It works to strengthen the quality and impact of VET teacher education and supports university programs that prepare and develop VET practitioners, most of whom undertake study part-time while working in the field.
Initially formed in 2011 the group began as a collective of Deans’ nominees from each university that offered teacher-education programs for teachers in the VET sector. The group was initially formed to provide expert input into a review of VET teaching by the Australian Productivity Commission, the Australian Government’s independent research and policy advisory body (Productivity Commission 2011).
ACDEVEG also provides advice to government, industry, and professional stakeholders on VET teacher quality, workforce capability, and educational leadership across the sector.
ACDEVEG holds regular cross-institutional meetings, collegial discussions and sectoral engagement to ensure the currency, relevance and quality of higher-education VET teacher education programs for new VET teachers and trainers, and for those already in the sector.
Leading Learning at the Frontiers of Change: The Essential Role of the VET Teaching Workforce
Keynote speaker: Vikki Smith, Executive Director of Education and Standards, Education Training Foundation, UK.
Panel of experts includes: Teressa Schmidt (TAFE Directors Australia), Andrew Shea (Skilled Nation)
Teaching and Learning panel includes: Adam Bignold (Winner 2024 VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year Award)
A call for research-based papers and workshop proposals related to VET teaching/training or VET teacher-education/professional development is now available and closes on 4 September 2026.
For further details, please email acdeveg2020@federation.edu.au
Report: Trends in University-level vocational education teaching courses, 2009-2023
This independent report was commissioned by the ACDE Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) in 2024, with funding provided through the ACDE Network Funding Initiative
Prepared by Professor Andrew Norton, the report draws on data from the Department of Education’s higher education statistics collection, following a national survey of universities to identify courses that can be classified as VET teacher education. Programs that solely qualify teachers to deliver VET in secondary schools were excluded, with the focus placed on courses preparing educators for the VET sector.
The report was finalised in late 2024, with minor updates completed in 2025.
Read the full report: Trends in University-level vocational education teaching courses, 2009-2023
| Role | State | Name | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | NSW | Dr Daryl South | Charles Sturt University |
| - | VIC | Assoc Prof Annette Foley | Federation University |
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