The National Centre for Vocational Education Research has released new research into how vocational education and training (VET) students undertaking foundation skills training (e.g.: literacy and numeracy, employability skills, and digital literacy skills and capabilities) benefit from that foundational training when done before or during a VET qualification.
The data, while finding that foundation skills courses have lower completion rates than other VET courses, also shows that of those students who complete more units of foundation skills training have a greater tendency to successfully completing their VET qualification and gaining employment following the completion of that training.
You can access the Laying the foundations: how foundation skills shape VET student outcomes report here. You may also be interested in this other recent NCVER report First Nations and migrant learners’ experiences with foundation skills courses, which examines and compares the experience of First Nations and migrant students who undertake foundation skills courses and the different way they are utilised by those two cohorts. The report finds that First Nations students primarily enrol in foundation skills training to gain new skills, while migrant students utilise the training to gain employment.
If the subject of foundation skills in the workplace interests you, you may also want to read the Centre's report on foundational language, literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy (LLND) skills, Counting the cost: Addressing the impact of low levels of literacy and numeracy in the workplace, and watch the Centre’s related webinar featuring Kathrin Colgan, Head, Holmesglen English Language Centre; Debi Richardson, Industry Innovation Specialist – Foundation and Language Skills, TAFE NSW; and Kieron Nicholls, Head of People Services, Hilton Foods Australia.
