Veterinary Advisory Services

Response:

Over the years increasing legislation has been developed to either make it easier, or more restrictive, for citizens to abtain employment after they have gained their particular skill set .
With increased technological developments in the twenty first century legislation which was appropriate twenty five years ago is now becoming obsolete. Professions sheltering behind legislative barriers (like medecine, pharmacy, veterinary science) are becoming more restrictive in offering employment to skilled participants. For example the medical profession refused licences to chiropractice, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, herbal medecine and other related medical skills. Today many doctors now refer patients to these skilled practitioners following surgery or for further treatments beyond their own specialised skill set.

This sort of problem opens up an opportunity for Jobs and Skills Australia  to advise government of changes in skill sets and job opportunities for people with skill sets in which they are highly skilled but are prevented from working because proper operations require the use of pharmacological products which are restricted. For example pregnancy testing in sheep by lay operators was prevented for many years because they were not allowed to use sedatives. Sedatives are now widely used on animals by non veterinarians for many tasks, but remain restricted in use by equine dentists. Lay operators are currently trained in sedative pharmacology, but restrictive veterinary legislation prevents their use.

Response:

1. First priority should be to develop skill sets that are flexible and developable so training can continue throughout careers.
2. People develop in different ways as they age. Some transition into management from "on the tools" training and others cannot handle the transition. Training and employment should reflect both sorts of skill sets. Older workers develop street smarts which impove efficiencies and these should be recognised by whole of industry bodies and change introduced after recognising both bottom up and top down management models.
3 Bureaucratic management of RTOs and Universities should frequently monitor the skill sets being taught so they remain relevant to the industries they are servicing. Currently veterinary science is training veterinarians so badly that 50% of graduates are leaving practice between 5-10 years after graduation. Veterinarians are reluctant to move to rural areas (just like doctors) which is causing massive animal welfare issues beacuse pets and other species do not receive proper veterinary care. This problem's solution must come from the training so expectations are managed in such a way that students expect to work with animals in rural areas.
4 The HELP financial assistance system should be extended to all students undergoing tertiary education and not remain restricted to diploma and above qualifications. There is no increased cost to the government  as graduates commence repayments as soon as they reach an appropriate level of income.

Response:

I believe JSA is consulting very widely and effectively.

Response:

As a member of an IRC I am probably biased but I believe that system worked very well. Representatives from a wide variety of industries engaged in debate but with a common goal of creating a solid worthwhile education sysyem, deliving efficiently produced qualifications.

Response:

Until recently I had always believed that the best answer to this question was made by the recipient of the service. Customer feedback has been used increasingly in recent years to refine service delivery. In fact it is now used so often that customers are becoming resistant to filling in the survey forms. It is now only poor service that is notified so survey results are becoming unreliable . Therefore it may be a better approach to survey the successful businesses to find out what they are doing that makes them so successful in their service delivery. Educating students in providing outcomes that look after the needs of the client is the best track to follow to develop a successful society and develop the nation.

Response:

JSA can support Peter Shergold's (retiring chancellor of University of Western Sydney) proposal to allow Universities to educate students at all stages of tertiary education - First year Cert III, second year Cert IV., third year bachelor degree, etc. Separating streaming to VET and Academic training on different campuses is unnecessary and costly. By combining theoretical and practical courses onto the same campus allows for different types of thinking to be bought together, which will probably prevent the current tramline thinking prevailing at present which is restricting better outcomes being explored.

Response:

Greater use of current trends in communication by younger generations would increase the exposure of JSA to a wider audience. 
Employment of expertise in marketing and communication would refine and elaborate communication trends. 
Linking secondary education and the paths to tertiary education introduces students to the opportunities the proposed changes offer. 
Involving the deliverers of the traditional apprentices schemes would ensure transitional disruptions would be minimised.

Response:

This is not within my skill set

Response:

No response provided.