National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions
The National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions aims to increase participation of young people in education and training, increase attainment levels nationally and improve successful transitions from school. Initiatives to support youth transitions include Maximising Engagement, Attainment and Successful Transitions (including Improved Career Development Services and Workplace Learning Coordinators); Youth Connections; School Business Community Partnership Brokers; and National Career Development.
- National Partnerships - to find out more about the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions and other Victorian National Partnership agreements.
- Regional Career Development Officers - are available in each Department regional office to support the delivery of effective career development for young people within their regions by enhancing the capacity of careers practitioners to deliver these services.
- Study Grants for Professional Development for Careers Practitioners - the Department is offering Study Grants to Victorian careers practitioners to complete a Graduate Certificate in Career Development.
- Victorian Careers Curriculum Framework - designed to provide a scaffold for teachers, trainers, career practitioners, team leaders, curriculum coordinators and school leaders to develop a localised and customised quality career development program for young people in Years 7 to 12 and for young learners with VET providers and in the Learn Local adult community education sector.
- Workplace Learning Coordinators - are available in each Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) area to facilitate workplace based learning experiences for students.
Formative Evaluation of Improved Career Development Services
The February 2012 Formative Evaluation of Improved Career Development Services reported on the development and implementation of the four complementary Improved Career Development Services (ICDS) initiatives under the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions that address the reform area of career development. The initiatives include the Victorian Careers Curriculum Framework, Regional Career Development Officers, Study Grants for Careers Practitioners, and Careers Mentoring Network Initiative.
The evaluation, conducted by KPMG, investigated how the design of the initiatives maximised engagement, attainment and successful transitions, the structures, processes and practices that were put into place to implement the initiatives, and any preliminary impacts that were observed. The evaluation found that the initiatives, while focussing on improving specific aspects of career education, comprise a holistic approach that will lead to improvements in several areas:
- embedding career education and development in all school/organisation activities;
- providing a system linking mechanism;
- supporting the career development needs of young people; and
- targeting vulnerable and at-risk young people in a local area, providing early support to those most likely to be marginalised, or at risk of dropping out of school.
For more information please see:
- Formative Evaluation of Improved Career Development Services Executive Summary (PDF - 1.2Mb) - copy of the Executive Summary prepared by KPMG
- Response to the Formative Evaluation of Improved Career Development Services (PDF - 202Kb) - copy of the Department's response to the recommendations identified in the Executive Summary