[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-586179-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-586179-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","laying-the-foundations-how-foundation-skills-shape-vet-student-outcomes","Laying the foundations - how foundation skills shape VET student outcomes","","Foundation skills are essential competencies in language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability skills that support social inclusion, workforce participation and productivity in Australia’s VET sector. This research examines the relationship between learner characteristics and outcomes in foundation skills programs, and how these programs contribute to training, employment and further study. Using five-year data from 2016 to 2023, it assesses diversity of learners, factors linked to successful completion, and the added benefits of combining foundation skills with other VET.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/laying-the-foundations-how-foundation-skills-shape-vet-student-outcomes/586179/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/laying-the-foundations-how-foundation-skills-shape-vet-student-outcomes/586179.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Taylor Morgan","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-03","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What are foundation skills and why are they important in VET?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Foundation skills cover language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability competencies. The report links them to improved learning readiness and better workforce participation and productivity in VET.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How does studying foundation skills alongside VET affect student outcomes?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Students who studied foundation skills alongside their VET programs were more likely to complete their training and more likely to gain employment than similar students who did not enrol.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What differences exist between LOTE and non-LOTE foundation skills learners?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The research identifies two distinct groups: learners who speak a language other than English at home (LOTE) and those who speak English (non-LOTE). They show different demographics, patterns of VET activity and outcomes, including timing of enrolment in foundation skills.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},586179,1792209985,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},1099523885336,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","RESEARCH REPORT  \nLaying the foundations: how foundation skills shape VET student outcomes  \nAngus Hughes  \nZhihui Zhang  \nTabatha Griffin  \nNational Centre for Vocational Education Research  \nPublisher’s note  \nThe views and opinions expressed in this document are those of NCVER and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, or state and territory governments. Any interpretation of data is the responsibility of the author/project team.  \nTo find other material of interest, search VOCEDplus (the UNESCO/NCVER international database  \n\u003C[http://www.voced.edu.au](http://www.voced.edu.au)>) using the following keywords: Comparative analysis; Completion; Data analysis; Diversity; Employment outcomes; Enrolment; Outcomes of education and training; Skill development; Socioeconomic background; Training program.  \n© Commonwealth of Australia, 2025  \nWith the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Department’s logo, any material protected by a trade mark and where otherwise noted all material presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia \u003C[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au)> licence.  \nThe details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website (accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence \u003C[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode)>.  \nThe Creative Commons licence conditions do not apply to all logos, graphic design, artwork and photographs. Requestsand enquiries concerning other reproduction and rights should be directed to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) .  \nThis document should be attributed as Hughes, A, Zhang, Z & Griffin, T 2025, Laying the foundations: How foundation skills shape VET student outcomes, NCVER, Adelaide.  \nThis work has been produced by NCVER on behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.  \nCOVER IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES  \nISBN 978-1-922801-30-2 TD/TNC 160.02  \nPublished by NCVER, ABN 87 007 967 311 Level 5, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000  \nPO Box 8288 Station Arcade, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia  \nPhone +61 8 8230 8400 Email [ncver@ncver.edu.au](ncver@ncver.edu.au)  \nWeb \u003C[https://www.ncver.edu.au](https://www.ncver.edu.au)> Follow us:  \n \u003C[https://x.com/ncver](https://x.com/ncver)>  \n \u003C[https://www.linkedin.com/company/ncver](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ncver)>  \u003C[https://www.facebook.com/ncver.au](https://www.facebook.com/ncver.au)>  \nAbout the research  \nLaying the foundations: how foundation skills shape VET student outcomes  \nAngus Hughes, Zhihui Zhang, Tabatha Griffin, NCVER  \nFoundation skills, which are essential competencies in language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability skills, underpin social inclusion, workforce participation and productivity. Foundation skills have long been a key priority in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector to enhance participation and outcomes in VET programs.  \nThis research explores the relationship between the characteristics and outcomes of learners undertaking foundation skills and how these programs contribute to the training, employment and further study outcomes of learners.  \nTracking student pathways and outcomes over five-year periods during 2016 to 2023 , the research first examines the diversity of learners undertaking foundation skills programs and their outcomes. It then identifies the student and program characteristics associated with successful foundation skill program completion. Finally, it assesses how undertaking a foundation skills program before or during another VET program influences students’ outcomes and evaluates whether combining foundation skills with other VET leads to gr","cbCaim50N9RoaWIF","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaim50N9RoaWIF","pdf",1648591,59,"English","# About the research\n## Tables and figures\n## Executive summary\n## Who are foundation skills students?\n## Who successfully completes foundation skills programs?\n## Do foundation skills support VET outcomes?\n# Background\n## Why foundation skills matter\n## Prior NCVER research","[{\"question\":\"What are foundation skills and why are they important in VET?\",\"answer\":\"Foundation skills cover language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability competencies. The report links them to improved learning readiness and better workforce participation and productivity in VET.\"},{\"question\":\"How does studying foundation skills alongside VET affect student outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"Students who studied foundation skills alongside their VET programs were more likely to complete their training and more likely to gain employment than similar students who did not enrol.\"},{\"question\":\"What differences exist between LOTE and non-LOTE foundation skills learners?\",\"answer\":\"The research identifies two distinct groups: learners who speak a language other than English at home (LOTE) and those who speak English (non-LOTE). They show different demographics, patterns of VET activity and outcomes, including timing of enrolment in foundation skills.\"}]","Laying the foundations - how foundation skills shape VET student outcomes | PDF",1792057168,149]