Industry Training Advisory Body (ITAB)
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) is contracted by the NSW Department of Education, Skills and Employment to engage with industry and training system stakeholders. Through this engagement the ITAB identifies and provides independent advice on training and related matters to support the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system for the Public Sector in NSW. The ITAB provides core services and advice to the Department in the following key areas:
- Identification of industry skills needs, priorities and development issues for VET in NSW.
- Providing the Department with advice and feedback on NSW training and skills needs, issues, and priorities.
- Promoting training to industry to assist in the uptake of funded training.
- Advising the Department on apprenticeship and traineeship arrangements in NSW including school-based arrangements.
- Advising the Department on implications for the NSW training system from the development and review of National Training Packages.
- Supporting the delivery of vocational education and training to school students
The ITAB supports the Corrections, Local Government, Public Safety, Public Sector and Water industries.
Delivery of ITAB services and advice is overseen by a tripartite Industry Advisory Committee that includes representatives from peak bodies, employers and employee associations for each of the sectors.
Current News
Last chance to register for GTAN and WTAN Online Forums
Facilitated by the NSW Public Sector ITAB, the Government and Water Industry Trainers and Assessors Networks (GTAN and WTAN) meet quarterly to share and discuss information impacting skilling and training within the government, corrections, public safety, and water industries across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW. The next GTAN and WTAN network forums will be delivered online on 14 March 2023. Each session has a great line-up of industry and training stakeholders who will share experiences and insights into skills and training in their sectors. Updates on the latest funding initiatives and training package projects are also provided.
GTAN forum will feature:
- Fire and Rescue NSW Team Leader – skills for diverse emergency response contexts (e.g. Australia’s Disaster Assistance Response Team members recently deployed to Turkiye)
- NSW Trainee of the Year recipient and Local Council employee –inspiring career pathway
- TSNSW Skills Broker – funded training initiatives and support available for employers
WTAN forum will feature:
- Manager Utilities, Narromine Shire Council – utilising wearable technology such as Realwear headsets for auditing, supervising, training and assessment in water operations contexts
- Leading Water Industry spokesperson – update on current VET Reforms (Jobs and Skills Councils) and interconnection with water industry
- DPE, Town Water Risk Reduction Project (TWRRP) – update on launch of Phase 2 of the project and implementing the Water Operations Skills and Training Action Plan
Register now for one or both forums. A full program is available via the registration page.
GTAN Forum Details
(Includes all government agencies, Local Councils, Correctional Services, Public Safety, Police & Defence)
Date: 14 March 2023
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am (AEDT)
WTAN Forum Details
Date: 14 March 2023
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm (AEDT)
NSW Fee Free short courses
The NSW Fee Free initiative has been launched to deliver 120,000 fee free places in NSW for priority qualifications in 2023, through partnership between the NSW and Commonwealth governments.
NSW Fee Free part qualifications are short courses, often referred to as skills sets or micro-credentials, designed to give NSW citizens skills in priority and growth industry areas.
The NSW Government is providing over 14,200 fee free training placements across a range of vocational education and training part qualifications. This means you do not have to pay anything to do a short course.
These courses are offered by Smart and Skilled contracted training providers including:
- Adult and Community Education (ACE) providers
- Private providers.
The courses are on nationally accredited subjects. When a participant completes a part-qualification they will obtain a statement of attainment or a nationally accredited skill set, which they can then use as the starting point to complete a full qualification at a later stage.
Use the Skills Compare search to find a course and check your eligibility.
You might also wish to talk to a Smart and Skilled provider about what training they can offer to meet your needs.
Further information on the Smart and Skilled eligibility criteria can be found under NSW Fee Free training.
NSW Fee Free short courses are fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.
NSW Fee Free training in Early childhood education and care
Early childhood education and care remains a growth sector with excellent job prospects for qualified individuals who are dedicated to caring for children and supporting their development and wellbeing. Working in the sector requires a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Early childhood education and care qualifications are now available under the NSW Fee Free initiative, to eligible NSW residents, regardless of age, employment status or prior qualifications.
With many courses and training locations available across NSW, including online, now is an excellent time to enrol in these courses and build a career in the early childhood education and care sector. Existing employees in the early childhood education and care sector can also upgrade their qualifications under the NSW Fee Free initiative.
Training is fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments. Further information on this initiative can be found on the Skills NSW website.
NSW Skills List Updates
The current NSW Skills List includes coding updates for the following equivalent superseding qualifications for government and public safety industries:
- CSC30122 Certificate III in Correctional Practice
- NWP20122 Certificate II in Water Industry Operations
- NWP30222 Certificate III in Water Industry Operations
- PSP30122 Certificate III in Government
- PSP40122 Certificate IV in Government
- PSP50122 Diploma of Government
- PSP50922 Diploma of Interpreting
- PUA20622 Certificate II in Public Safety (Firefighting and Emergency Operations)
- PUA30622 Certificate III in Public Safety (Firefighting and Emergency Operations)
Version 13.4 of the NSW Skills List is now available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/resources/nsw-skills-list
Version 13.4 of the Smart and Skilled Prices and Fees Schedule has also been updated to cover changes to the Skills List and is now available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/resources/qualification-prices-fees
Versions 13.4 of the NSW Skills List and Smart and Skilled Prices and Fees Schedule are effective as of 19 December 2022.
Trade Pathways Innovation Fund – Applications open
Training Services NSW is working to build innovative pathways to trades, with a view to increasing the number of qualified workers across trade occupations. The Trade Pathways Innovation Fund will support industry-led projects that trial and test new approaches to obtaining trade qualifications.
The fund will improve the accessibility of trade training for women, mature-age workers and school leavers.
Eligible organisations can apply for a grant of up to $500,000 (GST exclusive) to deliver innovative projects that establish new pathways to trade qualifications or enhance existing non-traditional pathways to trade qualifications.
Industry-led projects will commence in May 2023 for a period of 12-months.
Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from group training organisations (GTOs), local government, trade unions, industry training advisory bodies (ITABs), independent statutory bodies, industry representative bodies and skills service organisations.
To apply for the grant, an eligible organisation must be:
- a legal entity with the capacity to enter contracts
- registered for GST and have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- covered by public liability insurance
- currently operating in NSW
- financially viable.
Further information can be found on the Training Services NSW website.
NSW Training Awards – Applications close soon
The NSW Training Awards are conducted annually by Training Services NSW (within the NSW Department of Education) to recognise outstanding achievement in the vocational education and training sector. The Awards honour and reward the achievements of students, trainers, teachers, Registered Training Organisations and large- and medium-sized employers.
For organisations, the Awards are the perfect platform to showcase their commitment to the career development of their workers. Entering the Awards raises the organisation’s profile and builds awareness of industry’s dedication to supporting skills growth for their workforce.
For individuals, the Awards provide a unique opportunity to celebrate their achievements and hard work. Nomination for these awards can open many doors for individuals, and potentially provide a platform to their career aspirations.
Applications for the Individual Categories at the NSW Training Awards close 19 March 2023.
More information can be found on the Skills NSW webpage.
Jobs and Skills Australia releases Labour Market Update
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released a new quarterly Labour Market Update report revealing Australia’s labour market conditions are robust, with a strong increase in full-time employment and strong improvements for both the long-term unemployed and underemployed. However, the present skills gap in many parts of the labour market remains an economic challenge, with the domestic skills system playing an important role in responding to this challenge.
The report reveals that over the past year, around 36% of total employment growth has been in occupations where university qualifications are the primary pathway, while just over 60% of total employment has been in occupations where VET qualifications are the primary pathway.
The report lists new data on the top 20 occupations in shortage nationally and for each state and territory. Topping the list are: Registered Nurses, Software and Applications Programmers, Aged and Disabled Carers, Child Carers, Construction Managers and Motor Mechanics.
For a number of these occupations, preliminary JSA analysis also highlights that the shortage is being driven by a lack of workers with the right technical skills, with greater investment in training required.
More information, including the top 20 occupations in shortage nationally, can be found at jobsandskills.gov.au/reports.
Fire and Rescue NSW rolls out new education apps for schools
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has expanded its award-winning education program into schools using interactive gaming apps. The new resources, including the ‘Brigade Kids’ website, are tailored for pre-school and primary school-aged children and deliver engaging lessons on how they can prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from fires.
The ‘Brigade Kids’ website contains easy-to-use lesson plans for teachers, which complement the long-standing school visits conducted by FRNSW firefighters, as well as checklists and activities helping families consider how to stay safe in their own homes. It also features seven games reinforcing life-saving lessons, such as the importance of working smoke alarms, how to safely escape a building if there is a fire and reporting an emergency to Triple Zero (000). The newest game, called ‘Home Fire Safety Hero’, uses augmented reality technology and combines real-world experiences with computer-generated content.
FRNSW Assistant Commissioner – Community Safety Trent Curtin said programs like ‘Brigade Kids’, while aimed at children aged four and above, have the ability to improve safety right across the community. What children are learning through the apps is “… inspiring their parents, extended families and friends to be fire safe,” Assistant Commissioner Curtin said. Read the full article here.
The Brigade Kids resources can be found by visiting http://brigadekids.com.
ASQA extends transition for PSP40516 Certificate IV in Trade Measurement
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has recently approved an extended transition period for the qualification PSP40516 Certificate IV in Trade Measurement for delivery for continuing students only. The extended training, assessment and certification issuance period for this qualification ends on 30 June 2023.
PSP40516 Certificate IV in Trade Measurement will remain on this RTOs scope of registration until the end of the extended transition period unless the RTO chooses to withdraw it from scope prior.
Further information can be accessed on the ASQA website.
ASQA releases 2023 RTO and ESOS obligations checklists
The Australian Skills Quality Authority 2023 RTO and ESOS obligations checklists aim to assist training providers to stay on top of reporting obligations. The ESOS obligations checklist is also suitable for ELICOS providers.
The checklists, which are downloadable, contain key dates to track reporting requirements and provide links for information in order to remain compliant.
Access to the checklists is available on the ASQA website.
Training Package Activity in Public Sector Industries
PSP Public Sector Training Package
- Translating and Interpreting
This project was endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the PSP Training Package.
LGA Local Government Training Package
No current activity.
View the LGA Training Package.
PUA Public Safety Training Package
- National Recovery Training Program
This project was endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the National Recovery Training Program project page.
- Emergency Care
This project was endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the Emergency Care project page.
- Emergency Management
This project was endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the Emergency Management project page.
- Fire
This project was endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the Fire project page.
DEF Defence Training Package
- Electronic Forensics
- Moral Injury
- Paralegal Services
- Range Control Officer
- Test and Evaluations
- Work Diving
These projects were endorsed by the AISC and are now published on training.gov.au.
View the Public Safety Training Package projects page.
CSC Correctional Services Training Package
- Correctional Practice
This project is endorsed by the AISC and is now published on training.gov.au.
View the Correctional Practice project page.
NWP National Water Training Package
- Flood Site Operations
- Water Network Maintenance
These projects were endorsed by the AISC and are now published on training.gov.au.
View the Water project page.
Correctional services agencies operate or contract with private operators, prison facilities, and in some states and territories periodic detention centres, and are also responsible for managing offenders on community corrections’ orders.
Australia’s Public Safety Industry is comprised of police services, fire and rescue services, emergency management agencies, the Australian Defence Force, intelligence organisations and associated administrative and support functions.
Public sector employees play an important role in the development, review and implementation of government policies, and they provide an array of services for the community. The public sector comprises of federal, state and territory governments, statutory bodies and state-owned corporations.
The Water industry includes water supply, sewerage, drainage services and pipeline transport (water). Occupations involved in these sectors cross a wide spectrum of activities.
