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What is 'good practice' in introducing workplace English language and literacy training? How can you be sure that the English language and literacy training program you introduce meets the needs of the company and of those who will be undertaking the training? How can you gain commitment to the training program from all stakeholders in the workplace - management, supervisors, unions and employees? This resource addresses these and many other questions, using examples of workplace English language and literacy programs currently in place in workplaces within a range of industries. In a series of workplace interviews the resource examines the four stages of action necessary for a successful training program - preparation, design, implementation and evaluation.

This resource is a practical aid for use by all those involved in introducing workplace language and literacy training - managers, supervisors, union delegates and training providers. It is also a tool for training organisations (such as TAFE colleges) and industry training advisory bodies.

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This study investigates two concerns, one is to find out the opinions and needs of English language users in the commercial sectors in Portugal and Pakistan, and the other is to obtain insight into the local perceptions for the development of tailored English courses. [T]he comparison of the data collected gave [the authors] valuable results, allowing for the identification of venues, as well as employees' perceptions, which can be used for the improvement in existing training modules and for the development of new ones.

In a nutshell, the respondents in both countries believed that they had motivation and willingness to take specific English courses, but in Portugal, the need for speaking and listening practices was slightly more relevant than in Pakistan. In Pakistan, employees reported less needs for reading comprehension, whereas in Portugal respondents need more emphasis on 'giving and receiving directions'. Generally, all were willing to take courses but the youngest respondents were more willing to improve their English than seniors were. Moreover, all employees, but with more occurrence in young respondents, from both contexts believed that English proficiency can broaden their international careers and can help their companies to be more competitive.

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The Train to Gain service was introduced in April 2006 to support employers in improving the skills of their employees, and to contribute to improved business performance. The service offers a skills brokerage service to advise employers on identifying training needs and sourcing training, flexible training, full public funding of training for eligible employees taking specified courses and qualifications, and contributions to some other training paid for by employers. This report evaluates how effectively Train to Gain has been designed and implemented and assesses performance in its first three years. It outlines the background to Train to Gain and evaluates its progress and achievements, how well the service has responded to employer demand for training and how well the supply of training has been managed.

Excerpt from published executive summary reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

In 2016, an evaluation of costs, benefits and quality of in-company training offered in South African companies was conducted by a team of researchers under supervision of Bremen University upon initiative and in close cooperation with the South African Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA). Based on aggregated data provided by 142 companies a comprehensive analysis including calculations according to different company sizes was made. Among the most interesting results is the fact that smaller or medium sized companies seem to have some advantages in comparison to much bigger firms. This advantage refers to the cost-benefit side of training offers but also to some of the quality aspects analysed.

Published abstract.

The volume from which this paper is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 131.484. Show less

Understanding what determines a worker's passion for skills training has important policy implications, particularly in the current context of the fourth industrial revolution, in which knowledge is deemed obsolete within several years. The purpose of this study is to answer a specific question: are higher-ability garment workers more likely to engage in industrial skills training?

To do so, we use a dataset with a final sample of 787 garment workers in Cambodia. We apply logit and cluster-standard-error Ordinary Least Square regression with the intention to participate in skills training as a dependent variable on worker ability levels, which we constructed using a series of questions adapted from the OECD's Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Holding other things constant such as education, we found that workers with more ability are more likely to participate in skills training, while worker income is not a significant predictor.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This paper was funded through the Community of Practice program, part of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) Building Researcher Capacity initiative. The vocational education and training (VET) landscape is currently undergoing rapid changes due to contestable funding, increased competition between registered training organisations (RTOs), changes in client cohort characteristics and an increased demand for workforce development and work integrated learning. The demand for VET provision for workforce development requires highly skilled VET practitioners who are customer-focused, flexible, innovative and responsive to the needs of industry stakeholders. In response to this, the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE (MSIT) in Queensland created the new staff positions of enterprise learning consultants (ELCs), whose responsibility is to assist industry by combining their educational - in the context of the Australian Qualifications Framework and training packages - and business objectives and thereby promoting workforce development. While generic attributes such as customer-focused, flexible, innovative and responsive to the needs of industry clients are expected of all VET practitioners, the requirements for effective services through partnerships with enterprises extend beyond these. A diverse repertoire of approaches needs to be adopted by ELCs to appropriately engage enterprises and achieve their respective workforce development objectives. Their role is complex and involves creating, designing, planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and continuously improving all aspects of the training system for every client. As staff took up ELC positions at MSIT, their roles were being defined as they worked in these positions. Accordingly, research was needed to gain greater understanding and insight into the role, functions and competencies of ELCs in order to establish a professional development framework to skill other staff interested in these positions. The study was led by the following research questions: What are the roles, duties and key competencies of enterprise learning consultants? What areas of professional development are needed to develop new enterprise learning consultants? Because this was an exploratory study, a case study approach was used, with data collected from in-depth interviews with 10 ELCs. The findings highlight the complexities of the ever-changing environment in which ELCs are required to operate. Their roles tend to continually evolve as they attempt to meet the multiple challenges of diverse clients. This suggests that ELCs require a range of competencies to allow them to meet some of the basic tasks required by this role. The findings suggest five key areas of development that would position them to commence operating as an ELC, and then continue their learning through practice.

Published introduction. Show less

This report provides a detailed analysis of unionlearn's 2009 survey of union learning representatives (ULRs) and their managers. The report suggests that not only is ULR activity increasing but that a clear majority of both representatives and their managers believe that it enhances workplace learning, closes skills gaps and improves union- management relations. However, the main aim of the report is to identify and explore the key determinants of ULR activity and impact. The findings suggest that in addition to the support of their own unions, ULRs have the greatest effect within organisations where management have a clear commitment to union learning. While the support of senior managers for ULR activity and the presence of workplace learning institutions were found to be influential, the single most important factor in shaping ULR activity and impact was the existence of negotiations between ULRs and employers. Therefore, the report argues that if ULRs are to deliver positive outcomes both for their members and their organisations, employer engagement must be reflected within positive workplace relations and a collective bargaining framework that explicitly recognises the centrality of learning and training.

Published abstract. Show less

This environmental scan provides an industry-specific overview of current and future trends and developments in the tourism, hospitality and events industries in relation to workforce development and vocational education and training (VET). Developed in partnership with industry and based on data mostly collected between February and December 2010, the scan reflects key issues and provides information on current and future skill demands, and their context, to inform the continuous improvement of the [Service Skills Australia] SSA suite of skills and workforce development strategies, including training packages.

Excerpt from introduction. Show less

The production of sugar is on of the major agro-based industries in the Asia-Pacific region, which has a significant impact on the overall economy. Annual consumption of sugar is expanding each year by about two million tons. However, the processing of sugar produces environmental impacts through loss of natural habitats, intensive use of water, heavy use of agro-chemicals, discharge and runoff of polluted effluent, and air pollution.

There is an emerging need to adopt a new approach to addressing the environmental concerns in the sugar industry through training interventions. To evaluate the issues concerning the environmental pollution through the sugar industry, a study was carried out in the south region of India in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper draws on findings of the [training needs analysis] TNA conducted on three sugar industries. It describes the approach adopted for identification of specific training interventions leading to the development of a multi-media training package for persons working in the sugar industry. Finally, there is a call for concerted action among all stakeholders in sugar production to attain a more sustainable future for this universal product.

Excerpts from published abstract. Show less

Going back to the theoretical framework of the 'Economics des conventions' (EC), more specifically the concepts of 'quality conventions' and 'worlds of production', the article deals with the transformations in shoe manufacture at the transition from the 19th to the 20th century. The advent of inexpensive mass products led to a re-evaluation of shoe quality against the background of a plurality of quality criteria. The focus of the contribution are the Swiss shoe company Bally and the Czechoslovakian rival Bat'a, both of which competed on the Swiss market. The cheap competition from the latter prompted the Swiss state in 1934 to carry out far-reaching economic policy interventions on behalf of the domestic shoe industry. In view of this conflict, the article examines the effects of the new production and management processes on the qualification of employees in both companies. With reference to the EC, qualification comprises the generation and attribution of qualities (competences, attitudes, behaviors etc.) to persons involved in the production process. In addition to processes of selection and training, these also primarily include those of socialisation and acculturation using specific company-owned (social) institutions. These areas of action, but also technologies, objects, buildings, including their architectural design etc., are understood as elements within the production chain that had to be coordinated in the context of specific 'worlds of production'.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less