Reframing the Future Forums: Enterprises Enhanced by VET

Reframing the Future is facilitating interactive forums in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart during August 2008.

The forums will enable training providers (RTOs) and practitioners to discover strategies to assist enterprises to diagnose, predict and tailor training to fit their workforce development needs.

Participants will also have an opportunity to explore strategies for developing new skills and capabilities for working with enterprises.

The forums will be of high value to people with responsibility for improving their training organisations’ structures, cultures and processes or for building the capabilities of training organisation staff.
To download a detailed information flyer and an expression of interest form, visit www.reframingthefuture.net
Two forums will also be held in Melbourne in November in conjunction with Reframing the Future’s New Ways of Working in VET Forum 5.

For more information contact Suzy McKenna on 08 8207 9688, Suzy.McKenna@tafesa.edu.au or visit www.reframingthefuture.net

Local Government Training Providers

Government Skills Australia is updating records of training providers who specialise in delivery of training to the local government sector.  Please contact the GSA Industry Advisory Officer, Andy Smith by email to ensure your details are recorded at andrew.smith@governmentskills.com.au

Market Forces Key to Trade Apprenticeship Numbers

The economy and structural change in industry are key drivers of apprenticeship numbers, according to new research published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Report co-author and NCVER Managing Director, Tom Karmel, said the research also found that the predictable relationship between economic conditions and apprenticeship numbers was breaking down.

‘There is substantial ongoing debate about apprenticeships and how to increase or maintain numbers,’ Dr Karmel said.

‘What this study points to is the dominant role of economic and market forces rather than incentives in the apprenticeship story.

‘Using data from 1967 to 2006 to model predicted apprenticeship numbers we found that metal and vehicle, electrical and building apprenticeships have been particularly sensitive to changing labour market conditions.

‘However, lower than predicted printing apprenticeship numbers have been driven by significant structural change within the printing industry.

‘In contrast, the food trades have been more stable and less affected by either labour market or structural conditions.’

Dr Karmel said that apprentice numbers were lower than would have otherwise been the case because the historical relationships between the labour market and apprenticeships appeared to have broken down.

‘Structural change in the labour market is a fact of life and trade apprenticeships are right in the middle of it.

‘However, while government initiatives may well have increased the number of apprentices they have been unable to counteract completely this trend.’

To download a copy of Modelling the trades: An empirical analysis of trade apprenticeships in Australia, 1967-2006, please visit http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2003.html.

Skill Set/s

Lesley Shaw and Brydie Brown of RTO Strategic Development Solutions (RSDS) have been engaged by Innovation and Business Skills Australia to commence the development, consultation and validation of a Skill Set/s, on Business Continuity for the BSB07 Business Services Training Package. 
Appropriate strategic links between emergency management (PUA00) and Business Services (BSB07) have already been identified through the national consultation workshops conducted by Government Skills Australia in consultation with the National Industry Training Advisory Group-Emergency Management (formerly known as the Emergency Management Sector Working Group). 
RSDS are hoping to involve as many stakeholders as possible in their consultation. Brydie and Lesley invite you to contact them directly via info@rsds.com.au in the first instance to indicate and register your interest in being involved in the project consultation.

Innovation gets instructors in sync

Whether evaluating an engineering apprentice, a hospitality student or a building and construction apprentice, on-the-job assessment is an essential part of vocational education and training.

In the past this has meant teachers and trainers have had to carry and store tonnes of paper records. In 2005 the Horticulture South team, through the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s New Practices in Flexible Learning Project, created the first QTI m-Player, which simplified electronic and portable assessment activities.

In 2006, Teacher Nathan Cox from the Agriculture North West team saw the need for a portable electronic solution when they had to carry boxes of paper-based assessment tools to every assessment situation and shred two and a half tonnes of paper records. And in 2007 TAFE Tasmania and the New England Institute of TAFE created an extended version of the QTImPlayer.

The latest version of the QTImPlayer conforms to new QTI standards, making assessing students and record management easier.

The player enables users to access, read, play, record and report outcomes to IMS QTI 2.0 (Question and Test Interoperability) standards, using Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) validated assessment tools.

Once the player is downloaded and installed onto a personal digital assistant using Windows Mobile® 2005 or 2006, keeping student assessment records becomes convenient rather than cumbersome.

The assessment tools are AQTF-validated compliant tools and can include oral, written and multiple choice questions, observation checklists, workplace testimonials, and recognition checklists, with the ability to create new types of assessment. The QTImPlayer can also attach multimedia files such as audio, photos and videos as additional assessment evidence.

Assessment records can also be zipped which ensures the results are accurate and can be easily transferred between different student management or human resource management systems, increasing audit compliance.

For more information or to download the QTImPlayer, visit: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/qti2007

New tricks for Australia’s oldest hotel group

Australia’s oldest hotel group is embracing new technology to address the challenges involved in the retention and training of its remote, seasonally-based workforce, in a timely and cost effective manner.

The Federal Group e-learning demonstration has been developed by the Federal Group Tasmania (Federal Group), in partnership with registered training organisation TAFE Tasmania - Drysdale Institute, to assist with training in remote locations.

The e-learning demonstration is based on the Hospitality and Tourism (Management) Flexible Learning Toolbox but has been customised to reflect Federal Group’s business, policies and procedures.

Funded in 2007 by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, the demonstration aims to provide management training to staff at a supervisory level across Federal Group sites.

The e-learning demonstration provides staff with important people management skills, including understanding and coordinating the recruitment and induction of new staff, on-the-job coaching and performance feedback.

Learning activities are based around tasks that are normally performed in the workplace. Staff members are required to access online communities and forums to discuss tasks and complete assessments.

Successful completion of this training can contribute towards the units of competency Recruit and select staff and Monitor staff performance from the Certificate IV in Hospitality (Supervision).

Although the e-learning demonstration is specific to the hospitality and tourism industries, it can be used as a guide to develop e-learning across a variety of industries.

To access the Federal Group e-learning demonstration, its case study, business case and other additional information, visit the Federal Group Tasmania e-learning demonstration web page.

For more information about the 40 industry e-learning demonstrations developed between 2005 – 2007 visit the E-learning for Industry website at: http://industry.flexiblelearning.net.au. This industry-focused website provides rich resources, such as an online Practical guide to e-learning for industry where businesses can discover how to make e-learning work in their organisation.

For more information about industry use of e-learning contact Jenny Dodd, Industry Integration of E-learning Business Manager on (02) 6207 4955 or email: industry@flexiblelearning.net.au
For more information about the Framework, its products, resources and support networks, contact: (07) 3307 4700, email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au or visit: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au

Registration open for 2008 VELG National Conference

Registration is now open for 2008 Vocational Education Learning Group National Conference to be held on 7 and 8 August 2008 on the Gold Coast.

The conference, themed ‘Striving for Excellence in Vocational Education’ will focus on:

• the progress of the AQTF 2007
• what the ‘Quality Indicators’ will have unveiled
• how to achieve the next registered training organisation level of ‘Excellence’ through the implementation of the Excellence Criteria.

Did you know that only 43.7% of the manufacturing workforce holds a post-school qualification?

• What is Manufacturing Skills Australia doing about Workforce Development and lifting skill levels in industry?
• 450,000 additional training places over the next 4 years. The Australian
Government Productivity Places Program – what’s in it for you?
• What role does workplace assessment play in workforce development?
• What are other practitioners doing about skills recognition in the workplace?
• How do developments in the MSA Training Packages affect you?

MSA Training Package and Workplace Assessment workshops are being held in each state, covering up to date information about Training Packages and assessment. The industrial sectors covered include:
• Metal and Engineering / Aerospace / Boating and Marine
• Textiles, Clothing and Footwear / Furnishing / Process Manufacturing

Cost per person: MEAS Assessors $65 Non-MEAS Assessors $85

NSW - Parramatta 23rd June Waldorf Apartments, 110-114 James Ruse Drive, Rosehill	TAS - Hobart Subject to demand
Vic - Bendigo 16th July Quality Resort All Seasons Bendigo, 171-183 McIvor Road, Bendigo	Vic - Richmond 17th July Quest Richmond, 187 Lennox Street, Richmond
QLD - Brisbane 30th July BTP Brisbane Technology Park, 1 Clunes Ross Court (off Miles Platting Road), Eight Mile Plains	NT - Darwin 24th July Darwin Convention Centre, 24 Mitchell, St, Darwin

These workshops are being supported with the assistance of funding provided by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

More information: please call Bernadette Shiel, on 02 9955 5500 or
email Bernadetteshiel@mskills.com.au.

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.dest.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.dest.gov.au/dss/

Want to submit information for Fast Facts?

Fast Facts will be published next on Friday, 11 July 2008.  The deadline for submission of information for inclusion is COB Monday 7 July 2008.  Please send information (not exceeding 150 words) to fastfacts@dest.gov.au