ANET is funding a research project to investigate the relationship between Australia’s education and training system and the supply of engineers. The ultimate aim of the project is to identify policy directions for VET and higher education that might assist in building engineering capacity and thus help alleviate current skills shortages. To do this, the research team is investigating the different types of education and training programs and the extent to which various models are “successful” in terms of both meeting industry needs and providing learning and employment pathways for students.
Defining “success” in engineering preparation programs is proving challenging although the accepted indicators are levels of student engagement and retention in courses and graduate employment outcomes. The literature also suggests that there are many issues associated with the VET-higher education divide that make this transition difficult for students. Recent engineering graduates report that they feel under-prepared in the areas of project management and inter-personal communication. These issues and others will be investigated by the project team in stakeholder interviews in November-December. We would appreciate feedback on these issues and the following preliminary questions:
- How should we measure the effectiveness of engineering preparation programs in the VET and higher education sector?
- Is the current qualifications structure and content of engineering programs adequate to meet industry needs?
- How can education and training programs for engineers maintain their currency and relevance in an era of rapid technological change?
- Could the level of industry engagement in education and training programs improve? If so, in what way?
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