in focus 8 March 2010
National Monday Update Issue:
VET in the spotlight
If things were not already busy enough in the tertiary sector, a number of events this past week indicate that there will be no let up in the immediate future. The role of the private sector in providing genuine choice for individuals and employers and the need for greater program flexibility and improved funding are central to ACPET’s response to this week’s activities.
On Friday the Deputy Prime Minister launched Skills Australia’s National Workforce Development Strategy. The strategy has significant implications for the VET sector as it charts a course for skills broadening and skills deepening and will guide the development of a “VET Roadmap” that will determine the future for VET policy in Australia
As policy is developed to support the strategy ACPET will be active in ensuring that the critical role of the private sector is acknowledged and that the unemployed, existing workers and employers are able to make a real choice of training provider that best suits their needs.
The strategy outlines a focus on the engagement of groups will low participation rates, greater flexibility in the system, increased funding and the development of the VET workforce and there is the potential for the strategy to provide significant opportunities for the private sector.
In her speech, the DPM acknowledged the need for VET reform and the fact that the multitude of players involved and the complex funding arrangements make the VET sector the most opaque of all the education sectors in the country. She went on to confirm her determination to “empower unemployed people and workers to choose training options and workplaces that match their needs and circumstances”.
Transparency on the performance and effectiveness of the VET sector will be high on the agenda and members can expect that ACPET will work with you to ensure that the need for greater transparency on the effectiveness of the sector is balanced against the commercial reality of the private sector
Against this backdrop, member’s input has critical to the development of ACPET’s submission to the mid-term review of the Productivity Places Program. Not surprisingly there are a variety of views on the effectiveness of the Program and these are reflected in our response.
PPP is adding an additional 700,000 places to the vocational education system over four years and recent data from NCVER shows that almost three quarters of jobseeker participants in the program in 2008 went on to work or to further learning
ACPET’s position, in summary, is that greater flexibility in the pricing and operation of the program will make it more responsive and more effective in meeting the needs of job seekers and workers.
Please do not hesitate to contact me (click to email Andrew Smith) to discuss any of the above or to provide your ideas and input into the ongoing development of the Council.
Andrew Smith
Chief Executive Officer
8 March 2010
Chief Executive Officer
8 March 2010