Full employment and its impact on skills development – comment by CEO Jenny Dodd

Husnen Rupani came to Australia as an international student. He studied and taught at several TAFEs and is now helping to transform the delivery of electrical training. Husnen is the CEO of Infinispark. He has developed a range of portable training and assessment devices that are game-changers. Infinispark is a TDA Corporate Affiliate.

Husnen, how did you arrive in Australia at the start of this journey?

I came to Australia in 2004 as an international student from India and studied electrical/electronics at RMIT TAFE.

I completed that and continued to a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering at RMIT. While I was doing that, I got an opportunity to teach as well. I think I was 21 when I had my first class and I loved it so much, I thought that this is what I want as a career.

I worked as an electrical trainer at a number of TAFEs for about 12 years. I also worked in the industry for a bit because I wanted to get some industry experience, but the teaching kept pulling me back. I’ve continued teaching and only stopped recently because the business is growing and needs my full attention.

What gave you the idea of starting the business?

It started when I was an electrical trainer. The constant challenge was around finding the right equipment to conduct practical training. It was not that TAFEs couldn’t provide it, but the fact that there are so many electrical components involved in every subject – trainers had the challenge of finding the right equipment and components when they needed them.

There’s also the shortage of time you have as a trainer to prepare, deliver and assess students.

I have always had a passion for supporting our sector and the community. So, I thought that there’s obviously a need for some sort of solution. So, working nights and weekends we made a prototype, we put all the components together in one box, showed it to a TAFE and said ‘what do you think?’

And that’s when we got our first order. We asked the trainers for their feedback and we received some great suggestions that we implemented in subsequent iterations of the equipment.

Collaboration is one of our core company values. Working with trainers in TAFEs and through rigorous R&D, we managed to increase our product range from one prototype to now seven products.

Our purpose, at Infinispark, is to support high quality education. Thanks to our customers and their support, we’ve sold more than 540 units across Australia and even some overseas.

Tell us about the ‘box’

It’s called the Pracbox – the practical box which contains all the components necessary for every element of the electrical training.

We have named them according to the subjects, so for example, for DC circuits, it’s the DC Pracbox, for AC circuits, the AC Pracbox, and so on. Also, there is the Control Circuit Pracbox, the Motor Faults Pracbox and the Electromag Pracbox.

We also have another line of equipment we call Faultboards that have all the components on a large panel where you can introduce electrical faults. Currently we have one item in that line, the Installation Testing Faultboard, which is used in the later stages of electrical apprenticeships.

What’s unique about this as a training tool?

The biggest differentiator is the compliance. In the electrotechnology training industry, we’ve got a very precise training package that tells exactly what students must be assessed on.

We took the training package, looked at the range statements/conditions and the performance requirements, and then chose our components based on that and made our first prototype.

The trainers have given us a lot of suggestions as to what they would like and we have built on that.

So, when a trainer looks at our equipment, they invariably say: “This is exactly what I teach. It’s such a simple idea, but I’ve never seen it before.”

That’s the main differentiating element – since the equipment is designed around the training package, it will always align the learning element to the practical element.

As an example, our DC Pracbox covers 100% of the practical elements of the Unit UEENEEE104A, which is now replaced by UEECD0044 and UEECD0046.

What does it mean for trainers and learners?

It’s important for TAFEs and RTOs to have high trainer productivity and learner engagement.

All of our equipment is designed to be portable. We go as far as saying that you can do the practical element absolutely anywhere power is available. You can do it in a classroom, in a workshop, in a meeting room, even at home.

We’ve got examples of people taking the equipment home and doing all their practicals there.

It’s great for trainer productivity because trainers can now set up equipment anywhere, at any time. It’s plug-and-play. You don’t need any special computer software or hardware.  So, that cuts down the preparation time substantially.

The learners love to see the theory aspects translating seamlessly into practical with our equipment.

What is changing in the way that electrical training at TAFE is delivered?

In the past there’s been a model, especially in electrical training, where classrooms were dedicated to certain subjects. All the equipment was fixed and bulky.

Almost all TAFEs are moving away from that model to more flexible classrooms and open space workshops. It means that the trainers, the TAFEs and the students require the flexibility to do their learning anywhere.

And, that’s where our equipment flourishes because it promotes the idea that you can do practical anywhere.

How has COVID impacted training delivery?

A lot of learning has now gone online and the whiteboard style of learning has gone away.

But, in my experience, it may have happened a bit too quickly. Where previously the trainers did a bit of ‘chalk-and-talk’ style teaching, they’ve now switched largely to training online.

However, I think there is still a huge need for chalk-and-talk, especially in trades and electrical areas. The main reason is that electricity is just such an obscure topic – it’s a bit like black magic!

I used to tell my students: ‘Electricity – you can’t see it. You can’t hear it. And, by the time you feel it, it may be too late.’ It sounds funny, but it’s deadly serious.

Chalk-and-talk helps humanise the topic. The trainers’ experience can be articulated easily. They can have good Q&A sessions, scenarios and discussions, which are quite difficult to achieve in a purely online setting.

It’s one of the key differences between virtual learning and remote learning.

Remote learning is where the trainer says ‘Just learn these topics and get back to me if you have any questions.’

Virtual learning is where you’re creating a classroom virtually. You’re still doing your chalk-and-talk, you’re still engaging with the students, and you’re still asking them questions and explaining things as if they’re sitting in the classroom.

I think there is a huge need to continue that, rather than going completely online, especially for trades and electrical.

What’s next for Infinispark?

One new area is in CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for electricians. In Victoria there’s a requirement being introduced for electricians to participate in CPD before their license renewal. That would entail an eight-hour training session at a TAFE or college.

We have developed an innovative product called Installation Testing Faultboard so the TAFEs and colleges are prepared when that change comes.

We are also developing the next box – a Transformer Pracbox. We’re still putting together some designs on how that might look.

Another fantastic product we are working on is the Electrical Trainer Currency Platform, which will support the trainers to do their professional development that’s required by the TAFEs, RTOs and regulatory authorities like ASQA.

We are also constantly upgrading our products based on customer feedback. Most recently we upgraded the Electromag Pracbox and DC Pracbox and are currently working on the new version of the AC Pracbox.

You can contact Husnen on 1300 15 22 99, or email Husnen at hus@infinispark.com.au

See more at Infinispark