ABSTRACT
D u r i n g 1996 , minister s o f education an d trainin g f rom th e Aust ra l ia n state,
territory an d federa l government s adopte d a pol ic y initiativ e for th e V o c a -
t ional Educat io n an d T r a i n i n g ( V E T) system referre d t o a s ' U s e r C h o i c e ' .
T h i s pape r outline s the contex t i n w h i ch thi s initiative arose, it s mean ing an d
aims, an d th e finding s o f an evaluatio n o f the project s tha t hav e p i lo te d th e
U s e r C h o i c e concept . I t the n consider s whether , an d i n wha t ways , ' U s e r
C h o i c e ' ca n mak e a cont r ibu t ion to th e advancemen t o f ' l i f e l o n g learning ' .
R e f o r m o f th e V E T system ha s bee n unde r wa y i n Austra l i a sinc e th e lat e
1980s. T h i s reform i s just i f ied on bot h socia l an d economi c grounds .
