Newsletter 11 July 2011
- Professor Denise Bradley AC to chair new advisory panel
- National consultations on apprenticeship reform
- Kangan Batman Institute to deliver vocational teacher training in India
- TDA links with CEAIE deepen with Beijing talks
- More people opting for higher-level training
- Challenge of offshore delivery outlined in new issues paper
- Forecast reveals the impact of international student decline
- National Skills Week to be launched by Minister Evans
- Regional students to benefit from $20 million fund
- AQF ‘First Edition’ available
- First official ASQA update
- Top vocational students recognised in national awards
- Launch of new online management tool
- Diary Dates
Click here to register
Professor Denise Bradley AC to chair new advisory panel
The architect of higher education reform, Professor Denise Bradley, has been appointed as Chair of the new National Trade Cadetship (NTC) Minister’s Advisory Panel.
The panel will provide advice to the Government on how to establish and deliver the NTC program, which will allow school students to participate in trades training, commencing in 2012.
Click here for the full article.
National consultations on apprenticeship reform
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) will be holding national consultations on apprenticeship reform over the coming weeks.
The consultations are in response to the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Australian Apprenticeships earlier in the year.
Dates for the consultations are:
| City | When | Time |
| Sydney | Wednesday 13 July | 2:00 – 5:00 |
| Brisbane | Tuesday 19 July | 9:00 – 11:00 |
| Melbourne | Tuesday 19 July | 10:00 – 1:00 |
| Hobart | Wednesday 27 July | 2:00 – 5:00 |
| Adelaide | Monday 1 August | 2:00 – 5;00 |
| Darwin | Tuesday 2 August | 2:00 – 5:00 |
| Perth | Tuesday 2 August | TBC |
| Canberra | Wednesday 3 August | 1:30 – 4:30 |
To participate in the consultations, please RSVP to DEEWR.
TDA is also making a detailed submission to the federal review of apprenticeships, with contributions from members.
Kangan Batman Institute to deliver vocational teacher training in India
Victoria’s Kangan Batman Institute of TAFE has been awarded $300,000 by the Victorian Government to establish a dedicated vocational teacher training program in Maharashtra, India.
The program will see 300 vocational teachers across Maharashtra learn new, practical methods of training and assessment, using a customised version of Victoria’s vocational training model.
The announcement was made by Victorian Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, Louise Asher MP.
Click here for the full article.
TDA links with CEAIE China deepen with Beijing talks
TAFE Directors Australia has taken part in high-level talks with the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) in Beijing.
TDA's Director of International Engagement, Peter Holden held a series of meetings with CEAIE and the China Ministry of Education to evaluate recent activities and to scope the further development of plans for the next 18 months.
Outcomes of these meetings include:
- Confirmation of a China leadership program (VELT) for 25 leaders from the top 100 tertiary vocational colleges, in November this year. TAFE institutes across Australia will be invited to express interest in participating in this highly successful program with expressions of interests going out shortly.
- Confirmation of a joint China-Australia Greens Skills conference in Beijing in October 2012, including an industry showcase of the latest clean technologies and initiatives from both Chinese and Australian industry.
- Confirmation of a special TDA Mission to China from 14 October this year which will include:
- participation in CEAIE's international education conference in Beijing
- briefings from senior leaders in the Chinese VET sector
- a one-day research conference in Chongqing
- site visits to several of the top 100 colleges in China seeking partnerships and joint collaboration for capacity building, and joint course delivery
Further details on this Mission including expressions of interest to participate will be sent out to all institutes by the end of July.
Further consultations are also planned on quality frameworks, joint recognition and enhancement of offshore delivery, student mobility and VET pathways.
More people opting for higher-level training
The number of students enrolled in Certificate IV and diploma level qualifications increased significantly during 2010, according to research released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
The number of students enrolled in Diplomas increased by 20% from 157,800 to 189,700 during 2010. Certificate IV participants increased by 16% from 218,500 to 254,100 over the same period.
Overall, the total number of students enrolled in vocational education and training increased by 5.4% from approximately 1.7 million to almost 1.8 million during 2010, with the number of students studying at a TAFE or other government provider increasing by 1.8% from 1.31 million to 1.33 million over the same period.
Click here for the report.
Challenge of offshore delivery outlined in new issues paper
The critical issues facing the delivery of Australian VET qualifications offshore have been outlined in a new Issues Paper from the National Quality Council (NQC).
Monitoring of delivery, managing risk, and good practice through adequate investment, have been identified as key constraints on successful offshore VET.
The paper says more than 73,000 students from 68 countries studied VET outside Australia during 2009. The number of offshore TAFE students has almost tripled between 2004 and 2009, from 23,000 to 65,000.
Click here to view the full paper.
Forecast reveals the impact of international student decline
The downturn in international student enrolments will see Australia’s GDP cut by $37.8 billion between 2010 and 2020, according to modelling commissioned by Universities Australia.
Deloitte Access Economics forecasts that the factors most influential in the downturn in enrolments include policy changes to student visa regulations and to the General Skilled Migration program.
Click here for the full article.
National Skills Week to be launched by Minister Evans
A new initiative to promote the importance of skills training, National Skills Week, will officially be launched by the Federal Minister Senator, Chris Evans, at the National Press Club in Canberra on September 21.
National Skills Week is dedicated to raising the status of practical and vocational learning. It will focus on the achievements, opportunities, contributions, career pathways, and success stories of VET.
For further details and information on how you can get involved, click here.
Regional students to benefit from $20 million fund
Acting Victorian Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Peter Ryan, and the Minister for Higher Education and Skills, Peter Hall, have announced a new $20 million fund to give regional students easier access to higher education opportunities.
The Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund will improve alliances between universities and vocational education and training (VET) providers in regional Victoria.
He added that one of the aims of the program is to increase the number of TAFE campuses providing degree-level courses, to help boost higher education participation rates across the state.
Click here for the full article.
AQF ‘First Edition’ available
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) First Edition July 2011 is now available, and provides the complete set of AQF policies and objectives, and information about the governing and monitoring arrangements for the AQF.
Click here for more information.
First official ASQA update
The newly-instated Australian Skills and Quality Authority (ASQA) has reminded registered training organisations (RTOs) of the fees, registration arrangements, and regulations it will oversee in its first official ‘Update Issue’.
The update will be provided each month to registered RTOs, course owners, ASQA stakeholders and subscribers. Additional information about ASQA is available here.
Top vocational students recognised in national awards
More than 400 students have been recognised in the country’s top vocational education and skills award for schools.
The vocational prize recognises Year 12 students who have demonstrated skill, commitment and achievement while undertaking a VET-in-Schools program or an Australian School-based Apprenticeship.
Indigenous winner Kiah Stanley from Rockhampton earned her Certificate II Business and a Certificate I Work Education from the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE.
Click here for the full article.
Launch of new online management tool
TDA members are invited to the launch of a new online training management tool from Government Skills Australia – the national Industry Skills Council for government and community safety sectors.
QC Builder has been developed to assist employers, employees and training providers from the Australian government and community safety industry to create training plans that not only meet the specific learning needs of the workplace, but also ensure they adhere to the National Qualifications Framework guidelines.
The launch will be held at the Melbourne Crown Towers Garden Room, 20 July, from 5pm-7pm.
For more information or to RSVP contact Jasmin Munslow, Government Skills Australia, by Friday 15 July.
Diary Dates
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH (NCVER)
20th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference (No Frills)
DATE: 13-15 July, 2011
LOCATION: North Coast TAFE, Coffs Harbour
DETAILS: Click here for more information
BUSINESS/HIGHER EDUCATION ROUND TABLE
Inaugural Regional Higher Education Forum
DATE: 2-3 August, 2011
LOCATION: Coffs Harbour
DETAILS: More information soon
VELG TRAINING
2011 National VET Conference
DATE: 4-5 August, 2011
LOCATION: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information
SKILLSDMC
2011 National Conference
DATE: 10 August, 2011
LOCATION: Four Season’s Hotel, Sydney
DETAILS: Click here for more information
TDA CONFERENCE
2011 National Conference
DATE: 5-6 September, 2011
LOCATION: Sheraton on the Park Hotel, Sydney
DETAILS: More information here
AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
2011 Conference
DATE: 11-14 October, 2011
LOCATION: Adelaide Convention Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information
AUSTAFE National Conference
2020 Vision
DATE: 12-14 October, 2011
LOCATION: Canberra
DETAILS: Click here for more information
AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE TRAINING FRAMEWORK
ePortfolios Australia Conference 2011
DATE: 17-18 October, 2011
LOCATION: Perth
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
CS&HISC
Making a Difference... 2011: Breaking Through the Barriers
DATE: 19-20 October, 2011
LOCATION: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information
GROUP TRAINING AUSTRALIA
Looking ahead - Group Training National Conference
DATE: 19-21 October, 2011
LOCATION: Grand Hyatt, Melbourne
DETAILS: Click here for more information
AAIR FORUM
Australasian Association for Institutional Research Forum “Let the sunshine in”
DATE: 9-11 November, 2011
LOCATION: Sea World Resort, Gold Coast
DETAILS: Click here for more information
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the TDA Newsletter click here.