Skills Insight

The 2024 Workforce Plan has been accepted by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) and is now available on our website to download and view. Thank you to everyone who contributed through your ongoing conversations with us and direct feedback on the draft document. The Workforce Plan is developed to support the stakeholders across the industries we work with. It describes industry identified workforce challenges and skill opportunities to inform industry, government and the VET sector about changes needed to meet skill needs. It also paves the way for the Department’s approval of projects. This year’s version builds upon the Initial Workforce Plan with updated data and analysis, which was validated and enhanced through ongoing stakeholder consultation. Future editions of the Workforce Plan will be guided by the JSC Stakeholder Forum, with a greater focus on highlighting workforce requirements and skilling needs.  https://lnkd.in/gg79sdAj

Updates have been made to the draft Certificate III in Feedlot Operations and 70 units of competency that support the skills to work in the livestock industry. You are encouraged to provide comment on the draft documents, which are now available on our website as part of the ‘Consensus Gathering’ stage. We are seeking feedback on updates to the qualifications and units, as well as the development of two new units for handling stock horses safely and branding livestock. Stakeholder opinion is also sought on the detailed description of the term ‘good stock handling techniques’ that has been included in the updated Companion Volume Implementation Guide (CVIG). Your input is important, so that the qualification and units reflect the latest technologies, equipment and animal handling techniques. There is also the opportunity to register for an online workshop where we will discuss key changes to the drafts and explain the process for providing feedback. See our website for more information and to have your say! https://lnkd.in/g-ie2GWd

Skills Insight encourages stakeholders in the WA Racing and Breeding industry to have their say on the establishment of a Certificate III in Horse Breeding Traineeship. The Food Fibre and Timber Industries Training Council (WA), is working closely with the Horse Breeding Association to improve the visibility of career pathways and assist in addressing the current workforce challenges faced by the industry.  The survey closes COB Monday 19 August 2024. You can take the survey here: https://lnkd.in/guDSz3Cr

Skills Insight stakeholder engagement manager Diana McNaughton joined Paola Lagos, Industry Engagement Manager from the SA Skills Commission and Clare Lindop from Racing SA to discuss the various job roles in the racing industry and their skills needs. 🎉Congratulation to Racing SA, in collaboration with Racing Queensland (RTO 31452), who will be delivering the Certificate II in Racing Industry through secondary schools. This initiative will provide students an insight into the career opportunities in the racing industry.

🎉We are pleased to congratulate the Hon Andrew Giles MP on his new role as Minister for Skills and Training. We look forward to working alongside him and our stakeholders across the agribusiness, fibre, furnishing, food, animal and environment care industries to improve skills and training through research and collaboration. We thank the Hon Brendan O'Connor MP for his significant contributions in the role and his efforts towards improving the national skills system. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours. 🎉Congratulations also to the Hon Julie Collins MP on her appointment as Australia’s new Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Skills Insight would like to thank the outgoing Minister, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, for his contributions in the role and congratulate him on his new appointment as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

Between 18 and 20 June, the project team for the Essential Meat Processing Skills Project attended site visits with stakeholders in Western Australia, to observe work and training environments. Skills Insight also hosted a consultation workshop for the project during this time to provide stakeholders with further information about the project and how they can provide input. We are grateful to everyone who made these visits possible or who attended the workshop. Thanks to you, the team gained valuable insights into job roles in the industry and how the meat processing qualifications are being used. Read more on our website! 📌This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of Mintrac as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. MINTRAC has a strong history working with the Australian meat processing industry on skills and training solutions and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership. https://lnkd.in/gN-jdMfJ

Investigations are underway into a national safety induction program for agriculture and related industries, at the recommendation of the Agriculture Workforce Working Group (AWWG).   The meat industry has been chosen to develop and pilot such a program. Consultation has taken place with a steering committee to explore what a national safety induction program could look like. You have the opportunity to sign up for a broad consultation session about the proposed safety induction program to be held in Brisbane on 20 August. More information is available on our website. 📌This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of Mintrac, as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. MINTRAC has a strong history working with the Australian meat processing industry on skills and training solutions and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership. https://lnkd.in/gGyKChAZ

Consultation is underway to revise the three Certificate II level meat processing qualifications and the units within them, so they can best support the attraction and development of new learners. Draft qualification, skill sets and units of competency are available for broad stakeholder consultation from 15 May – 15 Aug 2024. The project team are currently hosting the final Broad consultation workshops, with one in Dubbo today and one Wagga Wagga on Thursday. There will also be a post-broad consultation session in Brisbane on 20 August. See our website for more details!   📌This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of Mintrac as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. MINTRAC has a strong history working with the Australian meat processing industry on skills and training solutions and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership. https://lnkd.in/ggrK5bix

📢Ag Trade Apprenticeship Feasibility Report published. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Ag Trade Apprenticeship project which involved extensive stakeholder consultation, workshops and site visits across the country. Your feedback has been used to inform the Ag Trade Apprenticeship Feasibility Report which outlines the insights provided by stakeholders and presents advice for how an agricultural trade apprenticeship could be implemented.   The feasibility report notes a number of steps that need to be taken for successful implementation of an Ag Trade Apprenticeship. Three supplementary reports have also been published, with the first outlining the research methodology used for the project and the key data gathered. The second contains the example qualification research and testing that took place throughout the consultation workshops and the third is a guide to recognising apprenticeships and traineeships.   Skills Insight looks forward to the continued collaboration with industry as the next steps in establishing an ag trade apprenticeship are considered.   For more information and to read the reports, visit https://lnkd.in/d_Af6fdc #Apprenticeships

Thank you to the National Apprentice Employment Network for holding a fantastic conference in Adelaide this week, bringing together leaders from across Australia’s Group Training Organisations (GTOs). This year’s NAEN conference was particularly notable for three reasons: 1.     Final Address from Brendan O'Connor: We had the privilege of hearing the final address from Brendan O’Connor as Minister for Skills & Training. He conveyed strong confidence in the role of GTOs and JSCs in the evolving VET sector. 2.     New Financial Incentives: On 1 July a new set of financial incentives were implemented, which are highly relevant to GTOs, to provide targeted financial support towards apprentices and employers working in priority occupations listed on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List. 3.     Collaboration: GTOs spent valuable time with the JSCs, participating in sessions focused on the updated VET policy architecture and drivers of the VET system itself. Our Executive Officer Industry Stewardship and Insights, Andrew Cameron participated in a JSC panel session where all ten JSCs were represented. It was facilitated by John Liddicoat and highlighted the industry-specific approaches each JSC is adopting in response to workforce planning. Both the JSCs and GTOs expressed a strong desire to build ongoing engagement, recognising the value of the JSCs' industry view and the GTOs' grounded understanding of apprenticeships and traineeships. #NAEN2024 #SkillsforLife