Risk technology in Australia: The role of the job seeker classification instrument in employment services

Promoted as the key policy response to unemployment, the Job Network constitutes an array of interlocking processes that position unemployed people as `problems' in need of remediation. Unemployment is presented as a primary risk threatening society, and unemployed people are presented as displaying various degrees of riskiness. The Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) is a `technology' employed by Centrelink to assess `risk' and to determine the type of interaction that unemployed people have with the job Network. In the first instance, we critically examine the development of the JSCI and expose issues that erode its credibility and legitimacy. Second, employing the analytical tools of discourse analysis, we show how the JSCI both assumes and imposes particular subject identities on unemployed people. The purpose of this latter analysis is to illustrate the consequences of the sorts of technologies and interventions used within the job Network.

The university and the knowledge network: A new educational model for 21st century learning and employability

The higher education sector is under ongoing pressure to demonstrate quality and efficacy of educational provision, including graduate outcomes. Preparing students as far as possible for the world of professional work has become one of the central tasks of contemporary universities. This challenging task continues to receive significant attention by policy makers and scholars, in the broader contexts of widespread labour market uncertainty and massification of the higher education system (Tomlinson, 2012). In contrast to the previous era of the university, in which ongoing professional employment was virtually guaranteed to university-qualified individuals, contemporary graduates must now be proactive and flexible. They must adapt to a job market that may not accept them immediately, and has continually shifting requirements (Clarke, 2008). The saying goes that rather than seeking security in employment, graduates must now “seek security in employability”. However, as I will argue in this chapter, the current curricular and pedagogic approaches universities adopt, and indeed the core structural characteristics of university-based education, militate against the development of the capabilities that graduates require now and into the future.

Curvilinear relationships between the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, and work engagement : a police service case study

The current study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between the JD-R model and work engagement. Previous research has identified linear relationships between these constructs; however there are strong theoretical arguments for testing curvilinear relationships (e.g., Warr, 1987). Data were collected via a self-report online survey from officers of one Australian police service (N = 2,626). Results demonstrated a curvilinear relationship between job demands and job resources and engagement. Gender (as a control variable) was also found to be a significant predictor of work engagement. The results indicated that male police officers experienced significantly higher job demands and colleague support than female officers. However, female police officers reported significantly higher levels of work engagement than male officers. This study emphasises the need to test curvilinear relationships, as well as simple linear associations, when measuring psychological health.

A test of the job demands : resources model with HIV/AIDS volunteers

Burnout has been identified as a significant factor in HIV/AIDS volunteering. It has been associated with depression, anxiety and the loss of volunteers from the health care delivery system. The aim of this study was to test the independence of the health and motivational processes hypothesized within the Job Demands – Resources model of burnout in HIV/AIDS volunteers. Participants were 307 HIV/AIDS volunteers from state AIDS Councils throughout Australia who completed self-report measures pertaining to role ambiguity and role conflict, social support, burnout, intrinsic and organizational satisfaction, and depression. Findings suggested that the independence of the dual processes hypothesized by the model was only partially supported. These findings provide a model for burnout which gives a framework for interventions at both the individual and organizational level which would contribute to the prevention of burnout, depression, and job dissatisfaction in HIV/AIDS volunteers.

Predicting the job satisfaction of female sex workers in Queensland, Australia

This study used a cross-sectional survey to examine job satisfaction and its correlates among 247 female sex workers working as private service providers, in licensed brothels and in illegal sectors of the industry (mainly street-based workers). Overall, most sex workers reported positive job satisfaction. Satisfaction was higher in women working legally and was generally comparable with women from the general population. Multivariate analyses revealed that job satisfaction was significantly linked to women’s reasons for initially entering the industry. Sex workers’ age, education, marital status, length of time in the industry and current working conditions were apparently less important for satisfaction.

Study on road traffic noise prediction model taking into account the citywide network

For the further noise reduction in the future, the traffic management which controls traffic flow and physical distribution is important. To conduct the measure by the traffic management effectively, it is necessary to apply the model for predicting the traffic flow in the citywide road network. For this purpose, the existing model named AVENUE was used as a macro-traffic flow prediction model. The traffic flow model was integrated with the road vehicles' sound power model, and the new road traffic noise prediction model was established. By using this prediction model, the noise map of entire city can be made. In this study, first, the change of traffic flow on the road network after the establishment of new roads was estimated, and the change of the road traffic noise caused by the new roads was predicted. As a result, it has been found that this prediction model has the ability to estimate the change of noise map by the traffic management. In addition, the macro-traffic flow model and our conventional micro-traffic flow model were combined, and the coverage of the noise prediction model was expanded.