Transcript Reform and change in Australian VET and implications for

Reform and change in
Australian VTE and implications
for VTE research and
researchers
By Aurora Andruska
20 April 2006
Overview
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Setting the scene
The new national training system
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what has changed
why it changed
more changes ahead
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the Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) agenda
The role and challenges for research
Setting the scene
Recent reforms in the national
training system
Demand driven
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Education/training must provide
the skills that industry and
business need
Recent reforms in the national
training system
Strengthened industry role
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More flexible and responsive training
provision
Greater competition in the training market
Institute of Trade Skills Excellence
Improved performance from training
providers
The new national
training system
What has changed
Skilling Australia’s Workforce Act
2005
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Federal system
Multilateral agreement
Bi-lateral agreements
Agreements under the legislation
are leveraging change
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Skills shortages
Responsiveness and flexibility
Outcomes, high quality
Mature age workers
More private provision
Specific reforms targeted
The national governance and
accountability framework
Ministerial Council
of
Australian and State/Territory Governments
National
Industry Skills
Committee
National
Senior
Officials
Committee
National
Centre for
Vocational
Education
Research
Ministerial
Company
National
Quality Council
Industry
skills boards
Industry plays a key role in the
new system
NATIONAL GOVERNANCE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY
FRAMEWORK
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
AND ENGAGEMENT
Legislation
High level advice to
Ministerial Council
Commonwealth-State
Funding Agreement
National Industry
NATIONAL SKILLS
FRAMEWORK
National Qualifications
Skills Committee
Ministerial Council
National Senior
Officials Committee
Planning and
Reporting
Client Advisory
Mechanisms
Research
Bilateral Funding Agreements
Policy development
and monitoring performance
Online Product Support
Development and review of
Nationally recognised
Qualifications,
including Training Packages
Quality Assurance
Representation on Action
Groups
and Advisory Mechanisms
Participation in setting
research priorities
National Quality Council
Public Reporting on
Provider Performance
In the new system the Australian
Government has a leadership role
The Australian Government provides
national leadership on VTE policy.
It also provides:
• One third funding for the public
sector
• Funding for specific programs
- in particular apprenticeships
More changes ahead
The Council of Australian
Governments agenda
All governments have agreed to
tackle skills shortages
Meeting the skills gap is on the COAG
agenda
Next Stages of Reform
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Higher level skills
Lifting educational participation and
attainment
Making system more responsive to
demand
Increasing Australia 's investment in VTE
Enhancing user choice
Regulation of training providers
Building stronger relationships between
firms and training providers
Why has it changed
There are national imperatives
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Strong economic growth
Globalisation of the economy
Need for skilled employees
Ageing population
Changes to work structures and
patterns
Value of education exports
….. and issues for the VTE system
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University qualifications do not meet the
needs of all industries
Young people need options for work and
training
Existing employees need new, different skills
Assistance is needed by
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Adults re-entering the labour market
Young people at risk of not getting jobs
Indigenous Australians and people with disabilities
More jobs may need VTE skills
than university qualifications
Current
profile of
population
Potential
pathway for
jobs
% of 15-64
population
% of
employment
University
19.3
21.7
VTE
29.1
62.8
No tertiary
51.6
15.5
Qualification
The recent reforms will
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More effectively address industry skills
needs
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including skills shortages
Attract more young people into VTE
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Australian Technical Colleges
Extra financial support for New Apprentices
Research
roles and challenges
Research has a vital role
in the national training system
It supports:
• Quality assurance by measuring success
• Informed evidence based policy
development
• Better understanding of our system
• Innovation in training delivery and
content
How to make research relevant
To support the national training system in
meeting the needs of business and
industry research must be relevant:
• Practical
• Local
• Timely
• Applied
• Flexible
What that means for research
The challenge is to:
• Engage with industry to identify research
needs
• Think GLOBAL – act LOCAL!
• Conduct action research, which is
practical, local, timely, able to be applied,
flexible and fully evaluated
What that means for industry
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Industry gets relevant research to identify
local training needs
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Education providers align their training
provision to industry needs
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Industry has the skilled workforce it
needs to support Australian prosperity
Will industry engage?
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Industry are currently successfully
engaging across the national training
system
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Industry will engage if they know that
research will lead to real outcomes
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There are many examples of industry
using it’s own research to drive innovative
partnerships with government, training
providers and the community
A successful partnership…
Mining Industry – the XTRATA example
Xtrata:
• identified a projected skilled labour
shortfall
• engaged with key stakeholders
• two phase innovative solutions
developed and implemented
Another successful partnership…
NCVER consortium – A well skilled future.
Partnership between researchers and
business
Aim of research:
• Understand how the labour market is
evolving
• Understand how VTE system can
maximise its contribution to skills needs
Thank You