Transcript Slide 1

Skill Shortage, Policy and the Howard
Government
Dr Alan Montague [email protected]
03 9925 5653
Prof. Judith Bessant
Slide 1
Australian Skill Shortages:
How the Howard Government Did Not
Change its Mind
Published in The Economic and Labour
Relations Review Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 99–
114
Historical “Denialism”
ABC News Wednesday March 12, 2008
*Chronic skills crisis a myth: Turnbull*
Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says
Australia is not facing a chronic skills crisis as claimed by
the Government. Mr Turnbull has told a business group
there is evidence of skills shortages in different sectors,
but it is not represented right across the economy in all
states and territories.
Mr Turnbull says Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan should
stop trying to inflate the issue. "Not surprisingly none of
Mr Swan's 20 RBA (Reserve Bank) warnings mention a
'chronic' skills crisis as a cause of current inflationary
pressures," he said.
"The truth is that Australia does not have a 'chronic' skills
crisis which would have caused excessive real wage
growth right across the economy."
out of touch."
A problem or a challenge?
• … I do not wish for a moment to underestimate
the problem relating to skills…. But it is a
challenge, it’s not a crisis, and we should
approach it as such.
Prime Minister John Howard 2006
• There is already a talent shortage in many areas
of the global labour force … [it] could threaten
the engines of world economic growth and
prosperity.
• (Manpower 2006A)
Methodology – Simple 3 months of
Australian newspaper articles
• BHP forced to recruit foreigners” (Burrell 2007).[i] Politicians and
editorial writers climbed aboard what proved to be a relentless news
story. So bad was the problem that the Queensland State
Government was reportedly ‘looking to recruit trades teachers from
overseas as it struggles to cope with the skills crisis’ (Hansard
2006).
And according to the Age editorial (Age Editorial 2007):
• … the skills shortage was reaching critical mass. It doesn't take a
rocket scientist, if there are any left, to work it out. Funding shortfalls
+ decline in teachers = fewer graduates. This is not a linear
equation; it feeds back on itself as a vicious circle. The result is that
Australia is going to be the big loser.
• This story acknowledged that BHP Billiton had commenced
negotiations with the federal government with a view to recruiting
more than 200 foreign workers for the ‘$2 billion expansion of the
Pilbara iron-ore operations, highlighting the worsening skills crisis’
(Burrell 2007).
Skills for the Future
• It was not until late 2006 that we saw any kind of
official acknowledgement of a problem. On 12
October 2006 Australia’s Prime Minister John
Howard announced a ‘Skills for the Future’
policy that involved a commitment to spend $837
million over five years and aiming, as Howard
explained in his statement in the House of
Representatives, ‘to help build a more highly
skilled and responsive workforce to support
Australia’s long-term economic growth’ (Hansard
2006).
definition
• the Commonwealth Department of Employment
and Workplace Relations (DEWR) defines skills
shortages as a circumstance when ‘employers
are unable to fill or have considerable difficulty in
filling vacancies for an occupation, or
specialised skill needs within that occupation, at
prevailing levels of remuneration and conditions
of employment, and reasonably accessible
location’ (Employment Workplace Relations and
Education References Committee 2003):11).
Definitive definition?
• There is no simple or agreement on
definitions of, or reliable measures, that
can be used to quantify the extent of a skill
shortage. Indeed it is necessary to draw
on a range of indicators, as (the former)
DEWR did.
DEWR 4 kinds of ‘skills shortage…
•
•
•
•
The DEWR approach distinguishes between four kinds of ‘skills
shortage’ in ways that it is likely not everyone who has entered the
recent public discussion about skills shortages has necessarily
understood or observed.
Level 1 shortage: There are few people who have the essential
technical skills who are not already using them and there is a long
training time to develop the skills.
Level 2 shortage: There are few people who have the essential
technical skills who are not already using them but there is a short
training time to develop the skills.
Skills mismatch: There are sufficient people who have the essential
technical skills who are not already using them, but they are not
willing to apply for the vacancies under current conditions. (Nursing
is a good example here)
Quality gap: There are sufficient people with the essential technical
skills who are not already using them and who are willing to apply
for the vacancies, but they lack some qualities that employers
consider are important
(Richardson 2007)
Skill shortage or vested interest?
• Does Australia actually face a skill
‘challenge’ or ‘crisis’ however it is defined?
Certainly there is no shortage of people
and organisations prepared to say there is
such a shortage.
RBA
• The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)
argued early on that there is a serious
skills shortage problem in its monetary
policy report of November 1999.
According to the RBA report there was
evidence that the strength of the labour
market was generating skills shortages in
some areas.
Four years later on 23 October
2003
• The Senate Inquiry (Employment Workplace Relations
and Education References Committee 2003) reported
after extensive consultation with industry on a number of
areas that serious skill shortages existed. The trades
affected on a long term basis included pastry cooks,
chefs and motor vehicle mechanics, toolmakers and
upholsterers - boilermakers, fitter and turners, metal
machinists, pressure welders and sheet-metal workers.
More recent problems had been noticed since the late
1990s in industries like refrigeration and air-conditioning
mechanics and panel beaters, vehicle painters, and
automotive electricians (Employment Workplace Relations and Education References Committee 2003).
significant skill shortages in
professions
• The Senate report also pointed to significant skill
shortages in professions such as electrical or
electronic engineers, accountants, registered
nurses, midwives, mental health nurses,
development disability nurses, pharmacists,
physiotherapists, speech pathologists, medical
imaging professionals, and secondary school
teachers - though not in all disciplines
(Employment Workplace
Relations and Education References Committee 2003).
urgency in official discussions
• Despite all this it was not until 2006 that
we saw any sense of urgency in official
discussions about skill shortages,
something that was helped by the fact that
a number of major reports based on
various surveys were released across
2006.
VECCI
• A Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (VECCI) Victorian Skills Survey in
early 2006 observed that labour shortages were
a significant problem for industry in Victoria
(VECCI 2007). The VECCI Victorian Skills
Survey is the first statewide Victorian survey of
its kind covering all industry sectors, and was
distributed to Victorian enterprises in early 2006.
A total of 7,469 businesses were invited to
complete the survey. The survey achieved a
response rate of 17% with 1,281 surveys being
available for analysis (VECCI 2007)
• The VECCI Skills Survey (VECCI 2007) found
that businesses were ‘experiencing difficulties in
filling vacancies, with over half of businesses
finding it difficult to recruit skilled people to
vacancies over the 6 months ahead of
filling in the survey;
Neil Coulson, VECCI Chief Executive Officer,
(cited (VECCI 2007) claimed that:
• nearly 60 percent of respondents reported that
skills shortages were having a negative impact
on the productivity of their business - the Survey
also shows that labour shortages are spread
across skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled
occupations, from Welder/Boiler Makers to Taxi
Drivers’
AIG Survey
• In 2006 the Australian Industry Group (AIG) in
conjunction with the Allan Consulting Group also
surveyed over 500 businesses. The issue most
often cited and accounting for 85% of the 500
businesses surveyed, was building a skill base
to sustain competitiveness for at least three
years (AIG 2006). Employers claimed that
economic growth was dependent on improving
and rebuilding; a skilled workforce (AIG 2006).
Manpower’s international survey
• In August Manpower (Manpower 2006B) surveyed
almost 32,000 employers in 26 countries including 3,000
Australian employers. The survey (Manpower 2006B) set
out to determine the availability of suitable permanent
professional candidates in the marketplace, and the
impact this is having on salaries/compensation. The
survey results revealed that 29 percent of employers
worldwide reported they would have hired more staff
over the past six months if candidates with the right skills
would have been available. The survey shows that talent
shortages among “permanent” professionals are
particularly acute in the Americas and Asia Pacific.
Employers in Peru (46%), Japan (45%) and Mexico
(41%) are having the most difficulty finding qualified
talent, which is causing wage inflation in these countries.
Shortages are far less critical in Europe, with most
employers indicating less difficulty finding qualified
professional staff’ (Manpower 2006B).
Global ten 10 jobs that employers are having
difficulty filling in order):
• 1. Sales Representatives
• 2. Skilled Manual Trades
• 3. Technicians (primarily production/operations,
engineering or maintenance)
• 4. Engineers
• 5. Accounting & Finance Staff
• 6. Labourers
• 7. Production Operators
• 8. Drivers
• 9. Management/Executives
• 10. Machinists/Machine Operators
•
Manpower (2007a). Talent Shortage Survey 2007 Global Results Manpower Services (Australia) Pty Ltd
Top 10 Australia
• 1. Skilled Manual Trades (primarily electricians,
boiler makers or welders)
• 2. Engineers
• 3. Sales Representatives
• 4. Accounting & Finance Staff
• 5. Labourers
• 6. Management/Executives
• 7. Drivers
• 8. Machinists/Machine Operators
• 9. Technicians
• 10. Administrative Assistants & PAs
Local survey by Manpower
• According to Manpower (2006B) in Australia a prominent
finding was that ‘fifty-two per cent of employers in the
state of Western Australia were forced to raise salaries
to recruit and or secure skilled professional staff due to
critical and serious shortages of talented people’. The
(Manpower 2006B) study also pointed to a critical
shortage in public administration and education, with 41
per cent of employers in this industry reporting they
would have hired more staff if they could just find them.
Similarly, wage inflation was greatest in the public
administration and education, finance, insurance, real
estate, mining and construction sectors, with more than
44 per cent of employers paying higher compensation for
professional positions compared to the previous year.
These sectors are also experiencing the greatest talent
deficit (see also (Donaldson 2006).
APPRENTICESHIPS AND
TRAINEESHIPS
• “I do feel the Howard Government has
breathed life back into the skills area.
There are now 400,000 people in
apprenticeships. There were 132,000
when we took over in 1996. There's more
to do, but I think there was serious neglect
under Labor.” Andrew Robb - Vocational
and Technical Education Minister
(Maiden 2007)
“breathed life back into the skills area”
– open to conjecture – no it is just ….
• Since 1996 the coverage of industry
sectors has increased significantly
enabling more trainees to obtain
employment and training through this
pathway. The notion that the Howard
government has “breathed life back into
the skills area” is at best an overstatement
and at worst a statement of conjecture
from our research.
The dimensions of a problem?
• A shortage of 250,000 traditional trades apprentices
could cost the economy $9 billion in lost output over the
next decade, the ACTU warned yesterday.
• ACTU president Sharan Burrow said an ageing
workforce, combined with fewer traditional apprentices
coming through the training system, was creating a skills
shortage costing the economy about $735 million a year.
The ACTU estimates up to 170,000 tradespeople will
leave the workforce over the next five years and only
40,000 will enter it, leading to a national shortage of
250,000 traditional apprentices in 10 years (Shaw and
Rood 2004)
AUSTRALIAN TECHNICAL
COLLEGES
• One policy initiative set out in the 2004/2005 federal
budget was to establish Australian Technical Colleges
(ATCs) in 24 regions to address skill shortages of skills
shortages. The intention was to introduce the ATCs over
four years, and they would enroll year 11 and 12
students to commence trade training in an area of skill
shortage while undertaking secondary schooling (DEST)
2007). They would be industry-endorsed and managed
autonomously by principals with the discretion to recruit
teachers on a performance-pay basis (DEST 2004;
DEST 2007).
ATCs - some yet to materialise and
others performing poorly
• According to Prime Minister Howard the new Colleges
(with some yet to materialise and others performing
poorly ed. note) ‘helped restore the place of traditional
trades in our national consciousness after a long period
in which a trade training was deemed second-class’
(Howard 2006). Moreover for the former Minister for
Vocational and Technical Education, Gary Hardgrave
said the new technical colleges were a 'lighthouse
designed to shed light on the need to make changes in
education and this inspired policy was already having an
enormous impact.’ (Hardgrave 2005).
ATCs - many were under jeopardy
• In April 2006 it was reported despite John
Howard's “vision” and enthusiasm for 24
federally-funded technical colleges
designed to address the skills shortage
many were under jeopardy and not being
realised, with the Government threatening
to strip some regions of the training
centres promised at the previous election
(Maiden 2006).
“effectiveness of the ATCs is
debatable”
• The effectiveness of the ATCs is debatable on a
wide front. The Australian Government is
investing $343.6 million over five years to 2009
to establish and operate 25 Australian Technical
Colleges across Australia. Five Australian
Technical Colleges opened in 2006, and a
further 16 have opened in recent weeks. One
will open in the Pilbara mid year, and a further
three colleges will be operational by next year’
(Age Editorial 2007).
target of 7,500 ATC students not
achieved
• Reaching the targeted number of 7,500 ATC students
has not been achieved and according to the available
data even if that number were reached it would still not
be enough to make a significant difference to the
shortage. In September 2006 The AIG offered Monash
University research to the government ‘which forecasts a
shortfall of 270,000 people with technical level
qualifications over the next decade and shows that 86
per cent of occupations are listed as requiring a postsecondary qualification, yet only about 50 per cent of
Australians have this level of qualification’ (Tingle 2006).
rationale for the ATC project is also
unclear
• The rationale for the ATC project is also unclear
given that TAFE already has the infrastructure
as well as capability and brief to achieve the
outcomes sought by government. Given the tight
budgetary constraints in education, the idea of
building two dozen new colleges for the purpose
of addressing the skills shortage sits oddly
against the reality that we already have an
extensive network of technical institutions
operating that can do the job.
expensive policy decision to replicate a
training system - TAFE in the main
• This raises the question about an expensive policy
decision to replicate a training system that we already
have being TAFE and other VET providers. There are
questions about the costs involved. If 7500 students
were recruited by 2009 the expenditure per student
would be $350M divided by 7,500. This equates to
almost $47,000.00 per student. This is a concern given
that a Victorian TAFE college for example in 2005
received around $11,000 for training a full apprentice
noting that monies received were the lowest funding
level of any state (Productivity Commission 2007).
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT
SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE POLICY 2006
• On 18 September 2006 Prime Minister Howard
also described the skill shortages as a
‘necessary factor in a buoyant economy’ and
suggested that the labour market resolved the
issues (Howard 2006). Here we get some insight
into the LNC’s lack of response. Why invest in
education or training in areas of shortage when
the labour market will fix the problem itself? It
seems however such faith is not shared by the
Reserve Bank (Reserve Bank of Australia 2006),
or the Senate Inquiry into skills shortages (Employment
Workplace Relations and Education References Committee 2003)
“buoyant economy” resolve skills
shortages – does it?
• Moreover, how does Howard’s logic and talk of letting a
“buoyant economy” resolve skills shortage sit with the
fact that Australia is also now enjoying the longest
economic boom period in its history (ABS 2003,
Colebatch 2005) and yet the skills shortages are seen
but the major reports quoted here as a crisis? In 2000
the Ministerial Review of Postcompulsory Education
Pathways in Victoria: Final Report stated ‘the boom is
about to enter its tenth year, making it the longest
upswing in the economy since the 1960s’ (Kirby 2000).
Circumstances indicate that the Australian economy has
experienced a boom period for seventeen years but
given the buoyancy of the economy skills shortages
would have been resolved: they have not as yet
according to our research.
Skills of the Future budget $837M over five years
• Federal budget at the time for Education $15.5 Billion
• $15.5 x5 = $75B throw in a bit of growth and assume it
would be $80B
• $837m as a per centage of $80B =
A fraction over 1%
• Thank you for such generosity. Small business
comprises 95% of Australian industry. What a raw deal...
Unheeded Warnings from Federal
Government bodies?
• Warnings are given that unless
government develops sound and long term
policies and invests in education
infrastructure to resolve the problem
Australia will not fare well in the future
(Reserve Bank of Australia 1999; Reserve
Bank of Australia 2005; Reserve Bank of
Australia 2006). Relying on the labour
market forces market and an economic
boom to fix it is not the answer.
since 1996 we saw little increase in the
number of domestic Australian students
commencing undergraduate training
• Australia’s economic boom over the past decade or
more has been accompanied by a remarkable growth in
the workforce, particularly for various professionals. It is
also worth noting that those who fill these positions
require a degree-level qualification. Yet, since 1996 we
saw little increase in the number of domestic Australian
students commencing undergraduate training at
Australian universities. One consequence of this has
been the emergence of serious shortages of graduates
in a number of vocationally specific areas, including in
the health professions, engineering and accounting
(Birrell and Rapson 2006): 3).
reduced public investment in TAFEs
• “Is it not a fact that under this Prime
Minister’s (Howard) watch Australia has
reduced our public investment in TAFEs
and universities by seven per cent—the
only advanced economy to do so—while
our global competitors have increased
their investment by 48 per cent?”
(Beazley, Hansard 12 October 2007: 6566)
OECD Report card on Australia – FAIL
• Investment in public education for students from
primary school to the tertiary sector has not
reflected a commitment to building a well skilled
and educated workforce. According to the
OECD Australia ranks thirteen on a scale of 33
countries listed (OECD 2006): 170)
• According to the OECD (2006) in 2003
Australia’s cumulative expenditure on
educational institutions per student over their
average duration in tertiary studies was less
than the OECD average (OECD 2006): 184).
TAFE funding slashed by more
than $1 billion from 1997
• Donaldson (2006) attributes to the Howard government’s
short-sightedness, and pointedly criticises the federal
government’s ‘decision to slash TAFE funding by more
than $1 billion from 1997.’ This means that more than
300,000 Australians were been turned away from TAFE
colleges despite TAFE colleges traditionally providing
graduates in the trades (Donaldson 2006). To Donaldson
(Donaldson 2006) the Howard government’s Skills of
the Future initiative is another project that is seriously
under funded which raises questions about its capacity
to be effective.
WORK SKILLS VOUCHERS
• There is an assumption in the ‘voucher’ initiative that
whatever courses those people choose to enroll
themselves in will match the areas the areas of skills
shortages. There is also an assumption that the
targeted disadvantaged groups are well place to
identify suitable courses that will improve their
employability. The policy was devoid of building in
advice and services to enable people to choose a
certain course and if they did commence the options
to change to another course appears to be very
difficult.
• In short, given the policies poor design and haste to
implement it in an election year makes its unlikely to
achieve its objective, and for that reason there are
questions to be asked about whether the 407.6 ($m)
over five years represents a component within the
overall policy that results in efficient use of public
monies.
SUPPORT FOR MID-CAREER
APPRENTICES
• The idea behind the support for mid-career
apprentices policy is to encourage existing
workers to qualify as a tradespersons in
demand areas by undertaking Certificate
III or IV apprenticeships (DEST 2006a).
Incentives of $150 per week ($7,800 p.a.)
are offered in the first year, and $100 per
week ($5,200 p.a.) in the second year.
Incentives of 10,000 per annum are also
available (DEST 2006a).
MID-CAREER APPRENTICES
• The target group are Australians aged 30 and over who
are commencing an apprenticeship, or those who are
already apprentices (in 2007), or apprentices who are
employed in the traditional trades having reached at
least the end of their second year of training (DEST
2006a). The money invested in this policy component is
$306.6m ($m) over five years (DEST 2006a). ‘The
amount payable to either the Australian Apprentice or
the employer will be $150 per week ($7,500 per annum)
in the
• first year of the apprenticeship and $100 per week
($5,200 per annum) in the second year’ (DEST 2007).
Lord Giveth and the Lord taketh away
• Our research also indicated that these
monies when provided to individuals and
for profit companies would be taxable thus
reducing the financial benefit: we add this
needs more research based on data that
accurately reflects the taxation laws.
key problem with this project is financial
• The key problem with this project is financial. Simply put 306.6
($m) over five years will not pay for what is needed in
terms of training numbers of tradespersons required
when combining this added policy initiative and the
normal recruitment. In 1990 there was an annual
completion of around 32,000 traditional apprentices and
this figure actually decreased and in 2003 was hovering
around 25,000 completions (NCVER 2001; NCVER
2004; NCVER 2005). In September 2006 the
completions traditional apprentices accounted for 32,400
completions (NCVER 2007). The growth in
apprenticeships and traineeships mainly resides in
traineeships and apart from child and aged care, and
nursing few skill shortages are identified in the
traineeship field so the use of the growth in this area as
alleged testament to the Howard government breathing
life into skills shortages in journalistic terms could be
referred to as spin.
The numbers do not add up
•
The figures indicate that the current policies will not meet the need in
traditional trades. Let us assume that for example that the $306,600,000 is
divided between a cohort of apprentices that are paid $150 per week
($7,500 per annum) in the first year of the apprenticeship and $100 per
week ($5,200 per annum) in the second year thus accruing to $12,700.
When dividing $306,600,000 by $12,700 these funds would account for only
about 24,142 apprentices. The Housing Institute of Australia commissioned
research that indicates a huge shortfall in tradespersons just in the
construction industry. According to the acting executive director Caroline
Lawrey, ‘the housing industry faces a skill deficit of 150,000 (tradespeople)
over the next five years and the average age of a Victorian builder is now 47
years of age’ (Houston and Schneiders 2007). As earlier stated 250,000
traditional trades apprentices are needed by 2014 according to the
Australian Council of Trade unions (ACTU) aggravating the potential skill
shortage as an estimate on tradespeople departing from the workforce is
170,000 by 2009 (Shaw and Rood 2004). The AIG, not known as a natural
bedfellow of the ACTU, forecast a shortfall of 270,000 technical qualified
people by 2016 (Tingle 2006). It would seem the numbers do not add up to
resolving the skill shortage problem in the trades area and revised policies
are urgently needed.
The numbers do not add up cont’d
• According to the acting executive director Caroline
Lawrey, ‘the housing industry faces a skill deficit of
150,000 (tradespeople) over the next five years and the
average age of a Victorian builder is now 47 years of
age’ (Houston and Schneiders 2007). As earlier stated
250,000 traditional trades apprentices are needed by
2014 according to the Australian Council of Trade unions
(ACTU) aggravating the potential skill shortage as an
estimate on tradespeople departing from the workforce is
170,000 by 2009 (Shaw and Rood 2004). The AIG, not
known as a natural bedfellow of the ACTU, forecast a
shortfall of 270,000 technical qualified people by 2016
(Tingle 2006). It would seem the numbers do not add up
to resolving the skill shortage problem in the trades area
and revised policies are urgently needed.
MORE ENGINEERING PLACES
AT UNIVERSITY
• Too little too late according to Vines (2007),
• The problem of the ‘worsening skills crisis’ in
engineering and science professionals is
something that everyone has known about for
years. ‘Why hasn't more been done to abate the
problem?’ (Vines 2007). Moreover, while the
500 new places may help alleviate the problem
in years to come (because graduates will not
complete until 2010), it does little to address the
immediate shortage (Vines 2007).
government has failed to provide funding in
education to meet the professional needs for
industry recruits
• According to Birrell and Rapson engineering is
like many other areas in higher education where
the government has failed to provide funding in
education to meet the professional needs for
industry recruits in the professions and it is
debatable whether these extra places will arrest
the problem according to the empirical evidence
assembled a recent by Birrell and Rapson
(Birrell and Rapson 2006).
INCENTIVES FOR HIGHER
TECHNICAL SKILLS
•
•
•
Financial incentives for existing workers to undertake Diploma and
Advanced Diploma qualifications – particularly in engineering was another
component in the Howard government’s suite of initiatives available to
24,800 workers and aimed at addressing the skill shortage in technical
areas including engineering, laboratory, electrotechnology, childcare, dental
prosthetics and civil construction (DEST 2006a). With this project
employers receive $1,500 for each employee commencing a Diploma or
Advanced Diploma; and $2,500 when they complete through the Australian
Apprenticeships Incentives Program (DEST 2006a).
This scheme however shares the same fate as those just discussed: too
little too late. There are also added problems with this one that relate to
whether employees will actually take on an apprenticeship in the field of
engineering.
If these areas are showing a shortage it is an unusual situation why these
fields were not included among the Support for Mid-Career Apprentices
component of the Skills for the future overall policy enabling existing staff. It
would appear that this policy has not been thought through by the federal
government.
BUSINESS SKILLS VOUCHERS
• This intervention has some merit. given
that ‘Over 50 per cent of all
construction trades people and almost
30 per cent of automotive trades people
are self employed (DEST 2006a). The
importance of small business skills for
trades people wanting to pursue
independent contract and run their own
businesses
Our conclusion
• Our conclusion is simple. The Howard government has
failed to acknowledge the problem of skill shortages and
the policies promoted to solve the problem fall short in
terms of planning, design, and funding levels. Our article
obviously questioned the implementation of the Skills of
the Future policies.
• The messages from industry is clear in our research.
Skill shortages impede economic development. The
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has repeatedly
recommended investment in education infrastructure as
an economic investment – but no change in ideology
appears to have surfaced in an era of lost opportunity.
solutions
Academic papers too frequently identify
problems with no solutions.
Well here comes some irreverent solutions.
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