The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) is Australia's national vocational education and training research and development centre.

NCVER is responsible for the collection of national vocational education and training statistics and for managing employer, student and graduate surveys relating to vocational education and training outcomes and performance.

Established in 1981, NCVER is an independent, non-profit company owned by the state, territory and federal ministers responsible for vocational education and training in Australia.

NCVER is managed by a board of eight members, who represent industry, business, unions, training authorities and governments.

NCVER provides research, evaluation, statistical and other information to a wide range of stakeholders involved in the development of a quality vocational education and training system in Australia.

In carrying out this role, NCVER is committed to achieving continuous improvement and quality standards based on world-class business practice.

NCVER manages the national research and evaluation program on behalf of the federal government. This involves developing research priorities with key stakeholders and managing a competitive grants program for funding relevant research into vocational education and training (VET).

NCVER provides specialist research, development and evaluation services to government and industry clients as part of our core role and on a commercial consulting basis. We have an applied research focus and a philosophy of producing worthwhile research.

NCVER has overall responsibility for the national collection of vocational education and training statistics, as well as management of the statistical standard that underpins it (AVETMISS). We are also responsible for several key annual surveys, which measure the performance of the VET system on behalf of the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA).

NCVER publishes widely in print and on the web on all aspects of the VET sector: research findings, conference and discussion papers, a refereed journal, a quarterly newsletter and regular statistical data on trainees, apprenticeships and TAFE graduates.

NCVER is the hub for VET library and information services in Australasia, with strong Asia Pacific links. It produces the UNESCO/NCVER international vocational education and training research database (VOCED) and co-ordinates Australia's national VET Clearinghouse Network. In line with our strategy of wide access and dissemination, VOCED is available, free of charge, on the world wide web.

EMP/SKILLS - Skills and Employability Department