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 Home Projects Profles
Demonstration projectsThe skill ecosystem national project funded nine demonstration projects across Australia between 2003 and 2006.
VET as innovation partner
WIN project (2004) In South Australia, United Water International (Australia's largest private water company) worked with Torrens Valley and Regency TAFE and AITEC Corporate Education & Consulting to improve linkages between the VET sector and the water industry. The three organisations created a broader network of researchers, industry participants and VET providers (the Water Innovation Network) to identify and address changing demand for and use of skills within the water skills ecosystem. The particular aim was to enhance the role of VET in the water industry innovation agenda and process. The demonstration project's major outcomes are described in the WIN Final Report (December 2004).The project also produced an Innovation Agent Toolkit which contains a mass of useful project management tools developed for WIN but applicable to other VET partnership projects.
Constructed Wetlands (2004)
Also in the water industry, the National Environment Centre at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute has led a project dealing with specific aspects of water resource management, in particular, the use of constructed wetlands. The demonstration project involved collaboration with several CRCs, including Catchment Hydrology, Freshwater Ecology, Waste Management and Pollution Control and Water Quality and Treatment. It explored the demand for skills in wetland design, development and maintenance and sought to stimulate local industry and increase skills in waste water management. Swinburne CRC project (2004) In Victoria, Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE) worked with Co-operative Research Centres (CRCs) and firms to trial forms of VET involvement in the development, implementation and commercialisation of new micro-technology products and processes. The demonstration project has developed Swinburne TAFE's capacity to work with CRCs and spin-off companies that are taking new products to market. The project tested several forms of engagement between the VET sector and CRCs, the outcomes of which are described in the Swinburne Final Report. A resource kit (cover plus text in separate file links), Creating the Future Now (cover) and Creating the Future Now (text), condenses the project's lessons for VET providers working with applied research organisations. An accompanying conference paper provides more detailed background to, and lessons from, the project. Reshaping jobs and labour markets Racing NSW project (2004) In NSW, Racing NSW worked with East Coast Training, to explore the workplace drivers of skill formation and ways of building an industry learning culture in the racing industry. A variety of strategies to increase the demand and supply of skills within the industry were developed. The specific focus was on improving skill and employment outcomes for casual and part-time workers. The project officers, who took on the role of 'Change Drivers', found that considerable effort and time was required to shift industry practices and found that industry, jobs and skills were inextricably linked. See the Racing NSW Final Report for details. Trackwork rider trial (2005) As a result of the project, two race clubs (Grafton and Wyong) wanted to trial a new system for employing track work riders based on the project's findings. With the support of At All Events, a specialised racing industry training company, a trial project involving a permanent part-time rider at Clarence River Jockey Club (Grafton) was funded between April and August 2005. The trial was very successful. By directly employing an experienced track work rider on an permanent basis, the Club was able to offer a better service to trainers and owners, who paid for track work riding when they needed their horses exercised. This in turn attracted more horses to the Club. Trainers also benefited from the track work rider's high skill level as, with her on-going employment, she was in a position to undertake further study and skill development at TAFE. Click for an outline of how the new arrangements will benefit those in the racing industry skill ecosystem. You can also download the trackwork rider trial final report, a personal account of what the new arrangements mean to Shay Blomfield, the first trackwork rider employed under the new arrangements, and a resource kit to assist other interested clubs in adapting the club-as-employer model to their circumstances. All these resources, with active hyperlinks to the individual documents, can be obtained on CD from Racing NSW by phoning (02) 9551 7500. Queensland Aged Care Skill Ecosystem Project (2005-6) Care and support for older people occurs in a number of settings through state and local government, charitable, private and community-based providers. Pressures on the sector for quality improvement and growth are intense. In a sector dependent on public funds, the need to contain costs and overcome skill and labour shortages is driving consideration of new models of care and service integration. The project researched and trialled new models, and in the process generated important learnings about job design, job realignment and skill formation in the sector. See Executive summary and key learnings for a brief summary of outcomes and recommendations for continuing work. This project was led by the Queensland Health and Community Services Workforce Council and looked at how two major aged care organisations (Uniting Health Care and Blue Care) can improve their ability to attract and retain workers across their organisations. The charitable or non-profit sector has been expanding quickly and in Queensland, Uniting Care is one of the largest employers with some 15,000 workers. The focus was on allied health services such as physiotherapy and podiatry. It looked at the complementary roles of allied health professionals and allied health or therapy assistants. The partners wanted to test out expanded roles for assistants which, when combined with appropriate training, may improve their career opportunities and enhance the quality of service to clients. Key conclusions from the trials were:
Quality improvement across a supply chain Mental health supply network (2005-6) The mental heath system provides an interesting model of the 'supply chain network'. It is made up of many different government and non government services which have different funding sources and accountabilities. The project sought to develop a coordinated and responsive network of mental health treatment and rehabilitation services in the NSW Central Coast. It builds on an existing network, the local Mental Health Consultative Committee (MHCCC) rather than setting up a new one. The project developed and trialled workforce development strategies and new collaboration protocols to help the network deliver a streamlined system of services within current budgets. If organisations collaborate well they can offer a coordinated service that is more user friendly and efficient. If staff understand intake, treatment and referral processes in other services then they can better navigate those systems and help their clients. The Final Report, Forming Skills in a Mental Health Ecosystem and its Appendices, describes the project's success in meeting its aims. Barriers were identified, and short, medium and long term strategies were developed to overcome them. One particularly useful outcome was the Walk a Mile in my Shoes staff development program created to encourage professional development, inter-service understanding and seamless networking amongst the various services. Walk a Mile gave 12 staff the chance to gain skills and experience in a related service to promote the concept of partnership and demonstrate the importance of collaboration between the different services. This was highly valued by the non government sector staff whose access to training is often limited. Walk a Mile resources can be obtained here and consist of a participant workbook, a supervisor workbook and the project plan. This part of the project is continuing and may be revised in future. The project has had flow on effects. Other government agencies have shown interest in Walk a Mile in my Shoesas a model for themselves. Other outcomes were:-
Attempts simply to increase the supply of skilled workers through offering training products underpinned by national standards are, based on the current findings of this project, no longer sufficient. This needs to be complemented by a serious consideration of the unique contextual and structural factors, both institutional and policy. For more information go to the CSHISC web-site. Logistics and Export Assured Delivery (2005-6) Maintaining high quality through the supply and export of horticultural products to overseas markets was the goal of the second skill ecosystem supply chain project conducted in 2005-6. Mixed load shipments of perishable produce such as tomatoes, lettuce and herbs create special challenges for vegetable growers, handlers and freight forwarders. With a minimum of 8 and up to 32 steps in the supply chain, the potential for temperature 'spikes' that spoil produce is great. The project built on the work of the SA Freight Council and its subsidiary, the Cold Chain Centre, in promoting quality standards and developing food exports logistics training (see the Cold Chain Centre web-site). The project attempted to examine the supply chain process over 12 shipments and identify where improvements could be made. It was thought that changes to supply chain relationships, packaging, information flows and skills upgrading may all be needed. The project did not fully meet the team's initial expectations, as discussed in the Final Report. The reasons were varied and the view points of different participants were explored by independent consultant Kim Windsor in the Exit point report. Windsor noted: Supply chains can be difficult to work with at the best of times, as participants are often nervous about the impact on their commercial relationships. There is however, support for this type of project to be undertaken in future with the recommendation that any such project that has the following characteristics:-
More information about the project is on the SA Freight Council web-site. Forestry Product Care project (2005) External pressures for change are leading to new harvesting systems and the use of new technology in the Tasmanian forestry industry. Requirements under state-federal forestry agreements, customer specifications and the Tasmanian industry's own Log Supply Charter mean that the industry is increasingly seeking to maximise the recovery of timber for veneer, saw logs and furniture and craft uses, as opposed to the lower value added woodchip production. Personal (hand-held) digital equipment (PDAs)are being introduced into the industry to allow improved tracking of timber, and quality assurance across several links in the supply chain (from harvesting and loading to transporting and processing). The skill ecosystem project, developed by the Tasmanian Office of Post-Compulsory Education and Training (OPCET) in conjunction with a range of industry players, will investigate the use of PDAs to record workers' existing levels of skills and qualifications, and will track and explore the points where timber damage occurs. The report from this phase of the project can be viewed here. It will subsequently trial new workforce development activities in the context of the modified work practices and team responsibilities that high value added timber production requires. OPCET will also run a policy analysis sub-project that will run parallel to the product care trial. This sub-project will analyse the implications of the product care project for VET programs and policy more generally. Skills and labour shortage Defence Support Skills Network project (2005) The defence presence in the Northern Territory has more than doubled over the past decade, and will continue to grow. A range of new defence platforms such as helicopters, patrol boats and tanks are arriving or expected. The maintenance of this equipment demands new and high level skills in the Territory's defence support industry. The Northern Territory has always faced unique skill challenges due to its small population and proportionately even smaller manufacturing base, and its high level of workforce mobility. New resource and infrastructure projects compound these problems by attracting many skilled workers away from established firms. Local industry's capacity to meet defence supply and maintenance needs is therefore problematic. The Northern Territory branch of the Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN-NT) represents the local defence support industry. Through the project, starting in July 2005, AIDN-NT explored strategies to address skill and employment issues. The project culminated in a November 2006 workshop delivered by Kim Windsor, in which a range of defence supply firms debated strategies and possible collective action. Lack of management capacity in many of the NT's small and medium enterprises was identified as the major issue, and while AIDN-NT has not proceeded with a skill ecosystem implementation project, it has applied under the Commonwealth AusIndustry Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business program as a way of building management capacity among its membership.
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