Outcomes from Enabling Courses

Résumé du livre

The outcomes of enabling courses offered in Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector were examined. "Enabling course" was defined as lower-level preparatory and prevocational courses covering a wide range of areas, including remedial education, bridging courses, precertificate courses, and general employment preparation courses. Unit record data from Australia's 1998 national VET data collection, the 1997 and 1998 graduate destination surveys, and the 1999 National Student Outcome Survey were used to obtain information about students' characteristics, further studies outcomes, and vocational outcomes. Students in the VET sector who were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, students from a non-English-speaking background, and those with a disability were three times more likely to enroll in enabling courses than were other students. Nearly one-third of those who undertook further studies in the VET sector after having enrolled in an enabling course had undertaken a course at a higher-level qualification. The likelihood of being in employment 6 months after completion of an enabling course increased for students in the 15-19 age group but decreased for students in the 50-64 age group. Thirteen tables/figures are included. Information about matching students in the 1997 and 1998 data collections, enabling course enrollments, and logistic regression results are appended. (MN)