The Vocational Education and Training (VET) system is a crucial part of Australia’s education landscape, providing skills and training for a wide range of industries and sectors. However, delivering VET in regional, rural, and remote areas can present unique challenges. These challenges are explored in a recent National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report titled “VET Delivery in Regional, Rural and Remote Australia: Barriers and Facilitators.”
Difficulties to VET Delivery in Regional, Rural, and Remote Australia Locations
The report highlights a range of barriers that can make VET delivery in regional, rural, and remote Australia difficult. These challenges fall into three categories:
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Market- and/or RTO-based barriers
- missed opportunities to deliver training in a certain location shortages of trainers due to lower salaries and lack of training opportunities
- limited availability of training programs due to small or undeveloped markets
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Location-based barriers
- distance, difficult access, extreme weather conditions
- insufficient infrastructure
- lack of resources, technology, and connectivity
- limited employment opportunities
- training that does not match local needs
- safety concerns for trainers in areas with social problems
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Student-based barriers
- language, literacy, and numeracy issues (LLN)
- lack of digital literacy
- cultural differences that require cultural awareness, and the specific needs of Indigenous communities
How to Overcome These Challenges?
Despite these challenges, the report also identifies a range of facilitators that can help to overcome these barriers and improve the delivery of VET in regional, rural, and remote areas. These include the following:
- use of technology, including online learning platforms and virtual classrooms, to help overcome geographic barriers by making it easier for students to access training from anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection
- collaboration between VET providers, industry, and community groups in these areas so they can easily identify local skills needs, develop tailored training programs, and provide ongoing support for students
- flexible delivery modes, such as part-time and evening classes,
- use of mobile training facilities that can bring training directly to remote communities
- importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity, particularly in Indigenous communities, where traditional cultural practices and values may need to be incorporated into training programs
RTOs also discussed the strategies they used to address challenges with VET delivery in regional, rural, and remote Australia. In addition to specific approaches, interviews revealed some common characteristics that enable RTOs to overcome challenges, such as:
- Strong determination to assist individuals in succeeding and providing excellent service to business and industry. RTO interviewees demonstrated that they go beyond the usual standards to ensure the successful delivery of training.
- Possessing the right mindset and a flexible approach. Being able to adapt to changing situations and having contingency plans are crucial when dealing with the complexities of delivering in regional, rural, and remote locations.
Strategies to Better Enable Training in Regional, Rural, and Remote Locations
The report identifies the following approaches to have the potential to improve training delivery in regional, rural, and remote areas:
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Flexible Training Delivery
RTOs require flexible approaches to training delivery to cater to the diverse locations across Australia. However, the current policy development constraints delivery in some areas. The RTOs suggested that policy and training package development should be reconceptualised to allow greater flexibility. Decentralised decision-making to ensure that local needs are better addressed may also help.
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Funding Arrangements
Funding for regional, rural, and remote locations is often inadequate and does not match local needs. Funding arrangements need to consider the true costs of delivery, especially for high-quality training, and ensure that local needs effectively inform funding decisions. Decentralised decision-making may also help minimise mismatches.
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Coordination of Demand
Thin markets hinder the viability of training for RTOs. Establishing mechanisms to pool training needs (across separate employers) in regional, rural, and remote locations could create a sufficient volume of students. Government, local councils, or industry peak bodies could facilitate this.
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Enabling Relationships and/or Partnerships
Building relationships and forming partnerships are critical for successful VET delivery in regional, rural, and remote locations. These relationships inform RTOs about what communities and local industries/employers need from training. Additionally, they help gather community support for training and gain access to infrastructure and/or resources. Assistance from the government to enable linkages could alleviate the burden on small training providers without dedicated staff.
Multi-Pronged Strategies Approach ToVET Delivery in Regional, Rural, and Remote Australia Locations
The challenges of delivering vocational education and training (VET) in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia are complex and multi-faceted. The barriers faced by RTOs include market- and/or RTO-based barriers, location-based barriers, and student-based barriers. However, the study also revealed that RTOs who possess a strong desire and determination to assist individuals and a flexible approach are better equipped to overcome these challenges.
To better enable training delivery in these areas, several approaches could be taken. These include developing more flexible approaches to training delivery, ensuring adequate funding arrangements match local needs, coordinating demand to create a sufficient volume of students, and establishing enabling relationships and/or partnerships with local communities and industries.
It is clear that addressing the challenges of delivering VET in regional, rural, and remote areas will require a multi-pronged approach that involves a range of stakeholders. Government, industry peak bodies, and local councils all have a role to play in enabling more effective training delivery in these areas. With the proper support and strategies in place, it is possible to provide high-quality training opportunities that meet the needs of individuals and businesses in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia.
