Qualifications in WHS: Developing Trends in the VET sector Safety Institute of Australia Visions Conference October 2015 CQU Campus Gladstone Marina Frank Bogna School of Business and Humanities Industry, Vocational Training and Access Education CQUniversity Australia

Qualifications in WHS: Developing Trends in the VET sector This presentation will examine: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 2. Current structure of VET training for WHS qualifications 3. Future needs for OHS practitioners to work effectively in industry 1. Developments in VET training for OHS practitioners historical perspective evolving influences Developing Trends in the VET sector

INTRODUCTION - COURSE CONTENT CHANGES Associate Diploma of Applied Science in Occupational Health andAssociate Diploma of Applied Science in Occupational Health and Safety – 1980’s Safety – 1980’s CN0009 Certificate III in OHS, CN0008 Certificate IV in OHS, CN0007 Diploma in OHS – 1990’sCN0009 Certificate III in OHS, CN0008 Certificate IV in OHS, CN0007 Diploma in OHS – 1990’s BSB01 (Training Package) > Certificate IV to Advanced Diploma onwardsBSB01 (Training Package) > Certificate IV to Advanced Diploma onwards

INTRODUCTION - COURSE CONTENT CHANGES What has been driving the qualifications? 1980’s 2015 >>>>> Driven largely by training bodies with some industry input Driven by industry sector, delivery governed by legislated standards and VET framework, operating under a national regulator

THE VET SECTOR RTO’sRTO’s StudentsStudents VET Quality Framework Standards for RTO’s (8 standards) AQF + 3 others VET Quality Framework Standards for RTO’s (8 standards) AQF + 3 others Industry Skills Councils (Innovation and Business Skills Australia) (Innovation and Business Skills Australia) Industry Skills Councils (Innovation and Business Skills Australia) (Innovation and Business Skills Australia)ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) ASQA RegistrationRegistration AccreditationAccreditation Training Package (Qualifications) (Qualifications) Legislation 1b 1.National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 a. Standards for VET Accredited Courses 2012 b. Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 a. Standards for VET Accredited Courses 2012 b. Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) 2015 Legislation 1a,b Training > Assessment > Qualifications

EVOLVING INFLUENCES Scoping review of BSB07 Qualifications ## 4 4. Lack of prerequisites for commencement in various qualifications. 1. Liaison between IBSA, the SIA and other industry stakeholders regarding industry roles and alignment with OHS qualification levels 2. Technical detail in the qualifications and individual units 3. New units based on industry views Scoping review of BSB07 Qualifications Conducted in 2010 (Input from industry, unions, OHS regulators, government bodies, training providers). #. Substantial submission from SIA. Concerns included All have been addressed in some way within the present suite of qualifications.

EVOLVING INFLUENCES cont’ Capability as a driver OHS Capability Package Capability in VET qualifications ‘Sample Position Profiles’  Work undertaken by Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (OHS Capability Package) – assist employers to evaluate & assist development & capability of OHS professionals  Emerging attention to capability in VET qualifications (in content of competencies and ‘foundation skills’) – helps drive application of OHS skills & knowledge to different contexts >> adaptability  Some alignment of VET qualifications to ‘Sample Position Profiles’ for OHS Officer (OHS Capability Package) National Agendas (Australian WHS Strategy for ) Industry Drivers – Safe search survey (increased demand for WHS qualifications)

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS New competency framework Certificate III in Work Health and Safety Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety Diploma of Work Health and Safety Advanced Diploma of Work Health and Safety BSB30715 BSB41415 BSB51315 BSB60615 Qualifications

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’ Numeracy Navigate the world of work Interact with others Foundation skill areas: Reading Writing Oral communication Foundation Skills  Core skills identified by employers as the foundation (non-technical skills) for successful performance in the workplace  Built from the ‘core skills’ defined by the Australian Core Skills Framework (i.e. reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) and the Core Skills for Work Framework (employability skills). Get the work done Organisational requirements, problem Solving, decision making, working with others, planning & organising; creating &innovating; digital literacy Organisational requirements, problem Solving, decision making, working with others, planning & organising; creating &innovating; digital literacy

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’ Numeracy Navigate the world of work Interact with others Elements and Performance Criteria ELEMENTPERFORMANCE CRITERIA Elements describe the essential outcomes. Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. 1 Access information to identify hazards and assess and control risks 1.1 Identify sources of information and data 1.2 Obtain information and data to determine the nature and scope of workplace hazards, the range of harms they may cause and how these harms are caused 1.3 Obtain information and data to determine the nature and scope of workplace risks and risk controls 2. Contribute to compliance and workplace requirements 2.1 Contribute to identifying and complying with requirements of workplace policies, procedures, processes and systems for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control activities 2.2 Contribute to identifying and complying with requirements of WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice and guidelines for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control activities 2.3 Identify duty holders and their range of duties 3 Contribute to workplace hazard identification 3.1 Use knowledge of hazards to advise individuals and parties of workplace hazards, the harms they cause and how these harms are caused BSBWHS404 : Contribute to WHS hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control Foundation Skills SkillPerformance Criteria Description Reading 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.4, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2 Locates, interprets and analyses complex WHS legislative and organisational texts Writing 3.1, 3.4, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 Uses structure, layout and language suitable for audience to document WHS risk-management processes Uses appropriate organisational formats and industry specific vocabulary to document risk control plans Oral communication 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.3, 4.2 Uses structure and language suitable for audience to communicate information and contribute ideas about WHS risk-management processes Navigate the world of work 2.1, 2.2, 2.3Takes responsibility for adherence to legal and regulatory responsibilities and organisational Foundation Skills – embedded into each competency BSBWHS404 : Contribute to WHS hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’ how do these fit into the training and assessment? Foundation Skills … how do these fit into the training and assessment? Training delivery & assessment RTORTO Training strategies Training materials Assessment Tasks Training strategies Training materials Assessment Tasks Performance Criteria Foundation Skills Performance Evidence Knowledge Evidence Assessment Conditions Performance Criteria Foundation Skills Performance Evidence Knowledge Evidence Assessment Conditions MappingMapping

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’ Support the achievement of OHS vocational pathways by …  Fostering greater capabilities within OHS practitioner’s role in a workplace  Harnessing current practices & emerging technologies  Requiring students’ own directed effort to address gaps in required knowledge  Sufficiency of assessment, where linked to performance criteria Foundation Skills  May assist VET student entry into higher education studies in OHS  Some commonality & alignment between ‘Actions/thinking processes and Professional practice skills’ (metaskills) within the OHS Model of Practice (BOK) and Foundation Skill descriptors > platform for future work on the alignment of these elements.

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’ Duration of delivery a concern for some time (i.e. ‘weeks’ vs ‘6-12 months’ or longer) Implications for: Employers Students Skilled employment pool The discipline of OHS Undermining of confidence in VET qualifications (Yu & Oliver 2015) Duration of delivery a concern for some time (i.e. ‘weeks’ vs ‘6-12 months’ or longer) Implications for: Employers Students Skilled employment pool The discipline of OHS Undermining of confidence in VET qualifications (Yu & Oliver 2015) Volume of Learning (prior to 2015)

CURRENT VET QUALIFICATIONS IN WHS cont’  New Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 – 8 standards  Standard One: Responsive to industry and learner needs > includes ‘Volume of Learning’  Expressed in hours or years  Estimated duration of all teaching & learning activities  The RTO must present a case for any significant variation  Regulator able to take action against RTO’s for failure to meet RTO standards  ‘Volume of Learning Indicators’ in Users’ Guide - Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 Volume of Learning (2015 >)

THE FUTURE FOR OHS STUDENTS IN VET Description of the contents Improvements Description of the contents  Industry input > grounding in more areas of OHS discipline  Competency framework improvement  Foundation Skills  Volume of learning indicators  Greater guidance material for RTO’s (i.e. User Guide for Work Health and Safety 2015)

THE FUTURE FOR OHS STUDENTS IN VET A Time based model – Volume of learning must be adopted B Lack of attention by RTO to new competency framework C Insufficient monitoring by regulator. Obstacles

THE FUTURE FOR OHS STUDENTS IN VET 4 Greater promulgation of the discipline of OHS for VET students Development & publicising of standards for OHS practitioners … recent work being undertaken here by SIA (Certified OHS Practitioner - INSHPO – Global framework for OHS Practice + Review of Dip.WHS) Strengthened skill base through greater mandate for ‘OHS’ units within qualifications Articulation opportunities into higher education Quantitative measures of qualification completion and transference to OHS roles in industry. Future initiatives

THE FUTURE FOR OHS STUDENTS IN VET Many changes have led to overall improvements in VET qualifications for the training of OHS practitioners Each RTO must embrace these changes in their training products A defining of the OHS practitioner role, aligned with elements for VET training in OHS is required CONCLUSION In the rapidly changing discipline of OHS, an injection of renewed effort, dialogue and collaboration is needed to ensure a sustainable and relevant product will exist for the foreseeable future.