New workplace savvy school students

Erica SmithCharles Sturt University

Body of research

School students’ learning from their paid and unpaid work (fieldwork 2000) with Annette Green & Ros Brennan Kemmis CSU and Steve Keirl & Sue Erickson, Uni of SA

Learning and training from school-based new apprenticeships (fieldwork 2001) with Lou Wilson, Adelaide Uni

The development of employability skills in novice workers through employment (fieldwork 2002) with Paul Comyn, PhD student UTS

How workplace experiences while at school affect school leavers’ pathways (fieldwork 2004) with Annette Green & Brian Hemmings, CSU

All funded through NREC/NVETRE - NCVER

Teenagers at work

60% of years 10 to 12 students have part-time work (Smith & Green , 2001)

Most teenagers go to work straight after school rather than to university or full-time TAFE

Most university and TAFE students also work part-time

Engagement with workplaces

Work experience Part-time work VET in schools Other (volunteer/voluntary,

sporting, parents’ work etc) School enterprises

Work experience

The Cinderella of workplace experiences

Important career sampling role Wide range of industry areas Opportunity can be squandered

VET in schools

Rapid growth: approx 40% of Year 11 and 12 students are now doing VET programs

Generally less academically-inclined students

More common in government schools Now a mainstream option instead of a

pioneering activity. In the process of ‘shifting gear’ from a

development phase when the enthusiasm of individuals carried it along, to becoming a normal part of the school curriculum.

School-based New Apprenticeships

Have grown phenomenally; 7639 commenced in 2002.

Most students’ experiences of SBNAs is positive

Concentrated in the same industries as ordinary part-time student jobs, although not to the same extent

SBNAs often work few hours Some quality problems with off the job

training, and some evidence of poor linkage between off the job training and work

A few students see SBNAs as a ‘training course’ or a ‘program’ rather than a job

Part-time work

Employers’ reasons for hiring novice workers

Low cost Enthusiasm Mouldability Technology skills/up to date knowledge New ideas Community obligations Require low skilled labour force Tradition & industry obligations Physical fitness Operating hours Staff development for existing staff

Positive outcomes of VIS and SBNAs

Seen as more rigorous than work experience and employers generally prefer them;

Can aid retention of students including (but not only) students at risk;

Less-academic students find that they validate their practical skills and generally increase their confidence;

They give access to a wider range of industries than part-time work;

Allow students who would find it difficult to access paid part-time work on their own to experience workplaces and thus improve their chances of finding work when they leave school;

Can encourage students to enter industries which are unpopular with school-leavers and have severe skills shortages

Follow-up study

Participants in first two projects: most left school 2001 and 2002

Survey (92 so far) and telephone interviews (12 so far)

Preliminary findings

All except five finished Year 12 One-third of all continued with school-

time part-time job for more than 2 years and almost half for more than one year

Finding alternative paths to uni eg via TAFE qualifications

At least half now have VET qualifications Very diverse experiences

SBNAs

SBNAs less likely to do work experience

SBNAs very favourable about their SBNA

SBNAs more likely to be in full-time work or study than others

High rate of change of career plans in the first year after school

If I hadn’t had workplace contact…

Work experience gave me a fixed standard or gauge to aim for by working with professionals, rather than just knowing that I had to be better than I was.

I wanted to do graphic design but during the work experience I decided it didn’t suit me. It was good to know this as I nearly did it at uni.

It would have made it difficult for me as I wouldn’t have had a job to fall back on when I left uni. I would probably have stayed at uni in that course which wouldn’t have been good and I’d still have been living at home.

Some people have chosen nursing and did not do work experience in that area at school. They have found the course a culture shock and some have left the program.

…contd

I probably wouldn’t have gone to uni. The school based traineeship was an eye-opener

and showed me a different field. I’d liken to get a job in a place like that and you need a science degree.

If I hadn’t had a traineeship in hospitality I would have done childcare, and I wouldn’t be happy with that now so am very glad I did the traineeship

Riviera mostly get their people through SBNA’s, so if I hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have got my apprenticeship after school.

BUT…. I suppose I might have put more into my school

studies if I hadn’t been working so much. Maybe I’d have got into teaching.

Implications for VET

Importance of the part-time job Development of employability skills Awareness of VET sector Familiarity with intermediary bodies

such as GTOs SBNAs may not fix skill shortages