Project Title
Provision of Consultancy Services to Research and Identify Pathways to Apprenticeships and Traineeships
for People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) Backgrounds for the Department of Education
and Training Western Australia (DET).
Date: July 2005 –
Project Team
| Project Director |
Prof Iain Walker, Dean, School of Psychology, Murdoch University |
| Consultants |
1. Prof Simone Volet, Professor of Educational Psychology, Murdoch University |
| |
2. Dr Farida Tilbury, Lecturer in Sociology and Community Development, Murdoch University |
| |
3. Dr Casta Tungaraza, Director, Australian Academy of Race Relations, Murdoch University |
| Researcher |
Ms Susan Hansen, Lecturer, School of Psychology, Murdoch University |
Context of the Research
Opportunities presented by community diversity are immense and can be captured in government, business,
and community services. However, the State's ability to capitalise on its diversity is hindered by
unemployment and lower participation rates by those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds
in training and development.
People from CaLD backgrounds have relatively low participation rates in apprenticeships and traineeships
locally and nationally, which may lead to restricted access to employment in certain fields (Jupp,
2001).
The project is responding to the relatively low participation rates for people from CaLD backgrounds
in apprenticeships and traineeships locally and nationally. Western Australian Department of Education
and Training statistics indicate that people who speak a language other than English at home represent
just 3.3 percent of apprentices and 8.8 per cent of students currently in traineeships.
It is anticipated that this research will have relevance for other States and Territories and will
provide enabling strategies for businesses, individuals and Group Training Schemes to increase the
participation of the target group in apprenticeships and traineeships.
Scope of work
- Research and identify barriers to participation in apprenticeships and traineeships in Western
Australia for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds (including attitudinal,
academic, systemic and structural barriers);
- Identify successful practices utilised by employers and group training schemes to recruit, support
and/or retain apprentices and trainees from CaLD backgrounds; and
- Recommend strategies to address identified barriers, which include successful practices utilised
by employers, as well as structural and systemic changes.
The project involves both quantitative and qualitative research, and include:
- Sourcing and analysing relevant data regarding representation of people from CaLD backgrounds
in apprenticeships and traineeships;
- Reviewing relevant literature;
- Consulting with a representative sample of people from ethnic communities; and
- Consulting with employers and Group Training Schemes from a representative sample of industries.
The research will identify:
- Industries and occupations where there is both a relatively high and a low representation of apprentices
and trainees from a CaLD background;
- Issues and barriers facing people from CaLD backgrounds accessing apprenticeships and traineeships
taking into account differences depending on factors including (but not limited to):
- Age
- Gender
- Migration category
- Length of time in Australia
- Educational background
- Proficiency in English
- Previous work experience
- Country of birth
- Current living situation
- Presence of other family members in Australia.
- Level of awareness, of apprenticeships and traineeships, amongst people from a CaLD background;
- Strategies to enhance the level of awareness of apprenticeships and traineeships amongst people
from a CaLD background;
- Reasons for low representation of people from a CaLD background in apprenticeships and traineeships
in some industries and occupations;
- Effective practices currently employed by employers and group training schemes to recruit, support
and retrain people from CaLD backgrounds in apprenticeships and traineeships;
- Strategies that may be employed by employers, group training companies and other organisations
to increase recruitment and retention of apprentices and trainees from CaLD backgrounds;
- Systemic and structural changes that are needed to increase participation and completion of apprenticeships
and traineeships by people from CaLD backgrounds.
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