Educators in a contested workplace : when social welfare organisations deliver government funded programs

With the introduction of the Federal Government’s Job-Network initiative the role of worker/adult educators in Labour Market Programs has changed. Although employment options within this industry are limited, staff turnover since the introduction of these new programs has been consistently high. Using intensive case studies of three workers from one host organisation, this qualitative study investigated what factors influence job satisfaction for these individuals. The study found that the intrinsic rewards of teaching and working with people in need, as well as the ethos of the organisation and individuals, were primary satisfiers for the participants while organisational policy and economic constraints distracted focus and reduced job satisfaction. The industry and researched organisation's current foundational pedagogy of Human Capital Theory conflicted with many community and worker expectations creating a contested workspace in which the workers tried to simultaneously address client needs and follow industry directives.