Vocational education and training (VET) simply refer to courses or training that are directed at a particular occupation and the skills needed to perform the occupation.
VET is gaining interest and traction in recent years. In July 2020, Xinhua, an online news portal reported that the Chinese central government has allocated 25.71 billion yuan (about 3.68 billion U.S. dollars) to boost vocational education for 2020, an increase of 8.4 percent from the previous year.1
It is important to note that VET quality may differ from country to country. Australia’s VET sector is a partnership between governments and industry. VET qualifications are provided by government institutions, called Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, as well as private institutions. Australian governments (federal and state) provide funding, develop policies, and contribute to regulation and quality assurance of the sector. Industry and employer groups contribute to training policies and priorities, and in developing qualifications that deliver skills to the workforce.2
