The Victorian Government has unveiled a new model for industry engagement which will aim to ensure employers’ and industries’ training needs are better met.

 

State Higher Education and Skills Minister Peter Hall said the reforms are needed to better support the state’s demand driven training system and to promote a skills based economy.

 

Under the old model, which predates Victoria's move to a demand driven training system, 16 Industry Training Advisory Boards (ITABs) provide advice to government on the skills needs of the industries they represent.

 

Mr Hall said the changes, to be implemented over the next nine months, followed extensive consultation with business and industry and reflected the findings of two independent reviews of Victoria's industry advisory arrangements.

 

"The new industry participation model will enable government to engage more directly with industry and give industry a greater role in shaping training provision," Mr Hall said.

 

"While ITABs have previously played a constructive role in Victoria's training system, the new model will use the bodies and associations employers already value to directly influence the training market ensuring training is more responsive to the needs of a skilled workforce and economy."

Mr Hall said key elements of the reforms would:

  • Establish a more direct model of consultation with industry built around strengthened partnerships between the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD)and other government departments, employers and industry associations.
  • Strengthen industries' and employers' opportunity to talk directly to government about the effectiveness of the training market.
  • Make better use of the existing industry consultation mechanisms across government to reduce duplication of efforts.

"Under the new model the DEECD will work in partnership with other government departments and their networks to access more than 12,000 direct industry consultations, a far greater network than previously available," Mr Hall said.

 

Mr Hall said those industry sectors that wished to retain their existing ITABs could elect to do so through their own funding.

 

The reform legislation will be introduced later this year.