Agenda items reflected the Committee’s commitment to amplify the voice of industry, build employer’s confidence in VET qualifications and improve the productivity of Australian businesses.
Consistent with this commitment, the Committee considered ways to continue engaging and partnering with industry, including
- investigating ways to streamline Committee processes and improve communication (more details are in Streamlining below)
- analysing the findings from research commissioned by the AISC which examines the way people will work in the future and how Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) can use these insights to guide their future workplans, and
- endorsing a Communications and Engagement Strategy to help the AISC enhance its leadership, impact and presence.
Streamlining
In response to valuable feedback from the IRCs Chairs’ meeting of 16 March 2017, the Committee
- agreed to explore options to streamline processes to improve the speed to market of new training products. The Secretariat will work with IRCs, Skills Service Organisations and other stakeholders to test ideas for Committee to consider, and
- asked for new communication tools to be developed to keep IRC members supported and informed.
Review of IRCs
The Committee noted strong progress on the review of all IRCs, noting the due diligence being followed and the follow-up on nominations received.
The AISC recently endorsed, out-of-session, the new structure and membership of the following IRCs
- Ambulance and Paramedic
- Aviation
- Financial Services
- First Aid
- Information and Communications Technology
- Printing and Graphic Arts
- Process Manufacturing, Recreational Vehicle and Laboratory
- Textile, Clothing and Footwear.
The AISC Secretariat is advising nominees of these outcomes. Details of these IRCs will be published on the AISC website shortly.
Having reviewed the proposed structure and nominations for the Construction IRC, the Property Services IRC and the Aquaculture and Wild Catch IRC, the AISC felt the need for wider state-level representation. Going forward, the Committee is seeking 2-3 organisational nominees to provide adequate flexibility in IRC structures.
Training package development
The Committee approved for implementation:
- CPCCPB3014 Install bulk insulation and pliable membrane products and CPCCPB3027 Install ceiling insulation products. Duplication will be addressed as a priority in the review of Certificate III Wall and Lining, scheduled for 2017–18.
- two UEE Electrotechnology units of competency that respond to urgent need for skills in the storage installation, maintenance and systems. Development of the units responds to the COAG Energy Council Ministerial Direction and is supported by industry, including the Clean Energy Council. The Committee noted that finalising these units in advance of the electrotechnology qualifications being transitioned to the new training package is a necessary anomaly in this instance and will not set a precedent. The AISC requested the transition of the electrotechnology qualifications to the 2012 standards occur as a matter of priority.
- three new units of competency and five revised qualifications from the TLI Transport and Logistics Training Package to align training with heavy vehicle fatigue management accreditation processes of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and meet requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
The Committee agreed to commission
- training package development work to update Work Health and Safety (WHS) units and qualifications in the BSB Business Services Training Package to address industry-identified issues (conditions of assessment and required knowledge and skills outcomes) and alignment of WHS qualifications with the global OHS framework.
Next meeting
The next meeting of the AISC is 1 June 2017.