Australian Human Resources

Human Resource Development: Strategy and Tactics

by Juani Swart, Alan Price, Clare Mann, Steve Brown
Each chapter in Human Resource Development provides the reader with commentary, activities and review sections in an integrated approach. The action-oriented approach is vital for practicing managers but increasingly for postgraduate and final year undergraduates who have work experience. The book is written in a straightforward manner and explains concepts and key issues in a lucid style. The activities are focused and are better suited to encouraging readers to learn.
More information and prices from:
SeekBooks.com.au - Australian Dollars
Amazon.co.uk - British pounds
Amazon.com - US dollars
Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars
Amazon.de - Euros
Amazon.fr - Euros

Employers surveyed on VET

March 15 2006 - Most Australian employers are happy with the national vocational education and training (VET) system, according to a new survey.

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) survey was aimed at measuring the extent that employers use VET to:

meet the skill needs of their employees,
their satisfaction with VET, and
what drives their training choices.

Training may be accredited or unaccredited, with most employers using a mix of both to develop their employees, but only ccredited training leads to nationally recognised qualifications. Overall in Australia, 57% of all employers in the survey used accredited training and 53% used unaccredited training. Almost four-fifths (79%) provided informal training such as training on specific products or equipment. 85% of employers across Australia recognised the importance of training to their overall business strategy, and 86% of those with a business plan included staff training in their planss.

35% of employers using accredited training did so because they had jobs that required vocational qualifications. 28% had at least one apprentice or trainee and 24% had employees undertaking nationally recognised training (other than an apprenticeship or traineeship).

52% of employers using unaccredited training did so to provide staff with the skills required for their jobs. 29% said they did so to maintain professional and industry standards, and 21% did so to improve the quality of their goods and services.

While surveyed employers had generally high satisfaction levels with both accredited and unaccredited training, they were most satisfied with unaccredited training:

92% of employers were satisfied with unaccredited training
79% of employers satisfied with the training provided to apprentices and trainees
80% of employers satisfied with nationally recognised training (other than apprenticeships or traineeships)

Unaccredited training was prefered over accredited training centred for a variety of reasons, including:

suitability of the course
cost
ability to use their own trainers
convenience, and
flexibility.