In training we trust: communicating regional training need and demand to VET providers

1
In training we trust communicating regional
training need and demand to VET providers

• Peter Rushbrook Richard Pickersgill
• Charles Sturt University
• OctoberVET 26 October 2007
• NCVER project

2
The research

• Project title In training we trust
  communicating need and demand to the vocational
  education and training sector
• Researchers Peter Rushbrook and Richard
  Pickersgill
• Project status final draft submitted
• Theoretical concepts social capital and
  non-market mechanisms
• Focus informal communication networks among VET
  providers, industry and community and regional
  groups
• Research design Regionally based, interviews
  with key informants and focus groups, site
  visits, analysis using descriptive statistics

3
Research Key Messages the role of trust

• In addition to understood market mechanisms based
  on price, access and quality, potential users of
  VET services also consider non-market mechanisms
  such as professional and interpersonal
  relationships, based on trust, in making
  vocational program selections. In communities
  where interpersonal, occupational and community
  networks seamlessly interact, this reduced social
  and professional distance enables further
  opportunities for potential training clients to
  negotiate training supply. In regional areas,
  then, it may be commercially advantageous for VET
  provider representatives to maintain membership
  or contact with a range of community service,
  sporting, and professional groups.

4
Research Key Messages recruit locally

• Rural training providers are better able to
  assess local training needs in large and small
  town locales through local recruitment of key
  personnel. These personnel come with existing
  social and occupational networks and are better
  able to assess and secure potential vocational
  program participants. This appears particularly
  important in locations where recruiting locally
  rather than externally is considered favourably
  as supporting local business and initiative.

5
Research Key Messages descriptive statistics

• Public and private training providers could make
  better informed assessments of program supply
  through use of readily available statistical data
  bases for example the Australian Bureau of
  Statistics (ABS). Data that longitudinally
  describes local industry provision, population
  age and movements, socio-economic status,
  education and skill levels provide increased
  opportunities for more reliable assessment of
  appropriate supply responses to local training
  demand.

6
Descriptive statistics Training Approvals (NSW)
7
Descriptive statistics Training Approvals
(Riverina)
8
Key messages local autonomy

• In thin markets public vocational education
  providers would be better placed to respond to
  local demand if they enjoyed greater local
  decision making autonomy rather than being
  limited centrally by formulaic program number and
  budget considerations. This is particularly
  important for smaller industries which, though
  highly productive and profitable, are unable to
  access local training because of small numbers of
  trainees.

9

• Discussion?