Industry Initiatives
Congratulations to SPC Ardmona and the Australian Miscellaneous Workers Union
Article by VFITB and Nick Bartholomew, SPCA
These two organisations have won the inaugural 2011 Victorian Training Award for Industry Collaboration. Nick Bartholomew from SPCA and Tom Hale from the AMWU, and VFITB Executive Committee member, took to the stage with Les Cameron from training company National Food Institute to accept this inaugural award.
It was heartening to see a new award that recognises skills development with adult workers in industry as many of the other categories are oriented to the youth training sector... Read more.
VFITB Initiatives
New Industry Qualifications
VFITB developed two new qualifications for the food industry, at the industry's request.
- The Vocational Graduate Certificate in Food Industry Management [PDF:113KB]
- The Vocational Graduate Diploma of Food Industry Management [PDF:121KB]
These programs filled a gap in the formal education and training system for post graduate qualifications to suit the specialist knowledge and needs of the food processing sector. They are aimed at developing middle managers who may be team leaders, supervisors, project managers, general managers and technical experts. Both programs are now accredited with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
The first cohort of students in the Vocational Graduate Certificate has been studying at the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia - Gilbert Chandler Centre and are currently completing the program in winter/spring 2011. Both programs will suit a wide range of students including those with extensive work experience in industry, and those who have completed a range of university studies in say sciences, engineering and related disciplines. The programs are designed to be completed through a series of real projects in the workplace and therefore the support and involvement of supervisors in the workplace is recommended. Two core units in the Voc Grad Certificate are:
- Apply professional level of food industry knowledge
- Lead innovative thinking and practice
For more information and contact details see:
Victorian Government Initiatives
Skills for Growth
Skills for Growth: the Workforce Development Program provides a team of independent specialists who will work with you - free of charge - to identify your strategic business aims and objectives.
Further information is available on the Business Victoria website.
Apprentices and Trainees
The Victorian Government and the Australian Government provide a range of incentives and assistance to support individuals and businesses with the uptake and successful completion of apprenticeships and traineeships.
The Skills Victoria website has further details.
Federal Government Initiatives
National Skills Needs List
There are currently skill shortages in Australia for bakers, pastrycooks and butchers. There are significant incentives from the federal and state government for new apprentices and existing workers who take up an apprenticeship, such as the Rural and Regional Skills Shortage commencement initiative.
Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program
In November The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard announced a $25million program to co-fund 11,000 additional training places to address skills shortages as the economy improves.
From the press release:
The Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP) will provide up to 90 per cent of the cost of training from Certificate III to Advanced Diploma level. It is designed to increase the skills of existing workers especially in occupations on the priority occupations list.
The Government's contribution will depend on the size of the business, with organisations with less than 100 employees receiving 90 per cent of their training costs, those with between 100 and 199 receiving 75 percent, and those with 200 or more employees receiving 50 per cent of their training costs.
Read the rest of the press release here.
Find out more about the Productivity Placements Program here.
Applications must be directed through AgriFood and will be received until April 2010.
View information and register an application through AgriFood here.
Green Skills Agreement
Photo by Craig Cullum
In December 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed a new Green Skills Agreement.
[The Agreement] will enable individuals and businesses to contribute to a sustainable, low-carbon economy in their workplaces and communities.
The Agreement commits the Australian and state and territory governments to working with training organisations and business to ensure skills for sustainability are an integral part of all vocational education and training (VET) and are relevant to the needs of industry.
This commitment will be achieved by:
- embedding skills for sustainability practice and teaching in vocational education and training, within the requirements of the national regulatory framework
- the upskilling of VET instructors and teachers to deliver skills for sustainability
- the strategic review of Training Packages to embed sustainability knowledge, skills and principles
- implementing a transition strategy to re-skill vulnerable workers.
Click here to find out more information on the DEEWR website.
Workplace English Language and Literacy
What is WELL?
WELL is the acronym for Workplace English Language and Literacy. It is a Government funded program that funds language, literacy and numeracy training for employees below a certain level in conjunction with undertaking accredited training.
For information on Workplace English Language and Literacy for the agrifood industry please visit the AgriFood Skills-Australia website.
Click here for the official Federal Government WELL website.
- The Victorian Training Guarantee
- Government Initiatives
- Other Initiatives