Changing relationships among VET clients and their consequences for localised VET planning

This paper sets out some of the consequences for vocational education and training (VET) policy and practice arising for the changing relationships among the four key VET client groups. These groups comprise Industry, Enterprise, Individuals and Regions. During most of the 1990s, government framed industry needs dominated vocational education policy and provisions. However, the last few of the 1990s saw a shift towards a VET system focused increasingly on enterprise needs. Yet this shift will do little to promote needs of other interests such as the aspirations of individuals and regions which have been overshadowed in the ‘industry-led’ era. For instance, the evidence suggests an erosion of national industry goals and procedures and a strengthening of an enterprise focus which has direct bearing upon the needs of individuals and regions. Changes to views of teachers’ roles, the relationship between community service obligations and marketplace, conceptualisations of lifelong learning are some of the shifts arising from this changing focus within VET. In response considerations for a localised and co-ordinated planning approach which can account for addressing the needs of all four clients is advanced.