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Building a secure and fair future: Skills for South Australia. Adrian Smith.
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Building a secure and fair future: Skills for South Australia Adrian Smith
“Whether we see the case for investment in skills and qualifications justified in terms of a high-skills/high-performance/high-value-added economy, or a capable and equitable society, it all comes down to skills and qualifications that enable people to participate and create, industry to be productive and competitive, and society to thrive and prosper.” National Skills Policy Forum Investing wisely April 2009.
National Challenge: Australia has lost first mover advantage • Year 12 retention rates below OECD average and well below top 6 performing countries • 9th in OECD in percentage of population with degrees(down from 7th a decade before) • OECD review of Australian VET system argued it was too complex, too inflexible and not sufficiently focussed on standards and outcomes
What do we need to do? • Increase year 12 retention • Increase percentage of population with post school qualifications • Address low levels of literacy and numeracy in working age population • Use the skills of those in work more effectively • Reform the tertiary system
How can we do it? • Set public targets and monitor performance • Reform the delivery system • Move to a demand driven model for VET • Provide a student entitlement to a publicly funded place up to and including Certificate 3 • Provide income contingent loans to support qualifications above Certificate 3 • Require better collaboration between HE and VET • Establish a regional strategy for coordinated and collaborative delivery of post secondary and tertiary education
How can we do it (2) • New emphasis on literacy and numeracy needed with a major increase in funding to bring about change: 45.2% or 512,00 South Australians between 15 and 74 do not possess the literacy skills necessary to meet demands of modern life • New emphasis on workforce development: Research shows that both employers and employees think best use is not being made of the skills of those in employment and few enterprises have workforce development approaches in place
Conclusion • Commitment to a long term strategy for change in South Australia’s skills profile is necessary. It must involve all players - government, industry and educational providers. • Past arrangements may no longer be appropriate as we seek to respond to the speed and pace of change in a global knowledge economy where skills and knowledge are the new wealth of nations.