HumanAbility

How do we plan to work with stakeholders and members?

We will be reaching out to members, supporters and other industry stakeholders to participate in all of our projects and work. This will see a mix of ongoing structural consultation forums as well as time limited and ad hoc consultation forums around particular projects or issues (for example a reference group about a review of a specific qualification or unit of competency).

We will, in keeping with the policy goals set out by the Minister and the Department, be seeking to work differently, with a focus on a more strategic approach to skills development and jobs, a more industry and future-focused approach to qualifications development and with an ambition of improving speed to market (within the limits of our own role and control of the system).

An Industry Advisory Committees will undertake the development of industry plans and lead projects in:

• Children’s Education and Care;
• Health & Human Services;
• Aged & Disability Care and Support; and
• Sport & Recreation.

We are also planning to create larger forums for:

• Industry Leaders: to explore directions for our industries and discuss the potential impacts for workforce and workforce development. This provides a future-focused lens to jobs and skills and reinforces industry leadership of our plans and work.
• Education providers: to provide feedback regarding our qualifications and the issues about from their delivery and assessment.
• Small & Regional Service Providers: to address the specific needs of small and regional enterprises and service delivery organisations.
• Students: to hear from students within programs for work in our industries.

If you or your organisation are interested in participating in one or more of the advisory committees when they are formed, please let us know. Pass the word to stakeholders across the industries as we are keen to ensure the widest and best possible range of voices are heard.

We will also seek to collaborate with State and Territory bodies that have similar roles so that we are able to seek their input into our national work and also assist them in meeting regional needs.

How you can contribute to our workforce planning processes

We recognise that the transition to the new JSCs and having a period of time where the former IRCs and SSO have not operated in between has been potentially disruptive to some of you and there are some critical issues that need more urgent attention. During February to April, we will be required to develop and provide to the Department initial Operational and Workforce Plans. This will take place in this first few months of the JSC’s operations, and will largely be a ‘desktop’ process reliant on existing information and reports including those in the handover reports provided to us.

The timeframes involved do not permit us to utilise the range of stakeholder engagement processes that we will use in future. However even in that first high level review, we are keen to hear from you about the must have elements of such a plan.

We have had a handover report of issues identified under the former advisory arrangements and will share these with you as we identify (draft) areas of priority in the weeks ahead. We will engage more fulsomely as the new arrangements settle into place which is expected to be in the new financial year.

As we become established there will be more structured and easier ways for you to provide input into our planning and project activities. However given the time constraints and the need to develop an immediate work plan under the new arrangements in all sectors I hope that you will take the opportunity to share your experience and advice.

We will, in turn, share with you the major themes that emerge in our work to develop the plan and seek further comment along the way.

Please send your contributions to humanability@ahha.asn.au

Rob Bonner
Interim CEO