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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

This article summarises the key findings of the First 100 Days project conducted during 2006 and 2007 by Australian Industry Group Training Services for the Australian Industry Group with funding from the Department of Education, Science and Training. Findings include: industry needs to become more involved in the schools; communication from TAFE needs to be enforced to ensure workplaces and employers are kept informed of an apprentice’s development and progress alongside the training plan; apprentices should be employed for the right reasons - not simply because the workplace is busy; schools need to better illustrate the overall outcomes of trades and include Year 9 and 10 students; and it should be mandatory for apprentices/applicants to do a pre-apprenticeship first, so the basics are understood and applied earlier.

The full publication ‘A guide to managing the first 100 days of an apprenticeship’ is indexed at TD/TNC 92.509. Show less