In a report that slipped under the radar just before Christmas 2018, the NCVER reported survey results that provided strong support for the role of sector four in the Australian skills training market.
The report still labours the use of the negative term ‘unaccredited’, which is at odds with the positive take-up of this mode of skills training in the economy.
The report found, in part:
“In 2017, over 90% of Australian employers provided some form of training to their employees: 54% engaged with the VET system; 51% used unaccredited training; and 81% said they provided informal training.
Employers are looking to develop skills that are highly job relevant or organisation specific with unaccredited training. Cost, the ability to tailor the training and flexibility in provision are the key reasons for employers choosing unaccredited over accredited training.
Most employers using unaccredited training are satisfied that it provides the required skills for their workers. Around half of the employers using unaccredited training did not use an external provider, but, for those who did, private training providers and professional/industry associations were the main providers chosen, largely because of their high level of industry knowledge and the suitability of the course content for their employees.
While both accredited and unaccredited training were selected by employers to meet their skill needs, little research is available on the impact that the type of training has on the employee, particularly with respect to the transferability and recognition of their skills to other occupations or industries. Are the skills and capabilities acquired through accredited and unaccredited training comparable? The upcoming Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) review may go some way towards formal recognition for unaccredited training. There is also little to no data available on employers’ expenditure on training and whether this influences their training choices.”
The report reinforces that issues of flexibility, cost, relevance and validity are driving this revolution. There appears to be an inverse relationship between the growth in the formal accredited sectors and the willingness of employers to engage with accredited training and qualifications. Perhaps formally accredited qualifications are seen as bloated, costly and not relevant for day to day operations.
The NCVER report can be found here: NCVER Unaccredited training: why employers use it and does it meet their needs? December 2018.