Research addresses disadvantage in VET sector

Uncovering the complexity of disadvantage experienced by young adults as they navigate post school training and employment pathways is the focus for Justin Brown, who has been awarded the inaugural Jack Keating Fund Scholarship at the University of Melbourne.

Mr Brown is looking at how disadvantage in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia is measured and reported on at a high level, how this contrasts to what is happening at a local level and where improvements can be made to address gaps.

“I’m using the Frankston-Mornington Peninsula region as a case study. By documenting issues there I am able to question some of the conventional approaches to measuring and reporting training statistics. While the total participation statistics for example can paint a rosy picture, these can sometimes mask what opportunities are actually available to young people at a local level,” he says.

“The Frankston-Mornington Peninsula region is a really interesting peri-urban area as there are a range of geographic, social and economic dimensions of disadvantage. Geographically, for example, it can become stuck between metropolitan and regional priorities, which lead to issues around how we measure and report on the region and the narrative that arises from the particular approach we take.

“I’m focusing on 18-24 year olds who are enrolled in training. Many of them are unemployed or left the school system before completing Year 12. While many move away from the area as they transition into adulthood, those who do stay can encounter a range of issues when trying to train and work locally.”

Mr Brown has worked as a Senior Research Fellow with the Australian Council for Educational Research for more than six years. Working in the same field as his research has helped him realise how interconnected the issues are, and has also helped to fast-track his study.

“I saw my PhD as an opportunity to put down on paper some important recurring themes I had seen over my 12 years in the sector, but also to take a step back and question what I know, where I want to go and why.

“My research will conclude early next year and I’m hoping it will lead to a renewed focus on measurement and reporting of disadvantage and inequality to better inform VET planning, resourcing and policy interventions. A better understanding of the underlying issues means we can better address the problems”

The final year of Mr Brown’s research is being supported by the Jack Keating Fund Scholarship, which was established via a public appeal in memory of the late Professor Jack Keating who passed away in 2012.

One of Australia’s foremost specialists in post-compulsory education and training, Professor Keating was highly respected nationally and internationally as a passionate educator and researcher who contributed significantly to education policy and debates.

Professor Keating’s family and colleagues set up the fund to commemorate his contribution to education policy and research. The Scholarship supports policy influencing education research that is likely to impact on greater equality of opportunity and educational outcomes, and the advancement of social justice, a cause that was dear to Professor Keating’s heart.

Mr Brown feels that being awarded a scholarship in Professor Keating’s name is a huge honour.
“Jack's work fundamentally shaped how we understand post-compulsory education and training in Australia and his important legacy will continue on,” he says.

“He was a real pioneer in this space and it’s unlikely that many of us would be doing research in this area without him.

“I met Jack a handful of times and each time I was struck by how generous he was with his time. It was a wonderful surprise to accept the award from his family and meet some of his close friends and colleagues.

“I’ve no doubt that my final thesis will include many references to Jack’s important work.”
Contributions to the Jack Keating Fund form part of Believe – the Campaign for the University of Melbourne, and can be made online at

http://go.unimelb.edu.au/c3sn