Fast tracking another solution to skills shortage
11 April 2005
The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning is one of a number of successful ways of addressing the skills shortage in Australia according to Kangan Batman Institute of TAFE CEO, Mr Ray Griffiths.
As well as having a strong presence in VCAL and VET in Schools, Kangan Batman TAFE is part of a consortium tackling the demand for skilled tradespeople with an innovative "fast tracking" (FTA) program designed initially for the retail motor industry but with the flexibility for application into any industry.
The catalyst for the pilot came from research undertaken by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), CWCC (a research and consulting company) and Enterprise & Career Foundation (DEST) in 2002. The report "Skills and Segmentation in the Retail Motor Industry" provides clear implications for both targeting and skilling future labour market participants. Just as skills, jobs and career paths are segmenting, so the approaches to targeting labour market entrants and training need to be segmented accordingly.
In modern dealerships, in the service area, there is an emerging gap between the skill sets required for "routine servicing" work (largely mechanically based) and "diagnostic and repair" work (which is electronic based). Traditionally apprentices have completed a "one size fits all" program over a fixed term of employment to complete their development.
The FTA program targets skilled, experienced and mature people to fill these gaps within the retail, service and repair dealership network but understands that the training and employment approach can be different. The pilot program has already seen the first group of apprentices commencing their training and employment to meet the "diagnostic and repair" skill set and has a timeframe of 12-18 months for completion. The "routine servicing" skill set traineeship pilot will commence in the next month and has a timeframe of six months for completion.
Operated in conjunction with partners VACC and CWCC, the pilot includes partnerships with Holden and Toyota dealerships and their respective manufacturer training divisions in Victoria. Piloting of the FTA is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
"The program targets different types of people wanting a career in the retail industry such as skilled migrants and careers changers, and provides them with a method of fast tracking through the training to enter the workforce sooner," says Mr Griffiths.
"As the students are generally mature age and in many cases can be assessed for their skills developed in other fields such as engineering or aerospace, the premise is they will have developed research, system, and analytical skills which assist them to fast track through the program."
"The fast track program involves redesigning the way we approach and deliver training for apprentices," said Mr Griffiths. "There are several features of the program geared to produce skilled employees for a work force in less than half the time of traditional apprenticeship training."
All off-the-job training is performed at night or weekend classes so as not to interfere with valuable on-the-job training time. Approximately 30 per cent of the program delivery is project based utilising the apprentices' already developed analytical and research skills.
The dealership provides the training arena to develop the apprentices' knowledge and skills, and manufacturer "product specific" training provides detailed knowledge. All training focuses on integrating standards into systems rather than taking a traditional standards-based approach. The removal of duplicated effort between the training provider and the manufacturer/dealer has been a most important aspect of this integration.
The program provides flexibility of training, as students are continually case managed throughout the fast tracking and the program modified to continuously improve it.
"In the end what we are seeing are skilled people trained quickly and effectively in their chosen field," said Mr. Griffiths. "There are possibilities for other industry areas and with a little adaptation there is no reason why we can't be developing skilled workers in the areas of greatest need in a timelier manner."
"The skills shortage issue is complex and involves a range of demand and supply side issues," Mr Griffiths said. "Outcomes of an industry led national training system are co-produced by mature government and peak industry policy, committed enterprises, researchers, vocational educators and trainers from the public and private sectors. And let's not forget that these outcomes are people with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required for competitive enterprises. These people have a stake in the system as well."
"This complex issue requires a disciplined and multi-layered response. There is enormous advantage in looking for top level partnerships rather than blame one party or another for identified short-comings. If we understand the partnerships required for success there's no sense in excluding any of these parties from the highest levels of the reform process; especially not the public and private sector vocational education and training providers who are pivotal to the process."
"We need to look at the entire value chain and we need genuine partnerships between industry, enterprises, researchers, providers and students, like those in the FTA, to move ahead," he concluded.
