Anonymous - 25

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 does need to be involved however this is quite often difficult   
Industry engagement is being a member of the industry association for the qualifications taught. 
 Networking with the specific industry not jus a small part.  Meeting with industry and discussing training and industry needs
Would like to see the IRC,s hold specific networking events with industry and the industry association's
most industrys have no idea who or what goes on in the background around training
Industry should be involved with the support of RTO,s and backing the quality of their work and training

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:

The IRC and the TAC but would like to see more industry communication especially with the industry Associations as they can feed back to the industry
I don't believe there is currently enough collaboration amongst the sectors especially in design and training packages and some of the IRC,s are not wanting to share and consult and communicate and dont see the bigger pictured especially where industry crosses numerous occupations  
I also believe that only some industry's are listened to and often its not the ones working in that specifically area of industry

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:

Through encouraging training with industry, this has not happened with a lot of smaller industry's in a while
When existing worker funding was was removed from traineeships then numbers fell and industry stopped training.
Within the VET system there needs to be a cohesive approach to funding across all States and Territories and the abolishment of excessive enrolment fees and the wall restricting States from allowing thin market training companies to deliver quality training because the RTO is small and based in another State.

Example, NT Indigenous workers are permitted existing worker funding but no anyone else, in thin markets this is discrimination

Industry groups should have a part with the IRC,s along with the RTO,s   
RTO,s are supposed to have industry affiliations, yet I know of two 3 RTO,s who deliver training with our qualifications and not one is a member of the industry associations, attends networking events and only one provides any feedback to the TAC so how are the classified as a quality industry RTO?

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:

Yes and no, the design of the qualifications is good but the use of eddgy speak in them is of putting to industry
Industry also needs to give learners the time to train, and training is not seeing a student 3 times over a 12 months period for one hour

If the RTO,s delivering training cannot get involved in the training development then they should not be allowed to deliver the qualification

Those designing the qualifications are more often than not have nothing to do with the industry's the qualifications are designed for

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

Response:

There should be the same rules of engagement with industry for public and private providers and more emphasis should be placed on this
If delivering a qualification within a certain industry then there should be engagement and other industry's which cross over eg laundry-aged care, health care, hospitality, mining etc these IRC,s are not discussing the training needs or issue that this one industry crosses all their paths and where the individual industry players and associations should be involved to simplify and create a great training outcome for all