A rich tapestry: changing views of teaching and teaching qualifications in the vocational education and training sector1

This paper describes and critiques changes in the nature, status and qualification requirements of the teaching workforce over the past 15 years in the vocational education and training sector in Australia. Changes in the settings in which VET is delivered, expansion of the VET market, and new initiatives in qualifications for VET teachers have created a detailed tapestry. In this tapestry are woven together threads representing pedagogy, assessment, industry requirements and practitioner sophistication. The threads interact in complex and rich ways. The article draws on a number of data sources which illustrate the potential dangers of any assumption that improving the qualification levels of VET teachers might be unproblematic or even always desirable.