Outcomes, not inputs, must be the focus – comment by Jenny Dodd

Outcomes, not inputs, must be the focus – comment by Jenny Dodd

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.

Today I want to emphasise what TAFEs will be looking for as part of these changes to the way training products are developed.

As stated last week, TDA supports the new remit for industry, that is an ‘end-to-end’ approach. In summary this means Industry Clusters will identify, forecast, and respond to workforce challenges and skills needs. They will then develop training products and work with RTOs on training delivery as well as promoting career pathways. TDA supports industry leadership of the skills development of their current and future workforce.

However, this changed approach means Industry Clusters must focus on what outcomes they want from their trained workforce. It is the outcome that is essential for industry. Industry Clusters need to ensure they are not reproducing the prescriptive inputs that RTOs currently must deal with in existing training packages.

If speed to market and innovative approaches are to be achieved, then the current tomes that make up training packages must go. This outcomes focus will have the added benefit of industry being able to think about the development of transferable skills, as opposed to just detailed tasks. We need outcome-oriented training products that foster workers who can adapt their skills for different roles.

The administrative and regulatory burden of the current input driven training package construct must also be removed. The detail in training packages requires complex back-end system support, consuming considerable resources to assess a student’s compliance. Therefore, the downstream impact of new training products should be top of mind.

Such changes will allow for flexibility by TAFEs to further develop the curriculum and delivery modes in partnership with their local employers. Employers everywhere in Australia want to have a say in how the training is developed for their distinctive groups of workers or students. TAFEs have skilled educators who can design and deliver for student groups in ways that make sense for their specific region. Let’s harness the expertise of TAFEs as they partner with their employers to deliver nationally recognised industry outcomes in local contexts.

TAFEs meeting the challenge of renewable energy skills

Renewable energy has an important role to play in cutting carbon pollution given that the energy sector accounts for both the largest proportion and biggest growth of greenhouse gas emissions created by people.

The renewable energy sector will be a major source of jobs in the next few years and already state and federal governments are making significant steps towards an economy wide pathway to reaching net-zero emissions.

In 2019, at least 25,000 people were employed in renewable energy supply chains and almost 10,000 of those were in rooftop solar. By 2035 the renewable energy sector could employ as many as 46,000 people, and around 75 per cent of renewable energy job opportunities could be distributed across regional and rural Australia. Although construction and installation jobs now dominate the renewable energy labour market (75 per cent), by 2035 as many as half of renewable energy jobs could be ongoing jobs in operation and maintenance.

Australia’s transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy necessitates the adoption of new and rapidly emerging clean technologies. This, in turn, requires a highly skilled workforce capable of designing, installing, monitoring and maintaining systems, products and processes significantly different from those in common use; so different, in fact, that many have yet to be developed.

The National Skills Commission has identified new emerging occupations related to renewable energy which include solar installers, energy efficiency engineers and wind turbine technicians.

See what TAFEs around Australia are doing to build skills for the future.

GOTAFE mobile campus on the road

Jobseekers in Victoria’s regional and remote communities will have an extra avenue for training and career counselling, as the GOTAFE mobile campus hits the road.

The Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney launched the $850,000 GOTAFE Mobile Campus and Skills and Jobs Centre last week.

It comprises a fit-for-purpose semi-trailer that will visit areas in north-east Victoria with limited or no direct access to TAFE and training.

The centre will supplement GOTAFE’s bricks and mortar offering by catering for 200,000 additional northern Victorians within three years, including prospective students, jobseekers, industry and community groups.

The state government provided funding of $667,000 for the project in partnership with GOTAFE and La Trobe University.

Bendigo Kangan Institute currently has a mobile service and more will soon be operated by SuniTAFE. There are more than 30 Skills and Jobs Centre sites operated by TAFEs and training providers in Victoria.

The GOTAFE mobile campus has scheduled a series of upcoming visits. See the locations or book a session.

Digital change the next big TAFE opportunity

One of the biggest changes for TAFEs will come from harnessing the digital opportunities that have been turbocharged as a result of the COVID pandemic, according to TDA interim CEO Jenny Dodd.

Speaking on the latest edition of Claire Field’s podcast, ‘What now? What next?’, Ms Dodd said COVID has seen a quantum change in how skills are delivered.

“I still think that the one big challenge that TAFEs have in front of them is how they keep abreast of the digital change that is occurring in every workplace,” Ms Dodd said.

“But equally, how do they use systems effectively that provide both data business intelligence and streamline some of those enrolment processes and other processes most effectively, so that the investment can go into learning and development.”

One question is how sectors such as aged care that may not currently use a lot of technology work with partners as they make the digital transition.

“These things are all coupled together, so that we move away from just a teacher being in the classroom, to a teacher using digital technologies for system support where they can access data and see how students are learning, but also access data to see who’s on the waitlist.”

Listen to What now? What next with Jenny Dodd

Register for TAFETalks Apprenticeship webinar, Wednesday 17 November

Don’t miss the upcoming TAFETalks: Apprenticeships Part 1: Innovation, Collaboration and Acceleration, Wednesday 17 November at 2.00pm (Canberra/Melbourne/Sydney time).

Guest speakers are

  • Dr Gavin Lind, General Manager Safety, Workforce, Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and Chair of the Mining Skills Organisation Pilot (MSOP)
  • Ms Michelle Hoad, Managing Director of North Metropolitan TAFE in Western Australia

It’s the first of a two-part series on apprenticeships which will focus on innovation in apprenticeships including industry-led proposed acceleration in the mining industry. This session will highlight the importance of collaboration with TAFEs for successful outcomes. The second session, on 1 December will focus on apprenticeships as a career and the support that is needed for students to successfully complete an apprenticeship.

Dr Gavin Lind will share his insights on proposed accelerated apprenticeships.

Michelle Hoad will provide a holistic overview of Western Australia’s approach to apprenticeships, drawing on innovative practices from across the state.

Register here

TAE Training Package consultations commence

The first comprehensive review of the TAE Training and Education Training Package in five years is underway, with a series of stakeholder consultations starting from tomorrow.

The review is being undertaken by PwC’s Skills for Australia and the Education Industry Reference Committee.

The consultation around the TAE Training Package is seeking insights on key issues and changes that have occurred in the education landscape since the training package was last updated in 2016.

To have your voice heard, click here to subscribe to the mailing list to hear about consultation opportunities, or click here to log a training product issue at any time.

The consultation sessions commence tomorrow and continue until Friday 19 November. For information on how to book a session click here. The sessions have limited capacity.

Some of the key issues identified in consultations with the TAE Training Package include:

  • Failure to fully address modern workforce needs.
  • Insufficient flexibility in qualification packaging rules.
  • Gaps that need addressing via ‘stackable’ skill sets, for VET for Secondary Students, and for enterprise training.
  • Failure to support a diverse range of career pathways.

Register for ACDEVEG 2021: Developing the adaptive VET teacher

Registration is now open for the ACDEVEG  (Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group) online conference, Wednesday 8 December from 2-6 pm AEDT.

The conference is supported by the VET Development Centre and the cost is $25. The conference features international and national speakers.

See here for details, including the program and registration link.

Inquiries may be made to ACDEVEG2021@federation.edu.au

WFCP awards deadline extended

There’s still time to nominate for the 2022 World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Awards of Excellence.

Due to the impact of Covid in different countries, the new deadline for nominations is Friday, 3 December (11:59 p.m. Canada/US Eastern Standard Time).

The awards are open to all WFCP members, regardless of type of membership.

For more information, go to the website or contact Lyne Dalby at secretariat@wfcp.org.

ASQA approves extended transitions for construction, crane operations and electrical

The Australian Skills Quality Authority has approved extended transition periods for a host of qualifications in the areas of construction, crane operations and electrical technology.

The extensions include:

  • Eleven High Risk Work units from the CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package until 28 March 2022
  • TLILIC0012 – Licence to operate a vehicle loading crane (capacity 10 metre tonnes and above) (Release 1) until 28 February 2022
  • UEE62111 – Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology – Electrical until 31 December 2023

See more

Diary Dates

OctoberVET: VET and resilience
Dr Karen O’Reilly-Briggs, Dr Karen O’Reilly-Briggs (Box Hill Institute), Dr Rochelle Fogelgarn (La Trobe University) and Dr Jacolyn Weller (La Trobe University) Annemaree Gibson, (Box Hill), Stephanie Cunningham (Box Hill), Mark Jordan (Holmesglen)
12 November 2021, 1-30-3.00 pm
Register here

National VET PD Week
Velg Training
15-19 November 2021 (Online)
More information

TAFETalksApprenticeships Part 1: Innovation and acceleration
TAFE Directors Australia
17 November 2021, 2.00 pm AEDT
Register

Australian Training Awards
18 November 2021
Perth, Western Australia
More information
2021 VDC Virtual Teaching & Learning Conference
VET Development Centre
18-19 November 2021 (Online)
More information

OctoberVET Ballarat 2021
Beyond COVID
25 November 2021, 11.00-12.30, online
Register

TAFETalksApprenticeships Part 2: Supporting students to complete
TAFE Directors Australia
1 December 2021, 2.00 pm AEDT
Register

Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group Annual Conference
‘People, place and time: developing the adaptive VET teacher’.
8 December 2021, 2-6 pm (Online)
More information

TAFETalks: Academic integrity in VET and Higher Education
2 February 2022
Dr Helen Gniel, Director, Higher Education Integrity Unit, TEQSA & Sharon Waitzer, Director Engagement and Education, ASQA
Register 

National Apprentice Employment Network
National Conference
15-17 March 2022
Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, Tasmania
More information