VETeran Robin Shreeve’s submission to the Reps inquiry into perceptions and status of VET was the first published (CMM February 10) – it must have made an impact because the committee asked him to give appear in-person

Which he did last week – suggesting a solution to VET’s image issues, as brief as it all-encompassing.

“Over the years people have looked at the status of VET. I have been to many meetings where people have argued for big promotion campaigns—and you have received some marvellous suggestions about better careers information, engaging with parents, working with teachers. I believe these are all necessary but not sufficient conditions to actually raise the status of VET. It is about the quality of teaching and learning, and the quality of our relationships with individual students and industry. What VET needs is institutional strengthening—not another restructure, but institutional strengthening.”