The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) is reviewing Industry Reference Committees to ensure the structure and membership of each Committee provides the best possible industry coverage and expertise to support training package development.
The Wholesale, Retail and Personal Services Industry Reference Committee (IRC) is currently responsible for all components of the following training packages:
- SFL Floristry Training Package
- SHB Hairdressing and Beauty Services Training Package
- SIF Funeral Services Training Package
- SIR Retail Services Training Package
However, we are seeking feedback on whether a Wholesale and Retail IRC should be established separately to a Personal Services IRC.
The composition of the current IRC is based on the former Service Skills Australia IRC and members have found that, at times, such an expansive coverage of the IRC is prohibitive to addressing specific sector skills needs. Employing over 1.2 million workers, or around one in nine working Australians, the Retail Trade is the second largest employing industry in Australia. It provides jobs in almost every location, including more than 400,000 in regional Australia. As such a large and diverse industry the IRC believes that a standalone Wholesale and Retail IRC is warranted and will allow members to better address and consider workforce skills needs. The personal services sectors have also expressed concern regarding a limited ability to engage in sector specific dialogue due to the broad coverage of the retail sector. Whilst synergies exist between the sectors, the current IRC believes a division is appropriate for facilitating and acting on specific industry training needs.
To ensure the each respective sector receives adequate representation and thorough consideration of industry needs, the Wholesale, Retail and Personal Services IRC has proposed the IRC be divided into the following two IRCs:
• Wholesale and Retail IRC (Inclusive of Community Pharmacy), with responsibility for the SIR Retail Services Training Package
• Personal Services IRC, with responsibility for the following training packages:
- SHB Hairdressing and Beauty
- SFL Floristry
- SIF Funeral Services.
Should feedback support the establishments of two IRCs, the proposed structures are set out below and are open for comment.
Proposed structure of the Wholesale and Retail IRC
The proposed structure for the Wholesale and Retail IRC was open for public consultation and comment until 30 January 2017. Industry stakeholders were asked to comment on the proposed structure to ensure it is representative of the industry and sectors. Once the structure has been agreed, the AISC will call for nominations against the vacant positions.
Industry stakeholders should note that membership of the Industry Reference Committee is not the only avenue for raising their views. The Wholesale and Retail IRC will be responsible for ensuring, with the support of the Skills Service Organisation that supports them (SkillsIQ) that all relevant industry stakeholders have been provided with opportunities to input to training package development and support the outcomes of the IRC’s deliberations. Specific expertise/ advice outside the reach of the IRC could also be sought on an as needs basis, including through the establishment of a Technical Advisory Committee.
Accordingly, it is proposed that the IRC take the following form:
| Organisation Type | No. of Reps |
Organisation (Specify nature where possible/appropriate)
|
Comments/rationale |
|
Employer
|
6 | A call for nominations will be made at a later date once the structure is agreed |
Six positions are open to ORGANISATIONS operating in the wholesale and/or retail sector.
This could include:
|
|
Peak Body /
Association |
5 | A call for nominations will be made at a later date once the structure is agreed |
ORGANISATIONS that may be membership based and/or delivering programs and services that support the wholesale and/or retail sector. These members will represent or provide advice on behalf of a sector, sub-sector or a group of people with allied interests (such as employers or employees).
|
| Employee Representative | 1 | An employee association that represents the sector |
The appropriate organisation to be advised by the ACTU
|
|
Total Members |
12 |
||
Proposed structure of the Personal Services IRC
The proposed structure for the Personal Services IRC was open for public consultation and comment until 30 January 2017. Industry stakeholders are being asked to comment on the proposed structure to ensure it is representative of the industry and sectors. Once the structure has been agreed, the AISC will call for nominations against the vacant positions.
Industry stakeholders should note that membership of the Industry Reference Committee is not the only avenue for raising their views. The Personal Services IRC will be responsible for ensuring, with the support of the Skills Service Organisation that supports them (SkillsIQ) that all relevant industry stakeholders have been provided with opportunities to input to training package development and support the outcomes of the IRC’s deliberations. Specific expertise/ advice outside the reach of the IRC could also be sought on an as needs basis, including through the establishment of a Technical Advisory Committee.
Accordingly it is proposed that the IRC take the following form:
| Organisation Type | No. of Reps |
Organisation (Specify nature where possible/appropriate)
|
Comments/rationale |
|
Employer
|
4 | A call for nominations will be made at a later date once the structure is agreed |
Four positions open to ORGANISATIONS with a representative from each of the following sectors:
|
|
Peak Body /
Association |
4 | A call for nominations will be made at a later date once the structure is agreed |
ORGANISATIONS that may be membership based and/or delivering programs and services that support the sector that represent one or more of the sub-sectors. These members will represent or provide advice on behalf of a sector, sub-sector or a group of people with allied interests (such as employers or employees), and include at least one representative from each of the following sectors:
|
|
Employee Representative
|
1 | An employee association that represents the sector | The appropriate organisation to be advised by the ACTU |
| Total Members |
9
|
||