Anonymous - 34

Response:

The needs of industry, current and future employee expectations, technology, education delivery, job and workplace design, are all rapidly changing.  As a globally recognised leader in innovative thinking and practice, Rio Tinto is committed to developing the new skills and capabilities essential for the current and future workforce.  Rio Tinto values collaboration with the Australian government, both at the State and Federal level, who are there to support a VET system that maintains the competitiveness of Australia’s industry.
Effective collaborative partnerships across industry, educators, government and community are essential to reinvigorate learning pathways, student experiences and outcomes which will attract and engage diverse talent.  Rio Tinto has been working through the establishment of the Resource Industry Collaboration in Western Australia with representation from TAFE, Universities, Department of Education and Training WA, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy, the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and industry partners.  
The development of the first nationally recognised VET qualifications in automation was performed in collaboration with the Western Australian Government and the South Metropolitan TAFE resulting in three certificates in automation. This is a demonstration of both our commitment to reskilling and upskilling our current and future workforce and our commitment to the VET system.  In September 2020 we saw the first pilot group of high school students complete the automation training resulting in ten students being offered positions in the Automation Traineeship with Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto recognises that the mining industry needs to continue to work collaboratively to progress the workforce and innovation agenda across the industry, and to ensure that training and skills development benefits the sector as a whole.
Rio Tinto collaborates nationally at an industry level via the MCA which in late 2018 established its Workforce and Innovation Committee.
The MCA’s Workforce and Innovation Committee is working on delivering a suite of connected initiatives for industry that will help to increase and promote diversity and inclusion in mining, secure existing and future talent pools and pathways, deliver inclusive leadership and showcase mining as an industry of choice. Since its inception, the MCA has developed and delivered strategic education partnerships and pathways to the modern mining sector, facilitating access to and inspiring a wider talent pool through a series of curricula pilots including a reinvigorated Mining Engineering pathway.
We welcomed the November 2019 announcement of the MCA being awarded the Skills Organisations Pilot for the mining industry and the key role the MCA will play in shaping the national training system.  
At Rio Tinto we recognise that initiatives like the Skills Organisation Pilot, where industry takes a leading role in supporting the VET system will lead to better outcomes for learners, employers, and the economy. Aiming for greater national-level consistency, recognition and access to courses across the VET system is an important objective of the pilots, particularly for students in regional and remote Australia, the communities in which Rio Tinto operates.
Rio Tinto will continue to build a close partnership between industry and government to identify and anticipate the modern and relevant skills that can be acquired through the VET sector as a valued pathway to meaningful employment.  
Having an active VET system that consults and engages with industry to ensure that the streams of education aligns with the current and future requirements of roles required by industry will provide greater opportunities for individuals and industry alike.

Response:

No

Response:

No response provided.

Response:

The future workforce will be empowered to change specialisations and careers a number of times over their working lives enabling a lifetime of learning.  Where the VET and university systems can work together and be designed around competencies, skills sets and learning outcomes while recognising prior achievements and learnings, students will develop skills that meet both individual and fit for purpose industry needs.  
When there is a VET system that is able to truly recognise prior learning (ie competencies) from one industry which can then be adapted, transferred and/or built upon to be recognised by another industry we will start to see better outcomes for all industries.
Funding VET that mirrors this educational stream of micro credentialing/skill set training will allow students to build on and gain new skills and knowledge and be more adaptive to the changing workforce landscape.  

Response:

Agility in meeting the changing needs of the fast-paced, evolving industry requirements is of paramount importance.  When industry and the VET sector work together we are able to ensure that what is captured in the current pathways remains current and that new pathways are created to ensure that industry and individuals are kept at the forefront of learning and engaging.  
Learners want to feel confident that they have completed a pathway that will deliver them into a career which will enable them to step into the workforce fully ready to contribute and participate safely in.
Industry wants to have the confidence that VET has provided a sound, up to date and full curriculum that will provide the qualified learners with the competencies to safely perform their tasks to the required standard.
VET and RTO’s would benefit from a centralised design and development framework for qualification development and learning and assessment materials that has subject matter expert input into both which is most likely to come from industry.

Response:

More than 60 per cent of mining jobs are located in regional areas.  The mining industry needs higher skilled individuals in local communities in which we operate.  Removing barriers for people in regional communities to pursue training opportunities provides for a more diverse and rich organisational culture and more local job opportunities in the regional areas.
Rio Tinto recognises VET as playing a vital role in building essential skills for Australia’s competitiveness, now and into the future and supports industry partnering with VET and the government to create, build and maintain pathways.