Newsletter

During the last week the details of the new Industry Clusters were released, the ALP launched its election policies that included free TAFE, and the Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, and Acting Minister for Education and Youth, Stuart Robert highlighted funding for microcredentials, albeit to bring universities and industry together. It was a big week.

NCVER’s recent research by Steven Hodge and Elizabeth Knight, The best of both worlds? Integrating VET and higher education, provides very useful reflection about integrating VET and higher education. It comes at a time when the Industry Cluster information for preparation of EOIs has now been released. As part of their remit, industry clusters will need to consider how to embrace higher education as well as VET in their end-to-end workforce solutions.

Today I’m diverting from the regular comment about the sector to acknowledge a member of the sector. Today, Craig Robertson, the previous CEO of TDA and now CEO of the Victorian Skills Authority, joins me in thanking Ron Jackson, who finishes with TDA on Wednesday.

Last Wednesday TAFETalks was very pleased to hear from Dr Gavin Lind, from Australian Minerals and Energy Skills Alliance Limited and Michelle Hoad Managing Director, North Metropolitan TAFE Western Australia. Our focus in the webinar was on innovation in apprenticeships. There is a section in this newsletter with more details on their excellent presentations.

I’ve heard people say RTOs have a tension between having a student focus and having an industry focus. While I don’t think there is a tension, I do believe students and industry each need their own lens. We also need to make sure the investment in the national training system reforms is balanced between these two lenses.

Last week my comment in the newsletter detailed the new Industry Clusters and the industry engagement arrangements that will be in place from 1 January 2023.

TDA welcomes the Ministerial statement outlining ‘stronger industry leadership and engagement’ to deliver a VET system ‘that can respond rapidly to changes in Australia’s economy and build a resilient workforce that delivers on industry’s needs.’

The draft VET Workforce Quality Strategy, part of the proposed national training system reforms, suggests a set of assets be produced that will ‘support high quality training and assessment’.

Last week in this newsletter we talked about ‘the many faces of a TAFE student’. In September we explored the multitude of TAFE and industry partnerships.

Recently TAFE SA welcomed people from Afghanistan who are studying English while they settle into their new lives in Australia, and shortly TAFE NSW will welcome back international students. These are but two of the many faces of TAFE students.

Today we continue our theme of the last few weeks of showcasing the partnerships TAFEs have with industry.

The title of my comment today is the same title I delivered at an ACPET conference in June 2014 – yes, seven years ago. At that conference I made two main points in relation to training packages: less prescription is needed, and one size does not fit all, especially at the higher levels of the AQF.

One of the most popular words of the last few weeks has been ‘roadmap’.

‘The establishment of Industry Clusters will enhance the role of industry in the national training system with a broader role and greater accountability to industry,’ so writes the Transition Advisory Group (TAG) in its recent advice to Government. Who is the TAG and what will the proposed Industry Clusters do that is different to now?

One week into my interim role as CEO of TDA, I have participated in a lot of briefings and consultation discussions, mainly led by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE). Indeed, I thought I knew much of the agenda, but it seems I didn’t have the full grasp of everything that is happening. So, today for the benefit of all TAFEs, I thought I would summarise the main components, acknowledging that this does not fully encompass all that is on the agenda.

Last week was an incredible week. I would like to begin this week’s newsletter by congratulating everyone on such a wonderfully successful National Skills Week and the outstanding launch of the WorldSkills Australia National Championships – our Olympics of trades.

The VET sector’s key role in addressing the country’s skills shortage has been highlighted by National Skills Commissioner Adam Boyton who has identified the growing demand for technical and trades workers and the looming need for tens of thousands of entrants to health and care roles.

Most of you will have now heard the news that TDA’s Chief Executive Officer Craig Robertson has stepped down from TDA. After more than four years leading TDA, Craig has left TDA in order to take up the appointment of the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Skills Authority (VSA). Craig will take up his position with the VSA on 23 August.