Jobs and Skills Councils’ Demonstration Projects and Final Reports

The project sought to improve entry level pathways into the automotive industry to increase the skilled workforce available.

AUSMASA considered 15 existing Certificate II AUR qualifications to identify opportunities to reform these into fewer, broader qualifications that provide pathways into the automotive sector.

The project proposed a new qualification model that focuses on developing broader knowledge and skills, moving away from entry-level qualifications tied to a single occupation, and instead focusing on the underpinning knowledge and skills an individual needs for a range of entry level roles in the automotive sector.

The project has identified exciting potential changes to qualification design to better foreground knowledge outcomes in the qualification. AUSMASA also note that further detailed work is required to work through any unintended impacts on industrial relations and funding models.

For further information, please refer to the report.

AUSMASA Demonstration Project Final Report 

The project sought to develop new approaches for units of competency to describe the digital skills needed by people across different jobs and industries.

The initiative used the Australian Digital Capability Framework (ADCF) to define the digital skills needed and to underpin a more generic and flexible design for broader cross-sectoral units of competency, which could then be tailored to meet specific industry skills needs and overall improve the relevance of training.

These innovative new units of competency were then mapped to existing units of competency in the BSB, ICT and FNS training packages to identify opportunities to streamline, enhance adaptability, and reduce duplication to improve outcomes for learners and industry.

Key findings from the project demonstrates value in prioritising adaptable and transferable skills over rigid, job-specific training, using the model’s agile approach to design. To continue exploring the possibilities of this model approach for the broader VET sector, FSO has identified further work is required to develop and test the approach with key stakeholders, and a pilot phase to trial in real-world settings.

For further information, please refer to the report.

FSO Demonstration Project Final Report 

The project examined volunteering qualifications within the CHC Training Package for the potential of broader vocational learning across a range of sectors, such as health, welfare, emergency services, environment, animal welfare, sport and recreation, and community services.

The project proposed a new flexible learning architecture with a focus to support workforce development, skill transferability and portability across various industries and sectors, and to enhance the ability of RTOs in offering improved learning outcomes for students. The project demonstrates its specific application against volunteering qualifications and credentials.

This approach, designed at a conceptual level, requires further testing and refinement with key stakeholders to ensure it meets diverse learning needs.

For further information, please refer to the report.

HumanAbility Demonstration Project Final Report 

The project tested different approaches to training product design to create a Supply Chain Qualification at the Certificate III level to support worker mobility and transferability of skills across different occupations and contexts within the Transport and Logistics areas. This included road transport, logistics, ports, aviation, maritime, and rail.

The model delivered conceptual training product templates, designed with common skills and knowledge that could be transferrable across four job roles: forklift driver, baggage handler, deck hand, and track worker, with the ability to contextualise with specific skills required for each industry.

ISA reported stakeholders sought to maintain existing training products, indicating current TPOF provides for good training product design and RTO flexibility to innovate. However, ISA found that Companion Volume Implementation Guides and professional development and resources for training product developers could result in better consistency of training products.

For further information, please refer to the report.

ISA Demonstration Project Final Report 

The project considered how to best align the future skill needs of non-trade, technology-based training for manufacturing. Currently, training in these technical skills and knowledge is available through several training packages.

Using mapping, data analysis, and consultations, the project identified areas of potential duplication and opportunities to rationalise training products, including the potential removal of the MSA07 Manufacturing Training Package. Initial findings from the project are subject to further validation and refinement with industry to inform decisions on any further work to review implications and enable more efficient pathways to these occupations in the manufacturing industry.

For further information, please refer to the report.

MISA Demonstration Project Final Report

The project analysed alternative templates and models of units of competency and qualifications from six countries: Finland, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa, to assess their potential application for different purposes within the Australian setting.

While the project acknowledged template themes that may have potential merit and usefulness within the Australian context, Public Skills Australia’s network of industry stakeholders identified the current qualification and unit of competency templates as fit-for-purpose, and with alternative avenues other than template design to better support the delivery of quality training in the Public Safety and Government industry, including:

• Improving consistency in the drafting of qualifications and units of competency
• Providing additional support for ERTOs and RTOs to design and implement quality training and assessment materials
• Improving Companion Volume Implementation Guides (CVIG) to support implementation

For further information, please refer to the report.

PSA Demonstration Project Final Report

The project proposed the development of a new framework for service sector skills pathways within and between the services industries supported by SACSA. These pathways are intended to deliver both vertical and horizontal pathways, allowing learners to obtain underpinning knowledge and skills relevant to a range of industries, providing broad entry pathways into a range industry sectors, which can then be deepened with increasing levels of specialisation within specific sectors.

Focused initially on the commercial cookery pathway, stakeholder feedback indicated strong enthusiasm for the alignment with industry practices. Training and education stakeholders also recognised the frameworks’ potential to benefit learners, while reducing the administrative burden on training organisations.

Broader testing and refinement of the framework is needed, with next steps to include a pilot program in line with the Training Product Operating Framework and Quality Assurance processes.

For further information, please refer to the report.

SaCSA Demonstration Project Final Report

The project sought to redesign entry level pathways into rural operations to deliver greater sector knowledge and enable broader career and study opportunities across the agriculture, horticulture, and conservation and ecosystem management (AHC) industries.

The project approach took an exciting new direction, shifting from task-based identification of skills and learning to a broader approach, that focused on common learning outcomes, with context specific application. Through innovative template design, the approach has potential to reduce duplication by consolidating shared knowledge and skills, offering flexibility to adapt to emerging needs and unifying learning across a broad range of work activities.

The project is considering how changes to the qualification and unit of competency architecture may support this concept, noting further testing and evaluation is needed to assess the project’s application within and across industries.

For further information, please refer to the report.

SI Demonstration Project Final Report