a b s t r a c tThe view that university graduates should be equipped with work-readiness skills has become increasingly normalised in university graduate capabilities designs. The framework of this study is established around an Australian university's graduate capabilities. This exploratory case study aims to contribute to a graduate-centred understanding of work-readiness. A qualitative methodology was used to map students' perceptions and evaluations of their skill development in criteria referenced graduate capabilities and construct a representation of skill development in graduate capabilities from entry to exit. The more problematic areas of skill development and competence in graduate capabilities were in the higher order skills of inquiry/research, creativity and problem solving and collaborative teamwork. Student respondents appeared to have most difficulty in relating the relevance of inquiry/research to work contexts. This study illustrates the need for university educators and curriculum designers to proactively intervene and develop effective learning activities for individual learners and to regularly monitor and review progression towards desired employability skills from entry to exit. Graduates risk criticism from employers if they leave university with underdeveloped skills on exit from university and for the purpose of transference to employability skills.

This article presents an investigation into capacity building, at the community level, in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Men's Groups and Sheds. As safe men's spaces, Men's Groups and Sheds represent an ever-growing social, and health and well-being community service across Australia. The study is qualitative and employs 'yarning circles' (focus groups), semi-structured interviews and observations to gather data from 15 Groups/Sheds involving 45 men from urban, regional and remote communities. We found that capacity building is primarily about securing relationships between Group Leaders/Shed Co-ordinators and Government services. Capacity building establishes links to services such as Centrelink, Medicare, Department of Housing, Probation and Control, and positive outcomes such as Indigenous men securing housing and Centrelink payments. Capacity building results in better health outcomes and, educates and empowers men to improve their social, cultural, emotional and economic well-being. It helps men to better connect with family and community. The current research paves the way for countries worldwide to explore the conceptual and empirical approach of capacity building applicable to other Indigenous [and non-Indigenous] Men's Groups/Sheds. We recommend feasibilities studies, on approaches to capacity building in Indigenous Groups/Sheds, be carried out within urban, regional and remote regions across the country.

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between learning climate congruence and the affective commitment of university academics. The strategy of inquiry for this research is quantitative, involving a non-experimental design for the survey research. A nonprobability sample of 900 academics from a large Australian university was selected with a response rate of 30.33%. The major conclusion drawn from this study was that the congruence between current and preferred learning climate was related to the affective commitment of university academics. More specifically, academic's level of affective commitment was enhanced in a learning climate where they were encouraged to take risks, had plenty of time to learn new tasks, and were encouraged to openly express their ideas and opinions. This study is important in a practical sense to academic managers and universities to build relationships and develop better connections with their academics.

Human resource management, social connectedness and health and wellbeing of older and retired men: The role of Men's Sheds ABSTRACT This study analyses human resource management in Men's Sheds in Australia. Men's Sheds are volunteer-based, not-for-profit, grassroots community organisations that provide health related resources and an avenue for largely older and retired men to engage with each other and the community. The research is timely given the escalating numbers of retired men and rising national healthcare costs in Australia. We used a sample of over 200 Men Sheds throughout Australia and matched 419 member responses to 162 leaders. Based on mediation analysis, we found that perceived human resource practices support the retention of membership, and enhance the social connectedness, and health and wellbeing of men members. The quality of relationships between leaders and members was also important for membership retention. The paper demonstrates the importance of human resource management in grassroots community-based organisations and its role in supporting the health and wellbeing of the community.

This study examines the role and impact of collaborative learning on training and development practices in Australian Men's Sheds. We use a case study approach, underpinned by Peters and Armstrong's theoretical framework of collaborative learning in adult education, to investigate five Men's Sheds. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with five Men's Shed co-ordinators, and five focus groups with a total of 61 members. In this study, vocational education and training is extended in a way to bridge the gap between work and retirement for many men in Australia. Three main themes emerged: the importance of training and development [beyond the workplace] for an individual response to member participation; a shared learning experience between men who teach and men who learn in the Sheds; and the collaborative learning that impacts on the learning of individual and groups. We discuss the urgent need for Shed co-ordinators to develop guidelines for training and development policies and use collaborative learning practices within the Sheds. The key message of the paper is that collaborative learning is critical to ensure effective training and development of men in Men's Sheds. We also highlight the implications of poor training and development practices for Shed growth, legal compliance and member participation and men's well-being. The findings will be of interest to other countries dealing with populations of retired men and others seeking membership in Sheds.