Education Commons^™

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities, Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Dr Justin Brown

This study examines leadership in Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector. VET leaders make a vital and growing contribution to learners, industry and society, yet research on their work is limited. This has direct implications for ensuring leadership is most effective, and for framing evidence-based capacity development. To assist the sector, and in particular the people who find themselves running large and complex training organisations, this study paints a picture of what VET leaders do, and of how they can do it best.

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities : Research Briefing., Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Dr Justin Brown

Key insights:

Leadership is about managing change and guiding growth in fluid environments.

Leadership requires a ‘change capable culture’ that gives space to lead.

VET needs strategies for managing the looming succession crisis.

Too little is known about leaders and their work.

Leaders’ roles and work focus are not clearly defined.

Markers of effective performance are not clearly defined and deployed.

Produce a framework of key capabilities and competencies.

Effective leadership education must be current and shaped by understanding of effective practice.