National Vocational Education and Training Completions

On Wednesday 25 October 2023, the Australian and South Australian Government published the National Vocational Education and Training Completions report (the report).

Delivered by the National VET Completions taskforce, the report unpacks the factors affecting completion rates throughout the entire learning journey.

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Coordinated effort by the skills and training sector is needed to improve VET completion rates.

The report identifies three key themes for the sector to focus on: understanding and responding to the purpose for study, improving the VET system and delivery, and supporting learners most at-risk of non-completion.

The report was informed by research conducted by the South Australian Government who engaged with key system stakeholders across Australia and explored national and international good practice models to increase completion rates.

Seventeen recommendations to improve VET completion rates

1. Career and course information

Improve the equity and quality of career and course advice for all learner cohorts at all stages of their learner journey. This could include exposure to workplaces prior to enrolling in VET to support decision making.

2. Enrolment practice

3. Employer capability

Increase industry and employer capability to support learners (before and during training) (including training plans).

4. Pathways advice

Improve advice on alternate pathways, recognition of prior learning and credit transfer.

5. Evidence-based course design

Evidence-based approach to course design that draws on data of student experiences, patterns of behaviour and industry expectations.

6. School and VET alignment

Improve alignment between school curriculum and vocational pathways.

7. Reflect learner skills and experience

Course design to better reflect the skills and experience of learners seeking to broaden or increase their skills.

8. Learning practice

Offer flexible, innovative, and bespoke training and learning practices which are learner focused and meet learner needs.

9. Quality and responsive delivery

VET offerings are delivered in a manner which is inclusive, high-quality, and responsive to industry standards.

10. System settings

Ensure system settings enhance learner experience with training, and align with the needs of industry and the economy more broadly.

11. Measuring outcomes

Improve approaches to capturing and measuring completion rates and understanding of learner outcomes, including career trajectory and wages.

12. Identify at-risk learners

Improve identification of learners at risk of non-completion based on known risk factors.

13. Wrap-around support

Improve identification and implementation of wrap-around student supports.

14. Employment relationship

Ensure regular communication, engagement, and support for all parties of the employment relationship (including improvements to training plans).

15. Support for at-risk students

Enhanced advice and support for students who are at risk of dropping out.

16. Transition supports

Improve the support for learners to confidently and successfully transition to employment post completion of their VET studies.

17. VET workforce

Upskill the VET workforce, course counsellors and employers to better support learners with additional and complex needs.

Evidence-based recommendations that consider the whole learning journey

About the National VET Completions Taskforce

The National VET Completions Taskforce included stakeholders from unions, industry, providers and governments.

The taskforce was formed to consider the project findings and endorse recommendations to Skills and Workforce Ministers on the potential to improve VET completions in the context of a new National Skills Agreement.