The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (the AISC) held its second meeting today in Brisbane.
Chair of the Committee, Mr John Pollaers, welcomed the Hon Yvette D’Ath MP, Queensland Minister for Training and Skills who spoke to the meeting about her vision for the VET system. Minister D’Ath outlined her government’s commitment to investing in the VET sector, ensuring students have access to quality training that delivers the skills employers and businesses need.
The AISC has been established to provide effective industry leadership to the VET sector in Australia, in particular to ensure that training packages are meeting the needs of industry.
At today’s meeting, members approved three training packages for implementation:
- HLT Health;
- CHC Community Services; and
- CSC Correctional Services.
The AISC discussed the need to keep industry and the training sector informed about upcoming decisions on training packages and agreed to seek advice from Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) and publish a schedule for the remainder of 2015.
The AISC also discussed the new arrangements for training product development, in particular the progress of four key projects that are critical for the establishment of the new arrangements:
- AISC members welcomed the release of the Expressions of interest to operate as a Skills Service Organisation and acknowledged that the new model builds on the strengths of the system we currently have.
- Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) will be a key driver of the new arrangements and the members are looking forward to developing a productive working relationship with the IRCs.
- The successful scheduling and commissioning of training package work will also be a critical element in the success of the new model and members were pleased to see that work is underway to develop a cohesive framework to underpin this role.
- The AISC is also monitoring the smooth transition from the current ISCs to the new model. ISCs continue to undertake essential work required to support the national training system.
The AISC have a significant body of work to undertake and are well advanced in establishing the framework to support both the current arrangements and the new arrangements for training product development in 2016.
The AISC will meet next in Sydney on 1 September 2015.