Nominations now open for the 2009 Australian Vocational Student Prize

Nominations for the 2009 Australian Vocational Student Prize (AVSP) are now open. School principals and Vocational Education and Training (VET) coordinators have the opportunity to nominate Year 12 students who have undertaken vocational education and training as part of their senior secondary certificate.

Schools are invited to nominate students that have demonstrated outstanding vocational and employability skills, high achievement, determination and commitment while undertaking a VET in Schools program or an Australian School-based Apprenticeship.

The AVSP promotes the value of VET in Schools programs and Australian School-based Apprenticeships and recognises the benefits that can be gained by matching the career aspirations of young people with practical learning pathways to help them reach their full potential.

Each year the AVSP is awarded to up to 500 outstanding Year 12 students. Winners receive $2000 and a certificate from the Minister for Education recognising their achievements.

AVSP winners are also eligible for the Prime Minister’s Award for Skills Excellence in School . Winners of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award are selected from the highest achieving recipients of the AVSP and each winner receives a certificate from the Prime Minister and an additional $2000.

The achievements of AVSP and Prime Minister’s Award winners are recognised nationally by the Minister and locally by schools and the community.

Nominations close on 4 December 2009.

2009 AVSP nomination forms .

2009 Australian Training Awards

The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for vocational education and training, recognising innovation and excellence in the training sector and are the culmination of the state and territory awards with winners from each state and territory competing in the national finals.

Twelve award categories are presented at the Australian Training Awards including seven organisational categories:

• Prime Minister’s Small Business of the Year
• Australian Training Initiative
• VET in Schools Excellence
• Small Training Provider of the Year
• Large Training Provider of the Year
• Employer of the Year
• Skills for Sustainability

• Stella Axarlis Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year
• Vocational Student of the Year
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year
• Australian Apprentice (Trainee) of the Year
• Australian Apprentice of the Year

Funding of up to $250 000 available for Registered Training Organisations under the Fast-Track Apprenticeships Program

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is calling for applications for funding from Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to develop and implement accelerated training models for apprentices under the Fast-Track Apprenticeships Program.

Funding:

• Information for Registered Training Organisations Fast-Track Apprenticeships 
• Annexure A - Application for Funding 

Exploring e-Innovations 09: online conference on 4-5 November 2009

You are invited to participate in a FREE online conference showcasing some of the latest innovations in e-learning from around Australia.

The focus will be on flexible e-learning outcomes developed through industry, registered training organisation (RTO) partnerships and models designed to enhance the learning of specific client groups.

Gain insights from the showcased innovations:

• What the POV is this? - see how point of view (POV) technologies are being used for learning and assessing workplace trainees.
• Taking skills recognition online and into bush - find out about practical ideas for skills recognition for cotton industry clients.
• Can you hear me now? Communications matter - come and discuss issues and possibilities in delivering training using the virtual world, Second Life, based on experiences with learners in women’s education.
• Talking my language: Indigenous retail training materials - view multilingual training resources for Indigenous learners, and find out how software can enable the swift translation of material into any language.
• Making employee orientation meaningful online! - explore an effective online orientation design and strategy for tourism and hospitality employees.
• Industry sectors integrating e-learning - hear how the dairy and retail industry sectors have partnered with RTOs to integrate e-learning into their workforce development strategies.

E-learning experts lounge

Industry e-learning on show!

e-nterprises, e-merge, e-xhibit, e-mbed - the 2009 Industry E-learning Showcase and Exhibition  - will feature how 10 industry sectors are integrating e-learning into workplaces, recognising that staff benefit from consistent, quality training which can be accessed at any time or place.

Presentations and exhibits will be demonstrated by the stainless steel, water, independent grocers, dairy, baking, community housing, child and family welfare, aviation, electricity supply, and retail industry sectors.

Each sector is unique in scope and operation, and attendees will hear how each sector’s e-learning strategies are providing models in which diverse companies and industry organisations can cooperate on training and workforce development.

Showcase details:

Date:  Tuesday 24 November 2009
Timing: Full day catered event
Venue: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, Melbourne
Cost:  $165.00 per person (incl. GST)

Please register online .

The industry sectors featured at this showcase receive funding and support from the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework .

For more information on the industry sectors visit the E-learning for Industry website .

Vocational Education Director Wins Top Award

Michelle Weaver, the Director and Owner of Voc Ed Learning Group (VELG), has been awarded the marie claire Young Business Women’s Award  at the 2009 Telstra Queensland Business Women’s Awards.

Do you look forward to your fortnightly edition of Fast Facts?

Why not refer a friend? If you know anyone who would like to be kept informed of what’s happening in the VET Sector, send them a copy of this newsletter for their information.  To subscribe, please see easy to follow instructions below. 1. Go to www.deewr.gov.au/dss/  - please read the instructions then press the 'Continue' button 2. Enter your email address in the email form field then press the 'Continue' button 3. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you entered 4. Click the link in the email to activate your account.  A list of departmental newsletters will be displayed 5. Select FAST FACTS (and any other newsletter(s) of interest to you) 6. Click the 'Save changes' button at the bottom of the page 7. Your details will be added to the database and you will regularly receive Australian Training Fast Facts and any other new newsletter(s) you have selected. For more information visit www.deewr.gov.au/dss/

Want to submit information for Fast Facts?

The next Fast Facts will be published Friday 13 November 2009.

The deadline for submission of information for inclusion is COB Monday 9 November 2009. Please send submissions and enquiries to FastFacts@deewr.gov.au.