Compliance, engagement and commitment: Increasing employer expenditure in training

Abstract

Internationally, governments are keen to identify and enact policies to encourage increased contributions from enterprises for the skill development of their employees. However, the goals for these policies often remain unclear and the means of securing these purposes are vexed. Drawing on a review of international literature and interviews with expert informants, a series of policy options are discussed and evaluated in this article in the Australian context. These options include mandated national levies, sectoral and local levies, regulated licensing, schemes that seek to share the cost burden, and those that aim to change employers' attitudes towards vocational education and training. In considering what policy options are most viable, evidence from their implementation elsewhere are used to discuss and predict the utility and likely outcomes of those measures being implemented in Australia. In all, schemes that involve, include and capture the interest of employers are held to be the most desirable and likely to be supported. Yet, even these may not be able to achieve goals of a fuller commitment to and an equal distribution of opportunities for all workers. Although Australia serves as the focus for this article, its deliberations probably have implications elsewhere. © 2003 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.