Erica Smith

Erica Smith is a Professor of Vocational Education and Training at Federation University Australia, where she joined in March 2008. She serves as program co-ordinator for VET teacher-education programs in the School of Education and convenor of both the Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) and FedUni's Research in Adult and Vocational Education (RAVE) group.

Smith is Australia's foremost apprenticeship researcher and internationally-recognized expert on VET teachers, their work, and qualifications. Her research demonstrates that higher-level qualifications significantly improve teaching approaches, confidence, and ability to work with diverse learner groups. She has conducted extensive research on VET teacher qualifications, including a national study (2015-2017) with 1,255 participants across the sector that showed teachers with degree-level knowledge in both teaching and industry areas are most effective.

Her work has been cited in government inquiries numerous times, and she has advised international governments on VET policy. Smith has managed over 30 national and international research projects, including four Australian Research Council-funded grants. She serves as a peer assessor for ARC grants and the Excellence in Research Australia exercise.

• Former Professor of VET at Charles Sturt University (2003-2008)
• Former Dean of Graduate Studies at University of Ballarat (2008-2010)
• Chair of the dual-sector Curriculum Committee at University of Ballarat
• Member of the Education Industry Reference Committee

With extensive industry experience including roles as personnel manager, TAFE teacher, community worker, manager of a Registered Training Organisation, and Executive Director of a State Industry Training Advisory Board, Smith brings practical insights to her academic work. She has been instrumental in advocating for higher qualification standards for VET teachers, arguing that teacher preparation is a key factor in VET sector quality.