The Challenge
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment commissioned the Hon. Steven Joyce to review the VET sector “Strengthening Skills: Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System,” 2019. The Joyce report report found that employers had become increasing dissatisfied and disengaged with the VET sector, both in terms of quality of training and engagement with on-the-job assessment processes.
“…many (employers) were also concerned whether the current VET systems and processes can deliver the sort of flexible work-based learning models that would help Australians obtain the necessary skills for the future of work. Slow qualification development, complex and confusing funding models, and ongoing quality issues with some providers were cited as issues that needed addressing.” Joyce review, 2019
Joyce recommended “…a significant upgrade to the architecture of the VET sector”… which included the establishment of number of independent, industry lead organisations be set up specifically to try, test and delivery now approach to training packages and skills development. His recommendation included a six staged approach with Mining, Digital Technology and Human Services being the priority areas for Australia to focus on.
ThinkPlaceX was primarily brought onboard by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment to design and establish the Human services and Digital Skills Organisations as an independent entity to Government. In order to do this, ThinkPlaceX initially stood in place of the Skills Organisation, bringing onboard key CEO players in identified industries to join a Steering group, which would later become the official Skills Organisation board members. Alongside this group, in the Human Services Skills Organisation a Working Group of Aged and Disability care workers was brought on board to deliver the pilot projects themselves.
Our Response
In addition to providing strategic advice and developing the Skills Organisations Governance framework, ThinkPlaceX ran co-design workshops to identify the major gaps and challenges in the Human Services Skills sector and to identify possible solutions. These strategic workshops and research formed the basis of a three-year forward work plan for the Organisation.
ThinkPlaceX strategic co-design approach role during the initial development and implementation of the Skills Organisations. This is anticipated to include conducting user research, engaging with industry experts, facilitating testing and feedback of ideas to improve the skills pipeline for learners, employers and industry. The Skills Organisation is anticipated to improve and grow industry engagement along the skills pipeline and promote the role of Skills Organisations and the capability they deliver to the sector. It is an approach that is deliberately designed to be owned by industry and taking a co-design approach in its establishment and longer-term design.
In March 2020, the Human services Skills Organisation pivoted to accommodate the Covid19 crisis, which led them to create an agile project team, the”Rapid response project team” who developed a modified version of the Certificate 3 in Aged Care, the “Entry to Care skill set”, which was designed identify the minimum qualification requirement of carers in the Aged and Disability sectors to rapidly enter the workforce. This Entry to Care Skills set is intended to be able to be built upon through modular learning or stack-able skills on the job.
The Digital Skills Organisation took a slightly different approach, opting to establish themselves as an independent legal entity before the design of pilot projects was undertaken.
The Impact
- Acting as the Secretariat, ThinkPlaceX helped to establish two fully incorporated, independent Skills Organisations, for the Human Services and Digital Technology, responsible for the improving the skills of Human Services (including Aged Care and Disability Support sector) and Digital sectors to deliver the best outcomes for Australians.
- The Digital Technology and Human Services Skills Organisations brought together stakeholders across the human services and education sectors, rapidly testing and delivering new pilot approaches to Vocational Education and Training (VET), improving training outcomes.
- An Entry to Care Skill set was rapidly testing and made available online, for new learners to quickly transition into care roles. This was particularly valuable throughout the Covid19 crisis.
- ThinkPlaceX provided recommendations for agile training solutions for Mental Wellbeing training for supervisors which will greatly increase the usefulness and uptake of training.
- ThinkPlaceX assisted the Human Services Skills Organisation to engage with peak bodies and form strong relationships, which has build industry trust and will hold them in good stead to form working partnerships.
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