Does technology have a role to play in workforce

[techandworkforcecapability]

Australian Workforce Issues

The literature review also highlighted that Australia does not have sufficient workers – both skilled and unskilled- to meet the future demands of industry and links the VET sector as a key driver for developing Australia’s workforce in a global economy.

Chris Richardson, Director of Deloitte Access Economics explained at the 2011 Skills Australia and Industry Skills Councils joint conference in Melbourne that there is a growing gap between the demand for the jobs and the supply of skills in this country at a time when our migration rates are halving, and baby boomers are retiring. He believes that the increase in Australia’s terms of trade is a key contributor driving demand for jobs, skills and qualifications.  Put simply he suggests that if we want to position Australia as the best then we need to have the best skills (Australian Workforce Productivity Agency 2011).

Heather Ridout, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group and a Skills Australia board member stated in her address that “Our investment in skills and skilling is too low” and emphasised the importance of looking at ways of rejuvenating sectors such as tourism, education and manufacturing, which are all considered major employers in Australia and who are each experiencing extreme competitive pressures.  Like many others, Heather sees a link between education, training and productivity (Australian Workforce Productivity Agency 2011).

It is clear that if industry itself sees the value of education and training then understanding the importance of the transfer of training to workforce is a vital part of any learning design.

If you are a VET practitioner and you would like to be involved in this research please contact me via this blog, LinkedIn or Social Media.

The first stage involves participation in professional conversations with educational practitioners at various stages of their e-learning journey using platforms such as Facebook groups and LinkedIn groups. This will involve both facilitating discussions and engaging in existing discussions that explore the use and issues of implementing e-learning into training.  Discussions will be carefully monitored manually over a period of approximately six weeks.  The information gleaned from these discussions will be used to determine the nature and scope of the questions that will be included in the design of a practitioner’s survey aimed at exploring practitioner perceptions of e-learning, e-learning delivery and its impact on learning and training transfer.

You are welcome to participate in the professional conversations, review the survey question and/or complete the survey.  Other opportunities will blogged on this site within the various sections of this research.

[techandworkforcecapability]

VET Workforce Issues

VET

The qualifications of VET teachers have become a contentious issue over the last few years with the release of the reports by the Productivity Commission and Skills Australia.

The literature review supports a common viewpoint: VET teachers and trainers are highly qualified professionals having both educational and industry qualification.  This was recently highlighted in the Productivity Commissions 2011 report who asserted that “ unlike most of their counterparts in other education sectors, VET teachers, trainers and assessors are ‘dual professionals’, with capabilities recognised in both education and industry spheres. In addition to their educational capabilities, they are expected, if not required, to have strong industry currency”.

When considering the retention and recruitment of skilled workers the Productivity Commission (2011) conceded that although not widespread there are some skill shortages within VET sector itself.  Particularly when:

·         trainers and assessor skills that are in high demand by industry (such as: mining, aged care, electrical engineering, nursing)

·         specialised skills such as indigenous education; language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) and e-learning

·         access and availability of trainers and assessors in some regional and remote locations

·         non-teaching staff with appropriate managerial, human resources ICT and VET compliance systems expertise

The Productivity Commission (2011) reveals recruitment difficulties are mainly attributed to the sector’s inability to pay competitive salaries in comparison to industry.  Reporting on the findings from the Department and Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) survey the Productivity Commission highlights that there is a growing need for management development particularly as many VET managers have progressed from teaching careers into management positions (p242) and do not necessarily have appropriate leadership skills.  The evidence suggests that, VET leaders seem to focus more on input-side factors such as student numbers and funding rather than focussing on high quality graduate outcomes. 

Coates et al (2010, p 10) presents progression from teaching careers to management as a real a challenge for the VET sector as it moves towards a model that is expected to become outcomes- focused and centred on effective change implementation. To be effective VET leaders need a detailed knowledge of their industry along with personal organisational skills and a proficient understanding of commercial business matters.  Coates’ study argues the value of actively identifying potential leaders and accelerating young staff, implementing personalised and targeted programs and immersing emerging leaders in programs and activities that are supported by mentoring, exchanges, acting roles and work shadowing.

Other barriers to VET workforce development identified by the literature included non-supportive organisation cultures, excessive workloads and limitations of a worker’s responsibilities that are not easily transferred to another.  Unfortunately it seems some professional development activities are focused more on pushing information to the learner rather than allowing VET practitioners to work actively on issues and problems within their own environment.

Guthrie and Clayton’s 2010 study revealed that VET employees see career opportunities differently to other sectors and many expect pathways to progression, promotion and movement to occur within the system.  This is particularly true of employees employed by TAFE. Guthrie and Clayton recognized that relatively few TAFE providers are concerned with talent management and career development which is in contrast to smaller private providers.  They also stressed that performance management approaches in TAFE seem more focused on professional development needs rather than assessing work performance.

Improved leadership training is of prime importance for the VET sector.  The University of Melbourne (2010) drawing on the work of Associate Professor Hamish Coates, co-author of the report ‘VET Leadership for the Future reinforce “Competition, commercial pressures and rapid change is now driving leadership” confirmed VET leaders have the capacity to manage industry and clients, but need skills to deal with new complex contexts that juggle competition with regulation.  The report recommends “better leadership training focused on concrete change management skills and reshaping the approaches used for leadership selection”. Other key strategies include enhancing development among emerging leaders, as well as providing further definition and structure to the profession of VET leadership.

Mitchell and Ward (2010) are both well-known VET researchers within the VET sector.   In the latter months of 2009 Mitchell and Ward conducted a large scale quantitative analysis of the specific skills required by the VET professional. 

The surveys were sent out to an undisclosed sample of VET practitioners (trainers and assessors) from all states and territories in late October 2009 and closed three weeks later. The survey involved 81 questions with sub – questions (totalling 140 questions in total).  A total of 2230 responses were received by the ending date of the survey period. The authors of this research were pleased with the large number of responses received explaining that the survey itself was demanding and required a large amount of effort and time to complete.

Mitchell and Ward’s research is important to this study as it highlights the collective attitudes of VET practitioners across the nation.  Findings suggest that VET practitioners are all too aware that their skills will soon become redundant due to social, economic and technological changes happening within the sector.  It also suggests that there is no uniform model for developing VET professionals and the authors of this research feel this is an essential component if the sector is to move forward as a driver of economic prosperity for our nation. 

Similar to most VET researchers Mitchell and Ward believe that VET capacity is almost entirely determined by the skill level of its trainers and assessors. Their research revealed  that existing professional development (PD) programs seem to be more of a ‘hit and miss’ approach and as result may not cater to individual changing needs.  The report explains there also seem to be a heavy emphasis on novice skill levels and a scarcity of PD programs at advanced levels.

Bibliography

·         Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (2011) accessed online http://www.awpa.gov.au/events-and-stakeholderforums/documents/OverviewArticle.pdf 2 November 2012.

·         The Allen Consulting Group (2011) Competitive tendering and contestable funding in VET: supporting access and equity, for the National VET Equity Advisory Council, Melbourne. Accessed online http://www.nveac.natese.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/57068/Competitive_tendering_and_contestable_funding_in_VET_-_approaches_to_supporting_access_and_equity.pdf on 20 April 2012.

·         ANTA (2000) Flexible learning for the information economy: the Framework for national collaboration in vocational education and training 2000 - 2004 accessed online at http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/aboutus/strategy2000.pdf on 10 January 2012.

·         Coates, Meek, Brown, Friedman, Noonan, Mitchell (2010) Vet Leadership for the Future: Contexts, characteristics and capabilities. Accessed online http://www.lhmartininstitute.edu.au/userfiles/files/research/vetlead_report.pdf on 19 May 2012.

·         Guthrie, H. & Clayton, B. 2010.  Building capability in vocational education and training providers: The TAFE cut. Published by NCVER, Adelaide, SA. accessed online www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2224.html on 28 May 2011.

·         Malcolm Knowles (1990a) The Adult Learner: The Neglected Species (4th Edition) in ‘Theories of Learning’ accessed online at http://www.umsl.edu/~henschkej/Adult_Learning/AL%202.pdf  on 25 August 2012.

·         Malcolm Knowles (1990b) The Adult Learner: The Neglected Species (4th Edition) in ‘A theory of adult learning: Andragogy’ accessed online at http://www.umsl.edu/~henschkej/Adult_Learning/AL%203.pdf on 25 August 2012.

·         Mitchell, J and Ward J (2010) The JMA Analytics Model of VET Capability Development accessed online http://www.jma.com.au/User_Uploaded_Files/file/JMA%20Analytics%20National%20VET%20Practitioner%20Skills%20Report%2031%20January%202010.pdf  on 26 February 2012.

·         National VET E-learning Strategy (2011) National VET E-learning Strategy 2012-2015 accessed online at http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/National_VET_E-learning_Strategy_2012-2015%20web.pdf on 10 January 2012.

·         NCVER (2010) The future of VET: a medley of views accessed online http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2284.html on 20 April 2012

·         Productivity Commission (2011) Vocational Education and Training Workforce, Research Report, accessed online http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/108369/vocational-workforce.pdf on 19 October 2012.

·         Skills Australia 2011, ‘Skills for prosperity: a roadmap for vocational education and training’ accessed online http://skillsaustralia.gov.au/PDFs_RTFs/SkillsProsperityRoadmap.pdf  on 1 June 2011.

·         Skills Australia 2010, ‘Creating a future direction for Australian Education and Training’ accessed online http://www.skillsaustralia.gov.au/tertiary-sector-reform/skills-for-prosperity/skills-for-prosperity.html 20 April 2012.

·         University of Melbourne (2010) Vet sector faces leadership succession crisis accessed online http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/print/8465  in the article http://www.acer.edu.au/media/vet-sector-faces-leadership-succession-crisis/ on 7 June 2011.

[techandworkforcecapability]

Does technology have a role to play in improving workforce capability?

I am currently reading research papers that discuss VET issues, its role and purpose.  At the same time I am considering the answer to the question “Does technology have a role in improving workforce capability?”

VET is a major driver for economic prosperity in Australia and I am wondering what is required by the VET workforce to meet this expectation.  I am also wondering what, if any VET’s issues can be overcome through training.   To answer this question one must first have some sort of understanding of the issues currently affecting VET.

Some of the issues are:

Changes to VET funding models: there is a real push for funding to be based on outcomes and course completions

Bureaucracy within the VET sector, especially in the structure of larger, public providers… does this have an impact?

Poorly designed funding models

Poor response times from training providers.  VET needs to be flexible enough to respond to changing market needs at the time those needs are required to be addressed.

VET practitioner’s are ageing, how do we capture their knowledge and skills? Should this be included in succession planning?

Should there  be increased consideration of financial barriers that prevent those who need training from entering the VET sector?

What is the role of the National VET regulator and how much funding will it require to achieve the expected outcomes

So what are the VET issues where can training help (well maybe, read on):

Quality teaching and the isssue of the CIV being the minimum teaching level.  We can offer training to increase the number of practitioners with the qualification, however the debate needs to continue…. Is the CIV an acceptable and appropriate minimum qualification for VET practitioners?  Given that many of these practitioners are dually qualified should we require higher than the CIV?  How much emphasis should be attributed to the educational qualifications of VET practitioners?

VET researchers suggest that some larger public providers are still approaching the professional development of staff in an adhoc manner.  Shouldn’t professional development be driven by strategy?

More thought needs to be given to strategies that will attract and retain quality practitioners?  This comes back to funding and salary issues.

Australia is experiencing skill shortages in many areas.  This is no different in the VET sector.  Current skills shortages that exist include trainers with specialist skills in mining; aged care; language, literacy and numeracy; indigenous studies; and e-learning.

Some VET managers do not necessarily have leadership or management experience.  Many have moved into their business role from teaching positions.  This is certainly an area that can be improved through training. 

My key thought now is ‘Does technology have a role to play in skills development of VET practitioners, management and leadership training for managers and possibly even the skill shortages in specialist  areas in VET?’

Can technology play a role in providing knowledge  to VET practitioners who require about their industry?  The use of technology in training is only one way to contribute to the development of the workforce capability of the VET sector.

There are other roles technology can play, such as pushing out information about VET issues and VET changes.  For example:

knowledge practitioners require about their industry

changes to AQTF

changes to training packages

legislative changes such as OHS and child protection

What role do you see technology can play in the development of the VET workforce?