Vocational, adult and professional education research
ACER undertakes a broad range of research and program consultancies in youth and adult education, vocational and workforce education contexts in Australia and globally for institutions, industry, governments and a wide range of stakeholders. Our research in vocational, adult and workplace education addresses core skills, adult language, literacy and numeracy, careers and vocational interest assessments, curriculum and standards development, quality and bench-marking services, teaching and learning consultancies, policy and program evaluation, surveys on pathways and transitions, psychometric and statistical analysis, and selection testing.
Key research underpins the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) on behalf of the OECD.
Submissions from 2022
Fitting the AQF for the future: Revising the AQF architecture and taxonomy, Anita Roberts, Louise Wignall, and Daniel Edwards
Review of the Australian Core Skills Framework and Digital Literacy Skills Framework and relevant assessment tools. Final report, Louise Wignall, Anita Roberts, and Jana Scomazzon
Submissions from 2021
Public Enquiry: Adult literacy and its importance, Australian Council for Educational Research
Submissions from 2020
Earning and Learning Research Project: Report to the Department for Education, South Australia, Julie McMillan, Shani Sniedze, Rachel Felgate, and Petra Lietz
PIAAC Numeracy Task Complexity Schema: Factors that impact on item difficulty, Dave Tout, Iddo Gal, Mieke van Groenestijn, Myrna Manly, and Mary Jane Schmitt
Submissions from 2019
Revision or Re-vision: Exploring approaches to the differentiation of qualification types in the Australian Qualifications Framework, Kate Perkins, Justin Brown, Paul R. Weldon, and Louise Wignall
Submissions from 2018
Survey and Focus Groups of Students Enrolled in Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) Offshore: Final Report, Justin Brown, Wei Buttress, and Darren Matthews
The N in LLN - Why it’s a crucial skill, Dave Tout
What is the Foundation Skills Training Package (FSK), Dave Tout
Submissions from 2017
In their words: student choice in training markets: Victorian examples, Justin Brown
What do employers really want? Helping vocational learners crack the code, Kate Perkins
LLN Acronyms ACSF FSK and more, Dave Tout
Why addressing literacy and numeracy in VET is a priority, Dave Tout
Review of the PIAAC Numeracy Assessment Framework: Final Report, Dave Tout, Diana Coben, Vince Geiger, Lynda Ginsburg, Kees Hoogland, Terry Maguire, Sue Thomson, and Ross Turner
Submissions from 2015
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Tonga : country report, Andrea Bateman, Justin Brown, and Meleoni Uera
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Solomon Islands : country report, Andrea Bateman, Elizabeth Cassity, and Judy Fangalasuu
Investing in Workforce Literacy Pays: Building Employer Commitment to Workplace Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programs, Justin Brown, Michael Taylor, Phillip McKenzie, and Kate Perkins
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Papua New Guinea : country report, Robert Horne, Ken Ngangan, Simaima Tavil-Melachon, and Justin Brown
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Samoa : country report, Leo Maglen, Justin Brown, and Sala Perive T. Lene
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Fiji : country report, Leo Maglen, Mark Weston Wall, and Manaini Rokovunisei
Research into the financing of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Pacific : Kiribati : country report, Prabir Majumdar and Teweiariki Teaero
Submissions from 2013
National Report on Social Equity in VET 2013, Sheldon Rothman, Chandra Shah, Catherine Underwood, Julie McMillan, Justin Brown, and Phillip McKenzie
Submissions from 2012
AQTF Quality Indicator Service : 2011-12 report, ACER
Higher education students in Australia : what the new Census data tell us, Daniel Edwards and Eva van der Brugge
Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), Philippa McLean, Kate Perkins, David Tout, Kath Brewer, and Linda Wyse
The On Track Survey 2011 longitudinal report : the 2007 cohort 4 years on, Sheldon Rothman and Catherine Underwood
The On Track Survey 2011: the destinations of school leavers in Victoria. Statewide report, Sheldon Rothman and Catherine Underwood
The On Track Survey 2012: the destinations of school leavers in Victoria. Statewide report, Sheldon Rothman and Catherine Underwood
Submissions from 2011
Education and training and the avoidance of financial disadvantage, Gary N. Marks Dr.
Career Moves : Expectations and Destinations of New South Wales Senior Secondary Students, Gary N. Marks Dr., Catherine Underwood, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, and ACER
The On Track Survey 2010: The Destinations of School Leavers in Victoria. Statewide report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary N. Marks Dr., Phillip McKenzie, and Catherine Underwood
Submissions from 2010
Australian Apprentice Retention Pilot Project: Report to MEGT, Justin Brown, Phillip McKenzie, and Adrian Beavis
Annual transitions between labour market states for young Australians, Hielke Buddelmeyer and Gary N. Marks
The On Track Survey 2009 : The Destinations of School Leavers in Victoria. Statewide report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks, and Phillip McKenzie
Against the odds: Influences on the post-school success of 'low performers', Sue Thomson and Kylie Hillman
Submissions from 2009
The On Track Survey 2008: The Destinations of School Leavers in Victoria, Sheldon Rothman, Kylie Hillman, Phillip McKenzie, and Gary Marks
Submissions from 2007
Australian Young People : Their Stories, Their Families And Post School Plans, Jennifer Bryce, Michelle Anderson, Tracey Frigo, and Phillip McKenzie
Australian Young People, their families and postschool plans : a research review, Tracey Frigo, Jennifer Bryce, Michelle Anderson, and Phillip McKenzie
Submissions from 2004
Post-School Plans : Aspirations, Expectations And Implementation : A Report Prepared For The Smith Family, Adrian Beavis, Martin Murphy, Jennifer Bryce, and Matthew Corrigan
Submissions from 2002
Employability skills for Australian industry: Literature review and framework development, David C. Curtis and Phillip McKenzie
Submissions from 1990
Competency based assessment in the professions, Geoff N. Masters and Doug McCurry
Submissions from 1945
The school leaving age, Elwyn A. Morey