New models of working and learning : How young people are shaping their futures differently
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research in Post-Compulsory Education Vol. 14, no. 4 (2009), p. 429-440
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- Description: This paper is about the way in which young people are increasingly adopting dual identities - worker and learner - during the long transition from full-time student to full-time worker. Part-time jobs undertaken while in full-time education provide opportunities for learning about work and may lead to full-time careers in the same industry area. Those who enter full-time work directly are increasingly likely to have a job with a formal training contract. The paper is based on a series of Australian research projects, undertaken over seven years by the author and colleagues, using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The data were used to construct six hypothetical case studies of young learner/workers typifying the multiple roles of young people in the working and educational arenas. The case studies illustrate the complex and often under-planned arrangements that may be redefining how young people think about education and jobs and how they conceptualise their movement into the full-time workforce. © 2009 Further Education Research Association.
Occupational Identity in Australian Traineeship: An initial exploration
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Architecture of Innovative Apprenticeship p. 131-141
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Occupational preparation for manual work : fitter/machinists and concrete operators
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Multiple Dimensions of Teaching and Learning for Occupational Practice 3 p. 37-55
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- Description: This chapter explores the different forms of occupational preparation for two occupations in the manufacturing industry in Australia: fitter/machinists and concrete product operators. It draws on data from a project researching concepts of skill in work. The two occupations were selected as one is traditionally regarded as skilled while the other is regarded as unskilled. While both jobs are undertaken predominantly by men, the former occupation is normally entered by young people, while the latter is generally entered by mature people. Through interviews, company case studies and industry focus groups the skills involved in the two occupations were examined and compared. There were considerable similarities between the two jobs, although of course differences as well. Training in the fitter/machinist occupation is undertaken through a lengthy and formalised apprenticeship, while training as a concrete products operator is almost always undertaken on the job only; there is no requirement for a qualification. Some reasons are proposed for the low take-up of qualifications for concrete production, and suggestions for improving this situation, in order to attract more people into the occupation. The conclusions can be applied to other occupations, and the analysis provides the opportunity to examine the assumptions upon which traditional pathways of occupational preparation are based.
Part-time work of high school students and impact on educational outcomes
- Authors: Patton, Wendy , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling Vol. 19, no. 2 (2009), p. 216-224
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- Description: While increasing numbers of young high school students engage in part-time work, there is no consensus about its impact on educational outcomes. Indeed, this field has had a dearth of research. This paper presents a review of recent research, primarily from Australia and the United States, although it is acknowledged that there are considerable contextual differences. Suggestions for school counsellors to harness students' experiences to assist in educational and career decision-making are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling is the property of Australian Academic Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Description: 2003007927
Part-time working by students : is it a policy issue, and for whom?
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Patton, Wendy
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Education and Work Vol. 26, no. 1 (2013), p. 48-76
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- Description: This paper uses data from interviews with representatives of national and state organisations that have a policy interest in student-working in Australia. The interviewees included representatives from employer bodies and trade unions as well as government organisations. The data are used to discuss these stakeholders' perceptions of the main advantages and disadvantages of working by young full-time students and the ways in which organisations in the business and educational sectors have adapted their policies and practices for student-working. The analysis is then used to inform a discussion about whether this is a legitimate area for public policy formulation and if so, what principles might underpin such policy and what some policies might look like. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Pedagogy not political pointscoring: How training providers teach international students
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: AVETRA 13th Annual Conference: VET Research: Leading and responding in turbulent times p. 1-12
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- Description: 2009 was a bad year for Australia's international vocational education and training (VET) industry. Racism affecting international students on the streets and in the national media discouraged students from applying to study in Australia and made international education the centre of political controversy. In such an environment it has been easy to lose sight of the teaching and learning processes that are at the heart of VET for international students. This paper reports on part of a research project, funded by Service Skills Australia, that examined VET practitioners in the service industries. As part of that project the author carried out case studies in two registered training organisations (RTOs) that delivered training to substantial numbers of hospitality students and interviewed senior managers from four other RTOs. Staff and students alike reported on the benefits of having international students enrolled in their courses, and reported instances of good practice in pedagogy that have implications well beyond the international student cohort.
Possible futures for the indian apprenticeship system: Options for India.
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Kemmis, Ros Brennan
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Technical report
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- Description: The purpose of this report is to use ideas gained from ten other national apprenticeship systems to put forward options for the Indian system. These countries are Turkey, Indonesia , Egypt, South Africa, Australia, Canada, USA, England, Germany and France. The report of the international phase of the research project is separately available. The latter includes individual country case studies containing detailed information about the systems in these other countries [in addition to an Indian case study] presented ina common structure, a cross-case analysis, and a proposed framework for a model apprenticeship system.
Practitioner researchers in vocational education and training
- Authors: Holden, Rick , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Training Research Vol. 7, no. 2 (2009), p. 134-144
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- Description: The paper reports on a study examining the issues facing vocational education and training (VET) practitioners who aspire to undertake formal research and move towards publishing their research. Research participants were drawn from attendees at a publishing workshop that was mounted at the 2008 conference of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA). The study utilised notes made by the conveners of that workshop, and the collective work produced in groups of participants, responses to an email interview six months after the date of the workshop, and subsequent in-depth telephone conversations. The study showed that practitioner researchers faced considerable difficulties in pursuing their research and publication goals, and analysis of findings suggest that these difficulties may reflect a lack of legitimacy for research within VET practice and VET institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Description: 2003007934
Pre-apprenticeships in Australia : Differing orientations and their policy implications
- Authors: Dumbrell, Tom , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Vocational Education and Training Vol. 65, no. 2 (2013), p. 161-176
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- Description: Little has been published in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) literature on the topic of pre-apprenticeships, which are a loose type of preparatory courses for apprenticeships available in some trades. Nevertheless, pre-apprenticeships have been in existence for several decades. With continuing concern over skill shortages in Australia, the research study on which this paper is based investigated the role of pre-apprenticeship courses in addressing skill shortages in the electrotechnology, automotive and engineering trades, some of the largest 'traditional trades' in Australia, and those with sizeable numbers in pre-apprenticeships. The principal objective of the overall study was to determine whether the use of pre-apprenticeships increased the size and suitability of the supply of entrants to the traditional apprenticeships and whether pre-apprenticeships do or might increase completion rates in apprenticeships. The paper uses findings from the study to develop a typology of pre-apprenticeship courses, proposing two fundamental orientations and discussing whether different orientations towards pre-apprenticeships are compatible with one another. © 2013 Copyright The Vocational Aspect of Education Ltd.
- Description: 2003011101
Pre-apprenticeships in three key trades
- Authors: Dumbrell, Tom , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Book
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- Description: This report looks at whether pre-apprenticeships increase the potential supply of tradespeople, with a special focus on electrotechnology, automotive and engineering students. It found that pre-apprenticeships have been used in Australia for many years and are widely regarded as a valuable strategy for increasing the supply and quality of potential apprentices. Pre-apprenticeships are favoured by employers because they weed out unsuitable candidates and improve retention, while apprentices see them as a useful way of gaining experience in the trade.
- Description: 2003006164
Preparation for post-school careers in rural and peri-urban Australia : connections with employers and labour markets
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Foley, Annette
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 6th International Conference on Employer Engagement: Preparing Young People for the Future, 1-2 July 2021, Virtual online
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Protecting us from the pandemic? Reframing the work of security officers in quarantine hotels in Australia
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Labour & Industry-a Journal of the Social and Economic Relations of Work Vol. 32, no. 3 (2022), p. 236-252
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP110200888
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- Description: This article examines the work and training of security officers employed by private security organisations for COVID-19 hotel quarantine contracts in Victoria, Australia. It reports on research fieldwork in the work of security officers and on analysis of training for the occupation. In March 2020, the occupation moved into the national spotlight, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the use of hotel quarantine in Australia for travellers arriving from overseas. The employment conditions of, and inadequate training for, quarantine hotel security staff were found to be major contributors to a major COVID outbreak from July to September 2020. The article examines these developments in the light of the research findings about the nature of the security industry, particularly outsourcing and contracting issues, and the historic undervaluing of the work undertaken by security staff. These topics are especially important as security officers are increasingly used to support public security and safety.
Public policies on training and their provenance: An international comparison
- Authors: Smith, Andy , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at RWL4 p. 1-15
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Re-thinking skill through a new lens : evidence from three Australian service industries
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Teicher, Julian
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Education and Work Vol. 30, no. 5 (2017), p. 515-530
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- Description: The purpose of this paper is to provide another perspective on the problematic nature of the concept of skill and in particular a tendency to place a lower value on certain types of job in the service sector than those in other industries. Qualitative research was conducted in three service industries in Australia, comprising interviews with key industry stakeholders, case studies in two companies for each of four occupations, and validation by a forum of industry experts. We present evidence of the existence of substantial levels of skill in occupations which are traditionally considered low-skilled. The data are utilised to create a new model which represents factors which contribute to perceptions of skill in occupations. The analysis extends and deepens current understanding of aspects of skill, primarily, but not only, building on social construction theory to posit a new model for analysing skill. New factors are added to the analysis of skill in occupations. The project was exploratory and covered only four occupations in three industry areas. The method could be utilised in a broader-scale project. The paper is designed to contribute to debates on the nature of skill and also has policy and practical implications in the fields of human resource practice and training. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Revisiting apprenticeships as a response to persistent and growing youth unemployment
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Skills and the Future of work: strategies for inclusive growth in Asia and the Pacfic 6 p. 160-179
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- Description: This chapter examines the potential of quality apprenticeship in meeting multiple demands: skill development, changing industry needs, and promoting inclusivity. There are many and large societal and economic expectations of problems which apprenticeship should solve. These expectations vary among various actors. They range from solving youth unemployment and safeguarding decent jobs for young and disadvantaged persons, to supplying companies with a trained workforce, and boosting international competitiveness. More recent demands including apprenticeships’ ability to cope with rapidly changing job roles. There are, however, risks associated with expansion of apprenticeship systems, including the possibility of contributing to exploitation, discrimination and exclusion of social/racial groups and/or certain occupations. Any radical changes risk upsetting existing balances in outcomes for different stakeholder groups. Moreover, apprenticeships need to retain the flexibility to cope with the demands of the future of work.
School students and part-time work : Workplace problems and challenges
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Patton, Wendy
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Youth Studies Australia Vol. 28, no. 3 (2009), p. 21-30
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- Description: The literature has identified some potential problems and challenges associated with teenage part-time workers and the nature of the workplaces that employ them. However a large national project on student-working found few problems in the two companies researched because these companies had policies in place that addressed the potential problems. Some suggestions are made about how problems and challenges could be avoided in a wider range of adolescent workplaces.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Wilson, Lou
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Education + Training Vol. 46, no. 2 (2004), p. 64-74
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- Description: In Australia, as in many other countries, initiatives are constantly being developed which aim to assist school students’ transition into work. One such initiative, which was introduced towards the end of the 1990s, was the introduction of school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, often referred to by the umbrella term “school-based new apprenticeships” (SBNAs). Students taking part in these programs, normally in the final two years of schooling (Years 11 and 12), combine part-time work, study towards a vocational education and training (VET) qualification, and normal attendance at school. This paper reports on the first large-scale research study of school-based apprentices and trainees, which was carried out in late 2001 through a survey of students involved in the programs. The survey was carried out in the three Australian States with the highest numbers of school-based apprentices and trainees, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The paper commences with a description of the nature of school-based apprenticeships and a description of their introduction and rapid growth. It then gives an overview of the young people’s jobs, their learning and training, and concludes by discussing four problematic areas.
- Description: 2003008056
Social construction of skill viewed through the lens of training for the cleaning industry
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at AVERTA 12th Annual Conference: Aligning Participants, Policy and Pedagogy: Traction and Tensions in VET Research, Crown Plaza Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales : 16th-17th April 2009
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- Description: Most people would agree that an objective measurement of skill in work is not possible. Many perceptions of what is skilled work privilege 'male' over 'female' occupations, and pre-1950 industrial and craft jobs over more recently-established and service sector jobs. Theories of social construction of skill centre around claim-making by interest groups, structural conditions that allow or prevent such claims, and the institutionalisation of those claims. As skill cannot be measured objectively, the social construction of skill takes on immense significance in defining what are worthy and non-worthy occupations, and the training that is available and valued within those occupations.
- Description: 2003007930
Strategy and human resource management, 3rd edition
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Studies in Continuing Education Vol. 35, no. 3 (Nov 2013), p. 383-384
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Teachers, instructors and trainers : An Australian focus
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: International handbook of education for the changing world of work : Bridging academic and vocational education Chapter VIII.3 p. 1203-1217
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- Description: 2003007936