Western Australian Auditor General’s Report - Report 32 - Vocational Education and Training for Year 11 and 12 Students in Public Schools - December 2016

Sep 5, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia

Assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of the school education system in delivering quality vocational education and training (VET) for senior students. The audit examines how VET is provided to Year 11 and 12 students in public schools, including course access, student participation and completion, and the role of school teachers and training organisations. It evaluates oversight and guidance for course selection, contract risk management, funding use, and governance, concluding with key findings and recommendations for performance improvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages31

Reading Time1 h 18 min

AccessFree to download

Auditor General’s overview

Executive summary

Introduction

Background

Audit conclusion

Key findings

Recommendations

Audit focus and scope

Audit findings

VET has become a key part of the senior school system

VET for school students addresses many needs, but focuses mainly on education, not job readiness

Students are enrolled, engaged and completing a wide range of VET courses

Most students taking VET courses will be trained by school teachers at school

DoE has limited oversight of school staff qualifications and experience to deliver VET

Western Australian Auditor General’s Report Vocational Education and Training for Year 11 and 12 Students in Public Schools Report 32 : December 2016 Office of the Auditor General Western Australia 7th Floor Albert Facey House 469 Wellington Street, Perth Mail to: Perth BC, PO Box 8489 PERTH WA 6849 T: 08 6557 7500 F: 08 6557 7600 E: [info@audit.wa.gov.au](info@audit.wa.gov.au) W: [www.audit.wa.gov.au](www.audit.wa.gov.au) National Relay Service TTY: 13 36 77 (to assist people with hearing and voice impairment) We can deliver this report in an alternative format. © 2016 Office of the Auditor General Western Australia. All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced in whole orin part provided the source is acknowledged. ISSN: 2200-1913 (Print) ISSN: 2200-1921 (Online) WESTERN AUSTRALIAN AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT Vocational Education and Training for Year 11 and 12 Students in Public Schools Report 32 December 2016 THE PRESIDENT THE SPEAKER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR YEAR 11 AND 12 STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS This report has been prepared for submission to Parliament under the provisions of section 25 of the Auditor General Act 2006. Performance audits are an integral part of the overall audit program. They seek to provide Parliament with assessments of the effectiveness and efficiency of public sector programs and activities, and identify opportunities for improved performance. This audit assessed the efficiency and effectiveness of the school education system in providing quality vocational education and training that meets the needs of senior school students. I wish to acknowledge the staff at the agencies involved in this audit. COLIN MURPHY AUDITOR GENERAL 22 December 2016 Contents Auditor General’s overview ......................................................................................... 4 Executive summary .................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5 Background .................................................................................................................. 5 Audit conclusion ........................................................................................................... 7 Key findings.................................................................................................................. 7 Recommendations ......................................................................................................10 Audit focus and scope .............................................................................................. 13 Audit findings ............................................................................................................ 14 VET has become a key part of the senior school system.............................................14 VET for school students addresses many needs, but focuses mainly on education, not job readiness ...............................................................................................................15 Students are enrolled, engaged and completing a wide range of VET courses ...........15 Most students taking VET courses will be trained by school teachers at school ..........17 DoE has limited oversight of school staff qualifications and experience to deliver VET 19 DoE has not set clear guidelines for choosing higher level courses.............................20 DoE has not minimised risk by setting standard contract terms for schools that engage RTOs...........................................................................................................................21 DoE has provided some guidance and support but needs to do more .........................22 DoE does not have a clear

FAQs

What did the audit assess about vocational education and training in public schools?

It assessed the efficiency and effectiveness of the school education system in providing quality VET that meets the needs of senior school students.

Why did schools need to expand VET provision around 2015?

Formal VET qualifications became a pathway to earning a WA Certificate of Education, creating an immediate need for schools to offer VET to a much larger number of students.

What main areas did the audit findings cover?

The findings address VET’s role in the senior school system, student enrollment and completion, how training is delivered, oversight of staff qualifications, guidance for course selection, contract risk, funding use, and governance of VET provision.

Sep 5, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia