Consultant appointed - Enhancing Retention Research Project

Enhancing Retention of Young People to Year 12 especially through Vocational Skills Research Project

The Australian College of Educators (ACE) and TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) has gained funding from DEEWR for a joint research proposal Enhancing Retention of Young People to Year 12, especially through Vocational Skills.  The project follows from the 2008 National Forum on Youth Engagement (Hobart), and issues arising from the roundtable on youth and skills, hosted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Training (February, 2009).  

The outcomes of the project are expected to include:

  • Advice to inform both policy and practice and support the development of more effective ways of engaging young people in education and skills training.
  • A body of information on alternative models of engaging youth based on a national and international literature search and comparative approaches to engaging young people drawn from a number of States and Territories
  • Analysis of the curriculum, pedagogy and strategies to support, guide and retain students in schooling and/or training as well as ways that help to build the option of vocational education as a normal and valuable school choice and pathway into further study.
  • A project methodology for evaluating models of engagement which can be replicated by other providers and  training and school authorities
  • Advice to government that would enable
  • Government funding to be more appropriately directed to successful models of retaining young people in education and training
  • Government initiatives to support programs that incorporate key success factors
  • Government to achieve better value out of their investments
  • Government to support programs that can be replicated by a range of education and training institutions

The Work-based Education Research Centre (WERC) at Victoria University (VU) is undertaking the project lead by centre director Berwyn Clayton.  To find out more about WERC click here or visit the Victoria University website at www.werc.vu.edu.au/index.html  A project Advisory Group (PAG) was formed with representation from ACE, TDA and DEEWR as well as the co-chair of the ACT Principals Association.   The PAG has worked with Berwyn and WERC to ensure project outcomes are met.