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The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) funded a project in 2001 to analyse and report on industry requirements for ‘employability skills’. This project was jointly managed by the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was completed in March 2002. Employability skills were defined for the purposes of the project as ‘skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one’s potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions’. The project was commissioned to provide: (a) advice on possible new requirements for generic employability competencies that industry needs, or will need in the forseeable future, since the development of the Mayer key competencies; (b) clear definitions of what Australian industry and enterprises perceive as employability skills and the terminology being used to describe them; and (c) a proposed suite of employability skills and assessment and reporting options. The project also investigated industry reactions to the proposed suite and reporting options and undertook case studies involving a number of large enterprises and focus group research with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This report is based on a review of Australian and overseas policy and research literature on key employability skills. It clarifies concepts and terminology, analyses the principles and purposes of different approaches to key employability skills, develops a framework of such skills to support the fieldwork aspects of the overall project, and suggests strategies to facilitate the development of these skills more effectively within Australian education and training.

The project final report is indexed at TD/TNC 70.178. The report on detailed case studies with large enterprises is indexed at TD/TNC 70.180 and the report on the SMEs research is indexed at TD/TNC 70.181. Show less

The aim of this report is to help industry, government policy makers and training providers better understand the drivers of skill needs in the agrifood industry and identify the options for meeting those needs. This report provides the findings of a high level review of the skills and workforce issues confronting the agrifood industry and its five industry sectors: food processing, meat, seafood, racing, and rural and related industries. The key drivers of skills needs for the agrifood industry are: development of the regions; worker attraction and retention; demographic change and employment arrangements; consumer and customer service demands; competitiveness and productivity demands; business compliance; innovation; and globalisation. The relationship between these drivers and skill requirements are analysed and conclusions are developed on how changing drivers may impact on the skills base. Participation, attainment and expenditure trends in vocational and technical education are also discussed. Strategies addressing a broad range of issues driving current and future skills and workforce needs, with a focus on the role of training are recommended. Some of these strategies include: utilising existing industry champions to promote the agrifood industry as a preferred career choice for people in regional and urban areas; the provision of incentives such as higher remuneration, better working conditions and flexible arrangments to encourage older and experienced workers to remain on the job longer; developing skills in international business management; creating partnerships with government, industry and communities to strategically invest in infrastructure development; education of the industry on the challenges and opportunities of globalisation, the importance of research and innovation, and the effecient use of new technology in the global marketplace; developing and distributing tools and resources relating to environment, food safety, occupational health and safety risks and sustainability; adopting a futures approach to the development of training packages to better link research and development to competencies; and providing clear information about career paths and job opportunities that enable informed employment and education choices. Show less

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) funded a project in 2001 to analyse and report on industry requirements for 'employability skills'. This project was jointly managed by the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was completed in March 2002. Employability skills were defined for the purposes of the project as 'skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one's potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions'. The project was commissioned to provide: (a) advice on possible new requirements for generic employability competencies that industry needs, or will need in the forseeable future, since the development of the Mayer key competencies; (b) clear definitions of what Australian industry and enterprises perceive as employability skills and the terminology being used to describe them; and (c) a proposed suite of employability skills and assessment and reporting options. The project also investigated industry reactions to the proposed suite and reporting options and undertook case studies involving a number of large enterprises and focus group research with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This document reports on the case study research undertaken with 13 large enterprises to determine individual enterprise's views on necessary employability skills, approaches to developing, monitoring and assessing these skills, and how education and training providers could contribute more effectively to the development of employability skills. Analysis of the findings produced a possible model for the consideration of these skills within the wider environment of the organisation and determined a priority set of employability skills and personal and interpersonal skills and attributes. The model embraced four areas: the context in which the skills are applied; a focus (i.e. organisational goal); the skills themselves; and core personal and interpersonal values and attributes. The report describes each of these areas using examples from the case studies. It then addresses three issues: training within companies; ways in which enterprises track and assess employee skills; and a summary of employers' views on how the education and training sector could better support the development of employability skills.

The project final report is indexed at TD/TNC 70.178. The literature review is indexed at TD/TNC 70.179 and the report on the SMEs research is indexed at TD/TNC 70.181. Show less

This report reviews progress in implementing the Australian government's five year innovation statement 'Backing Australia's ability'. It represents the first annual report card on the Australian government's actions to ensure the health of Australian innovation. It provides a picture of Australia's innovation landscape, including how the nation reached this point, the progress being made, and future directions. The report looks at the role of government and the private sector in strengthening the foundations and taking appropriate actions, including investment in science, research and development, Australian skills and in the commercialisation of good ideas. It highlights many initiatives that are producing results, and points to other projects under way and some planned for the future.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

In response to external change drivers, the Tasmanian forestry industry is implementing new harvesting systems and using new technologies. Requirements under state-federal forestry agreements, customer specifications and the Tasmanian industry’s Log Supply Charter mean that the industry is increasingly looking to maximise the recovery of timber for veneer, saw logs and furniture and craft uses, as opposed to the lower value added woodchip production. Personal (hand-held) digital equipment (PDAs) are being introduced into the industry to allow improved tracking of timber, and quality assurance across several links in the supply chain (from harvesting and loading to transporting and processing). This skill ecosystem project was developed by the Tasmanian Office of Post-Compulsory Education and Training (OPCET) in partnership with other industry stakeholders to investigate the use of PDAs to record workers’ existing levels of skills and qualifications, and to track and explore the points where timber damage occurs. This document reports on this phase of the project. [The project] will then trial new workforce development activities in the context of the modified work practices and team responsibilities that are required by high value added timber production. OPCET will also undertake a policy analysis sub-project that will operate alongside the product care trial. This sub-project will analyse the implications of the product care project for vocational education and training programs and policy more generally. Show less

The Allen Consulting Group, in conjunction with the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), was appointed by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) to undertake this project to develop a strategy to support the universal recognition and recording of employability skills. The project objective was to develop the strategy relevant to schools, vocational education and training (VET), higher education and the broader community, including workplaces, so that it could be used by individuals to build, value and demonstrate attainment of employability skills to a diverse audience. The purpose of this paper is to provide a platform for further consultation to inform the development of the strategy. Chapter one provides the project background; chapter two considers the continuum of approaches that can be adopted, within a universal recognition and recording strategy, towards the definition, development, demonstration and assessment and recording of employability skills; chapter three sets out a preferred option for the universal strategy and explains why it has been selected and the benefits of the approach; and chapter four contains issues surrounding the implementation of the preferred option that will provide the basis for discussions to be held at the national stakeholder forum. Show less

This handbook offers guidelines for training package developers. It includes a style guide, employability skills concepts, occupational health and safety (OH&S) advice and licensing issues, language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) guidelines and evidence and assessment guidelines. It is in five parts, each with chapters covering a range of topics relevant to the development of training packages that are endorsed by the National Training Quality Council. The five parts are: (1) Style and requirements; (2) Endorsed components; (3) Support materials; (4) Meeting client needs; (5) Regulation, legislation and licensing. Part one provides advice about the sequence, layout and format of endorsed training package components including mandatory text, and requirements for development, endorsement, publication and review. Part two assists developers to choose a research methodology, develop sound units of competency and qualification frameworks and incorporate employability skills and LLN. Part three supports developers in creating learning strategies, assessment resources and professional development strategies for training packages. Part four provides information to ensure training packages meet LLN requirements and are equitable for the full diversity of learners. Part five provides information about various legislative and regulatory requirements and occupational licensing.

This publication was updated in 2007. Show less

This report reflects the collaboration between employers, State and Federal governments and community organisations in considering the chronic shortage of skills across the Townsville region. The objectives of the project were to profile existing and potential industries, identify areas of skill needs, and forge partnerships between government, industry and the employment and training sectors. The intention being to develop solutions, that will in the short, medium and long term alleviate the shortages of skills across the Townsville region. The report details 20 recommendations, however those of critical importance include the: (1) maintenance of the project momentum by funding the implementation of key recommendations (refer appendix 1); (2) adoption of the Regional Skill Shortages Strategy Model (as detailed on page 16 of this report); (3) development of a Regional Workforce Model and a Regional Marketing Strategy; (4) development and implementation of an annual North Queensland Trades Careers Expo; (5) establishment of a Regional Economic Development Conference; (6) the development of comprehensive career pathway maps which incorporate New Apprenticeship pathways for school students; and (7) the continuation of the strengthening of relations with already established industry clusters. Show less

This review was undertaken to address the employment and other economic outcomes of the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme (LLNP). This request was made as part of the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) decision to allocate an extra $4.1 million to LLNP in 2004-05. The additional funding was approved in the context of the ‘Review of settlement services for migrants’, which found that there was a need for increased provision of language training for migrants who had completed the hours provided to them as part of their settlement package. The review was undertaken by an independent evaluation unit within the [then] Department of Education, Science and Training, using existing program administration data and data from a post-program monitoring survey of clients three months after exiting the program (conducted by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations). This report of the review addresses the terms of reference and provides a range of recommendations for improvements in the future operation of the program. Key messages of the review are that: (1) Australian and international research shows a clear association between improved levels of literacy and improved employment outcomes. In line with these findings, LLNP addresses clients’ barriers to employment and further education by providing language, literacy and numeracy training. Its outcomes are therefore measured primarily in terms of skills gains; (2) LLNP has measurably improved the skill levels of participants and thereby the likelihood of participants finding employment, entering further education and coming off income support; (3) LLNP does not duplicate other training funded by Australian Government agencies and further research is needed to establish any gaps and duplication in relation to State and Territory funded programs; (4) data collection systems for the program should be improved to enable data exchange with the Adult Migrant English Programme funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), and to improve the recording of clients’ skills outcomes and provider administrative performance; and (5) LLNP provides training at a better rate per hour when compared to similar courses provided by DIMIA or the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and the cost of providing places has fallen over the life of the project. Show less

The 'Skilling the existing workforce' Project set out to explore how companies are working with their workforce to develop the skills the business needs to remain competitive. The project has not confined itself to an analysis of formal training. Consideration has also been given to the importance and roles of informal and non-formal learning methods such as mentoring and coaching. The project included the following stages: (1) the development of a major background research report on skilling the existing workforce, supplemented by a national and international literature review; (2) consultations on the findings of the research report; (3) trials of and case studies into enterprise experiences with skilling the existing workforce; and (4) an overview report into the trials and case studies. In addition to these project stages, in April 2008 the Ai Group asked almost 500 companies as part of the 'Skilling for innovation' survey to identify the most effective means of meeting skills requirements. The project identified a clear set of recommendations: (1) develop a workforce skills development advisory network; (2) establish a workforce skills development fund; (3) establish a national workforce literacy strategy; (4) build understanding and capability in registered training organisations of workforce skills development; (5) increase priority for investment in workplace and organisational learning programs; and (6) continue to advocate and support flexible, demand and outcomes-based funding.

Excerpt from published report reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

A background paper is indexed at TD/TNC 90.811. Show less