Skills Education

How to help students successfully navigate the transition into formal study

Supporting effective transitions is essential for learner persistence and achievement in the VET sector, where students frequently balance complex work, life, and study demands. Lizzio’s (2006, 2010) Five Senses of Success framework offers a practical, evidence‑informed foundation for strengthening these transitions. The model identifies five key conditions that build student confidence and engagement as they enter and progress through learning environments.

This session introduces VET practitioners to the Five Senses Framework and guides them in applying it to support learners’ transitions into training, throughout their studies, and into employment or further education.

Key points:

• How the Fives Senses framework of Capability, Connectedness, Purpose, Resourcefulness, and Academic Culture can be used to support learners
• A strong sense of capability helps learners understand expectations and develop core academic skills, which is closely linked to early academic success and satisfaction. 
• Connectedness, built through supportive relationships with peers, educators, and the training community, further enhances belonging and retention. 
• Research also highlights that a clear sense of purpose is one of the strongest predictors of satisfaction, reduced anxiety, and lower withdrawal rates. 
• For many VET learners, resourcefulness, including time management, problem‑solving, and help‑seeking, is critical for navigating training with increasing independence. 
• Finally, engaging with academic culture helps students understand expectations and see themselves as legitimate members of a learning community, strengthening commitment and completion.

Other value options for registration:

Register for this session as a one-off standalone PD purchase OR via one of:

An Education Matters Elite membership

A PD MAX 2027 ticket