Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:45:04 GMT
It’s Crunch Time: Raising youth engagement and attainment.
This discussion paper from the Australian Industry Group and the Dusseldorp Skills Forum [DSF] updates the picture and aims to stimulate debate and ideas on how young Australians can be better skilled and engaged. Drawing on what we know works, the paper urges more integrated policy and thinking in education and training.
The paper argues that because of Australia’s sustained economic achievements over more than a decade the country has a unique opportunity to invest in young people.
Australia’s long-term capacity to compete successfully in the global economy will depend on the depth of skills we nurture and the stake our young people have in the future.
It is crunch time right now to make the investments and reforms needed to open the doors to greater youth engagement in learning, in the economy and in the society.
This discussion paper recommends three key areas for policy focus –
- ENGAGEMENT
- ATTAINMENT
- DEVELOPMENT
The key initiatives raised by Ai Group and DSF include:
- Establishing AQF Certificate III (Australian Qualification Framework) qualifications as the vocational equivalent of Year 12 completion;
- Lifting our Year 12 or vocational equivalent completion rates for young adults to 85% by 2011, then to 90% by 2015;
- Ensuring that more than 90% of teenagers (15-19 year olds) are participating in full-time study, or full-time work, or a combination;
- Guaranteeing young adults second chance options to complete Year 12 or its equivalent;
- Ensuring all students make a successful transition from primary to secondary schooling;
- Providing high quality vocational education in schools and in structured learning in the workplace;
- Reviewing the purpose and scope of traineeships; and
- Ensuring every potential early school leaver has access to personal guidance or mentoring.
There are also 10 related videos that the DSF have released on their “myspace” website featuring clips of young people and comments on the paper from leading social policy organisations.
This can be found at :
myspace.com/dusseldorpskillsforum
The full report can be downloaded from the Dusseldorp Skills Forum Website
