Welcome to the latest update from the Skills Organisations, an initiative of the Australian Government to strengthen the role of industry in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Since our last update, the Skills Organisation Pilots in Mining, Digital and Human Services have been activating a range of exciting initiatives to test and demonstrate a more effective industry leadership model in VET.
General Update
Budget 2021 - 2022- New Industry Engagement Arrangements in VET
In the 2021-22 Federal Budget, the Government announced new industry engagement arrangements to strengthen the role of industry in the national training system. The Government announced an additional $149.2 million (bringing the total investment up to $292.5 million) over 4 years to establish new industry clusters to enhance industry collaboration and help streamline training package development and approval.
The new industry engagement arrangements aim to:
- enhance the role of industry and embed improved governance
- ensure a strong, strategic industry voice, drive collaboration across sectors by breaking down silos, and improve the speed to market of qualifications to meet evolving industry needs
- ensure qualifications are aligned to skills that are in high demand by employers, increase productivity of the workforce and give learners the best chance of finding work.
We are continuing to consult on the transition and implementation of these new arrangements which are expected to be implemented by January 2023.
To find out more about the skills reform priorities including qualification reforms, industry engagement and quality reforms visit the Skills Reform page.
Stakeholder consultation on industry engagement in VET: here’s what we heard.
Between November 2020 and April 2021, we invited people to share their views on how we could improve industry engagement in VET. The feedback from the surveys, online workshops, webinars, and meetings helped to inform the new industry engagement arrangements.
We found overall there is strong support to enhance industry's role in the VET system, with recognition that a shift in the role requires a new arrangement for industry engagement. Stakeholders recognise the benefits of deeper collaboration across industry groups, with many identifying links between skills requirements and training packages for different industries. Stakeholders also said wide-spread and diverse representation across all levels of industry, including small business was key to strengthening industry engagement.
Skills Organisations Pilots update
Mining Skills Organisation Pilot
Project Hub update
The Mining Skills Organisation Pilot continues to make good progress across their four-project hubs comprising of digital transformation, apprenticeships, attraction and retention, and qualifications reform. New partners are being brought on to assist the Mining Pilot team in the project implementation phase. Priority has been placed on the apprenticeships, qualifications reform and digital transformation hubs while elements of the attraction and retention project will also be activated, specifically covering research into workforce planning, pathways and transferable skills, and overseas models. Find out more in the latest Quarterly Pilot Bulletin.
A message from the Chair
Tania Constable, Interim Chair of the Mining Skills Organisation Pilot Steering Group has spoken to us about the key role the Pilot is playing in addressing workforce challenges across the mining sector. The nature of working in the mining industry is constantly evolving and the mining sector will need a workforce that is more diverse and digitally connected between different locations to support the changing work environment. Hear how the Mining Skills Organisation Pilot is working now to address the sector’s current and future skills needs.
Digital Skills Organisation Pilot
Qualification Design Trial
The Digital Skills Organisation Pilot is undertaking a Qualification Design Trial to ensure digital qualifications better meet the evolving skills needs of employers and individuals. As part of the trial, the Pilot will work with industry and training organisations to focus both on entry level data analysts as well as the more general digital skills required to address key issues and develop the resources and training needed to support the sector. The trial builds on the Pilot’s successful train 100 Data Analysts project which is providing new and innovative opportunities for Australians to rapidly develop their digital skills. Read more about the trial here: DSO Qualification Design Trial.
A message from the Chief Executive Officer
The Digital Skills Organisation is focused on delivering solutions to support Australia’s digital skills needs, improving the relationship between employers and the training system, and supporting stronger employment outcomes for individuals. The Pilot’s goal is to support Australia becoming a leading digital economy by 2030 and finding pathways to develop the skilled workforce to support that ambition. Hear from CEO Patrick Kidd about their plans.
Human Services Skills Organisation
Mapping workforce development and training programs
The Human Services Skills Organisation has recently engaged Community Services Industry Alliance to capture a detailed ‘map’ of all existing workforce development and training programs across Australia’s human services sectors. The plan will provide valuable insight into what training is currently available and what is in development to help address the growing workforce needs of the human services sectors. The Human Services Skills Organisation aims to create a useful, up to date resource for industry that provides a platform for collaboration and sharing that all stakeholders have access to. Read more on the Human Services Skills Organisation website.
A message from the Chief Executive Officer
The Human Services Skills Organisation is working to empower communities of cross-sector collaborators including employers and training organisations to develop, pilot and deliver responsive, fit-for-purpose solutions to address the growing and evolving workforce needs of the human services sector. In this video, Human Services Skills Organisation Chief Executive Officer Jodi Schmidt shares her vision and plans for the Pilot.
Workforce of the Future Event Series - Getting the Qualifications Right.
The sixth livestreamed event in the Workforce of the Future series, was held on Friday 28 May featuring industry leaders from the Skills Organisation Pilots in a wide-ranging discussion around how qualifications can be improved to better meet the needs of businesses and employers.
Our panel included Marc Washbourne, Chief Executive Officer for Readytech and board member of the Digital Skills Organisation Pilot, Amanda Thomas, General Manager of the Human Services Skills Organisation Pilot, and Nigel Haywood, Senior Manager of the Mineral Council of Australia and member of the Mining Skills Organisation Pilot.
The conversation explored the innovative work the Skills Organisation Pilots are undertaking to improve industry engagement in VET, including qualification design trials, new projects and initiatives, and how the Pilots are working to support more effective partnerships between industry, employers and training organisations. View the recording here: Workforce of the Future – Getting the Qualifications Right.
Visit the Workforce of the Future event series to explore other events in the series, or email skillsorganisations@dese.gov.au to subscribe to the event mailing list.
VET Reform - Stay up to date
If you want to keep across the latest developments in the transition and implementation plans for the new industry engagement arrangements visit the Skills Reform website. You can also sign up to our mailing list to receive updates.
If you would like more information on the 2021-22 Federal Budget announcement visit the Budget Summary and Portfolio Budget Statements on the Budget 2021-22 page.