VISTA Youth pathways: implications for TAFE providers
Enrolment share of all and full-time students, 15-19, 2006 120 100 80 60 40 Schools TAFE University Other 20 0 All F/T All F/T All F/T All F/T All F/T 15 years 16 years 17 years 18 years 19 years Source, 2006 Census.
Austria Germany Italy Netherlands Switzerland Belgium Sweden Denmark United Kingdom France Norway Hungary Korea Spain New Zealand Portugal Greece Japan Ireland United States Canada Australia Senior secondary enrolment x pathway types, late 1990s Apprenticeship-type School-based vocational General education 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Source: data from the 2001 OECD report on Transition from education to working life
Average government secondary school enrolments x SES quintile bands, 1980-2004, Victoria 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 Low SES Lower middle Middle Upper middle Upper SES 0 1980 82 84 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 1 3 Source: Lamb, 2007
Australia (TAFE) France (IUTs) Japan (colleges of... Austria (Akademien) Austria (Upper se... New Zealand (Poly... Canada (Communit... Ireland (Institutes o... Norway (University... Netherlands (Hoge... Germany (FHS) Finland (AMK) Austria (FHS) Proportions of provision by ISCED levels in non-university post school provides in selected OECD countries. 2 3 4 5B 5A+6 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Source: OECD (2005) Education Policy Analysis, Paris
1978 1979 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Full-time jobs as a proportion of all jobs, 15-19 year-olds, by gender, 1978-2007 Source: ABS, 6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia % 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Male Female
Year 12 leaver demand for cert IV and Diploma and university courses Cert IV/Dip. University 2003 19.8% 40.8 2008 14.3% 44.1 Source: On Track. 2003, 2008
Combination of market and status effect University pathway as a market expression high private rates of return; However, Dore and Collins argue that education is status driven; In Victoria (in particular) the university pathway is dominated by the private school sector. This sector has a historical relationship with the universities. Hence there is a status value added to the exchange value for the university pathway. This may explain why Victorian TAFEs are investing in degree level courses more than TAFEs in other states. Similar comparisons could be made with the Foundation Degrees in England and Scotland s disinterest in them. Dore R, 1976, The Diploma Disease, London, Allen and Unwin.. Collins Randall, 1979, The credential society. An historical sociology of education and stratification, Orlando, Academic Press.
Percentage of Victorian year 12 students taking VET and specialist Mathematics x socio-economic-status, 2007 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% VET Specialist Mathematics 5.00% 0.00% Lowest SES Lowermid SES Uppermid SES Highest SES Total Source: VCAA enrolment data.
Student SES background (quintiles of SES), by school sector: Year 11 VCE students, Victoria, 2005 (percent) Source: VCAA data
Pathway issues Dominance of the university pathway: Combination of status and market effects; Impact upon the senior secondary curriculum Consistent failure of school system over two decades to provide for all. Weak provision capacity and environment for those with weakest options; TAFE as a provider Destination, parallel, partner? Of what: VCE/VCAL/VET quals
Year 12 or equivalent rate at age 19 years, Victoria 1999-2008 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Source: DEECD unpublished data
VET participation rate of persons aged 15 years and older, Australia, 2003 08 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 15 to 19 years 26.5 26.5 27.3 30.2 29.9 30.2 20 to 24 years 20.2 19.0 19.0 18.9 18.3 18.2 25 to 44 years 11.2 10.2 10.2 9.9 9.7 9.7 45 to 64 years 6.9 6.1 6.3 5.9 5.9 5.9 65 years and older 1.3 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 15 to 64 years 12.2 11.3 11.4 11.4 11.3 11.3 Source: AVETMIS
15-19 enrolments, TAFE, 2005 Age % of all Victorian VET Frequency students 15 8522 1.8 16 17221 3.6 17 19582 4.0 18 29754 6.1 19 30814 6.4 Total 105893 21.9 Source: OTTE
Effective pathways Courses and qualifications Provision Transition systems Support systems Information and advisory services Sectors and institutions should not be seen in isolation TAFE pathways are about the relationship between schools and TAFE.
Some suggestions There is a need for a better set of applied learning qualifications possibly national program based certificates and diplomas (similar to England and Scandinavia) Should consider structural options, such as: the Vocational College (Holmesglen) and the Polytechnics (Tasmania) can TAFE do it all? Transition systems for VET need to add value to compete with university pathways. Pathways can t just be compensatory need to be located back further in the secondary years. Independent and mentor based advisory system.