Pp delivering skills for nsw ver 9

TAFE NSW Teachers Association

Reservation on Educational Revolution:

The future for VETTo the Ministry of Education

2007

It is 2007 What is happening?

Rudd’s message

“Education is our future, a key to being globally competitive”

“Our investment in human capital is essential for creatingan innovative, productive workforce that can adapt to a

rapidly changing world”

Rudd, 2007, Education revolution, p.4

The Battle Plan

Delivering Skills for NSW Strategic Plan for

Vocational Education and Training 2008-2010

The Vocational Education and Training (VET)Strategic plan for 2008-2010

Will drive training development in NSW by Increasing Workforce Participation Building Skills to Support Economic

Development Increasing Skills Utilisation

p.3

Delivering Skills for NSW Strategic Plan for vocational Education and Training 2008-2010

Challenges ahead Lagging behind our international competitors The population is ageing, reducing the

number of young people entering the work force

Skills shortages are now a feature of the business landscape

p.4

Delivering Skills for NSW Strategic Plan for vocational Education and Training 2008-2010

The training sector in NSW will be driven by three policy principles:

Public investment must be highly targeted to areas of greatest need and impact industries, population groups and sub-regions

Industry and individual investment must be built up through partnerships

New models must deliver the right skills to the right people at the right time

Delivering Skills for NSW Strategic Plan for vocational Education and Training 2008-2010

Policy GoalsGoal 1: To Increase Training Participation

Goal 2: To Improve Training Responsiveness and Relevance

Goal 3: To Achieve Effective Training Management

In agreement

Delivering Skills for NSW Strategic Plan for vocational

Education and Training 2008-2010 clearly recognises

In a highly skilled and knowledge based society there is an identifiable skills’ gap on the industry landscape

p.4

Our argument

VET and industry must design and implement new training models

– for the right skills

– for the right people

– at the right time

– with a focus on quality and consistency

Economic ProductivityHuman Capital Investment as a Driver of Productivity

•As teachers we applaud the Education Revolution and look forward to helping build a highly skilled workforce.

•Research shows that a small increase in the workforces education leads to economic growth •Skills increase the rate of worker’s output, innovation through fostering absorption and further development of technologies (Rudd 2007)

Background: unpacking the challenges

Fulltime, Part-time and the Skills Gap

Australia’s population is approximately 21,000million10.3 million employed 72% fulltime and 28% part-time Steady decrease in full time employment since the early 1990’s. By comparison, there has been a larger increase in part- time employment.

One may ask…is there also a correlation between the widening skills gap and the move away from the security of fulltime to part time employment? This may be a question to be revisited in years to come.

Bureau of Statistics 2006-2007)

Background: unpacking the challenges

Background: unpacking the challenges

Drive to increase Part-Time over Fulltime Teachers

Cost effective in comparison to full-time Less union intervention – perceived conflict of interest with full-

time Variety of skill level Relevance Authenticity Flexibility Strategic alliances to industry Enthusiastic (mostly)

Background: unpacking the challenges

The Ageing PopulationThe ageing population will pose particular problems for workforce participation and productivity.

Research shows that by boosting the levels of educational participation, people with higher educational attainment are: more productiveparticipate in the workforce at higher rates

Whatever their age!

Source: ABS Census 2006 data

Workforce participation by higher level of qualification by age

Source: ABS Census 2006 data

Background: unpacking the challenges

Ageing work force Employment in the age group of 45 years and above is projected to

increase annually at the rate of 2.4% per year, Compared with 1.6% for the employment growth for young persons in the

age group of 15-24 years The share of mature aged workers is expected to increase by 38% by 2010 The 25 to 45 year olds age group is expected to decline by 0.5% per year

between 2005 and 2010. This is of concern.

(NIEIR 2005, p13)

Background: unpacking the challenges

In order to increase workforce participation and reduce the social costs of long term unemployment it is imperative to develop skills throughout our working life by:

•Encouraging early entry into training for school students and school leavers•Providing skills for those not currently in the workforce•Encouraging existing workers and those wanting to re-join the workforce to attain an higher level of skill through training

Note: The Education Industry is our third largest contributor to GDP (NIER, 2005)

Increase workforce participation:

Background: unpacking the challenges

Quality Education

Will increasing the higher level of vocational qualifications create higher skill levels as older workers are replacedIn the rush to achieve a higher level to replace those retiring, will the breadth and depth of learning will be sacrificed and number of hours reduced?It is our concern that RTO’s will pressure teachers to lower standards as contestable funds are linked to completion rates. Will the ‘limbo ‘stick be lowered?It is also our concern that this will not be

monitored effectively.

QUALITY

Background: unpacking the challenges

Quality or $$$$$ $$$$$ Quality

delivery hours

questionable auditing - emphasis on correct paperwork instead of quality teaching

consistency

value authenticitysufficiency

contestability

flexibility

performance

accessability

Evidence of our need for the revolution

National investment in education in Australia has not been keeping up with the rest of the world.

Australia is the only nation that has cut its public investment in tertiary education

Other nations increased public investment by 48% Australia’s reduced by 7% In 2006-2007 Australia productivity growth fell behind the OECD

(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Out of 30 countries we are 18th lowest in education spending

Rudd, 2007, Education revolution

Evidence of our need for the revolution:Battle Plan

2007-2008 budget

Realising Our Potential package

Will the funding be targeted at the right skills ? at the right time? to the right people?

Evidence of our need for the revolution:Repercussions of funding: Completion rates

Despite almost a 40% increase in the number of recruitsAustralia has a steady decline in the proportion of apprentices who finish trainingand receive a qualification Latest completion rate estimates for VET qualifications

A fair deal: 2011

Cohort Commencing in Projected qualification completion rate (%)

Students enrolled in AQF qualifications

2008 28

Full-time students aged 25 years and under enrolled in AQF qualification

2008 37

Evidence of our need for the revolution:Repercussions of funding: Completion rates

Before commencing an apprenticeship the attitude‘hard work, low pay and bad conditions’

If the deal is fair, apprentices are willing to trade off low pay, low status & repetitive work

If they believe they will be delivered a

valued trade qualification  

The message Teachers hear

From Employers and students: Day release to Tafe is inconvenient Takes them away from the work place A necessary evil Out of date- not relevant to the context of their

work

The message

“The Australian Apprenticeships system will require significant improvement to performance,

such as retention, completion outcomes and its impact on

productivity and innovation, if Australia is to respond effectively to the challenges

of competing in a global marketplace.”How ?

A fair Deal, 2011

Submission

Economic imbalance in Australia

VET is the mantra that is called upon to

react to the imbalance

Submission – the funding

In the budget this year, an extra $6 million to fund the National Skill Shortages Strategy in 2005-06

We require a proportion of that funding We will collaborate with industry to achieve the

Strategic Plan objectives

Submission Our Objectives

Increasing workforce participation Building skills to support economic

development Increasing skill utilisation

Submission -

To increase workforce participation

promote early engagement with training

Focus marketing towards major target groups (the unemployed, older workforce) to encourage participation

Submission-

To build higher level skills to support economic development Encourage flexible education to fit with working life - evening,

weekend courses Develop incentives to complete higher-level qualification –

promotion, financial, more prospects Recognition of Prior Learning Embrace new technology

Submission -

To increase skill utilisation Engage with the community to ensure that the

relevant training will lead to job opportunities Ensure that real-life/‘on-the-job’ training is

integrated Industry to commit to training employees VET to ensure that training meets industry

requirements to ensure participation and employment

The Vocational Education and Training (VET)Strategic plan for 2008-2010

For the right skills …. For the right people…

At the right time !