Over the past two months, there have been several developments in the Government’s efforts to strengthen the vocational education and training (VET) sector. National consultation is now underway on the key initiatives of the Australian Government’s skills package, Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow. The skills package lays the building blocks for reforms identified in the Expert Review of Australia’s vocational education and training system (Joyce Review), placing industry at the centre and raising the profile of VET as a career pathway of choice. It takes important steps towards longer term funding and governance reforms to help ensure that the VET system is responsive, respected and flexible into the future.
Consultation Workshops
The skills package includes three key initiatives: The establishment of a National Skills Commission, a National Careers Institute and piloting of two Skills Organisations. Consultation workshops about these three key initiatives are taking place around Australia until 19 November 2019. Skills Impact has attended workshops in Adelaide, Melbourne and Bendigo to share some of the intelligence we have gathered from industry engagements over the past three years. We will also attend the upcoming workshops in Canberra and Hobart.
Some other key developments
10 October 2019 – Appointment of a National Careers Ambassador
Scott Cam was appointed as the inaugural National Careers Ambassador. He will work with the National Careers Institute, alongside government, industry, education providers, career advisors, parents and employers to improve career options. Read more.
27 September 2019 – Australian Skills Quality Authority’s Role to Expand
The Australian Government announced reforms to the agency responsible for regulating the vocational education and training sector, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). At the same time, Chief Commissioner of ASQA Mark Paterson decided these shifts mark an appropriate time to step down from his position. Read more.
26 September 2019 – VET Stakeholder Committee Established
The Morrison Government has established its Vocational Education and Training (VET) Stakeholder committee to help drive its significant agenda of reform. Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the Committee will ensure that stakeholder views are understood, considered and included during the implementation of the $525 million Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package. The Committee brings together representatives of business councils, consumer advocates, peak body representatives, registered training organisations, and public, private, community and non-for-profit providers. Read more.
20 September 2019 – Formation of a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Skills Council
During the inaugural meeting of the COAG Skills Council, Commonwealth, state and territory skills ministers agreed on priorities to strengthen the VET system and to build a roadmap to deliver the shared vision agreed by leaders at COAG in August. Read more.
27 August 2019 – New VET Reform Advisory Panel Established
An independent expert advisory panel has been established to provide independent strategic advice to the Government on key reforms flowing from the Joyce Review. The panel will include Steven Joyce himself as Chair, along with Peter Noonan and Dr Vanessa Guthrie. Read more.