EPIC ITB Newsletter

Who is EPIC ITB?

EPIC ITB is a not-for-profit industry led incorporated association working in partnership with Victoria’s Electrotechnology (including Electricity Supply), Printing and Information Technology & Telecommunications and Gas industries. Our key function is to be the primary source of advice on training for these industries.

A Year in Review

2008 has been a year of significant change and organizational restructuring within the EPIC Board. The changes have seen the arrival of new personnel. A restructuring of all of the business units of EPIC has recharged the EPIC Team as well as the industry stakeholders of EPIC ITB.

This new look EPIC has seen it undertake a major role in invigorating the industry sectors it represents and in turn their commitment has grown with greater contributions and new activities.

Welcome to the EPIC ITB’s First Newsletter

Visit EPIC ITB Website

Industry Stakeholder Roundtable Discussion with The Hon Minister Jacinta Allan
Text Box: IBSA ESCAN This industry survey is an opportunity for your members / contacts to have a say on their organisation’s workforce skills and training needs. This will help us, and the Australian Government, to plan for training that meets business needs. Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) is conducting the survey.  IBSA is responsible for skills and training advice and resources that are used right across the industry sectors: Business Services, Cultural Industries, Education, Finance Services, Information and Communications Technologies and Printing and Graphic Arts. Follow this link to the survey: http://live.everyonecounts.com.au/app/520/560. The survey should be completed as soon as possible – it will take about 20 – 30 minutes. Your members’ / contacts’ contribution will be greatly appreciated; please email any queries about the survey to – escan@ibsa.org.au. Many thanks, IBSA

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at sspice@epicitb.com or call (03) 9654 1299 / 5409

Volume 1, Dec 2008

In August 2008, the Victorian Government released the Securing Jobs for the Future, Skills for Victoria Reform. One of the single biggest investments in Victoria Training which delivers $316 million in extra funding over the next four years; providing for an additional 172, 000 training places, increased direct engagement with business and strengthened partnerships with industry.

EPIC Industry Training Board whose coverage and strong membership of industry stakeholders from the Electrotechnology, Printing, Information Technology, Communications and Gas raised concerns to a number of the key areas within the Reform and in seeking further clarification invited the Hon. Minister Jacinta Allan MP to an Industry Roundtable Discussion which was held on 6th November 2008 at the EPIC ITB Offices.

Minister Jacinta Allan provided an overview of the Skills Reform Agenda and presented a 25 minute power point presentation. Following the presentation, the discussion was opened for Industry Stakeholder to ask questions.

Craig Hobbs, Powercor - Will the increase in cost for Advanced Diploma courses be seen as a disincentive to students?

Minister Allan - The wage outcome from students undertaking these courses is and will be higher enabling them to pay off any fees. Other States in comparison to Victoria may still have a higher level of fees.

Craig Hobbs, Powercor - With an increase in students, will TAFE be able to fund the resources and teachers to deliver the training?

Minister Allan - The Victorian TAFE system has stated to the State Government that they can and are well placed to deliver the additional training.

Philip Green, NECA Australia - There is a strong rumor that the funding for Productivity Places Program will not come via the Industry Skills Council but via the States. Is this correct?

Minister Allan - The Federal Government are still to resolve this issue, and so the State Government has not been advised of any outcome as yet.

Philip Green, NECA Australia - With regard to competition in training, why is there a difference in funding for TAFE and Private Providers?

Minister Allan - TAFE are considered full service providers, providing a greater diversity of courses and needing to provide amenities such as student welfare etc and therefore receive greater funding.

Sandra Fallshaw, Hawthorn Bay Pty Ltd - Many small businesses employ 5 people or less, accessing additional funding for employees who already have higher end skills is difficult. Does the Reform cater to this and do you think SME will have the time to undertake workplace assessments?

Minister Allan - A My Business Program ran a pilot that looked at the needs of training for small businesses and the feedback from this pilot was very positive. The Skills Reform is focused on accredited training and not for professional development training.

Philip Green, NECA Australia - The Skills Reform focuses upon qualifications, but many employers require their employees to undertake skills sets?

Alex Frazer, EPIC ITB - Can a person enroll in a qualification, achieve the skills sets required and still be eligible for funding if they do not complete the qualification?

Minister Allan - Yes

Maurice Graham, 370 Degree Group Ltd - As a Group Training Company, we have concerns that with a skills shortage, going into a recession could see many apprentices loosing their jobs within the building and construction industry, as the first thing companies cut back on is training. What will happen if apprentices get retrenched and its impact on skills shortages?

Minister Allen - One way to help apprentices will be the pipeline of government works which will be undertaken when private companies start to wind back and Group Training Companies can tap into this. The Government is seeking advice on these issues and would welcome any discussion.

Graham Watson, EEIT - With the impact of climate change etc, within the role of the ITAB can Renewable Energy Training programs be developed and piloted.

Minister Allan - The Government would like to see ITABs submit proposals for specialty designed programs.

Alex McCallum, CEPU Electrical Division - With the introduction of the HECS fees into University, it had been stated that fees would be fixed and that did not happen. There is a concern, that the fees for apprenticeship will increase, in turn unions would seek employers to pay the fees, who in turn may stop training due to the growing expense. Is there any assurance that fees will not change.

Minister Allan - Under the Skills Reform, fees for apprenticeship have been locked in for four years.

EPIC Industry Training Board would like to thank the Hon Minister Jacinta Allan for her time and participation in the EPIC ITB Industry Stakeholder Roundtable Discussion.

For more information on the Securing Jobs for the Future, Skills for Victoria Reform, please click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From all the staff at EPIC ITB, we would like to wish you a Merry

Christmas and a Festive New Year.

The EPIC Offices will be closed from Wednesday 24th December 2008 and will re-open on Monday 12th January 2009.

 

ICSkills Forum

Mr Alex McCallum, Chair EPICITB, Mr Alex Frazer, Executive Officer EPIC ITB, The Hon. Minister Jacinta Allan, and Mr Ron Patterson, Chair EPIC ITB
Text Box: INDUSTRY SURVEYS To validate the advice EPIC ITB seeks on training, EPIC is seeking to establish a network that will open up the exchange of ideas on issues that will improve training across Victoria. EPIC seeks to establish a data base of industry and business leaders, employer and employee associations, supervisors, technical experts, trainers and teachers, tradespeople and any one else who has a stake in the training agenda. Together with the data base EPIC will embark on identifying skill shortages across all its sectors, how these shortages impact on your business; and provide real-time industry specific data to the State Government that will provide early warnings of the changing conditions and demand for training by your industry. To get “up close and personal” with you as a representative of your industry, EPIC has developed a brief one page survey which targets information on skills shortages and training demand. Responding to this survey will provide you with a gateway to a new and exciting network of likeminded Industry stakeholders who wish to make an impact on the training agenda. You will be able to link into sub-committees that will be established to discuss specific issues that relate to your industry sector. To start this process, please click here

PrintSkills Forum

ICT Skills Forum 2008—Flexible, Innovative Skills Development Strategies is the first in a series of annual forums for the ICT Industry to provide information and discuss the changes and developments in training. The Forum provided trainers and industry representatives an opportunity to discuss some of the issues concerning the ICT Industry; skills shortage; no recognized driver for training (industry body or union); how to deal with future technology through training; issues for small businesses.

Following the ICT Skills Forum, an opportunity was provided to trainers from public RTO’s, private providers and industry trainers to look at developing a teacher forum which will provide members an opportunity to discuss and share information of delivery strategies; best models for assessment; professional development and provide an forum that can influence the content of Training Packages. The first meeting of the teachers committee or Victorian ICT Educators (VICTE) Forum will be held in February/March 2009. EPIC ITB will provide secretariat support for the first three meetings, following that it is expected that the committee will become self functioning with its own elected secretariat and chairperson.

If you wish to be a part of the Victorian ICT Educators Forum, please click here.
Text Box: Skills for Growth: The Workforce Development Program Skills and Workforce Participation Minister Jacinta Allan and Small Business Minister Joe Helper have launched a $52 million program to assist businesses to improve the skills of their workers through vocational education and training. The Skills for Growth program will assist Victorian small businesses to plan the development of their workforces by connecting them with independent specialists to identify business priorities, current workforce planning needs, and skill development needs. The program will assist 5,500 eligible Victorian businesses to plan the skills development of their workforces and place workers into 55,000 government-supported accredited training places over three years. Skills for Growth: the Workforce Development Program is open to all Victorian-based small and medium sized business. To be eligible, your business must: Employ between 1 to 200 staff; Have been in operation for at least 12 months; and Be financially viable For further information on the Skills for Growth Program, please click here