Unique individuals, broad skills: Inquiry into school to work transition

This inquiry, chaired by Andrew Laming, examined ways to ensure students are supported from school to work by measuring gain in schools and how this contributes to supporting students for post-school education and training. The inquiry also looked at opportunities to better inform students of appropriate post-school education and training using employment outcomes as a measure of course suitability. The report’s structure reflects the inquiry’s Terms of Reference: chapter two looks at teachers and teaching, including the importance of ongoing teacher education; chapter three explains and discusses ‘measurements of gain’ in schools, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), alternatives to NAPLAN and ATAR, and addresses ‘soft skills’; chapter four considers government programs designed to support young people to gain the skills and work experience they need to get and keep a job, the transition to vocational education and training (VET) and university, and apprenticeships and traineeships; and chapter five outlines the particular issues facing students with a disability.