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Mission-Driven Adaptability in a Changing National Training System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2016

Don Zoellner Open the ORCID record for Don Zoellner [Opens in a new window] ,
Anne Stephens ,
Victor Joseph  and
Davena Monro
Don Zoellner*
Affiliation:
Northern Institute Charles Darwin University, PO Box 795, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 0871, Australia
Anne Stephens
Affiliation:
The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, MacGregor Road, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
Victor Joseph
Affiliation:
Wontulp–Bi–Buya-College, 472 Severin St, Manunda, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
Davena Monro
Affiliation:
Wontulp–Bi–Buya-College, 472 Severin St, Manunda, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Don Zoellner, Charles Darwin, University, PO Box 795, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia. Email: don.zoellner@cdu.edu.au
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Abstract

This case study of an adult and community education provider based in far north Queensland describes its capacity to balance various iterations of public policy against its vision for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders. Community-controlled organisations wanting to contribute to economic and social development in regional/remote Australia through the use of formally recognised vocational education and training have adjusted to at least three major sociopolitical changes at the national policy level since the early 1990s. These include redefining equity, marketising the delivery of public services and increased centralisation. The contemporary orientation of vocational education and training as part of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy has become a highly prescriptive and heavily centralised mechanism for the establishment of employment outcomes. This has been framed as an obligation and right of Australian citizenship as opposed to the other wellbeing and personal development benefits of education. This registered training organisation has navigated four burdensome (re)definitions of equity that have made planning and delivery of true lifelong training objectives difficult. The provider has embraced the marketisation of the sector and navigated other policy changes in order to provide the services and knowledge set out in the college mission statement.

Keywords

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandersvocational education and traininggovernanceequitymarketisationcentralisationmission
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , August 2017 , pp. 54 - 63
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

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