WHAT IS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING?
Vocational education and training (VET) refers
to learning for work, or learning the skills relevant to doing a
job. It can be school/college/university based, or it can
refer to on-the-job training.
Vocational education and training provides
practical, industry-based learning. Vocational education and
training recognises that traditional academic pathways are not
suited to everybody, and provides an alternative route. Learning
through vocational education and training provides the opportunity
to acquire skills for employability. Individuals can enter the
workforce for the first time, re-enter after a period of absence,
train or re-train for a specific job, or up-skill for career
progression.
On a larger scale, vocational education and
training contributes to the skills of the workforce, levels of
productivity and economic prosperity. The success of national
economies is dependent on the productivity and competitiveness of
their businesses, and businesses succeed or fail on the skills of
their employees. Skills achieved through vocational education and
training provide the backbone for every business or organisation
and range from basic literacy and numeracy to skills required for a
specific occupation.