The meat processing industry relies on core skills in meat safety, quality assurance, and leadership to produce high quality meat products. It is important that the qualifications and skills standards that support this work are kept up to date and relevant, so that industry has access to the expertise it needs. Industry feedback collected on draft qualifications and units made available from 11 November 2021 until 31 January 2022 indicated further significant changes were required for the qualifications and some units. Updated versions … Read More

While the sugar milling industry regularly undertakes training of their staff in-house, in recent years they have not made use of registered training organisations (RTOs) for delivery or assessment. During extensive consultation with industry about the current qualifications and skills standards for sugar milling, industry experts have indicated that the qualifications, units of competency and skill sets will not be used for the delivery of formal training in the future. The Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical IRC responsible for this project has … Read More

GMP are a set of principles that underpin the production of high quality and consistent pharmaceutical goods. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved in this project, Australia’s pharmaceutical industry will soon have access to updated units for Good manufacturing practice (GMP).

The Australian native and bush foods industry is increasing in size, as consumer interest builds in its cultural and nutritional value. Working with native Australian plants requires unique skills across the supply chain, which have not previously been described in national skills standards.  

An increasing number of producers are turning to systems based around principles of permaculture, organic farming and composting, as consumers become more interested in sustainably and locally grown produce. These practices draw on traditional methods, including those used by Indigenous cultures around the world, as well as the latest in science and innovation. Qualifications, skill sets and units have been drafted with input from industry experts to better reflect the current skills need of the permaculture, organic farming and composting sectors. The draft documents … Read More

Qualifications and skills standards have been reviewed and updated as part of the two projects below and are now available for your feedback.

Many job roles across the pulp and paper sector are changing as industry draws on the latest in science and technology to develop more sustainable processes. The Certificate II, III and IV level qualifications have been merged, so that there is one at each level reflecting core skills in work health and safety, quality assurance and problem solving, as well as offering elective units in other specialist and general areas. Units have also been updated and developed to incorporate emerging technologies … Read More

Final draft units, skill sets and qualifications for the projects below have been produced based on your feedback. They are now available for you to review and validate.

With Australia’s widespread skills shortages, technology advancements and changing consumer demands, the linkages between industry and Government have never been more critical. Each month we will profile one of the state’s Industry Training Advisory Bodies (ITABs), starting, this month, with Western Australia’s, Food, Fibre and Timber Industries Training Council. What is an ITAB? ITABs are autonomous industry bodies recognised and funded by state governments as one of the key sources of advice from the industry on training matters. Typically, they are incorporated bodies employing their … Read More

Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 depends on the ability of employers to fill skills shortages resulting from lower migration and technological change. According to the latest research released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), closer partnerships between employers and registered training organisations (RTOs) is essential in upskilling Australia’s workforce and addressing skills shortages. The report Engaging more employers in nationally recognised training to develop their workforce examines the current VET environment factors that influence employers’ decisions when … Read More

As part of their commitment to improving Australia’s skills systems and the vocational education and training (VET) sector, the Federal Government has announced a new Industry Cluster model to lead processes for improving VET qualifications and skills standards. Skills Impact has been asked to support industry to develop a skills cluster model for the agribusiness, food and fibre related sectors. If you would like to have input into and be part of this proposal please contact us.

The 2021 Year in Review highlights the essential skills of industries, their remarkable resilience during a pandemic, the contribution they make to Australian society and economy, and how many are world leaders in providing quality products and services.