Industry Analysis of Soft Skills Aspect Gaps Between The Demands of The Manufacturing Industry That Has Been Developed In Vocational Scho

4 For mature age apprentices, the living wage is a key issue, with social ramifications of no adjustments to salaries for people with families. Apprenticeship salaries and contracts suppose youth; apprenticeships for older workers require a different compact between employer, individual and institution.

5. Overseas Approaches

Australia’s apprenticeship model was originally modelled on the established British system, and Australian governments and industry continue to reflect on developments in the VET system in Great Britain and other countries. Fuller Unwin 2007, in What counts as good practice in contemporary apprenticeships? Evidence from two contrasting sectors in England identify a range of features, that when combined, appear to create the conditions for well-managed and effective apprenticeships. According to Fuller Unwin, good practice features tend to appeal to two stakeholder groups in particular: Government as Customer of VET  Investment over and above government funding is critical for the provision of an apprenticeship program that builds capacity for the future Individual as Customer of VET  Investment in publicity about the program to sustain a reputable image of VET in the community at large.  Young people are regarded as important for the future success of the organisations and are made to feel valued  Well-designed recruitment policies and practices help to select young people who can benefit from an apprenticeship and contribute to the organisation’s ever developing skill base  Dedicated personnel monitor the progress and welfare of apprentices and liaise with line managers, supervisors and trainers to ensure both personal and organisational needs are being met  Training on and off-the-job is seen as relevant to the apprentices’ work tasks and as providing a platform for further progression. In Rudd, Henderson, Usher Hawtin’s 2008 Rapid review of Research on Apprenticeships in the United Kingdom noted the similarity of UK issues about apprenticeships as in Australia: problems with quality, employer commitment, retention and progression of apprentices including to Higher Education, concerns about the capacity of on-job apprenticeships achieving standards required and cultural issues associated with the status of apprenticeships. In contrast to the UK, Australia has entered a new era of a demand-driven tertiary education market characterised by increased competition between training organisations with uncapped government funding. In 2009, the Victorian Government announced the opening of access to VET funding in the policy Securing Jobs for your Future: Skills for Victoria . In particular, “the most significant impact of these changes was the shift from a planning and purchasing model with limited contestability, to a demand based funding model with significantly increased contestability and client choice”. http:www.skills.vic.gov.au__dataassetspdf_file 0007188449ssa-review-of-skills-vic.pdf This decentralisation reduces government direction of the focus or supply of training, reliant on the market to regulate provision in accordance with consumer demand. In this case, Employer and Individual as Customer of VET has elevated the customer to a position of control in VET provision. The benefits of competition in the Australian training market have yet to be fully realised, and neither have the risks. Numerous stakeholders have raised serious concerns about the risk to training quality, of reduced central governance of VET.

6. A National Skills Strategy

Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Glenn Stevens advises caution in Australia’s reliance on the Chinese economic boom and its appetite for resources. Some 13 of Australia’s annual income is generated by China importing Australian commodities5. Government initiatives to boost apprenticeship numbers must see beyond the current skills shortages and prepare Australians and the workforce for a post-China economy. 5 Sydney Morning Herald, 230211 To equip a nation’s workforce beyond current market priorities requires long-term, strategic thinking. In 2012, the Council of Australian Governments COAG asserted its commitment to TAFE at the centre of its skills development strategy. However, changes to the provision of government investment to training indicate a similar trend away from central government investment towards employer client responsibility for training. Initiatives such as Workforce Development Funding specify that: “Under the Fund, organisations can identify their current and future business and workforce development needs and apply for funding to support the training of existing workers and new workers in areas of need. “The Fund is part of the Australian Government’s Building Australia’s Future Workforce package, an initiative designed to