THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VOCATIONAL ASPECTS OF SCHOOLING IN AUSTRALIA. HOWEVER, IN RECENT TIMES THERE HAS BEEN A GREATER EMPHASIS ON THIS ASPECT OF SCHOOL BOTH WITHIN THE GENERAL CURRICULUM AND IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR PROFESSIONAL PROFILE. HOW DOES THIS EMPHASIS PROVIDE A BROADER OR MORE CORRECT CONCEPTION OF EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS? THE ANSWER MUST REFER TO: (I) THE OBJECTIVES OF THE 'NEW VOCATIONALISM' AND HOW IT CURRENTLY MANIFESTS ITSELF IN SECONDARY SCHOOL; (II) HOW EQUALITY OF OUTCOMES FOR ALL SENIOR STUDENTS CAN BE MANAGED AT THE TIME OF HIGH STUDENT ATTENDANCE IN THE POST-COMPULSORY YEARS AND (III) A CRITIQUE OF THE CURRENT POLICY ON VET IN SCHOOLS. Purposes and origins of the new vocationalismWhat is vocational education? It depends on the historical period and who you ask. There is probably no greater cause for contention or confusion among educators. Vocational education or the education of students to fulfill their vocation or calling in life is such a broad definition. Traditionally it has been seen as education for those who do not undertake tertiary studies, for those who instead undertake practical training before entering the world of work. If this is the definition, entry into some of the most highly regarded professions occurs through vocational education. Take for example the doctor, the teacher or the architect. In each of these cases the undergraduate student must undertake some form of on-the-job training and examination to receive registration. This therefore changes the focus of professional training. We can no longer look at it from the traditional point of view which sees it as intended for traders or workers. We must therefore take a more encompassing view that this is a necessary part of education for all students, to give them the foundation to meet the challenges of the workforce, regardless of how esteemed the job they will ultimately be held in. it is certainly not a new phenomenon. It has existed in one form or another in Australian schools since the beginning of formal education (Skilbeck et al, 1994). Professional education has always been subject to the whims of the financial and political climate. In a boom period, there is a rise in popularity to address the skills shortage, in an economic crisis it is seen as the best “way out” (Keating, 1998). Since the industrial revolution there have been calls from industry for education... in the middle of paper... and in the outside world. Education should reflect the world it prepares students to live in and not simply focus on facts so that students reach certain academic levels. Not all students are talented in all areas, and the new vocation is a way of personalizing education to best meet the changing needs of our students as they enter the unknown world of this new millennium. Website ReferencesANTA, 2000. http://www. anta.gov.au/abc/VETinSchools.htmFrost, M. 2000. Releasing the Genie: The Impact of VET in Schools on Education. Curriculum Perspectives 20:1 (pp45-50). Downloaded from website: http://www.vetnetwork.org.au/resources/papers/acapaper.htmlKeating, J. 1998. Australian Training Reform: Implications for Schools (Revised Edition). Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne, Victoria. Pollard, A., Puvris, J. & Walford, G. 1988. School education and the new vocation: experience and politics. Open University Press, Milton Keynes.Robinson, C. & Kenyan, R. 1998. The market for vocational education and training. NCVER, Leabrook, SA. Skilbeck, M. Connell, H. Lowe, N. & Tait, K. 1994. Professional research: new directions in education and training. Routledge, London.