How Vocational Education is Adapting to the Demands of Business and Student Needs
Wages comprise the largest expense incurred by providers of vocational education and training, and are expected to account for 58.7% of revenue. The industry is labour-intensive due to the need for face-to-face teaching staff and non-academic staff that are employed to undertake administrative tasks (Magner, 2015, p. 21). Other expenses incurred by the industry include rent, marketing, depreciation, administration, borrowing and maintenance costs. Advertising expenses have been growing over the past five years as a result of increased competition following the implementation of the demand-driven funding system in some states. TAFEs have expanded their marketing efforts online through social media websites, such as Facebook, and blogs (Magner, 2015, p. 21).
While training managers, most VET teachers and most international students do not think provider commercial imperatives are encumbrances to quality training, disquiet and contestations are emerging amongst quality assurance auditors, a few international students and VET teachers about the focuses and commercial imperatives that influence the delivery of quality training to international students (Pasura, 2014, p. 579). It seems only natural that ASQA should be accountable by an external body that investigates the way that decisions and regulations are formed by those in the industry who actually work in it.
It is for this reason that TAFE and RTO’s alike should adopt a new approach to a variety of inefficient measures, which both diminish the VET brand and prevent the industry from increasing its current and future growth potential. A systematic approach to current processes, technology and infrastructure are essential if VET is to survive in such an evolving industry.
