What does your state/territory understand by the terms:
- vocational learning and
- structured workplace learning

Background

The Queensland School Curriculum Council’s role and functions are oriented towards curriculum development in the eight key nationally agreed learning areas and test development in the cross-curricular priority areas of literacy and numeracy.

In 1997, the Council conducted a forum involving representatives of business and industry from Brisbane and a number of other centres in Queensland to address issues of common interest. Participants in the forum responded to a series of key questions. The responses are summarised in Interlink No 6, October 1997, a copy of which is attached.

In 1998, the Council was requested to address the issue of work education during the compulsory years of schooling. A position paper was prepared and endorsed by the Council. The position paper will be used as a means of ensuring that work education is appropriately addressed in all future curriculum and test development activities of the Council. A copy of the position paper is attached.

In the Queensland education system, vocational learning and structured workplace learning are defined in terms similar to those proposed by the MCEETYA Taskforce.

What initiatives/programs are being planned or implemented in your state/territory in vocational learning and structured workplace learning and in what years?

Of the 1999 cohort of school leavers, 22% of students completed an AQF Certificate I and 17.6% of students exited with a Certificate II recorded on their Senior Certificate. In addition, nearly 30% of students eligible for an Overall Position (OP — tertiary entrance rank) had at least one VET result recorded on their Senior Certificate, and almost half of all students who received a Senior Certificate completed at least one VET competency. Of the OP-eligible students engaged in SATs, over 40% were awarded OPs in the top half of the student distribution.

The numbers of SAT commencements in Queensland in 1999 was nearly 2300 (of whom 80% attended state schools), which constituted more than half of the national total. Co-operative partnerships with the Department of Employment, Training and industrial Relations ensured that industrial relations issues were expedited to enable this reform agenda process to progress smoothly and quickly.

The extend to which vocational learning has been generally embraced in Queensland ifs reflected in these figures, as is the extend to which VET has been accepted by students who are eligible for tertiary entrance. The growing number of students choosing to combine traditional academic subjects with VET courses ideally places our students for the changing work and study patterns of the future.

Vocational learning in the compulsory years can be accessed through the key competencies embedded in all recently developed subjects, through work experience, and through access to career guidance and life skills programs.

A significant and increasing number of Queensland schools participate in national enterprise education programs, including Australian Business Week, Young Achievement Australia, E-Teams, Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition and Enterprise Day initiatives.

In addition, specific enterprise educational skills and competencies are now being incorporated into new and developing curriculum areas, e.g. the Syllabus for the Years 1 to 10 Technology key learning area and the new Certificate II in Workplace Practices course for secondary students.

What is the rationale for having vocational learning and structured workplace learning in the compulsory years?

A joint policy statement in February 2000 by the Queensland Ministers for Education and Employment, Training and Industrial Relations outlined two key goals to be pursued in Queensland schools. These were increased qualification attainment and improved completion of secondary schooling.

The statement proposed three pathways through which VET can be included in the post-compulsory school curriculum so that these goals can be achieved. These VET pathways are: through the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (BSSSS) VET subjects; through school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs); and through undertaking National Training Package and Product qualifications outside BSSSS subjects.

How are the vocational learning initiatives/programs in the compulsory years linked to those in the post compulsory years?

See (2) above.

How might any issues identified in the middle years of schooling (see 3. above in Middle Years of Schooling) impact on vocational learning in Years 9 and 10? What are the curriculum implications?

The Queensland School Curriculum Council is currently engaged in a consultation process to determine the nature and scope of curriculum and assessment — related to issues arising from a consideration of the needs, interests and activities of students in the middle years of schooling. This process (known as the Middle Years of Schooling Forum) will be completed by September 2000 at which stage a report will be prepared for the consideration of the Council.