Training Our Workforce for Tomorrow
Mar 15th, 2007 by admin
Paula Johnston, our Framework Capability Building Program Coordinator, just passed on this press release - TRAINING OUR WORKFORCE FOR TOMORROW - from Andrew Robb’s address to the National Press Club yesterday.
Some interesting points….
…”in the future over 60 percent of jobs will require technical or vocational qualifications, yet only 30 percent of the population have these qualifications.”
” Within five years it has been estimated that Australia will have 200,000 more jobs than people to fill them. ”
“To keep Australia strong and prosperous there is no alternative but to tap further sources of labour within our community – older workers, many with disabilities, parents and the unskilled - and to increase productivity in the face of the huge competition coming at us.
We need to tap the talent and the potential in every home, in every working age group and in every neighbourhood. We need to tap every place of learning and every workplace.”
“Choices in training drive innovation and quality, fill training gaps as training organisations compete to meet industry needs, and provides individuals with control over where they get their training, how they get their training and at what level.
It is why I am very supportive of the role of private training organisations and community training organisations. ”
“The characteristics of choice, access and industry involvement, along with self esteem, incentives and portability will drive our training programs to be responsive and relevant.”
“Small and medium sized businesses will require particular assistance and support because they often face considerable difficulty in restructuring work arrangements to allow their employees to train. Training in the workplace and on-line are critical future options.”
“Community organisations providing education services will also play an increasingly strong role, especially with adults not in the workforce who can’t access work based training, and for those who may not be comfortable in more formal educational institutions.”
“Through our annual $1.2 billion VET funding agreement with the States, the Australian Government is endeavouring to drive change towards a more responsive and flexible system with increased competition, more performance-based employment contracts and far greater responsiveness to industry.
To achieve this, TAFE colleges need a measure of autonomy at least equal to that which universities enjoy.”
“I am now assessing the role that the Australian Government could and should play in a move to a national on-line learning platform which would deliver accredited training on-line in the workplace, in the school or training organisation, or in the home.”
Robyn Jay
NSW LearnScope Manager