U3A see
University of the Third Age
unemployed person a person who is not employed but is available to work and actively seeking full- time or part-time work.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines unemployed as:
Persons aged 15 and over who were not employed during the reference week, and:
had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the four weeks up to the end of the reference week and:
were available for work in the reference week,or would have been available except for temporary illness (i.e.lasting for less than four weeks to the end of the reference week);or
were waiting to start a new job within four weeks from the end of the reference week and would have started in the reference week if the job had been available then;or
were waiting to be called back to a full-time or part-time job from which they had been stood down without pay for less than four weeks up to the end of the reference week (including the whole of the reference week) for reasons other than bad weather or plant breakdown. Source:ABS cat.no.6203.0, Labour Force, Australia, August 1999, p.71
unemployment rate The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines unemployment rate as: For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group. Source:ABS cat.no.6203.0, Labour Force, Australia, August 1999, p.72
UNESCO United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
UNEVOC UNESCO’s International Project on Technical and Vocational Education, designed to contribute to the development and improvement of systems of technical and vocational education (TVE), promote infrastructures in research, development and planning, and facilitate the international exchange of information in these fields.
unit cost the monetary cost of delivering a defined amount of training, usually one student contact hour.
unit of competency a component of a competency standard. A unit of competency is a statement of a key function or role in a particular job or occupation. See also element of competency, performance criteria, range of variables
unit of study a subdivision of a course, subject, or program of study or training.
Universities Admissions Centre (abbreviation UAC) a central admissions office for people applying for entry to undergraduate courses in NSW and the ACT, and some TAFE courses in NSW.See also tertiary admissions centre
university an institution of higher education, usually offering degree and higher level courses. Some universities also offer vocational education and training courses.
University of the Third Age (abbreviation U3A) an organisation providing educational, creative and leisure activities for older people, including some vocational education and training programs.
upskilling improving skills, e.g.by further training.
user choice a provision of New Apprenticeships whereby an employer and an apprentice or trainee can choose the training provider for the government-funded off-the-job elements of the training program. The organisation chosen can be a TAFE college or any other registered training organisation (including a school) that has been registered to deliver the required training.
validation (in research etc.) a process for confirming the correctness or soundness of information or findings. (2) (in quality assurance) an external process of verifying that an organisation satisfies the criteria for quality endorsement.
validity the soundness of the interpretation and use of the results of an assessment.
VCAL Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning.
VCE Victorian Certificate of Education. See also Senior Secondary Certificate of Education
VEAC Vocational Education and Assessment Centre, a research centre based at Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE.
VET in Schools allows school students to combine vocational studies with their general education curriculum. Students participating in VET in Schools continue to work towards their secondary school certificate. The VET component of their studies gives them credit towards a nationally recognised VET qualification. In this way, participants can keep their options open to pursue further full-time or part-time vocational training or to move into tertiary studies after school.
VECO Vocational Education Community Online 
, a web site for people involved in vocational education and training in schools, especially structured workplace learning program co-ordinators.
VEETAC Vocational Education, Employment and Training Advisory Committee, a committee which superseded the Australian Government/ State Training Advisory Committee (COSTAC) and was itself replaced by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA).
VEGAS see Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme
VET see vocational education and training
VETAB (in NSW) Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board.
VETEC (in Queensland) Vocational Education, Training and Employment Commission.
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) is a centralised admissions centre for most undergraduate university and TAFE courses in Victoria
Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme (VEGAS) a scheme under the Indigenous Education Direct Assistance Program which funds projects to improve retention rates of indigenous students and provide information about further education, training and employment options.
vocational education education designed to develop occupational skills. See also vocational education and training
vocational education and training (VET) post-compulsory education and training, excluding degree and higher level programs delivered by higher education institutions, which provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills. VET also includes programs which provide the basis for subsequent vocational programs. Alternative terms used internationally include technical and vocational education and training (TVET), vocational and technical education and training (VTET), technical and vocational education (TVE), vocational and technical education (VTE), and further education and training (FET).
vocational education and training provider (VET provider) an organisation which delivers vocational education and training programs. In Australia,the providers of vocational education and training comprise the state and territory TAFE systems, adult and community education providers, agricultural colleges, the VET operations of some universities, schools, private providers, community organisations, industry skill centres, and commercial and enterprise training providers.See also registered training organisation (RTO) .
Vocational Education and Training Research Database see VOCED
vocational placement see work placement
vocational programs are intended to develop skills of relevance to the workplace. Defined as those course/qualifications with vocational intent and those module/unit of competency enrolments not associated with a course/qualification with vocational intent.
VOCED (also called Vocational Education and Training Research Database) an online database produced and maintained by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), providing access to published and unpublished information about vocational education and training research, policy and practice in Australia and internationally, with particular emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. All materials included in the database are available through the National Vocational Education and Training Clearinghouse Information Network.
voucher an entitlement to education or training issued to a student and redeemable for the course and provider of the student ’s choice. Voucher systems are used in some overseas countries as a means of funding education or training.
VQA Victorian Qualifications Authority. State accreditation and registration body of Victoria.
VTAC see Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre
VTE vocational and technical education; see vocational education and training
VTET vocational and technical education and training; see vocational education and training
WADT Western Australian Department of Training,the former name of the Western Australian Department of Training and Employment.
WBL see work-based learning
WEA see Workers Educational Association
WELL see Workplace English Language and Literacy Program
WINVET Women in Vocational Education and Training,a network for women involved in technical and vocational education and training in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region to access information and discuss issues and ideas.
work-based learning programs for both secondary and post-secondary students which provide opportunities to achieve employment-related competencies in the workplace. Work-based learning is often undertaken in conjunction with classroom or related learning, and may take the form of work placements, work experience, workplace mentoring, instruction in general workplace competencies, and broad instruction in all aspects of industry.
work-based training training provided by an organisation primarily for its own employees using the employer ’s own staff or consultants. Work- based training can be conducted either on- site or at an off-site location.
Workers Educational Association (WEA) a non-government adult community education organisation, providing vocational and leisure courses.
work experience a period (usually one or two weeks) of unpaid work undertaken by secondary school students as part of their careers education, to provide some insight into the world of work. Compare work placement
Working Nation (in full Working nation: The white paper on employment and growth) a white paper issued by the Keating government in 1994 which committed the government to reducing unemployment through economic growth supported by changes to the social security system and the introduction of various labour market programs. The government also announced in the white paper the establishment of the Australian Student Traineeship Foundation (ASTF) and the National Employment and Training Taskforce (NETTFORCE).
workplace agreement see Australian workplace agreement
workplace assessment the gathering and judging of evidence during normal work activities in order to determine whether a required standard has been achieved. Workplace assessment usually involves observation of work in progress, checking the product(s)of a work activity, and receiving oral responses to questions posed while work is in progress.
Workplace Communication in Training Packages a project managed by ANTA with funding from the Workplace English Language and Literacy Program to incorporate language, literacy and numeracy into training packages.
Workplace English Language and Literacy Program (WELL) a program provided in the workplace to develop workers’ English language and literacy skills.
workplace learning (also workplace training) learning or training undertaken in the workplace, usually on the job, including on-the-job training under normal operational conditions, and on-site training, which is conducted away from the work process (e.g.in a training room).
work placement (also called field placement, vocational placement, structured work placement) a period of unpaid work with an employer undertaken by VET students in order to satisfy the requirements of a course or module, with supervision provided by the employer, the training provider or both.
WorkSkills Australia Foundation an independent non-profit organisation developed to promote the standards and status of vocational training and job skills through skills competitions and related initiatives.
WRAPS National Wholesale, Retail and Personal Services Industry Training Council.
Youth Pathways Programme (or YPP) a government program designed to assist students in the transition from school to work by developing links between schools, industry and the local community, and through support, guidance, education and training.