Transitioning between vocational and university education in Australia: the impact of the vocational education experience on becoming a university student

Research was undertaken to understand the experiences of students entering the University of Technology Sydney through vocational education pathways, with the aim of improving transition support for these students. A theme which emerged was the pivotal role played by the students’ vocational education teachers in facilitating their students’ self-belief that they had the capacity to succeed in their studies. This, together with increased academic skills and knowledge, provide students with the confidence and capabilities to continue on to university. The theoretical framework of institutional habitus and Gale and Parker’s conceptualisation of transition are utilised to analyse findings about the impact of the vocational educational learning environment upon students’ transition to university, and how the students experience and manage the transition between the different education sectors.