Retaining teachers and trainers in vocational education and training (VET): motivating career-changers to remain as VET educators

ABSTRACT

Recruiting and retaining vocational education and training (VET) educators is an increasing challenge in countries across the world. So understanding their transition and retention is vital to the development of a sustainable workforce. This paper draws on interviews with senior administrators of Australian training providers and survey data from practising VET teachers and trainers to identify factors that most influenced these educators to remain in what was, for most of them, a second or later career. The research found that the major influences on retention of new educators in VET were partly extrinsic, including employment conditions, lifestyle balance and support for professional development, and partly intrinsic, including a supportive culture and job satisfaction through enjoyment of teaching and giving back to industry. The findings provide training providers with a clear indication of what encourages educators to make a long-term commitment to VET teaching and what motivates them to perform at their best once they have made the transition.

KEYWORDS:

• Vocational education and training
• further education and training
• VET teacher retention
• second career transition
• VET educators
• training providers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is a nationally recognised qualification in Australia designed for individuals who are involved in VET delivery and assessment. Completion of this qualification (or equivalent) is a requirement for obtaining formal accreditation as a VET trainer and assessor in Australia.

Additional information

Funding

The research on which this article is based was funded by the Australian National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).