AIS Newsletter December 2022

 

CEO Update

From January 2023, the next evolution of Australia’s national training system begins. We are proud to announce AIS will be establishing the Jobs and Skills Council (JSC) for Transport and Logistics, which includes road transport, logistics, rail, aviation, maritime, omnichannel logistics and space transport industries.

 

Under the new industry arrangements, Industry will have a determinative voice in identifying and prioritising workforce development needs and designing high impact solutions in collaboration with employers, unions, industry bodies, communities, training providers, universities, and schools.

 

This will be an opportunity to truly innovate, to do things differently whilst building on the very best of what Australia’s national training system has to offer. The JSCs will replace the current model of 67 Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) and six Skills Service Organisations.

 

You can read the full media release here.

 

Over the last six years as a Skills Service Organisation, AIS has spearheaded 155 projects, conducted 190 IRC meetings, 795 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings and have engaged over 1400 subject matter experts. The total sum of this work impacted 1.39 million workers supported across all our industries and has resulted in 1.1 million training enrolments.

 

In 2022 our 11 IRCs, through the support of various TACs and industry stakeholders, have collectively overseen the work of 46 Training Package development projects.

 

This year also saw Australia returning to a ‘new normal’ after the lifting of COVID restrictions. As a result, we were able to step up our face-to-face stakeholder engagement activities, presenting at many industry conferences and events.

 

We have also taken part in a number of ground-breaking projects.

 

Australian Digital Capability Framework

High on the agenda for industry and government is the need to support our nation’s workforce through the impact of digital change underway across industry. Following on from the Digital Transformation Skills Strategy prepared by the Digital Transformation Expert Panel to ensure “that we leave no worker behind”, AIS was commissioned to develop the Australian Digital Capability Framework (ADCF) to underpin the systematic growth of digital capability right across the nation’s workforce. The Framework is intended as a ‘living resource’ that will continue to evolve in line with the evolution of digital technology into the future. More information will be provided on the ADCF in the new year.

 

Heavy Vehicle Driver Apprenticeship

We have supported industry’s call to professionalise the Heavy Vehicle Driver occupation through the development of a Heavy Vehicle Driver Apprenticeship, which is being established in States and Territories. The apprenticeship will address driver shortages across Australia, create career pathways, help industry meet the growing freight task, and ensure the safety of those working in the industry and all other road users.

 

Seamless Future Rails Skills Project

Under the National Rail Action Plan, this work reviewed and developed career and training pathways for existing and future rail workers. This will enable Australians to more easily enter and progress a career in rail and to accelerate access to transportable skills across the economy to meet the shortage of rail workers. Developed in partnerships with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the pathways are available on the new National Rail Skills Hub.

 

Skills for Disaster Resilience

The devastation caused by floods and bushfires in recent years have sharpened the focus on the critical importance of a highly skilled public safety and emergency services workforce to keep Australians safe. The Australian Government developed a National Recovery Training Program to professionalise recovery practice and capabilities in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. In consultation with the National Emergency Management Agency, AIS was engaged to identify common competency requirements for job roles used in disaster recovery and requiring resource sharing. A key outcome of this work was a recommendation to develop new training products to support and enhance local and national recovery capability. In response, the Public Safety IRC developed Training Package materials to enable skills development in recovery management, emergency care and management, and fire operations liaison.

 

As I reflect on this year and the years that have passed, it has been a privilege to have done our part in addressing skills needs to build a stronger economy and help give more Australians the skills and training they need to harness the jobs and opportunities of the future.

 

As we move into 2023, and the transition to the new Jobs and Skills Council, we will do everything possible to ensure that it is as seamless as possible for our stakeholders in the national training system.

 

Finally, I would like to thank all our IRCs and our broader industry stakeholders for your support. I would like to wish each of you a restful Christmas break and a purposeful 2023 ahead.

 

Paul Walsh

 

2022 Rewind

Industry plays a critical role in identifying and developing the skills needed by the workforce of today and into the future.

 

Crucial to a responsive vocational education and training system is engagement with industry stakeholders. As we returned to the ‘new normal’ with the easing of COVID restrictions, we ramped up our face-to-face stakeholder engagement activities.

 

In 2022, AIS attended 35 industry and education forums, including presenting at 20 of these key events.

 

Close to 500 respondents took part in our annual Industry Skills Survey which invited responses from industry about key issues affecting skills and workforce development. This valuable input assisted the development of the 2022 Supply Chain Industry Outlook and the Energy & Utilities Industry Outlook which identified megatrends impacting these industries.

 

One of our biggest priorities was to continue to support industry in the development of vocational skills. This included many Training Package development projects to keep nationally recognised qualifications contemporary and future focused, providing skilling opportunities to individuals and supporting industry growth and productivity.

 

With our eleven IRCs, TACs and industry stakeholders, AIS has delivered on 46 Training Package projects throughout 2022. This has involved a huge effort from all, including online engagement which continued to be very successful. This resulted in the endorsement by Skills Ministers of 23 Training Package releases this year.

 

Our website, has detailed information about all projects completed in 2022.

 

See the article below on recent Training Package endorsements

 

Training Package Updates

NEW TRAINING PACKAGE RELEASES ENDORSED

New releases of the Training Packages below were endorsed by Skills Ministers on 2 December.

 

The Industry Reference Committees responsible for these Training Packages, with support from their Technical Advisory Committees, developed the materials contained in these releases to address priority skills needs and current industry practices:

 

Corrections – CSC Release 5.0

Correctional practice

The Certificate III and Certificate IV in Correctional Practice and 35 associated Units of Competency have been updated to ensure they continue to align with current job roles and work practices.

 

Two new units have been developed for the Certificate III to address skills requirements of Correctional Officers who supervise offenders outside of a correctional facility and to maintain the safety and welfare of offenders in short-term incarceration.

 

A new Professional Wellbeing and Resilience Skill Set was developed to address the skills and knowledge required by Correctional Officers in identifying and dealing with stressful situations and to protect their mental health and wellbeing.

 

Electrotechnology – UEE Release 5.0

At its October meeting, the AISC approved the UEE Electrotechnology Training Package Release 5.0 for referral to Skills Ministers.

 

Skills Minsters have endorsed materials related to Renewables, and Computer Systems Engineering. A final decision on Rail Signalling material is expected in December. Release 5.0 of UEE will be published once all materials have been endorsed.

 

Renewables

This project resulted in the development of 13 new Units of Competency and 19 new Skill Sets, and updates to four qualifications, 25 units and 10 Skill Sets. Two qualifications and 14 units have been deleted.

 

These changes address contemporary skill and knowledge needs to design, install, maintain and inspect renewable energy systems. The revised content covers current renewable energy technologies/systems, regulatory compliance, and industry licencing/accreditation.

 

The revised and new material meets the needs of Licenced Electricians as well as Electrical Engineers; and the development of industry skills and knowledge for support roles such as sales personnel. The content provides the opportunity for improved collaboration and pathways across roles in the renewables field.

 

Computer Systems Engineering

The Diploma of Computer Systems Engineering has been updated. Two qualifications and 24 Units of Competency which no longer provide industry’s preferred pathway to meet contemporary skilling needs have been deleted.

 

ICT and MEM Training Package units have been imported to replace UEE computer systems units to provide more transferrable outcomes for graduates working in the computer systems field

 

Rail Signalling

Three new Units of Competency address rail signalling technology gaps in the current qualification. Two new Skill Sets have also been developed and the Certificate IV in Rail Signalling and 15 units have been updated.

 

This work addresses the disparity between the qualification pathways and outcomes and employers’ skill and knowledge needs. The training products address the technical skills and knowledge required by the rail signalling sector to work productively and safely. They cover relevant Regulation, Licencing, Codes, Australian Standards, and associated and OHS/WHS requirements.

 

The entry requirement and packaging rules for the Certificate IV qualification were updated to better reflect industry pathways and provide increased flexibility.

 

Five Units of Competency that no longer support qualification outcomes have been deleted.

 

ESI Generation – UEP Release 3.0

Control room operations

Five new Units of Competency and three new Skill Sets address skills requirements for control room operations relating to power generation in both fossil fuels and renewable energies, encompassing automated control systems. They enable workforce development that will assist workers in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables.

 

ESI Transmission, Distribution and Rail – UET Release 5.0

Powerline safety

Skills development is vital to ensuring awareness and education of non-ESI workers across industries about the risks and hazards associated with working near electrical powerlines.

 

A new Unit of Competency and a new Skill Set address the skills and knowledge required by ‘ordinary persons’ (non-Electricity Supply Industry workers), to work safely around electrical powerlines.

 

Gas – UEG Release 4.0

Industry Skills

A new Unit of Competency (Control industrial Gas storage/processing operations), four revised Qualifications, and 59 revised Units have been developed to meet the contemporary skill needs of the gas supply industry.

 

The materials address current gas industry practice, the integration of new technology and the introduction of hydrogen to existing gas networks.

 

The updates will make it easier for new entrants to come into the industry and for existing workers to develop their skills. The streamlined packaging rules will make them more efficient for RTOs to deliver and create clearer training pathways.

 

Public Safety – PUA Release 5.0

Emergency Care

Three qualifications and three Units of Competency have been updated to align with changed industry guidelines and terminology to ensure they meet safety and industry skill requirements.

 

The updated materials will enable a First Responder to manage an emergency in line with community safety regulations, industry skills requirements and changing community expectations. A new Advanced Emergency Care Skill Set has been developed for a first responder who is required to provide advanced emergency care.

 

Emergency Management

Four new Units of Competency enable public safety emergency management leaders to develop skills and knowledge to evaluate natural disasters impacts, manage emergency management centres, conduct emergency evacuations, as well as human factors in response and recovery activities. These materials were developed in response to identified gaps in the skills capability to build Australia’s disaster resilience.

 

Fire operations liaison

Three new Units of Competency and two updated qualifications address the skills and knowledge for job roles of Field Liaison Officer, Liaison Officer working with an incident management team, and Jurisdictional Liaison Officer working with a state control centre to improve the interoperability of fire agencies.

 

The new units provide the standards for fire and emergency capability, particularly in relation to resource sharing within and across jurisdictional boundaries. These units have been included into the Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications.

 

National Recovery Training Program

This release of the Public Safety Training Package includes materials developed through the National Recovery Training Program (Phase 2) including a new Diploma of Public Safety Recovery Management, nine new Skill Sets, and four new Units of Competency which address the skills and knowledge required by personnel in disaster recovery leadership and management roles.

 

Police – POL Release 7.0 

Police Liaison and Community Engagement

A new Unit of Competency:  Support community crime prevention activities has been developed, and three qualifications, and 15 associated units updated. These materials enable skills development of police officers to support them in fulfilling their role in the community and helping to maintain public trust and confidence in police.

 

Maritime – MAR Release 10.0

Autonomous Maritime Systems

One new qualification, eight new Units of Competency and three new Skill Sets address the skills and knowledge required for the following job roles – Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) Operators and Technicians and Underwater Surface Vessels (USV) Operators and Technicians.

 

Existing job roles in the maritime industry that require skills and knowledge in Autonomous Maritime Systems (AMS) including those assisting in AMS operations.

 

In response to an increase in the uptake and application of new technology by the maritime industry, the new Training Package materials enable a national and standardised approach to training for seafarers working with autonomous systems.

 

Transport and Logistics – TLI Release 14.0

Materiel and Deployment Logistics

Four Qualifications, five Skill Sets and 31 Units of Competency related to Materiel and Deployment Logistics have been reviewed and updated.

 

The revised materials address changes in technology and Defence processes and provide an aligned career pathway for Defence and logistics support personnel to enhance workforce mobility across the sector.

 

Water – NWP Release 5.0

Water Network Maintenance

Three new Units of Competency and one updated existing unit address the skills and knowledge required to clean and maintain water assets, including use of new technologies to monitor and repair assets. These units will enable skills development for the cleaning and identification of assets requiring repair to be made to Australia’s water reticulation networks, leading to lower cost maintenance. The units will be included in the Certificate II or Certificate III in Water Industry Operations.

 

Minor revisions were made to three other units to incorporate current industry terminology and remove ambiguity.

 

Flood Site Operations

A new Unit of Competency and a Skill Set have been developed to address specific skills for undertaking flood management and the operation and maintenance of flood warning sites. These will enable workforce development and flood warning sites to be operated to a higher and more consistent standard. The new unit is an elective in the Certificate III in Water Industry Operations.

 

Please visit the Projects page for more information about these projects.

 

Building Skills for Disaster Resilience

The devastation caused by floods and bushfires in recent years have sharpened the focus on the critical importance of a highly skilled public safety and emergency services workforce to keep Australians safe.

 

Natural disasters are expected to cost the Australian economy $39 billion per year by 2050. These events also present immediate challenges for the national VET sector, both in supporting recovery, and with ongoing risk mitigation, safety improvements, and the development of labour market responses.

 

The need for agile emergency response and recovery capabilities to respond to these events is critical. Well trained emergency and recovery personnel will be essential to help communities and people rebuild their lives.

 

The Industry Reference Committees we support are acutely aware of the heightened urgency for workforce development and have worked hard this year to develop new and updated Training Package materials to enable skills development aimed at helping build Australia’s disaster resilience.

 

National Recovery Training Program

In response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, the Department initiated the National Recovery Training Program to professionalise recovery practice and capabilities.

 

The program was aimed at improving the standard of disaster recovery support delivered to communities and improve the ability to transfer staff between jurisdictions.

 

In consultation with the now National Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations commissioned AIS to identify common competency requirements for job roles used in disaster recovery and requiring resource sharing. A key outcome of this work was a recommendation to develop new training products to support and enhance local and national recovery capability.

 

The Public Safety Training Package was subsequently updated to address recovery capability standards:

  • a new Skill Set and three new Units of Competency addressing the skills required to support a recovery team member to work effectively in a disaster recovery context, and how to provide relief and recovery support to disaster-affected communities.
  • a new Diploma of Public Safety Recovery Management, nine new Skill Sets, and four new Units of Competency which address the skills and knowledge required by personnel in disaster recovery leadership and management roles. This includes the management of recovery activities and long-term recovery planning for a disaster event. The Skill Sets cover a range of roles like managing recovery logistics, data, complex incident planning, recovery centres and public information, as well as leading a recovery team and conducting community liaison.

 

In addition, the IRC updated the training package for emergency responders:

 

Emergency Care

Three qualifications and three Units of Competency have been updated to align with changed industry guidelines and terminology to ensure they meet safety and industry skill requirements.

 

The updated materials will enable a First Responder to manage an emergency in line with community safety regulations, industry skills requirements and changing community expectations. A new Advanced Emergency Care Skill Set has been developed for a first responder who is required to provide advanced emergency care.

 

Emergency Management

Four new Units of Competency enable public safety emergency management leaders to develop skills and knowledge to evaluate natural disasters impacts, manage emergency management centres, conduct emergency evacuations, as well as human factors in response and recovery activities.

 

Fire operations liaison

Three new Units of Competency and two updated qualifications address the skills and knowledge for job roles of Field Liaison Officer, Liaison Officer working with an incident management team, and Jurisdictional Liaison Officer working with a state control centre to improve the interoperability of fire agencies.

 

The new units provide the standards for fire and emergency capability, particularly in relation to resource sharing within and across jurisdictional boundaries. These units have been included into the Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications.

 

Flood Site Operations

The Water Industry Reference Committee, with support from its Technical Advisory Committees, has led the development of new and updated materials related to maintaining remote flood sites.

 

A new Unit of Competency and a Skill Set have been developed to address specific skills for undertaking flood management and the operation and maintenance of flood warning sites. These will enable workforce development and flood warning sites to be operated to a higher and more consistent standard.

 

Winners at the National Training Awards

Apprentice of the Year Award

Refrigeration technician Jennah Halley took out the prestigious Apprentice of the Year title at the Australian Training Awards held in Adelaide last month.

 

Jennah, who works at Messina Air Conditioning, is a passionate advocate for women in trades and she wants to break down stereotypes, She hopes more women feel empowered to become apprentices and pursue their training and career goals.

 

According to the 2022 Skills Priority List there is a nation-wide shortage of qualified air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians. Despite the strong demand for workers, women are underrepresented in the sector, making up just one per cent of the industry’s national workforce.

 

Watch Jennah’s story (supplied by TAFE Queensland)

https://tafeqld.edu.au/news-and-events/news/2021/refreshing-new-career

 

Australian Apprenticeships—Employer Award

The Department of Justice Western Australia won Gold in the Australian Apprenticeships Employer Award.

 

The Corrective Services division within the Department of Justice aims to enrich prisoner’s lives and reduce reoffending. The Department implemented its Prisoner Traineeship Program to establish a clear pathway from prison to employment, through VET. The program has supported over 4,775 prisoners in an apprenticeship or traineeship, with a completion rate of 70 per cent. On release, apprentices and trainees who gain employment through the employment partners receive an average starting salary of $90,000 – leading to car and home ownership, often for the first time in generations.

 

The WA Department of Justice also took home bronze in the Industry Collaboration Award for its program Making Tracks: Prisoner Training Pathways to Employment Success and Social Inclusion

 

The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Skills and Training, hosted the Australian Training Awards event and praised the winners and the 75 finalists from all over Australia for their dedication.

 

“The awards focus not only on the students, trainees and apprentices, but all those people and organisations such as schools, training organisations and employers, who work hard to provide their support and expertise,” Minister O’Connor said.

 

“Highlighted in these awards are everyday people doing extraordinary things. They underpin the success of our VET system, and their stories are inspirational.”

 

Winners, runners-up, and finalists go on to join the exclusive Australian VET Alumni program, where members share success stories to help other people understand the benefits of VET.

 

View the winners, runners-up and finalists.

 

Congratulations to all award recipients and finalists!