Exploring professional development practices for vocational education and training practitioners

Abstract

This paper addresses the practice of professional development within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) arena. The study object was to gain the perceptions held by a selected group of VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector of the professional teaching/training competencies required for effective practice. The study was conducted utilising narrative inquiry, a qualitative research technique. The investigation concentrated on a case study context of educators currently working within a department of tourism and hospitality at a VET registered training organisation. Interviews were conducted with 10 front-line teaching educators and 4 management Heads of Department. Findings indicated that there was a breadth of professional teaching and training competencies required by VET educators to assist with effective delivery of teaching and learning strategies in the VET sector.