Vocational education and training in New South Wales

This inquiry was established on 3 June 2015 to inquire into and report on vocational education and training (VET) in New South Wales (NSW). Particular terms of reference were to examine: (1) the factors influencing student choice about entering the VET system including: motivation to study, choice of course, course location and method of study, and barriers to participation, including students in the non-government education and home schooling sectors; (2) the role played by public and private VET providers and industry in educational linkages with secondary and higher education, the development of skills in the NSW economy, the development of opportunities for unemployed people, particularly migrants and persons in the mature workers' category, to improve themselves and increase their life, education and employment prospects, and the delivery of services and programs particularly to regional, rural and remote communities; (3) the factors affecting the cost of delivery of affordable and accessible VET, including the influence of the co-contribution funding model on student behaviour and completion rates; (4) the effects of a competitive training market on student access to education, training, skills and pathways to employment, including opportunities and pathways to further education and employment for the most vulnerable in the community including those suffering a disability or severe disadvantage; (5) the level of industry participation in the VET sector, including the provision of sustainable employment opportunities for graduates, competency based training and the application of training packages to workforce requirements; (6) the Smart and Skilled reforms, including alternatives to the Smart and Skilled contestable training market and other funding policies, and the effects of the Smart and Skilled roll out on school based apprenticeships; and (7) any other related matter.

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