Training Talk - February 2004 - Issue 10

The Australian Government is establishing a new programme to directly purchase vocational education and training places for people with a disability, older workers and parents returning to the workforce.

This action follows the States and Territories rejection of the Australian Government’s offer for a new ANTA Agreement.

Up to $110 million will be available over the next three years. In 2004, $29.4 million will be available to purchase up to 10,000 training places.  Some $8.9 million of this is still subject to the successful passage of the disability reform legislation.  Initially the Australian Government will tender for 7,500 training places.  A further 2,500 places will become available once the disability reform legislation is passed.

The Department of Education, Science and Training expects to advertise mid-March 2004 for proposals from organisations interested in providing broker services for the delivery of these additional places.  Brokers will be sought for 12 State/Territory based regions.  There will be two to three regions in the larger States to ensure that places are available in regional and rural areas.

The training must be provided by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and we expect Brokers to utilise a wide variety of RTOs – public, private and community providers - to provide suitable training options for the target groups.

Training is expected to be available in a variety of courses leading to a nationally recognised qualification at the Certificate II or higher level, except for people with a disability who have high support needs, where a Certificate I or progress towards an AQF qualification may be negotiated.  Training will generally be available for up to 12 months.

It is intended that places be offered to eligible clients from 1 July 2004.

A popular publication that demystifies Australia’s training system is now available online.

Training Packages @ Work: Back 2 Basics has been in hot demand since it was released in hard copy in mid 2003.The publication was produced by the team behind Training Packages @ Work, a national newsletter funded by the Australian National Training Authority, which provides advice and information on the implementation of training packages.

In response to positive feedback on the publication, Back 2 Basics can now be downloaded free of charge at http://www.tpatwork.com/    . The publication was produced to help people navigate through Australia’s training system and make sense of commonly used jargon and acronyms, says Sandra Hogan, National Communications Manager from the Australian National Training Authority.

‘Australia has one of the world’s best vocational education and training systems,’ Ms Hogan says.  ‘However, for someone new to the sector the system can appear overwhelmingly complex and confusing.’

‘Back 2 Basics makes sense of the national training system, and explains commonly used terms through practical real-life case studies.

‘The publication is also a handy reference for practitioners wanting answers to common delivery questions,’ she says.

Back 2 Basics and Training Packages @ Work are collaborative projects that involve all state and territory training authorities, the Department of Education, Science and Training, Industry Training Australia and VETnetwork Australia.

To view the publication or subscribe to Training Packages @ Work visit http://www.tpatwork.com/ 

For more information contact Melanie Saltzer, Training Packages @ Work, on 07 3404 3983 or email melanie.saltzer@det.qld.gov.au

The Australian Government Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson, has announced  (http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Nelson/2004/02/n623110204.asp) the implementation of the National Code of Good Practice for Responding to Complaints about Vocational Education and Training (National Complaints Code). 

The National Complaints Code is designed to strengthen consumer protection in the sector and supports the broader national effort to improve the quality of the national vocational education and training system.  It highlights the complaints handling principles and service standards that customers can expect from the Australian Government, State/Territory Training Authorities and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) when responding to their complaints. 

A copy of the code can be downloaded from www.dest.gov.au/train/index.htm     

The Department is currently funding a project, under the Group Training New Apprenticeships Targeted Initiatives Programme, to increase the uptake of New Apprentices with a disability in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia by building partnerships between Group Training Organisations (GTOs) and Disability Employment Assistance Services Providers (DEAs).  The project is being managed by Group Training Australia, the peak industry body representing GTOs nationally, and will implement the findings of the ANTA funded research project, Key Success Factors in Placing and Supporting New Apprentices with Disabilities through Group Training: A Best Practice Guide.

The project aims to recruit eighty New Apprentices nationally, through ten GTO/DEA partnerships, by 30 September 2004.  To date, progress has been encouraging with twenty-three New Apprentices employed and placed with Host Employers under group training arrangements across a range of industries including traditional trades (such as carpentry and automotive trades), administration, rural operations, retail operations, hospitality, furniture production, hairdressing and horticulture.

One of these partnerships involves the West Australian Group Training Scheme working closely with DEA provider Bizlink to provide New Apprenticeships opportunities for disabled people in Perth.   Alisha Anderson and Jayson Taylor are just two of the young people who have benefited from this partnership.  Alisha is pictured working towards her New Apprenticeship qualification in office administration.  Jayson has been hosted by the Dale James hair salon as a first year hairdressing apprentice. John Harrison has been employed as a furniture production trainee thanks to the partnership established between Maxima Group Training and Disability Recruitment Coordination in South Australia.  John is pictured assembling furniture for his host employer, Ambrico.

Further information on the project or on the Targeted Initiatives Programme may be obtained by contacting Tracey Bremner at DEST on 02 6240 8858.

Australian employers are getting a hotline to the vocational education and training (VET) system through a new network of national industry skills councils. Four of a planned 10 councils have been established. Their role is to  channel industry “intelligence" about training needs into the VET system as well as boost training within the industries themselves.

The councils will:

• support high quality, nationally recognised training products and services, including enhancing innovation and efficiency in their development; and
• assist industries, enterprises, and their workforce to integrate skill development with business goals.

The four councils are: ElectroComms and Energy Utilities Industry Skills Council, which covers electro technology, lifts, communications, gas, and the electricity generation and transmission and distribution sectors. Resources and Infrastructure Skills Council, which covers all of the industries involved in the resources supply chain, from exploration, extraction, and primary processing to the civil construction sector, which uses extractive industry products like sand and gravel. Service Industries Skills Australia (SISA), which covers Australia’s burgeoning services industry, including the retail and wholesale, sport and recreation, tourism, hospitality, hairdressing, beauty therapy, and funeral services sectors. TDT Australia, which covers the transport and logistics, maritime, and aviation sectors.

SISA is part of network of 10 councils being formed as part of an Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) drive to boost forward planning for the nation’s skill needs.

Another element of ANTA's new system for keeping in touch with training needs is a twice-yearly “think tank” of industry and VET leaders. ANTA will bring business, industry and VET sector leaders together twice a year to consider strategic plans developed from research and advice from the skills councils. The first of these was held in Melbourne late last year and the next one will be in April.

For more information contact Craig Silva, ANTA. 

Ph: (07) 3246 2465, fax: (07) 3246 2490,
email: silvac@anta.gov.au
website: www.anta.gov.au/vetItabs.asp   

Stand and Deliver: Delivery Strategies for Vocational Learning. Wrest Point Convention Centre, Hobart TAS Wed 17 – Fri 19 November 2004. Planning is already well underway for the national 2004 conference – it’s a little way off but you don’t want to miss it – ask anyone who attended the last one in Brisbane in 2002.

Delegates can expect a conference program with a significant focus on the practical delivery of broad vocational learning and education, with a simplified and thematic format customised to stakeholder needs. The needs of those delivering all aspects of vocational and related post-compulsory education and training will be particularly targeted.

We now have a website that contains a draft program, early accommodation and tourism information, call for papers forms and details on how to submit a paper. Note that call for papers has been extended to Thursday 19th February – full details are on the website http://www.vetnetwork.org.au/  and follow conferences prompts.

We look forward to welcoming you to Hobart in November.

When students leave school it is important that they have employment related skills and an understanding of the work environment.  Students benefit from ‘real’ experiences as they understand the relevance of school to work and as they make their career choices.  The Australian Government is committed to improving the transition of all school leavers by assisting them to participate in vocational education whilst still at school. The Department of Education, Science and Training has contracted a number of peak industry bodies - Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and 16 member groups, Australian Industry Group, Rural Skills Australia, Group Training Company, and the Business Council of Australia - to implement the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) Framework for Vocational Education in Schools by the end of 2004.  This Framework aims to support the take-up of vocational learning pathways for young Australians. These industry groups are working to provide well organised education and training pathways that are widely understood by business and the community and which meet industry requirements.  They are doing this by raising awareness and understanding of the features and benefits of Vocational Education and Training in schools.  They are also entering into partnerships with schools and TAFEs to provide an increased quality of, and opportunities for, Structured Workplace Learning.  Industry groups benefit by showcasing their industry and in turn attracting students to take up careers in these industries. Through participating in a range of industry hosted career education programmes and structured activities students gain knowledge and experience of the world of work in general and gain access to career and labour market information relevant to particular industries.  This supports students in planning for their futures. Solar Vehicle Project - an example of an industry initiative
The Australian Industry Group has developed an Industry Bridge to Schools Project – a solar vehicle competition.  Schools in the Hume-Riverina area have nominated teams of up to 10 students at Year 8 or 9 level.  Engineers from the manufacturing industry perform a positive mentoring role for students who are developing a solar vehicle that can negotiate as many laps of a course as possible within a one hour period.
The project aims to: Build strong and ongoing relations between industry and schools; Promote careers in manufacturing to schools and the school community; and Engage students in a way that the traditional education process may not be.
	The project has been enthusiastically embraced by industry, schools, teachers and students. Schools have said: “Some students are feeling increasingly disconnected from traditional school structures. This would be a wonderful opportunity to engage them and make school more meaningful.” “Outcomes will be improved school participation by students; improved self esteem; increased awareness of industry; awareness of teamwork and team building; relationships with a mentor; improved ability to set goals/targets and meet them.”
The manufacturing industry has said: “It will change the image of the industry in the eyes of students.” “It will provide a way to relate to the students about career options and to build teamwork skills.” For more information on these industry initiatives please contact Deborah Durie from DEST on 02 6240 8502.

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This page was last updated on: Monday, 09 February 2004
Department of Education, Science and Training.