Vocational education and training in engineering in Australia

A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region are reviewing their post-school system of education and training in order to ensure that the strategic development needs of the country are met. Some eight years ago Australia embarked on changes to reform vocational education and training, and given the economic contest of the time and the need for Australia's manufacturing industry to become more efficient, much of the current development has its roots in vocational education and training in engineering. The National Training Framework as the development is now known. came about by evolution through a number of stages mostly driven by industrial relations and economic rationalisation. This paper will review a number of concepts associated with vocational education and training, then outline the salient features of the National Training Framework and conclude by discussing some of the issues yet to be adequately addressed.