Australia : confronting institutional impediments

This country summary presents a review of the vocational education, and training (VET) system in Australia, exploring the significant expansion of VET since 1974, with an emphasis on the realization that expansion alone was not a solution, rather, what the country needed was to confront some institutional issues, which were inhibiting progress. The relevance of Australia's experience, for either developing countries, or transition economies, thus lies in its ability to achieve institutional change, for, while the VET system is embedded in two institutions: the government, and the industrial relations framework, the establishment of a single national ministry, encompassing employment, education, and training, ensured that competing priorities could be resolved more effectively. The summary suggest that linkages with the labor market must be predominant, both forging links with industry in the management of VET, as well as taking into account the internal structures of government, whereas, the financing of VET, should support the direction of market forces.