Employer strategic choice and traineeships in the retail industry

Since the mid 1980s, the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) system has experienced significant reforms in terms of policies and regulatory frameworks, resulting in a system characterised by demand-side requirements that seek to cater to the needs of industry and employers. This paper draws upon research into the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy within the retail industry. Evidence from case study research into three large Australian retail organisations is presented as a means of contrasting employer experiences in the implementation of retail traineeships. Using a framework for analysing management strategy developed by Sisson and Marginson (2003), the paper is structured in consideration of management as a systems actor, management as a strategic actor and management as an agent of capital. As such, the research focuses on the following topics: the broader VET environment; interaction with stakeholders; retail industry labour market; internal dynamics of traineeship implementation; motivation for traineeship implementation; traineeship delivery; financial incentives; training wage; and a cost/benefit analysis of traineeship utilisation. The case studies highlight the different ways the same structural system can be adapted and utilised across different organisations with various degrees of success. In analysing the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy in the retail industry, it is evident that the outcomes of implementing traineeships will be reliant on the strategic choices made by the employers.