AISC pilots new model for VET to drive collaboration across industries on future skills needs
The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) is piloting a new model for the development of vocational education and training that fundamentally changes the way industry collaborates on future skills needs.
The AISC’s innovative cross sector projects have a focus on emerging technologies and bring a range of industries together to determine the common skills people will need to transition into future jobs. As well as modernising training, this new approach recognises the importance of a flexible and adaptable workforce to business productivity and Australia’s future competitiveness.
AISC Chair, John Pollaers, urged businesses and employers to get involved in nine pilot projects looking at VET skills in the areas of disability, big data, automation, coding, consumer engagement through social media, supply chain management, cyber security, environmental sustainability, and team work and participation.
“The VET system needs to be responsive to modern ways of working, technological change and the challenges posed by structural adjustment in the economy,” he said.
“The traditional siloed industry approaches to the training package development have been a major barrier to this responsiveness. With more collaboration in design, and shared ownership of the product, training can be designed to give people the skills they need to adapt to future workforce needs.
“This will be essential as the types of skills people and businesses need change because of increased digitalisation and automation. Not only will this approach benefit employees and students, but it will also give industry and employers greater certainty and confidence in VET qualifications. Having the right skills and knowledge is essential for both the productivity of individual businesses and the competitiveness of the Australian economy as a whole.”
The cross sector projects will recognise and formalise skills used across multiple industries. They aim to make it easier for people to move between jobs and occupations, and will also mean companies do not have to reinvest to ensure an employee’s skills are nationally recognised.
Employers are invited to stay up to date and get involved with relevant projects at www.aisc.net.au/content/cross-sector-projects
Contact: Claire O’Halloran – 02 6240 8788/claire.o’halloran@education.gov.au
About the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) The AISC is an industry/government collaboration focused on amplifying the voice of industry and building employer’s confidence in VET qualifications. The AISC advises Commonwealth and State and Territory Industry and Skills Ministers on the implementation of national vocational education and training policies, and approves nationally recognised training packages for implementation in the VET system.
The AISC draws on advice from its network of Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), which are made up of people with experience, skills and knowledge of their particular sector. They work across their industry to ensure their advice reflects the needs of employers and the modern economy. IRCs are supported in their work by professional service organisations called Skills Service Organisations (SSOs), which are coordinating the cross sector projects.