Anonymous - 16

Related consultation
Submission received

Does the role of industry need to be strengthened or expanded across the VET system? Why/why not?

  • What does industry engagement mean to you?
  • How can industry be encouraged to connect with and use the VET system? What does this look like?
  • Are there any roles for industry in the VET system that are not covered or outlined in the case for change?

Response:

Industry engagements means engaging with those employers and business from SME's to Large who are most likely be affected by the quality of your training and assessment outputs and who can provide significant advice and direction to ensure our training and assessment services deliver the job ready graduates they need.

To encourage engagement with industry we need to demonstrate not only our capacity to listen but also to take affirmative action on the matters they raise.  

We must clearly demonstrate we are the perfect raining partner for them to engage with and their advice and feedback is actioned and is providing meaningful change in their industry through the provision of the job ready graduates they want.

Are you aware of the current industry-leadership arrangements led by the Australian Industry and Skills Commission?

Response:

Yes

How effective are the current industry engagement arrangements in VET in meeting your needs?

  • What works well and what could be improved? How could it be improved?
  • How well are you (or your organisation) represented by these arrangements?
  • How well do current arrangements allow collaboration across industry sectors on common workforce and skills needs?

Response:

Having reviewed the make - up of the IRC's we need a wider spread of industry representatives covering all areas and regions of Australia so that one region or area is not left behind or ignored.

We also need registered training organisations (this includes Private, Public and Enterprise providers) to be recognised as having a crucial role to play in engaging with industry. A role that brings a significant range of  ideas and methodologies for engaging with industry.

Current arrangements ignore the input of registered training organisations.

What can be done to drive greater collaboration across industries to broaden career pathways for VET graduates and maximise the workforce available to employers?

  • How can workers be equipped with skills that can be applied across different jobs?
  • How can industry support this through the VET system?
  • How can we break down silos and improve collaboration across industry groups?

Response:

I am not confident this can be achieved as all parties in the sector have a closed minded (self protecting) view on how the sector works and who should actually benefit.

Basically we have too many empire builders and political processes for effective collaboration to be achieved.

A classic example is the political game of Private V's Tafe, when we are all RTO's.

Are qualifications fit-for-purpose in meeting the needs of industry and learners now and into the future? Why/why not?

  • Are the different needs of industry and learners effectively considered in designing qualifications in the current system? What works well and why?
  • Are there issues or challenges with the way qualifications are currently designed? What are they and what could be done to address these?

Response:

I think consideration needs to be given to removing some levels but this needs to be measured against industry needs.

In some training packages the Certificate IV level qualifications are the entry level and yet in others it is a gap between qualifications with no real reasoning as to why it is actually needed.

Are there any further issues in relation to improving industry engagement in the VET sector that you would like to provide feedback on?

Response:

NO