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THE AUSTRALIAN GREEN SKILLS AGREEMENT POLICY AND INDUSTRY CONTEXT, INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE AND GREEN SKILLS DELIVERY. Martin Riordan – CEO TAFE Directors Australia. APEC Human Capital Policies for Green Growth and Employment Symposium Washington DC, 20 th March 2012 .
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THE AUSTRALIAN GREEN SKILLS AGREEMENT POLICY AND INDUSTRY CONTEXT, INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE AND GREEN SKILLS DELIVERY Martin Riordan – CEO TAFE Directors Australia APEC Human Capital Policies for Green Growth and Employment Symposium Washington DC, 20th March 2012
Outline of presentation • Introduction – skilling priorities • Policy context • Commonwealth Government • The Green Skills Agreement • Other policy areas • State Governments • Industry perspective • Priority challenge • Vocational Education and Training Green transformation • Green Skills and the VET practitioner • The green status of Australian TAFEs • Culture, campus, curriculum and community • National uptake of Green Skills • Challenges and opportunities http://projectmanager.com.au/news/nsw-buildings-receive-environmental-upgrade-boost-05122011/
1. Policy context - Structure of Australian Training- Industry-led training 61 Australian TAFE Institutes 11 Industry Skill Councils Membership consists of TAFE, Industry, Educators Training Packages Qualifications
One in eight of 35-54 year old males not employedEmployed as % of population by age, Australia 1970 to 2010, males
Percent with qualifications who are in workforce and in work Persons aged 15-64, Australia 2009, %
Employment 88% of those with high literacy 48% with low Persons aged 15 to 74, Australia 2006, 000
Policy key areas • ‘COAG’ targets – on education, on sustainability • Focus on education and training – linked to sustainability and carbon reduction drive • National drive to lift productivity -- OECD benchmarking showing Australia slipping in productivity performance • Address by Secretary of Treasury – Dr Martin Parkinson • Sustainability is more than environmental issues, and that energy, resource and environmental efficiencies are key drivers of productivity • Parkinson asserts that the theme of sustainability must shape the approach to policy development of this generation • Links between productivity, sustainability and innovation are critical to a thriving economy • The Green Skills Agreement was endorsed Nov 2009 – four Commonwealth policy areas influencing Vocational Education and Training
Policy Context (1) Commonwealth Government Four policy areas • National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability • National VET Sector Sustainability Policy and Action Plan • The Green Skills Agreement (GSA) • Clean Energy and Other Skills Package The Green Skills Agreement • Develop national standards in skills for sustainability within the requirements of the national regulatory framework. • Review and revise Training Packages to incorporate skills for sustainability • Up-skill VET practitioners so they can provide effective training and facilitation in skills for sustainability • Implement strategies to reskill vulnerable workers in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Policy context (2) State & Territory governments • NSW – Green Skills Strategy Implementation Plan • South Australia - a series of initiatives to enhance the opportunities of South Australian TAFEs in delivering skills for sustainability • Victoria – courses in energy efficiency, sustainable painting and workplace project delivery, Green Skills audit and Victoria’s TAFE Development Centre delivered sustainability courses over 500 VET Teachers • Western Australia – Report in 2010 (Skilling for a Sustainable Future)recommendations yet to be implemented • Queensland - Under the Skills for Sustainability Policy and Action Plan- includes funded support for Skills for a Low Carbon Economy and Green Building Skills Fund
Industry perspective http://thirdsectormagazine.com.au/news/industry_associations_unite_to_improve_green_collar_skills/063577/ • Influencing the green skills agenda • Dr. John Spiering’s role • Skills Australia • Reported that sustainability will be one of 6 major drivers of skills needs in Australia • Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) • The eleven ISCs collectively produced a publication (Environmental Sustainability: An Industry Response) • The majority of ISCs have now incorporated sustainability in training packages • The Australian Industry Group • Report in 2012 – “the industry has recognised the important alignment of sustainability and innovation” • Business Council of Australia • Indicated that investment in innovation and education is vital for a sustainable future
Vocational Education and Training Green Transformation • The leadership of TAFE in Australia • Central Institute of TAFE, Swinburne TAFE, Sydney Institute of TAFE and TAFE NSW North Coast Institute of TAFE • The Green Skills Agreement has seen the embedding of sustainability in training through: • Green technical skills • Skills for Sustainability ‘bolted on’ • Sustainability embedded • Qualifications in sustainability (for sustainability professionals) http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/pluginfile.php/918/mod_page/content/39/CoreCompetencyFeature.png
Green Skills and VET practitioners • Some challenges • Competence in understanding the principles of sustainability - Education about sustainability AND engaging students to reflect on their own ’values and attitudes’ towards sustainability - Education for Sustainability • Education for Sustainability includes learning based strategies around systems thinking, problem solving, critical thinking and reflection • Recruiting difficulties in competent teachers in nascent or emerging technologies
The green status of Australian TAFEs Culture, curriculum, community and … campus – a survey of 61 TAFEs was undertaken in December 2011. • Culture – 83% of Institutes had a current sustainability plan with targets for environmental indicators, teaching and learning and infrastructure. • Curriculum - 81% Institutes cited active programs in sustainability. 30% of courses registered included sustainability competencies. PD in sustainability varied with some only delivering basic courses • Community – a modest response with several Institutes, mostly regionally-based, having strong community, regional and industry partnerships in sustainability
National uptake of Green Skills (1) Green Skills/ energy efficiency training enrolments (Aust 2008 – 2010) Source NCVER Students and courses database) State training NSW - https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/training_providers/greenskills/general_resources.html
National uptake of Green Skills (2) Green skills/energy efficiency enrolments by industry, Australia 2008 – 2010 (Source: NCVER, Student and courses database)
Challenges and opportunities Challenges: • Workforce delivery and community engagement • Building institutional capability • Demand for TAFE (and other) Institutions to develop quality and profitable programs in green skills delivery Opportunities: • A proliferation of teaching resources for green skills programs to support Institutions and teachers • Professional Development opportunities across Australia for VET Practitioners • The Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) has launched a sustainability benchmarking tool (LiFE) • The potential development of Green Skills Networks – currently scoping Community of Practice between Australia and the USA Community College network
In conclusion • Productivity, innovation and sustainability are closely linked in a thriving economy • The Green Skills Agreement has had a significant impact on the VET sector • Industry is engaging with sustainability through a focus on productivity and innovation • The VET sector is transforming and delivering on Green Skills • The most significant changes in the VET sector are infrastructure with culture and curriculum gaining momentum • The national uptake of green skills has doubled in the past 5 years • Challenges and opportunities are being addressed
Contacts Martin Riordan -- TAFE Directors Australia Email: mriordan@tda.edu.au Telephone: + 61 2 9217 3180 Facsimile: + 61 2 9281 7335| THANK YOU