Abstract
A theme linking these three very interesting essays is the contest for influence, recognition and, ultimately, control of education and training systems. This should not be surprising for anyone who has worked in VET for any length of time. They would know that VET is contested territory — and the contests can be intense. There are contests over funding and influence between the Commonwealth and the states. There are contests for system supremacy between industry bodies, primarily industry skills councils, and providers, such as the TAFE institutes. There are contests for political influence and recognition between private registered training organisations and public providers. There are conflicts between those who argue that a competency-based approach to training should be the fundamental ideology of the system, as it guarantees that industry’s needs are met, and those who hold that such approaches can exclude learners from acquiring the underpinning knowledge that allows them to progress at work or to further study.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Structures in Tertiary Education and Training: A Kaleidoscope or Merely Fragments?: Research Readings |
| Editors | Francesca Beddie, Laura O’Connor, Penelope Curtin |
| Place of Publication | Adelaide, S.A. |
| Publisher | NCVER |
| Pages | 90-96 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781922056504 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |