House Standing Committee on Education and Training

Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Inquiry into combining school and work: supporting successful youth transitions

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Terms of Reference

Managing the demands of study and part-time or casual employment is part of everyday life for the majority of Australian school students. The impact of potentially competing demands is not well known, and there is little provision of information or guidance to schools or employers on the effect this has on the lives of young people generally, and more specifically on their career development and prospects for successful transitions. The committee’s review of the impact of combined study and work on the success of youth transitions and Year 12 attainment will focus on:

• providing opportunities to recognise and accredit the employability and career development skills gained through students’ part time or casual work;
• identifying more flexible, innovative and/or alternative approaches to attaining a senior secondary certificate which support students to combine work and study;
• support that may be required to assist young people combining work and study to stay engaged in their learning, especially where work and study intersects with income support;
• the potential impact on educational attainment (including the prospects for post-compulsory qualifications and workforce productivity); and
• the effectiveness of school-based training pathways and their impact on successful transitions, including opportunities for improvement (particularly in relation to pathways to employment for disadvantaged young people).

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