Anonymous - 13

Response:

Yes.  Industry consultation should be strengthened based on the following:

Industry consultation should be broadened to capture community organisations, subject matter experts and government agencies as these also influence the outcomes of employment and identification of skills required or skills gaps.

Students need assurance that their intended qualification is endorsed by the Industry in which they want to seek employment with.


RTO's should have access to IRC's engagement data - to avoid RTO's duplicating industry engagement and burdening Industry with multiple requests for the same information.  Considerable funding goes into supporting the IRC and this information should also be available for RTO's to ensure that the expertise of the IRC can filter down to the RTO's who deliver the training. 

IRC's should be encouraged to work with RTO's and share their collective data, so as to avoid/reduce the cost of duplicating industry engagement.

RTO's make decisions on what units are to be delivered for each course and how that delivery will occur based on what is best for the RTO.  Industry input helps to ensure that RTO's remain flexible when meeting student needs.

Industry need to have a permanent place at the table to ensure that the products being built will result in giving students skills that are valued by employers of that industry.  Whilst industry aren't educational experts, they are experts in employment and understanding the practical application of skills in the workforce.


Industry stakeholders can be reluctant to share their expertise as they don't want to or aren't authorised  to "speak for the whole company".  

The increasing numbers of industry who are also training providers is a conflict of interest and though they may sit on an IRC, they are reluctant to share expertise with other RTO's.

The term  "Industry" needs to be redefined to include community organisations, subject matter experts and consumer groups as these represent important aspects that should be included in consultation processes.

Every industry has emerging trends that are not always acknowledged or considered, so Industry consultation should also consider utilising reports, publications and journals by subject matter experts or agencies such as Ai Group, OECD, Deloitte, Government Departments etc.

Standards of Industry consultation vary across each RTO and are not clearly defined.  A more uniformed approach will ensure that training is relevant and matches the skills demands from Industry regardless of which training provider they choose.

Students need to feel secure that the training received is valued and acknowledged and likely to lead to meaningful employment.  Some sort of rating system could be considered to clearly identify which courses are supported by Industry and their likelihood of employment following completion of the course.  Eg.  Is this course delivered by an industry approved provider?  In a highly competitive RTO market, how can a student select a provider that is endorsed by the industry I want to work in.  For eg. Will my future employer value a qualification by the Master Builders Association or by TAFE NSW? 

RTO's should have links on websites to help students make informed decisions about selecting the right course/qualification that will fulfill their employment goals.  Eg: Job Outlook /skillsmatch- helps students understand their profession, demand for employment and the industries that are hiring and the expectations that Industry have on their skill level.  Are students given enough access to information to make an informed decision about which course/RTO will get the job they want?

Response:

Yes

Response:

RTO's make decisions on what units are to be delivered for each course and how that delivery will occur based on what is best for the RTO.  Industry input helps to ensure that RTO's remain flexible when meeting student needs.

Industry need to have a permanent place at the table to ensure that the products being built will result in giving students skills that are valued by employers of that industry.  Whilst industry aren't educational experts, they are experts in employment and understanding the practical application of skills in the workforce.
IRC's should be encouraged to work with RTO's and share their collective data, so as to avoid/reduce the cost of duplicating industry engagement.

Industry stakeholders can be reluctant to share their expertise as they don't want to or aren't authorised  to "speak for the whole company".  

The increasing numbers of industry who are also training providers is a conflict of interest and though they may sit on an IRC, they are reluctant to share expertise with other RTO's.

The term  "Industry" needs to be redefined to include community organisations, subject matter experts and consumer groups as these represent important aspects that should be included in consultation processes.

Every industry has emerging trends that are not always acknowledged or considered, so Industry consultation should also consider utilising reports, publications and journals by subject matter experts or agencies such as Ai Group, OECD, Deloitte, Government Departments etc.

Standards of Industry consultation vary across each RTO and are not clearly defined.  A more uniformed approach will ensure that training is relevant and matches the skills demands from Industry regardless of which training provider they choose.

Students need to feel secure that the training received is valued and acknowledged and likely to lead to meaningful employment.  Some sort of rating system could be considered to clearly identify which courses are supported by Industry and their likelihood of employment following completion of the course.  Eg.  Is this course delivered by an industry approved provider?  In a highly competitive RTO market, how can a student select a provider that is endorsed by the industry I want to work in.  For eg. Will my future employer value a qualification by the Master Builders Association or by TAFE NSW? 

RTO's should have links on websites to help students make informed decisions about selecting the right course/qualification that will fulfill their employment goals.  Eg: Job Outlook /skillsmatch- helps students understand their profession, demand for employment and the industries that are hiring and the expectations that Industry have on their skill level.  Are students given enough access to information to make an informed decision about which course/RTO will get the job they want?

Response:

Standardised stackable skill sets that students can complete online whilst still working full time.  Students have the control to select which units they want to complete and can work up to a full qualification or receive recognition for the course they have completed.  Skill sets need to be transferable and nationally recognised.

Standardising the Industry engagement process that all RTO's must comply with.  This could be done utilising the current SSO or IRC to ensure the qualification is endorsed by Industry and provides the skills most likely to lead to employment.

Redefine the term industry - to include subject matter experts and community organisations  - many individuals are reluctant to speak for the entire company but would be happy to share their own experience.  If enough individuals respond, trends should present themselves.

Industry Consultants are time poor and providing "consultation" is a nice thing to do, but is not part of their usual job.  A nationally standardized approach that makes it simple and easy for the consultant would ensure more in depth engagement and encourage a greater uptake by individuals.  Standard surveys etc.

RTO's or qualifications are given a rating system or "green tick" when their qualification is endorsed by the relevant industry.

Students need access to more information to make an informed decision about their career, however many rely on the RTO to steer them in the right direction.  Some RTO's may encourage enrolment into higher paying courses than providing tools for an independent decision.  Could strengthen online careers guidance platforms that every RTO links to, to support students to make informed decisions.

Response:

The qualifications aren't flexible enough and in most cases RTO's select the one size fits most approach.  COVID 19 and the shift towards digital learning, means there is a demand from consumers who work full time and want to learn at a pace convenient to them.  Students choose the number units they want to study and receive a passbook style of stamp for each completed course or similar recognition.  These skills should be stackable and be nationally recognised.

This approach would also provide more freedom for employers to collaborate with staff to select units that are matched to their current occupation.  Payment for a single unit rather than a full qualification allows the student to have more options and be able to study when they want, how they want.  Commitment to a full qualification is daunting, put a few stackable units here and there is achievable for those who are time poor.

Each unit should have a rating system if it is part of an industry endorsed qualification.

Many of the training packages make assumptions that a student has the ability and capacity to complete the qualification and students can be enrolled into courses that are unsuitable for them.  Qualifications should have some level of assessment tool that a student can complete in private to identify any potential skill gaps that might hinder their success in achieving a qualification.  The student can then make an informed decision on whether they should proceed with the qualification or conduct some additional study to bridge gaps in knowledge etc.

Response:

Develop a standarised process to ensure that all RTO's are incorporating the appropriate levels of industry consultation into course design and delivery.

Allow RTO's to have access to the IRC to avoid duplication and unnecessary approaches to the same industry organisations.

Broaden the definition of industry to ensure community organisations, subject matter experts and government agencies (Centrelink, customer service centres, Home Affairs, Indigenous Affairs etc) are included as they provide a different perspective which is also vital to successful outcomes of any training package.