A new study published today by Jobs and Skills Australia, gives fresh insights into the national VET workforce. The work has informed the Government’s VET Blueprint, announced today by the Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Andrew Giles MP.
Many of Australia’s current job shortages – in trades, care and education roles – rely on the vocational education and training (VET) system and its workforce to teach and train future workers. However, there are currently not enough teachers in the VET workforce, and many leave the system for better paid roles in industry or higher education.
The report identifies the need for a more sustainable VET teaching workforce. Securing that teaching workforce for the future will help to fix skills shortages in the wider Australian economy.
The study’s key findings include that while there are gaps in the data, much of the demand for VET teachers can be linked to areas of skills shortages and high course enrolments.
VET teachers have been in shortage nationally and in every state and territory for the last two years. At the same time, there is strongest demand for teachers in vocational fields where the occupation is also on the skills shortage list – for example, electricians, carpenters and early childhood educators.
Projections show 3,800 more VET teachers are needed in the next five years and future demand is expected to remain strong, with projected employment growth of 21% by 2033.
The study also reveals the VET workforce is better qualified and older on average (almost 50% aged over 50) than the wider Australian workforce (30% aged over 50), and that it is a highly casualised workforce with VET teachers paid less than teachers in other education sectors. Unsurprisingly, VET teachers who leave the profession often go into other areas of teaching which are more highly paid. The study identified a diversity issue in the VET workforce and a 16% gender pay gap.
To conduct its analysis, Jobs and Skills Australia developed a new VET Workforce taxonomy, developing a framework of six occupational categories to better understand the workforce.
Both JSA’s study and the Government’s blueprint aim to ensure the long-term sustainability of the VET sector by supporting and growing the quality and capability of the VET workforce.
