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The impact of new and changing technologies on Australia's workplaces is that the people who work within them need skills and knowledge to apply those technologies, which means that the vocational education and training (VET) system has to ensure that training products and services are up-to-date with current technology. ANTA has commissioned research into new technologies which will come into use over the years to 2008 in a number of key industries. This paper sets out the background for the project and raises a number of issues relating to what the term ‘new technology’ means, the development of computer literacy across the population, and the increased use of computers within workplace processes and education and training. It proposes that technology be shared in three main areas across the targeted industries: (1) increased use of voice and data communications that form an integrated physical network that allows for increased efficiencies in the workplace and personal lives; (2) increased use of a range of wireless communication technologies and equipment that feed into the physical networks and provide greater mobility than currently exists; and (3) increased data processing capacity of equipment connected to these networks and the ability to alter functions and activity levels that can be performed.

The research report from this project, 'Shared technology: a roadmap for traditional and emerging industries to 2008' is indexed at TD/ANTA 75.04. Show less

This Professional Development Support Program (PDSP) project was undertaken by the Utilities, Electrical, Electronics and Information Industry Training Council, to help the Industry become familiar with the process of workplace assessment. The project gave both lecturers and workplace supervisors the opportunity to work in partnership to develop the necessary skills to create assessment templates and meet the assessment requirements of the new Training Package.

Products and key results include: (1) increased partnership opportunities between TAFE and Industry supervisors; (2) following further developments of assessment tools, they be distributed to similar registered training organisations; (3) the creation of partnerships between a Registered Training Provider and Industry requires active and determined effort to achieve a successful outcome.

This paper was presented in part at the 'Forum 2000: Showcasing innovation in vocational education and training' held in Fremantle, March 13 and 14, 2000.

The folder of collected reports is indexed at TD/WA 61.06. Show less

This book of research readings was commissioned to enable a better understanding of the past, present and future role of the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector in business innovation.

Previous studies have had little success in defining emerging industries and have instead, defined emerging technologies. To enable the VET system to contribute to the development of skills within emerging industries, it needs to be able to identify potential business partners. In this chapter the authors outline a mechanism, the ‘opportunity analysis model’, which assists enterprises in identifying emerging industries. Emerging industries do not always use new technologies but can emerge as a result of changes in government policy, changes in priorities in a community, and from changes in technology and innovation. The opportunity analysis model is provided to assist VET providers in identifying those emerging industries likely to proceed. In order to recognise training opportunities within emerging industries, as well as create them, it is suggested that VET providers assign a specific person with the task of researching the commercial environment, with a focus on establishing networks with industry and research departments of commercial and academic institutions. However, it is important to realise that barriers, such as the current structure of training packages, which are more suited to established industries and technologies, may prove difficult when implementing innovative training programs.

The collected volume is indexed at TD/TNC 79.07; individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 79.651 to TD/TNC 79.664. Show less

New and changing technologies impact on Australia?s workplaces and the people who work within them. Skills and knowledge are needed by these people to apply these technologies and the vocational education and training (VET) system has to keep pace and make sure that training products and services are up-to-date with current technology. The Shared Technology project, commissioned by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA), provides a summary of the technologies that are likely to have an impact on a range of industries in the next five years to 2008. These industries include the automotive, electronics, building and construction, information technology, engineering, telecommunications and electrical industries. Four themes to emerge from this project are: there is a move to systems that are open and based upon international standards; there is a need for managers and employees to learn about these new technologies in order to plan and anticipate their impact on the day-to-day processes in the workplace; training is available for these technologies, but the source of training is not necessarily seen as being associated with the incumbent industry; there is a tendency for managers to regard new entrants who have the necessary 'soft skills' as more valuable to the organisation even though it is the existing workers who have the expertise to be able to work across legacy systems and within the new technology. Show less

The purpose of this study is to determine how companies who use new technology satisfy the training need for their workforce. Additionally, the study investigated the activities of publicly-funded training providers who were delivering training to companies who used new technology. This qualitative study surveyed the opinions of 60 employers and training providers in selected states in Australia. The research suggests that innovators seek entry-level training only from the public provider and are generally supportive of the public provider. Early adopters reduce their risk for new technology training by seeking reduced costs through a subsidised public provider but this can lead to tension between each party. The report suggest that new technology training will be initially delivered through commercial arrangements and that clear and formal links need to be developed to allow training in new technology to more quickly flow into publicy-funded training.

The report follows on from the findings of the ‘Shared technology’ report (indexed at TD/ANTA 75.04), which suggested that further research examine how innovative companies are approaching the task of training in new technologies. Show less