When we think about pathways between VET and higher education we usually think about VET graduates transitioning to further study in higher education, and have questions about issues such as whether or not they will be granted appropriate credit for their prior VET studies.
For years though the annual VET statistics collection has also shown large numbers of higher education graduates going into VET. While many of these students are looking to study just a single subject or unit of competency (often for regulatory or licensing purposes), there has been much less attention paid to the higher education graduates who enrol in full VET qualifications.
This gap in our understanding has now been filled by research published by the McKenzie Research Institute at Holmesglen Institute, Reverse Articulation: Higher Education to VET.
Former CEO of the NCVER (and current Chair of the McKenzie Institute) Dr Tom Karmel looks at which VET courses higher education graduates are enrolling in, and identifies that often their VET training is job related.
He argues that these students, despite having graduated from higher education, are now working in VET-related occupations – because there is less demand for higher education graduates in the labour market than the number of graduates the higher education sector produces.
The VET training these graduates do is often a requirement of their new VET-related job.
Approximately 10 percent of students enrolling in VET qualifications in 2023 had a degree or higher qualification, and around eight percent had a degree and were enrolled in a government-funded VET course.
Karmel identifies the following characteristics of these students and the VET courses they are enrolling in:
- “Women with degrees outnumber men by a considerable margin.
- The largest age group is 30-39 years, with only a small number articulating directly to VET after finishing a degree.
- Certificates IV are the most common course being undertaken followed by certificates III. We also see that substantial numbers of students are undertaking non-AQF qualifications presumably aimed at specific technical skills rather than a credential.
- Management and Commerce is the most popular field for both males and females, followed by Society and Culture. For males the next most popular field is Engineering and related technologies, while for females Health and Education are the next most popular fields.
- The range of courses gives a good insight into the motivation behind degree graduates undertaking a VET course. The courses are a mixture of credential requirements for regulated markets, the acquisition of particular skills, general courses especially in Business and Commerce, and the recognition of particular skills with a credential.”
Unsurprisingly the report identifies that higher education graduates are more likely to complete their VET qualification – and suggests this is due to both the prior academic experience of these students, and to these students placing a value on their VET qualifications.
