The 36th meeting of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) was held on 23 February 2021.
VET Reform Update and Discussion
Members were thanked for their participation in the skills reform consultation process and noted public consultations are ongoing, with opportunities for stakeholders to engage through the Skills Reform engagement hub.
Streamlining and Prioritisation Framework
In response to further stakeholder advice regarding training products with zero enrolments, members refined the original recommendations for deletion of units from the national training system.
Members considered a range of factors in making this decision. These included evidence of current or imminent enrolments, whether units proposed for retention were core in qualifications being retained, linkages with industrial and legislative arrangements, and whether the product was part of a current or planned training product review in 2021.
Changes to the Training Product Development and Endorsement Process Policy will help to ensure unused products will continue to be removed from the system through standard training product development processes.
Once updated with ‘deleted’ status, these products will still be accessible on training.gov.au as a reference point for industry to use for non-enrolment purposes. However, registered training organisations will be unable to enrol students in deleted units or qualifications.
The AISC Secretariat will manage a targeted communications campaign that includes RTOs, to raise stakeholder awareness of the AISC decision.
IRC Action Plan Progress Update
The Committee noted progress to implement key activities in the action plan to strategically engage and enhance support to the Industry reference Committee (IRC) network. The action plan is available on the AISC website and stakeholders will be provided with regular updates on key activities being undertaken.
The key achievements since December 2020 include: completion and publication of the induction toolkit for new IRC members; development of a new smart form to help streamline the IRC recruitment process; and providing regular updates to IRCs on the VET sector and skills reforms via email and the AISC Chair newsletters.
Members also noted a stocktake of IRC members had been undertaken, with changes to be reflected on the AISC website.
Report on the IRC Network
The Committee discussed a draft paper on the IRC network. This report compiles existing membership data and is in lieu of a four-yearly review of individual IRCs under the IRC Operating Framework.
The Committee agreed to progress the paper out of session.
Digital Transformation Skills Strategy submission
The Committee welcomed Mr Mark McKenzie, member of the AISC Digital Transformation Expert Panel, and Transport and Logistics IRC Chair, who was invited to present the evidence and findings from the Expert Panel’s report, The Learning Country: Digital Transformation Skills Strategy. Mr McKenzie highlighted the value of a comprehensive lifelong learning policy to ensure the VET system can respond to the digital change underway across industry.
Safe Work Australia Consultation Strategy
The Committee noted the Safe Work Australia (SWA) Consultation Strategy developed by the AISC Secretariat in collaboration with SWA. The Consultation Strategy provides guidance to Skills Service Organisations (SSOs) and IRCs on how and when to engage with SWA for updates to VET Specified Courses referenced in model Work Health and Safety Regulations.
The Committee agreed to provide the Strategy to SWA for comment. Following SWA feedback and endorsement, the Strategy will be published on the AISC website, and provided to SSOs to guide the work of IRCs.
Cases for Endorsement
The Committee welcomed Mr Brian Newman, Chair of the Children’s Education and Care IRC, who was invited to present to the committee findings from the review into six Children’s Education and Care qualifications which commenced in 2016. The Committee also heard from Ms Gabrielle Sinclair (CEO, Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority) on her organisation’s views regarding proposed changes to key early childhood related qualifications.
Thirteen Cases for Endorsement were approved by the Committee for referral to Ministers for endorsement:
|
IRC |
Details of submission | AISC Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
Children’s Education and Care IRC CHC Community Services – Children’s Education and Care. Addressing outcomes of the ASQA Strategic Review
|
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
In-principle approval of four qualifications:
Not approved:
The AISC will work with the IRC to identify solutions to stakeholder concerns regarding those qualifications not approved prior to them being resubmitted to the AISC. The AISC will also consider meeting out of session if required to support timely approval of this training package. |
|
Technicians Support Services IRC HLT Health – Clinical Coding |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the HLT Health Training Package V6.0 – Clinical Coding project |
|
Animal Care Management IRC ACM Animal Care and Management – Pet Care and Animal Training |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the ACM Animal Care and Management – Pet Care and Animal Training, Training Package
|
|
Animal Care Management IRC Animal Care and Management – Exhibited Animal Care and Marine Wildlife |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the ACM Animal Care and Management – Exhibited Animal Care and Marine Wildlife Training Package |
|
Meat IRC AMP Australian Meat Processing – Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Meat Processing |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the AMP Australian Meat Processing – Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Meat Processing qualifications and updated units of competency in the AMP Australian Meat Processing Training Package |
|
Aviation IRC AVI Aviation – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Excluded Category Operations |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the AVI Aviation – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Excluded Category Operations project |
|
Community Sector and Development IRC CHC Community Services – Certificate IV in Social Housing |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the CHC Community Services – Certificate IV in Social Housing qualification |
|
Client Services IRC CHC Community Services – Responsible Service of online wagering |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the CHC Community Services – Responsible Service of online wagering |
|
Property Services IRC CPP Property Services: Access Consulting – Transition to the 2012 Standards |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the CPP Property Services: Access Consulting – Transition to the 2012 Standards Training Package, including qualification and unit of competency deletions |
|
Dental IRC HLT Health – Dental Assisting |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the HLT Health Training Package V6.0 – Dental Assisting project |
|
Enrolled Nursing IRC HLT Health – Enrolled Nursing |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the HLT Health Training Package V6.0 – Enrolled Nursing |
|
Furnishing IRC MSF Furnishing – Furniture Design and Technology |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the MSF Furnishing Training Package – Furniture Design and Technology project |
|
Transport and Logistics IRC and Naval Shipbuilding IRC TLI Transport and Logistics – Naval Shipbuilding Integrated Logistics Support |
The Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the TLI Transport and Logistics – Naval Shipbuilding Integrated Logistics Support Training Package |
Cases for Endorsement - Resubmissions
The Committee approved the following Case for Endorsement - Resubmission.
|
IRC |
Details of re-submission |
AISC Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
Culture and Related Industries IRC CUA Creative Arts and Culture – Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services |
This Case for Endorsement includes:
|
Approved the CUA Creative Arts and Culture – Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services qualification |
AISC Emergency Response Sub‑committee (ERSC) Proposals
The Committee endorsed the following two ERSC training products.
|
IRC |
Details of submission: New |
AISC Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
Information and Communications Technology IRC Cyber Security Counter Insider Threat Skill Set
Wholesale and Retail IRC SIR Retail Services Training Package – Manage workplace responses to disrespectful, aggressive or abusive customer behaviour |
These Report for Approvals include:
|
Endorsed the training products for implementation |
Cases for Change
The Committee approved the following four Cases for Change.
| IRC | Details of submission: New | AISC Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
Financial Services IRC FNS Financial Services – Life Insurance |
This Case for Change proposes to:
|
Approved the update of the Certificate IV in Life Insurance Approved the creation of 1 unit of competency covering the application of codes and standards to ethical practice Requested the IRC provide further information on industry need for graduates of the updated Diploma of Life Insurance |
|
Civil Infrastructure IRC RII Resources and Infrastructure – Civil infrastructure asset management |
This Case for Change proposes to:
|
|
|
Financial Services IRC FNS Financial Services – Trust administration; Royal Commission Outcomes Review; Refresh currency of FNS training package qualifications |
This Case for Change proposes to:
|
Approved to proceed to training package development |
|
Information and Communications Technology IRC ICT Information and Communications Technology – In-demand technologies; Refresh training in information and communications technology |
This Case for Change proposes to:
|
Approved to proceed to training package development |
Next meeting: The next AISC meeting will be held on Tuesday 20 April 2021.