Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

engagement in VET and employment

outcomes: trends, challenges and

strategies

Chair and Panellists

Georgina Windley, Research Officer,

Research Operations,

NCVER

Dr John Guenther, Research Leader,

Education and

Training, Batchelor

Institute of Indigenous

Tertiary Education

Heather Crawford, Research Officer,

Centre for Aboriginal

Economic Policy

Research, The

Australian National

University

Devena Monro, Administration and

VET Manager ,

Wontulp-Bi-Buya

College

VET participation rate, 15-64 year old population

• Indigenous participation remains high compared to non-Indigenous

• In 2015, nearly 19% of Indigenous people aged 15-64 were enrolled in VET

qualifications.

Indigenous VET enrolments as a proportion of all program enrolments,

by qualification level, 2005–15, %

• Proportion of Indigenous enrolments in higher level certificates (Certificate III

and above) is increasing

• In 2015 over half (54.0%) of enrolments were in higher level certificates

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Indigenous certificate III and higher Indigenous certificate II & I

12%

18%

29%

9%

6%

11%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

2002 NATSISS 2008 NATSISS 2014 NATSISS

Perc

en

tag

e

Persons Cert III-Adv Dip Persons Cert I-II

Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Social Surveys

Attainment of Certificate III–Advanced Diploma, Aboriginal & Torres

Strait Islander population aged 15-64

Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Social Surveys

14%

18%

30%

10%

18%

28%

7% 6%

10%

10%

7%

13%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

2002 NATSISS 2008 NATSISS 2014 NATSISS

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Males Cert III-Adv Dip Females Cert III-Adv Dip

Attainment of Certificate III–Advanced Diploma, Aboriginal & Torres

Strait Islander population aged 15-64

Contribution to Indigenous employment rate of each

category of educational attainment

Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Social Surveys

21% 27%

19%

3%

3%

4%

6%

10% 16% 4%

7% 7%

69% 73% 72%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2002 NATSISS 2008 NATSISS 2014 NATSISS

Emp

loym

en

t ra

te

No qualification Certificate I-II

Certificate III-IV Diploma or higher

Employment rate total Australia

48% 35%

48%

Source: ABS, generated from 2006 & 2011

Censuses using Tablebuilder. Map produced

using QGIS www.qgis.org

Indigenous population aged 15-64, percentage with Certificate III-IV qualifications by Indigenous region

Remote retention

• Cost of delivery into community: secure

funding

• Cost vs benefit for training participants: a

question of priorities

• Philosophical alignment: purpose, values,

identity, knowledge systems

Examples from the study: challenges

TAFE SA, APY Lands Aged Care, Home and Community Care training

– 7 completions from 44 enrolments

– Participant and community buy in

– Higher skillspositive attrition

– Learning for community not just industry

Batchelor, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner Training

– 15% completion rate

– Is success really about completion, or other indicators such as confidence and community capability more important?

– The reality of competing priorities

Remote success

Definitions of success are much bigger than

retention, completion and employability

– Foundation skills: essential for a range of every-day

purposes

– Confidence: being able to speak up for yourself

– Connected to local culture and knowledge

– Employment: meaningful use of skills and

knowledge

Examples from the study: alternative

measures

Yes I Can – Confidence and self-esteem are precursors to other

outcomes

Karajarri Ranger Training – Two-way learning, on country, using elders

Wontulp Bi Buya College – Remaining connected to community

– A community of learners

Student Retention

• Participation

• Training Obligations

• Positive Associations

• Community of Learners

• Continuous Training

• Engagement

Cultural Sensitive Training

• Healthy Positioning

• Educational Patterning

• Aspiration and Expectation

• Educational Transitioning

• Community Connections

• Training Flexibility

Research reports

Vocational Education Participation and Attainment

Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Australians: Trends 2002-2015 and Employment

Outcomes - by Heather Crawford and Nicholas Biddle

Indigenous VET participation, completion and

outcomes: change over the past decade - by Georgina

Windley

Enhancing training advantage for remote Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander learners - by John Guenther

et al

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