The TAFE/VET pathways student experience in higher education

Pathways to higher education widen access and provide an opportunity for TAFE/VET students to undertake further study by providing an alternate means of entry to university. In the context of the increased focus by governments on widened and larger participation in higher education and pathways, research in this study documents and analyses statistics pertaining to the participation and performance of TAFE/VET pathways students at a multi-campus Sydney metropolitan university over the period 2010–2014 inclusive. Of particular interest is the comparative experience of pathways students to their non-pathways peers; their likelihood of completion, levels of academic achievement, and some of the factors that influence these. A major finding of this study is that, irrespective of all other potential influencing factors, pathways students’ academic performance significantly improves the more units of study they successfully complete at university. A significant implication of these findings is that a far greater focus needs to be directed towards programs supporting TAFE/VET pathways student’s initial transition to university