Untitled Document

The Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP 11 September 2002
Minister for Education, Science and Training
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

National Industry Skills Initiative

Rural Industries Task Force - Progress Report August 2002

Dear Minister

I am pleased to report that the action plan for the Rural Industries Task Force is progressing well.
Attached is a summary of our main achievements to date and a copy of the action plan with the progress noted against each item.
The Task Force met on 8 August 2002 and participants are satisfied with our progress and enthusiastic about our future activities. We have developed a well rounded approach that will continue to bring together the various industry groups and the training and employment resource providers to overcome the current skills and labour shortages in rural industries.
The ONtrack CD-ROM is proving to be an impressive success and is helping to change attitudes towards careers and jobs in rural industries. We appreciate the funding and support from your Department, not only for ONtrack but also for other activities associated with the Industry Training Strategies Programme and the education and training advisers network. We also now have ECEF funded project officers working for various state farmer organisations promoting structured workplace learning and developing better links between our industry and schools. These project officers will use ONtrack as a major tool and resource. The RSA network will also continue to use ONtrack to promote training and careers.

The trial of the new Rural Operations training package has commenced and while the initial take up has been slow the feedback from communities is that they want this package to be successful as there are benefits for industry, communities and individuals from this very flexible training product.

While a great deal has been achieved there is still much to do over the next twelve months. There is a continuing shortage of workers, skilled and unskilled, on the harvest trail. This is affecting the capacity of industry to plan effectively and confidently. We can overcome this through a strategic approach including better marketing of these jobs, the use of skills packages suited to the specific tasks and involving industry, and individual producers, in problem solving.

We are also investigating the possibility of accessing of workers from the major cities. We believe that there are many people in our major urban areas who want to live and work in rural Australia. Some of these people may wish to work in rural related industries while others will want to live and work in the regional centres. Either way we can add to the broad skills base in non urban areas, increase the population in regional Australia and perhaps have some impact on the overcrowding that is becoming a concern for our cities. We will investigate this further and expect to commence some initial activity during the remainder of this year.

There are further projects underway which are aimed at improving the skills of farmers in the recruitment and induction of workers, these complement ONtrack and will assist in uptake of the various rural training packages. There is also an opportunity to look at Workplace Relations issues and the way the industrial system, and farmers perceptions, are influencing employment and training processes.

Finally, farm organisations and commodity groups will be invited to a summit on employment, education and training matters in early 2003. This will be the first time these groups will come together to focus on these issues and we believe it will be an important event. It will allow us to agree on the way forward and develop a broad understanding of issues and ownership of strategies within our industries. The attached action plan will be a major focus for this meeting.

My taskforce members and I look forward to our continuing involvement in the National Industry Skills Initiative and to another twelve months of productive activity. The support from your Department for this initiative is very important for our industries. The advice and information from your staff, particularly Colin Walters, Mary Johnston and Sue Dyer, is genuinely assisting us improve productivity and efficiency and develop a sustainable response to our skills and labour shortage.

For further information contact myself on 08 8389 1214 or Peter Strong at Rural Skills Australia on 02 6273 2308.

Yours sincerely

SIGNED AND SENT 16 SEPTEMBER

Wayne Cornish
Chair
Rural Industries Taskforce
National Industry Skills Initiative

National Industry Skills Initiative
Rural Action Plan - Main Achievements, August 2002

The ONtrack package has been developed and over 7,000 distributed to schools, Centrelink offices, libraries, farm organisations, New Apprenticeship Centres, training organisations and government departments. Over 5,000 copies were delivered via a major mail out and over 2,000 have been sent out as requested by organisations. A further 800 (approx) have been copied through CD burners and distributed to individuals. The feedback on the content and quality of the CD-ROM has been above expectations and ONtrack will continue to be a tool for rural industries to actively promote rural careers for at least the next two years.

Continuing promotion of the ONtrack package will take place through farm organisations, websites, RSA network and schools. The ECEF project officers (as outlined below) will use ONtrack as one of their main products, other ways and means of influencing careers advisers and parents will also be investigated.

Farm organisations have an important role to play in overcoming skills shortages. The level of understanding of the importance of this area is increasing and interest created by ONtrack and other activities is creating a base of interested people to help promote the training agenda. Activities and achievements include:

The rural working group report "Skills needs for the rural industries" highlights seasonal labour shortages as a real issue for industry.

Preliminary work has taken place on improving access to skilled workers for the harvest trail. The recently launched exposure document for the employment services tender from DEWR has a new "service" based on providing information on the harvest trail to interested workers and industries.

A strategy for increasing the workforce for the harvest trail, including training for potential workers from high schools and universities and networking industry with support agencies, is being investigated.

Qualifications for Certificate II and Certificate III in Rural Operations have been endorsed. This training package is an important development, coming from industry and community consultations, that allows greater flexibility for the rural sector in developing and managing training and New Apprenticeships. Group Training Australia has been contracted to trial the packages and while early progress is slow the interest from communities is high.

Other training package activity (Action plan items 1.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5, 4.8)

It is important that quality training packages are available for rural industries. These need to be developed with industry input and with industry approval. Recent activities from the Rural Training Council of Australia include:

The first school based New Apprenticeships (SBNA) by distance education (previously "School of the Air") will be completed in late 2002. Promotion of the availability of SBNA to remote employers and young people and development of similar processes for Structured Workplace Learning is currently in progress. (Action plan item 2.1)

Further strategies are being developed based upon the action plan. The National Farmers' Federation and Rural Skills Australia will be managing the continued plan implementation with input from the Rural Training Council of Australia.

S	short	within 6 months
SM	short-medium	within 12 months
M	medium	within 1 - 2 years
L	long	within 2 - 5 years

RSA	Rural Skills Australia
RTCA	Rural Training Council of Australia
DEST	Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs
NFF	National Farmers' Federation
ANTA	Australian National Training Authority
NAC	New Apprenticeship Centre
RTO	Registered Training Organisation
ECEF	Enterprise and Career Education Foundation
AFFA	Department of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries Australia
ATD	Action to Date

Target Area	Recommended Strategy	Priority*	Lead Agency **	Proposed outcomes	Determinants for Success
1. Marketing and promotion	1.1 A coordinated communication and marketing strategy promoting best practice in rural industry vocational education and training and careers is developed and implemented.	SM	RSA	Enhanced awareness amongst rural and metropolitan school students, teachers, parents and the community of career and training opportunities in the rural industry.	Increase in New Apprenticeships in rural related industries. Increase in New Apprenticeships in communities. Increase in VET numbers. TER scores improve in Agriculture.
	ATD: See information for ONtrack and ECEF projects.
	1.2 An audit of rural skills training and training providers is undertaken which would lead to a comprehensive directory of rural skills (competencies), training opportunities, training providers and career pathways.	M and ongoing	RTCA	Relevant information is readily available from a reliable source.	Register of VET courses (Ag & Hort) and providers at the State/Territory and National developed and made available on the internet. Includes details of courses accessible at local levels.
	ATD: National Information training System has this information. A link from the RTCA website will be established so prospective clients can determine where Ag and Hort Training Packages are being delivered RTCA will invest in researching and loading this information on RTCA site when the development of the new Training Packages for Conservation and Land Management, Rural Production and Amenity Horticulture are complete.
	1.3 Informal, unrecognised training programs and activities (including FarmBis) are linked to recognised VET qualifications.	S	RTCA AFFA DEST	The gaps between unrecognised and recognised training are bridged.	Outcomes from informal programs are directly related to competency.
	ATD: RTCA advised Meat and Livestock Australia to map EDGE programs against the Training Packages. This has been done. Similarly, Spraysafe, a training program for agricultural aerial chemical application, has been mapped against the new Chemical Standards. AFFA has recommended rebates for EMS (Environmental Management System) training must be aligned to Competency Standards. AFFA has had strong involvement in the development of Conservation and Land Management Training Packages, particularly for National Action Plan. RTCA is collaborating with Cattle Council to develop a Herd Improvement Program
	1.4 Rural industry-related post-secondary study and qualifications, and specific measures to promote farm careers to students on the verge of completing relevant VET and university qualifications, be developed and implemented.	L and ongoing	RSA	Increased uptake of employees entering or returning to rural industry employment following training.	Increased percentage of those completing VET & Higher Education qualifications return to rural related industries.
	ATD: See information for ONtrack and ECEF projects. Discussions taking place with Kondonnin Group to include information in their publications. Careers advisers in Universities to be contacted.
	1.5 The research findings on the returns from investment in training are promoted to industry.	SM	NFF/RTCA	Increased awareness and acceptance by industry that training is an investment yielding a return rather than a cost.	Increase in numbers who are participating in both formal and informal training.
	ATD: A number of presentations highlighting the work done by University of Tasmania showing the ROI for Training eg Provider network meetings in Canberra and Melbourne, Industry meetings in Dubbo and Queensland RTCA has contributed to two workshops in Melbourne delivered by the University of Tasmania to focus on client needs-Best practice showcasing some examples of RPL in Queensland and extension personnel using Training Packages for farmers in SA Discussions held by NFF/RSA with Australian Agriculture Company on developing a costs benefit analysis for training.
2 Developing young people for careers in the industry	2.1 Enterprise and Career Education in Schools programs are reviewed to ensure the programs continued implementation and expansion within the rural industry.	SM	RSA	Increased industry-school linkages that support more effective pathways to skills through work placements and training contracts, modified indemnity and insurance arrangements, appropriate teaching skills, consistent assessment procedures, increased mentoring programs (particularly for indigenous students).	Communities adopting Enterprise and Career Education to Industry activities. Increased in linkages between school and industry networks (Rural and Regional). Increase in numbers participating in VET (Rural/Regional related industries).
	ATD: Project officers, funded by ECEF, have been appointed in WA, Tas, Vic and SA for promotion of rural careers into schools and Structured Workplace Learning placements
	2.2 Authoritative and balanced information to both urban and rural young people about careers and occupational prospects in agriculture and horticulture is widely promoted.	M and ongoing	RSA	Increased awareness of career opportunities in the rural industry amongst young people.	Collaborative arrangements in place between industry, educators, careers professionals and young people to develop and maintain specific career information strategies and products
	ATD: See information for ONtrack and ECEF projects. ONtrack activities to be assessed in August.
	2.3 Career counsellors (including teachers and advisors) are provided with ongoing professional development specific to career opportunities available within rural industries.	M and ongoing	RSA	Expert advice and information is provided to students and parents.	Quality career information strategies and products available in schools and industry. A quality career information web site operational and used by schools and students.
	ATD: See information for ONtrack and ECEF projects. Plans for further development of careers advisers required.
3 Make New Apprentice-ships work for the industry	3.1 Part-time and cross-industry New Apprenticeships for the rural industry are enhanced and widely promoted	SM	RS	Rural industry is made aware of and more fully able to participate in New Apprenticeship opportunities.	Increased numbers in New Apprenticeships including School Based New Apprenticeships in rural and regional Australia.
	ATD: The Golden Circle "Kid Start Farms" project is continued to be promoted to schools and RTOs. The ECEF funded projects will also promote the school based New Apprenticeships. Investigation of "school of the air support" being investigated.
	3.2 Provisions and incentives are developed that will strengthen the role and responsibilities of Group Training Companies in the ongoing implementation of New Apprenticeships in the rural industry.	S	RSA	Group Training Companies are involved in agriculture and horticulture New Apprenticeships in rural and remote regions.	Increased coverage by Group Training Companies.
	ATD: Meetings to be held with GTA to discuss outcomes. Cooperative approach being developed with NT GTA and NAC.
	3.3 Industry-identified cross-industry and cross-sectoral training programs are promoted to Group Training Companies and key rural industry labour-hire companies.	SM	RSA	Hiring of skilled seasonal labour streamlined through the development and implementation of appropriate Certificate level training opportunities.	Increase in number of labour hire companies, RTOs and GTCs using cross sectoral, cross industry training. Increase in number of regions using cross sectoral and cross industry New Apprenticeships.
	ATD: Meetings to be held with GTA and RTCA to discuss outcomes.
	3.4 Enhanced national consistency to facilitate improved administration of New Apprenticeships, and steps to make the processes work with greater ease for rural industry participation, are made.	S	ANTA	Improved national consistency of administration processes and increased uptake of rural industry employers participating in New Apprenticeships.	Increased numbers of New Apprenticeships in rural industries.
	ATD: ANTA representative to be identified and consultation occur.
	3.5 Access to Commonwealth and State/Territory employer incentives for New Apprentices holding an AQF III or higher are reviewed.	SM	DEST	Incentives will be available to employers of qualified New Apprentices who hold a qualification, at AQF III or higher, in an unrelated field of study who are retraining for a rural industry occupation.	Commonwealth undertakes review of incentives regime.
	ATD: The issue of employers of New Apprentices with AQFIII or higher retraining for rural industry occupation has been raised through consultations with the incentives review team and is under consideration.
	3.6 Rural and regional incentive schemes currently available are reviewed.	SM	DEST	Commonwealth funded rural and regional incentive schemes are effective in rural and remote regions.	Commonwealth undertakes review of incentives regime.
	ATD: DEST is currently reviewing all New Apprenticeships incentives; extensive consultation has taken place, including with the NFF and representatives from RSA. Meetings were held in rural areas (eg. Orange, Geelong, Albury, Coolangatta and Townsville) for stakeholders with a specific interest in rural and regional issues to raise them with the review team. The review is expected to be finalised in September.
	3.7 Rural New Apprenticeships marketing campaign is continued and strengthened.	M	DEST	Awareness and knowledge regarding New Apprenticeships is increased.	Increased numbers of New Apprenticeships in rural industries.
	ATD: DEST has just completed the 6th Marketing 'buy' for New Apprenticeships marketing. This most recent round of New Apprenticeships marketing included metropolitan, rural and regional Press/TV/radio and the Internet. The 3rd round of New Apprenticeships marketing had a rural and regional focus, and was used to launch the regional and rural incentive for employers that had a New Apprentice progress from AQF certificate II to III or IV.
4 Attuning the VET system to the training needs of rural industry	4.1 Strategies are developed which ensure funding for FarmBis and other private sector training initiatives are used to encourage effective links with the formal VET sector.	S	RTCA AFFA DEST	FarmBis and other private sector training initiatives formally linked to training package competencies.	Participants in FarmBis and other private sector training initiatives receive formal recognition of competency achievement.
	ATD: • DEST contributes to maintaining effective links between private sector training and the formal VET sector through consultative processes. Currently, extensive consultation occurs in the development of new material in the form of Training Packages - the extent to which private sector training material is incorporated into these varies. All RTOs provide a Recognition of Prior Learning service which considers an individuals prior learning and encompasses private sector training. • RSA is working on two training packages for AFFA that will use a methodology where training outcomes are seen as a secondary consideration and business outcomes are highlighted as the main aim of the activity. It will use a method of "user choice" where the individual farmer can choose to document the training activity to use for assessment purposes. • For TOPACTIVE programs in SA, Primary Industry and Resources SA have linked their delivery of training to the Training Packages. • FarmBis use Training Packages to determine eligibility of programs for funding eg a % of level 4 competencies or above. • RTCA is collaborating with Cattle Council to develop a Herd Improvement Program
	4.2 Appropriate and more flexible training products are provided and promoted.	SM	RTCA	More farm enterprises and workers can take advantage of available training opportunities, including increased utilization of internet technologies.	Increase in use of new training products. Increase in use of the internet as a training medium.
	ATD: RTCA has scoped e-business use within Rural and Regional Industries and there has been a number of e-business units included in the new Training Packages. •RTCA is currently scoping resources for Conservation and Land Management, Rural Production and Amenity Horticulture Training Packages: From this recommendations will be made for the development of support materials in areas identified where gaps exist. •RTCA endorsed the development of Tool Boxes within the industries covered by the RTCA-Multi Media products •Continued good sales of support materials and private companies selling resources through RSA •RTCA negotiating with R & D organisations for development of support materials •Information on Cert II and Cert III for Rural Operations free download on the RTCA website.
	4.3 Cross-industry, cross-sectoral and multi-skilling training programs are identified making full use of appropriate Training Packages.	S	RTCA	Seasonal jobs are transformed into year-round career jobs.	Seasonal workers receive formal skills recognition and move into career paths.
	ATD: RTCA has developed Qualifications for Rural Operations. Through ANTA funding, RTCA developed a User Guide for Cert II and Cert III in Rural Operations. RTCA has promoted and given advice on Rural Operations to State/Territory ITABs and GTA (Australia).
	4.4 Workable forms of skill passports (across training modules, industries, employers, and States) are developed for VET students and New Apprentices in rural and related fields.	M	RTCA	Multi-skilling training programs and subsequent employment can be effectively tracked and confirmed by employers.	Skills passports used by Enterprise and Career Education students and New Apprentices.
	ATD: To be developed on the outcomes of new training packages
	4.5 Proactive measures to mainstream and promote the use of recognition (RPL ö RCC) procedures for reskilling and upskilling.	S	RTCA	Increased adoption of recognition procedures.	RPL ö RCC procedures implemented.
	ATD: United Dairyfarmers of Victoria has RPL'd 100 + dairy farmers and developed materials which can be used for this purpose around Australia. Queensland Rural Industry Training Council (State ITAB) has RPL'd 400 farmers working through FarmBis funding. Case Studies for Industry Leaders have been developed for all industry sectors under RTCA portfolio and these have been distributed to journals and industry magazines. Agforce in Qld is interested in pursuing this for their membership. RTCA is advising them.
	4.6 FarmBis funding is made available in all States and Territories for skills audits for farmers wishing to access RPL-RCC	S	RTCA	Effective use of FarmBis funding to increase access to recognition of skills and qualifications by farmers.	Skills audit pilot activities completed.
	ATD: "As in 4.5 with QRITC"
	4.7 VET planning processes make allowance for the under-counting of the rural industry labour force in their industry training funding allocations.	M	RTCA	Realistic and effective planning processes and funding targeted to meet rural industry training needs.	VET plans realistically reflect rural industry labour force and accepted by State Training Authorities
	ATD: Information will be available at the taskforce meeting
	4.8 Training Packages covering the viticulture industry are streamlined to meet the needs of specialist viticulturists.	M	RTCA	Training Packages reviewed to effectively meet the diverse needs of the viticulture industry, particularly to minimise existing confusion.	Review of Training Packages completed.
	ATD: RTCA is addressing this in Production Horticulture in the new Rural Production Training Packages
5 Addressing skill gaps and shortages	5.1 Mainstream training programs addressing skill gaps in quality assurance, business planning, succession planning and computing are available for experienced farmers.	SM	RTCA	Training programs addressing skill gaps in quality assurance, business planning, succession planning and computing are provided to farmers.	Activities completed and competencies formally recognised.
	ATD: RTCA is addressing this in Rural Business, Rural Business Management and E-business in the new Rural Production Training Packages
	5.2 Training programs and strategies to upgrade existing rural industry skills to best practice and innovative management are developed and implemented.	M	RTCA	Training packages available and implemented	Skills of existing rural industry employers and employees are upgraded and recognised against national qualifications.
	ATD: RTCA is addressing this in Rural Business, Rural Business Management and E-business in the new Rural Production Training Packages. RTCA Council has recommended that innovation Competency Standards be incorporated into Training Packages.
	5.3 Training programs and strategies are developed to address skill needs and gaps identified in the sectors of study.	SM	RTCA	Specific training programs and strategies are developed and provided to address shortages and gaps in the following areas: shearers/shed hands; skilled stock and farm hands; new technologies in wool growing; woolclassers; management training for experienced shearers; orchard, plantation and packing skills in horticulture; middle-level skills (vineyard supervisors and managers) in viticulture; appropriate competencies at Certificate II level; and agronomists in cotton growing.	Activities completed in each commodity sector.
	ATD: RTCA has developed a complete set of Wool Harvesting Qualifications with the input of Wool Producers AWEX, AWU, Australian Woolclassers Association, Shearing Contractors Association, Providers in NSW and Vic, PGA and WAFF. RTCA has communicated with Australian Wool Innovations in regard to these qualifications and they have announce $2.5 million per year to be put in Shearer and Shed Hand Training
	5.4 Language, literacy and numeracy training programs are expanded and widely available.	M and ongoing	RTCA	Access to language, literacy and numeracy programs is broadened and strengthened to meet the needs of rural industries.	Increase in numbers accessing language, literacy and numeracy programs.
	ATD: RTCA working with Swinburne University to supply information on Packages for the development of OHS programs for the Vegetable Growing Industry RTCA working with South Australia to supply information on Training Packages for the development of Bush Food Courses for Indigenous Communities and negotiated the use of the modification of learning guides for their particular use.
	5.5 Innovative enterprise skill models are developed.	M and ongoing	RTCA	Improved career models and skill pathways to assist with the longer term solution to redressing skill shortages and gaps in the rural industries.	Increase in numbers at various levels of competency . Models and pathways formalized at enterprise level.
	ATD: This is currently being addressed in the development of the Rural Production and Amenity Horticulture Training Package.
	5.6 Links between the rural industry, VET providers and centres of excellence (including universities) are established.	M	NFF	The delivery of increased upskilling opportunities and career pathways to industry, in particular, the provision of opportunities for certificate level viticulturists to upgrade to diploma/degree levels.	Memorandums of Understanding between industry, VET providers and centers of excellence developed and actioned. Viticulturists achieve diploma/degree level.
	ATD: The establishment of a new group, the Rural Education Forum of Australia (REFA) will assist in this activity. The Executive Officer is expected to commence by March 2003.
	5.7 Training infrastructures, and deregulatory measures to extend the usefulness of the migrant and backpacker (with appropriate visas) labour forces, are established.	L	NFF	Seasonal (harvest) labour shortages will be reduced.	Decrease in unfilled seasonal jobs.
	ATD: The NFF Industrial Relations Advocate is currently reviewing this area. The Rural Operations package may offer an avenue for formalised training and this will be considered when the new package is reviewed. Liaison has taken place with "Workabout Australia" on issues for industry involvement. The new tender for the job network includes a separate item on providing information on the harvest trail by a 1800 number and a website.