AISC Communique - 22 June 2021 Meeting

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The 38th meeting of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) was held on 22 June 2021.

VET Reform update

The Committee received advice on the new industry engagement arrangements as announced in the May Commonwealth Budget, and an update on the progress of quality reforms as agreed under the Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform.

Training packages: Project/Policy issues

Aged Care and Disability Support qualifications review

The Committee welcomed Ms Jodie Davis, Chair, Direct Client Care Industry Reference Committee (IRC) who provided an update on progress with the review to update the Certificate III in Individual Support, the Certificate IV in Ageing Support, and the Certificate IV in Disability.

Members noted that the updated training products will be presented to the AISC for consideration at its 12 October 2021 meeting.

Members also noted that consultation on Draft 2 training products is scheduled to occur in mid-July 2021 and agreed on the importance of widespread promotion of the opportunity to contribute to this process to industry.

Standalone units

The Committee noted differing interpretations of training package policy requirements have been applied in relation to standalone units in the national training system, creating confusion for IRCs and SSOs. Standalone units refer to those units of competency which are not packaged in a training package qualification at the time of endorsement.

The Committee agreed to a set of principles for guiding decision-making on standalone units as an interim measure, until this issue is considered more fully as part of the VET reform process. Under the agreed principles, standalone units will only be permissible in exceptional circumstances where a strong justification is provided by Skills Service Organisations (SSOs) and Industry Reference Committees (IRCs). The principles are available on the AISC website.

Training Pathways in the Electrotechnology Training Package

In early May 2021, the Electrotechnology IRC sought the Committee’s approval to mandate workplace-based training pathways for a number of qualifications.

While noting the importance of on-the-job learning and industry being able to identify and meet its skills and workforce development needs, the Committee concluded it cannot agree to the IRC’s request, given the Training Package Organising Framework precludes mandatory training pathways. Members also noted the AISC has previously provided advice to Skills Ministers on this matter, which will be explored further through qualification reform work under the Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform and ongoing review of the Training Package Organising Framework.

Gas Training Package – Request for reinstatement of deleted units

The Committee considered a request from the Gas IRC to reinstate two units of competency related to working with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The units have had zero enrolments since 2016 so were recently archived on the national training register, because of the AISC streamlining exercise conducted at the request of Skills Ministers in late 2020.

The Committee agreed to the reinstatement of the units on the condition that the Gas IRC includes these units in a forthcoming Case for Change to ensure they are reviewed and updated to be fit-for-purpose and to support nationally-recognised training.

Transition support: Approach to Cases for Change

In the context of new industry engagement arrangements due to be operational by December 2022, the Committee agreed an approach for assessing upcoming Cases for Change to ensure that training product reviews can continue over the transition period, while also minimising the risk and complexity of handing over substantial unfinished projects to the new industry clusters.

To support the consideration of Cases for Change put forward between now and the August meetings, the AISC has agreed a set of principles to help guide decision-making. These are designed to provide a consistent approach to guide project approvals, and ensure that stages of each project are realistically planned and documented to enable the work to be completed before the new industry engagement arrangements come into effect, or that it is at a satisfactory stage for transition to occur.

In addition to the usual assessment criteria for cases for change, the AISC will have regard to:

  • Evidence that the project can be completed by December 2022. To support this, new cases for change are to be accompanied by a detailed project plan.
  • The capacity of the IRC and SSO (considering any existing projects) to meet the scheduled timeframes in the project plan.
  • If a project is of critical importance and cannot reasonably be completed by December 2022, that it can be completed up to a point that allows for an efficient transition of the project to a new industry cluster.

The approach to managing training product proposals will need to adapt further once the Transition Advisory Group has completed its work and prepared advice on implementation arrangements for consideration by Skills Ministers.

The Committee noted a more detailed proposal for managing training product proposals will be developed for discussion in the coming months.

Transition support: Communication with IRCs

The Committee discussed its leadership role in engaging and supporting IRCs during transition to new industry engagement arrangements. Members agreed to keep IRCs informed during this period to maintain training system activity and support continuity of training package development.

Members also noted updates to communication and engagement activities in the IRC Action Plan where the AISC will draw on existing engagement channels such as the AISC newsletter to provide VET reform updates and provide updates on key transition outcomes from AISC meeting communiques.

Case for Endorsement – New

The Committee approved the following five new Cases for Endorsement for referral to Skills Ministers:

IRC

Details of submission

AISC Decision

Process Manufacturing, Recreational Vehicle and Laboratory IRC

MSM Manufacturing – High Pressure Water Jetting

The Case for Endorsement includes:

  • 4 updated units of competency
  • 4 updated skill sets
  • 1 new unit of competency
  • 1 new skill set

Approved the training products for endorsement

 

Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC

FBP Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical – Food Processing Qualifications

The Case for Endorsement includes:

  • 3 revised qualifications
  • 14 updated qualifications
  • 4 updated skill sets
  • 17 new units of competency
  • 114 revised units of competency

It will also result in streamlining:

  • 5 qualifications merged into 3
  • Several units of competency merged into 6
  • 10 deleted units of competency

Approved the training products for endorsement

 

Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC

FBP Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical – Flour Milling

The Case for Endorsement includes:

  • 2 updated skill sets
  • 1 new unit of competency
  • 9 revised units of competency

It will also result in streamlining:

  • 1 deleted qualification
  • 5 deleted units of competency

Approved the training products for endorsement

 

Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC

FBP Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical – High Volume Production Baking

The Case for Endorsement includes:

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 1 updated unit of competency
  • 9 new units of competency
  • 15 revised units of competency

It will also result in streamlining:

  • 2 units of competency merged into 1

Approved the training products for endorsement

 

Racing and Breeding IRC

RGR Racing and Breeding – Revision of Racing qualifications

The Case for Endorsement includes:

  • 2 revised qualifications

Approved the training products for endorsement

 

Cases for Change

The Committee approved the following 25 Cases for Change, across ten IRCs.

IRC

Details of submission

AISC Decision

Process Manufacturing, Recreational Vehicle and Laboratory IRC

MSM Manufacturing – Recreational Vehicle

This Case for Change includes:

  • 7 updated qualifications
  • 30 updated units of competency
  • 8 new units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development, on the condition that:

  • the Case for Endorsement provides clear evidence to justify maintaining the five qualifications as discrete qualifications, should this be deemed the best solution for meeting industry’s needs. This includes evidence that specific job roles/tasks are, or will be, in demand

Animal Care and Management IRC

ACM Animal Care and Management Training Package

This Case for Change includes two projects:

Project A – Assistance Dog Trainer

  • 2 new skill sets
  • 13 new units of competency

Project B – Companion Animal Incident Management

  • 3 new skill sets
  • 12 new units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation and Land Management IRC

AHC Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation and Land Management Training Package

This Case for Change includes two projects:

Project A – Unit Sector Approach Stage 3

  • 26 updated qualifications
  • 21 updated skill sets
  • 208 updated units of competency

Project B – Water Allocation and Entitlement

  • 1 new skill set
  • 5 new units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Meat IRC

AMP Australian Meat Processing – Rationalisation of the AMP Training Package – Review Stage 1

This Case for Change includes:

  • 11 updated qualifications
  • 125 updated units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC

FBP Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Training Package

This Case for Change includes three projects:

Project A – Indigenous Food Skill Set

  • 1 new skill set
  • 3 new units of competency

Project B – Pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Process

  • 4 updated units of competency
  • 3 updated qualifications
  • 1 new skill set

Project C – Sugar Milling

  • 2 updated qualifications
  • 1 updated skill set
  • 41 updated units of competency
  • 1 deleted qualification

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Aviation IRC

AVI Aviation Training Package

This Case for Change includes four projects:

Project A – Air Traffic Control

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 9 updated units of competency

Project B – Aviation Supervision

  • 1 updated qualification

Project C – Chief Remote Pilot

  • 1 new qualification
  • 4 new units of competency

Project D – Commercial Pilot Regulatory Update

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 3 updated units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Public Safety IRC

DEF Defence Training Package

This Case for Change includes five projects:

Project A – Electronic Forensics

  • 2 updated qualification
  • 12 updated units of competency

Project B – Paralegal Services

  • 2 updated qualifications
  • 13 updated units of competency

Project C – Range Control Officer

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 1 updated skill set
  • 6 updated units of competency

Project D – Test and Evaluations

  • 2 updated qualifications
  • 8 updated units of competency

Project E – Work Diving

  • 17 updated units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Transport and Logistics IRC

TLI Transport and Logistics Training Package

This Case for Change includes three projects:

Project A – Driving Instruction

  • 3 merged qualifications
  • 2 new skill sets
  • 1 updated skill set
  • 13 updated units of competency

Project B – Customs Broking

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 1 update skill set
  • 18 updated units of competency

Project C – Material and Deployment Logistics

  • 5 updated qualifications
  • 5 updated skill sets
  • 52 updated units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

ESI Transmission Distribution and Rail IRC

UET Transmission, Distribution and Rail Sector Training Package

This Case for Change includes three projects:

Project A – Transmission Structures

  • 1 updated qualification
  • 5 updated units of competency

Project B – Refresher Skills

  • 18 updated skill sets
  • 11 updated units of competency
  • 8 new units of competency

Project C – Power and Network Systems

  • 6 updated qualifications
  • 104 updated units of competency
  • 1 new unit of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Sustainability IRC

MSS Sustainability – Sustainability

This Case for Change includes:

  • 4 updated qualifications
  • 41 updated units of competency
  • 5 new units of competency

Approved to proceed to training package development

 

Recent out of session item - high risk work licence units

On 3 May 2021, following the 20 April 2021 AISC meeting the Committee approved a fast track training package project to resolve longstanding issues related to high risk work licence units of competency in the TLI Transport and Logistics Training Package. For more information see the AISC website.

Next meeting: The next AISC meeting will be held on Wednesday 21 July 2021.

Download the Communique as a PDF here