Purpose of the Network

2. Purpose of the Network To increase the capacity of the water industry to provide high quality training and assessment for its workforce How? • By increasing the number of trainers and assessors • By increasing the involvement of industry in the delivery and assessment of training • By improving quality of training and assessment • By improving awareness of workforce development and training opportunities

3. Drivers for the Network • Ageing water industry workforce – 56% of water employees in 27 NSW councils are aged 45-65 • Ageing training provider workforce • Increasing attrition from the water industry • New technologies driving need for training • Small numbers of RTOs actually delivering the water industry training package in NSW • Potential national certification of water operators will drive demand for RPL and training delivery

4. Water Training Package (NWP07) • Certificate I in Water Sustainability • Certificate II in Water Operations • Certificate III in Water Operations • Certificate IV in Water Operations • Diploma of Water Operations • Advanced Diploma of Water Engineering Design • Grad Voc Cert in Water Industry Leadership

5. What has WTAN delivered? • Community of 330 members in NSW • Access to latest information on water industry training issues through: • Dedicated website – www.wtan.com.au • Regional network meetings - 17 in last 18 months • Quarterly newsletters • Access to professional development courses • Research on regional workforce development • Voice on water industry training in NSW

6. What has been achieved? • 44 industry employees (32 from local govt) with new training, assessment and mentoring qualifications • 152% increase in Water Operations traineeships in 2012 – highest number of trainees in any year to date • Establishment of a school based traineeship in Water Operations – first enrolments in 2012 • Professional development workshops for RTOs • Research and identification of regional workforce development strategies for local government water employees

7. Purpose of the Research Projects • To identify regional training needs of employees providing water and wastewater services in local councils in the New England and Mid Coast/North Coast regions of NSW • To explore strategies to improve the cost effectiveness, efficiency and quality of training delivery to councils in these regions

8. Who should join WTAN? • Managers, supervisors and team leaders with a role or interest in training and assessing staff • Trainers and assessors from Registered Training Organisations who deliver training to the water industry • Water industry staff interested in becoming a trainer in the future (e.g. people nearing retirement) • Human Resource/Learning & Development Managers

9. What are the benefits of joining? • To become a better trainer, assessor and mentor to your staff • To understand more about the national training system and working with training providers • To keep abreast of national and state developments in training policy, projects, resources and courses • To provide a collective voice on training for the benefit of your organisation and your region • To gain access to training funds • To be part of network projects and negotiations with training providers

10. What next? • Join the WTAN network – register online at www.wtan.com.au • Participate in network meetings to: • establish regional training needs • develop regional training initiatives, e.g. Mentoring, sharing trainers and assessors • Stay informed of activities in other regions • Be part of state-wide initiatives which will benefit the water industry