever consensus on Artificial Intelligence and Education published by UNESCO

UNESCO has published the Beijing Consensus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education, the first ever document to offer guidance and recommendations on how best to harness AI technologies for achieving the Education 2030 Agenda. It was adopted during the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Education, held in Beijing from 16 – 18 May 2019, by over 50 government ministers, international representatives from over 105 Member States and almost 100 representatives from UN agencies, academic institutions, civil society and the private sector.

For more Information, please click here. 

Jobs are changing, and fast. Here’s what the VET sector (and employers) need to do to keep up

Technological developments are expected to majorly, and rapidly, disrupt or change the nature of employment. The multiplier effect of these disruptions interacting with each other has led to what has been termed the fourth industrial revolution (i4.0).

The first industrial revolution took us from agrarian to industrial economies and the second used resources like electricity and steel to create mass production. The third refers to technology advancing from analog and mechanical devices to the digital technology available today.

The fourth industrial revolution represents ways technology has become embedded in societies by the fusion of technologies, or what is known as cyber-physical systems. For example, 3D printing needs advanced materials with printers linked to the internet, which are increasingly intelligent and autonomous.

For more Information, please click here. 

Last chance to register for #NoFrills2019

With today’s release of the conference discussion paper, the stage is now set for the28th National VET Research Conference ‘No Frills’, to be held in Adelaide next week.

The discussion paper builds on previous ‘No Frills’ themes by exploring how, as jobs and industries evolve along with technology, workers will need to continually upskill and reskill to maintain their positions in the workforce.

While every student’s journey is different, VET plays a critical role in making this happen.

With a stellar line-up of speakers and presenters across 2 keynote addresses, 40 presentations, 6 workshops and a plenary discussion panel, #NoFrills2019 is one of the best value events on the VET conference calendar.

You don’t want to miss this! Only limited places left, so register now.

AUSkey to transition into myGovID

myGovID (formerly known as AUSid) provides a contemporary digital credential and identity verification solution that enables clients to enrol and authenticate at a time, place and device of their convenience. The Digital Transformation Agency has changed the Commonwealth digital identity provider’s name to myGovID to align with myGov, the Government’s authentication solution.

The solution will deliver a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the client’s identity through biometric matching to documents issued by trusted Australian third parties (e.g. driver’s licences and passports). The credential is a device based authenticator app, paired with native authentication (such as a fingerprint) or password.

For more Information, please click here.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution of the VET Sector 

The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technology advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions. These advances are merging the physical, digital and biological worlds in ways that create both huge promise and potential peril. The speed, breadth and depth of this revolution is forcing us to rethink how countries develop, how organisations create value and even what it means to be human. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is about more than just technology-driven change; it is an opportunity to help everyone, including leaders, policy-makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centred future. The real opportunity is to look beyond technology, and find ways to give the greatest number of people the ability to positively impact their families, organisations and communities.

For more Information, please click here. 

AISC Communique – 5 June 2019 meeting

The 26th meeting of the AISC was held on 5 June 2019.The AISC considered the second tranche of the 2019 Industry Skills Forecasts and Proposed Schedules of Work submitted by IRCs. Minutes from the latest Australian Industry and Skills Committee meeting now available.

For more Information, please click here. 

28th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’

28th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’: 10-12 July 2019

NCVER and co-hosts TAFE SA are delighted to invite you to Adelaide this July for #NoFrills2019.

Presenters and delegates from across Australia and around the world will come together to explore the theme: The student journey: skilling for life.

The world of work is evolving, driven by rapid technological change in an increasingly global society. It’s almost certain that the skills we develop today won’t be enough to operate or compete effectively in the workplaces of tomorrow.

While every student’s journey is different, more and more research points to how workers must become lifelong learners so they can grow and evolve with their jobs.

VET plays a critical role in making this happen. For more Information, please click here.  

Employers need to do more to prepare for the digital future

Employers need to do more to prepare for the digital future of work or risk being left behind, according to a new report released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The report Skilling the Australian workforce for the digital economy also reveals the degree to which digital technologies are being adopted in Australian workplaces is highly variable despite most employers acknowledging their importance. For more Information, please click here.  

International onshore VET graduate outcomes 2018

New data reveal 84.5% of international onshore students who completed a vocational education and training (VET) qualification with an Australian provider were satisfied with the overall quality of their training.

The report International onshore VET graduate outcomes 2018, compiled by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), provides a summary of the outcomes of international students who completed their VET qualification in Australia in 2017.

The report uses data collected in mid-2018 from the National Student Outcomes Survey.

Satisfaction levels were steady or fell slightly, with 87.5% saying they’d recommend their training (down 1.3 percentage points from 2017) and 84.8% saying they’d recommend their training provider (similar to 2017).

In terms of employment outcomes, 56.2% of international onshore VET graduates improved their employment status after training.  Of those employed before training, 21.0% were employed at a higher skill level after training.

For graduates looking for work after training, 92.4% reported facing at least one barrier, down 2.7 percentage points from 2017. The most commonly cited barrier was not having permanent residency or a work visa (47.6%), up 2.7 percentage points from 2017.

Around 47 600 international onshore VET graduates were invited to complete the survey, which collects information on students’ reasons for training, employment and further study outcomes and satisfaction with training.

It also provides information on the type of visa held by students.

International onshore VET graduate outcomes 2018 is now available from www.ncver.edu.au/publications.

Work Health and Safety – Training Products

Project 1G – Work Health and Safety (WHS) has been submitted to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) for consideration. These WHS training products have been endorsed by the relevant Project Working Group and the Business Services Industry Reference Committee.

However, it is important to note that these materials have not yet been approved by the AISC – the committee is due to consider this work at its next meeting in June. If the Case for Endorsement is approved, the training products will be uploaded to training.gov.au within the pursuant eight weeks.

For more Information, please visit

https://www.skillsforaustralia.com/project-page/business-services-workplace-health-and-safety/

The role and function of small VET providers ”

EXTRACT

Given the number of smaller providers in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system, this research aims to provide a better understanding of the role and function of these smaller providers in meeting the needs of learners.

We categorised registered training organisations (RTOs) into three sizes: small providers (those with fewer than 100 students enrolled in VET); medium providers (with between 100 and 999 students); and large providers (with 1000 or more students). We selected providers who remained in the same size category in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Schools were excluded from our analysis because they are RTOs in only some jurisdictions.

Accordingly, the findings reflect VET delivered by non-school RTOs with a stable number of students, in terms of their size category, between 2015 and 2017 (‘stable’ providers). These stable small providers made up 24% of providers within the scope of this research but had fewer than 1% of all students in 2017.

The analyses focused on training activity that occurred in 2017, which was the most recent data available and also ensured that students who were enrolled over multiple years were only counted once.

SOURCE: Patrick Korbel and Kristen Osborne. “The Role and Function of small VET Providers.” NCVER, 30 April 2019.

For more Information, please visit https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-role-and-function-of-small-vet-providers

Unique scholarship opportunity for VET experts

The Fulbright Program, in partnership with the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training, is offering funding for Australian VET experts to undertake research and/or training anywhere in the U.S. for 3-4 months.

The Fulbright Professional VET Scholarship suits employees within the vocational education and training sector, or training leaders in business and industry. It involves the undertaking of an educational program concerning current vocational education and training policy or practice, such as a short course and/or research. The outcomes of the scholarship must inform and benefit the wider VET sector in Australia.

Examples of those who may apply include:

• employees, including teachers, managers, and administrators, of public and private registered training organisations and those who teach vocational education and training in dual sector universities.
• people who are leading vocational education and training strategies within their business.

Preference will be given to those who have a record of achievement and are poised for advancement to senior levels.

Past awardees: Sean O’Toole (NSW Department of Family and Community Services to the State University of New York); Caroline Smith (Skills Australia to Rutgers University); Damien Pearce (Canberra Institute of Technology to the John Jay School of Criminal Justice).

Applications close Monday 15 July 2019.

A plan for stronger Australia 

The Business Council of Australia has released a plan for stronger Australia.

Click here for more information

The Independent Sector Offers Better Outcomes At A Lower Cost – ACPET  

The independent Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector is highly efficient.  Domestically, it costs the government $2,400 per student trained by independent VET providers compared to $5,500 per student trained by public TAFE colleges.

Click here for more information

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Regulations 2019 change as from 1 Oct 2019

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Regulations 2019 were re-made on 4 April 2019, to replace the ESOS Regulations 2001, and are due to take effect on 1 October 2019.

There will be some minor changes, which mean providers will need to enter some additional information on PRISMS from 1 October 2019, such as:

• information about education agents for every student enrolment;
• the date a student took an English language test, if the student was required to provide evidence of their level of English language proficiency for the purposes of a student visa;
• the class of student visa applicant a student falls within (commonly referred to as evidence exemptions), if a student was not required to provide evidence of their level of English language proficiency for the purposes of a student visa, and
• information about students who have breached a condition of a student visa in relation to their course progress, including attendance.

DET will provide support materials to assist providers, such as a factsheet and instructions on how to use new features in PRISMS, in the lead-up to the commencement of the Regulations 2019 on 1 October 2019.

Click here for more information

Updates from the Australian Skills Quality Authority

ASQA is increasing scrutiny on new applications for registration from 1 July 2018. Vocational education and training (VET) and the education of overseas students make a significant contribution to Australia’s economy. More than four million people undertake VET qualifications in Australia each year and the quality of the training sector has a direct impact on students, the workforce and the Australian community. To further protect the quality and reputation of the VET and international education sectors, from 1 July 2018, ASQA will apply even greater scrutiny to all applications to establish new training providers. 

Read More…

A Gold Coast man who fabricated four bogus vocational education and training (VET) qualifications for himself and used them in an attempt to gain employment has been ordered to pay a pecuniary penalty of $75,705.

Read More…

The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising individuals, businesses and registered training organisations for their contribution to skilling Australia. The Australian Training Awards have seven award categories open for direct entry, which close Thursday 31 May 2018. Visit ASQA’s website for further information Read More… 

The award ceremony will be held in Sydney on 15 November 2018. For more information about the Australian Training Awards direct entry categories visit Australian Training Awards

Updates from the Department of Education and Training (DET)

Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education

In 2017, the Australian Government commissioned an Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education (IRRRRE). The Review was part of the Australian Government’s commitment to improve the education of country students so they can reach their full potential and participate in Australia’s economy.

Emeritus Professor John Halsey from Flinders University conducted the review to examine the challenges faced by these students and find innovative solutions to help them succeed at school and beyond. Read the IRRRRE’s Terms of Reference and Discussion Paper. The Discussion Paper was supported by a Literature Review.

Professor Halsey held consultations with education authorities, peak bodies, schools and communities, and received over 300 submissions from stakeholders.

During consultations, the issue arose of access to affordable accommodation for regional, rural and remote students relocating to pursue tertiary education. Urbis Pty Ltd was commissioned by the department to research the supply and affordability of tertiary student accommodation. Read the Regional Student Accommodation Assessment by Urbis.

Professor Halsey made eleven recommendations and suggested fifty-three actions as examples of how to progress them. The recommendations cover curriculum and assessment, principals and teachers, career education, early childhood and the importance of school readiness, expanding vocational education and training and university opportunities and pathways, philanthropy and entrepreneurship, information and communication technologies, improving the support available to move away from home and the importance of education to improving the economic sustainability of regional areas. Read the IRRRRE Final Report.

The Australian Government welcomes the final report and thanks Professor Halsey and all the stakeholders who contributed to the Review.