Ageing TAFE Workforce A PRESENTATION TO VICTORIAN TAFE CEOS & HR MANAGERS A PRESENTATION TO VICTORIAN TAFE CEOS & HR MANAGERS Sharon Bush - HR Senior Project Officer, RMIT UNIVERSITY Ross Barker - HR Manager, WODONGA INSTITUTE OF TAFE Jim Andrews - ER Consultant, VICTORIAN TAFE ASSOCIATION 6th JUNE 2005

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At the end of this presentation you will: understand why the ageing workforce is such an issue understand what impact the ageing workforce could be having on your business have discussed how you can manage the ageing TAFE workforce issues in your organisation have explored other possibilities arising within your workforce

Why focus on TAFE’s ageing workforce For TAFE to succeed we must sustain TAFE’s workforce capability Staff are retiring and we are losing knowledge We need to make the most of experienced workers’ skills and knowledge and managers need skills to motivate their staff We need to attract and retain staff from all age groups We need to comply with anti-discrimination legislation

TAFE’s workforce is ageing Source: OPE/SSA Workforce data collections 2004 Notes: Excludes casual employees Excludes Swinburne, VUT, RMIT and Ballarat - data not available

TAFE’s workforce is ageing Notes: Source OPE/SSA FTE, Ongoing & Fixed Term, Teaching & PACCT, Non-Uni’s This table does not in itself project staff turnover

TAFE’s workforce is ageing membership of the GSO Revised Scheme Notes: Source: GSO Includes teaching and PACCT staff, Vic TAFEs, UniTAFE Divs, AMES, CAE This table does not in itself project staff turnover

What is the ageing workforce – what the literature says The labour force is ageing Education sector and mature organisations greatly affected Need to focus on attracting and retaining staff across the generations People from different age groups have different needs and expectations of work Need to manage ageism and embrace age diversity The keys to managing an ageing workforce are objectivity to reduce bias + flexibility to address differing needs and expectations of staff

What is the ageing TAFE workforce – what our managers say Who responded? responses from 20 (35%) managers 53% 41-50yrs; 32% 51yrs+ Is ageing workforce an issue? 80% agreed that ageing workforce is an issue in their workplace 55% identified ageing workforce situations in their area

What is the ageing TAFE workforce – what our managers say staff are working longer as they start families later in life difficulty attracting ‘young blood’ due to low turnover of staff (positions for life regardless of ability) + poor employment conditions comparative to private sector not many younger teachers coming through there are few young people in the institute which creates a monoculture - less healthy than a more diverse workplace

What is the ageing TAFE workforce – what our managers say losing expertise with good staff retiring and no one to replace them to replace retiring staff members’ expertise will be very costly talented staff are leaving because they are in the same age group as those in the positions above them and they see no career path within the institute rate of change is difficult for some

What is the ageing TAFE workforce – what our managers say Suggested solutions: ● implement mentoring process with establishment of replacement staff before “ageing staff” depart ● need some provision of additional staff (through ratios etc.) for either a mentoring or supervisory scheme where new staff can be inducted by ageing staff. Ageing staff could partially reduce their workload rather than retiring and remain in part-time work to provide mentoring to less experienced staff ● need development opportunities for those not seeking promotion

What TAFE managers want to know more about 85% not aware of policies and supports to assist managing an ageing workforce 60% not aware of age-related legislation

What TAFE managers want to know more about RMIT – Blue Wodonga - Red

How to manage an ageing TAFE workforce - toolkit Collates generic and Institute-specific strategies into a single resource Tools include: checklists stories references to programs, policies and legislation Some tools are tailored for ageing workers. Others can apply across your whole diverse workforce.

How to manage an ageing TAFE workforce - toolkit E. STAFF ALUMNI

How to manage your ageing workforce - activity 1. Consider your own organisation and its workforce 1. Complete the Age Balanced Workforce – Checklist for Managers (Attachment 1 on page 28) 1. Identify which section presents the greatest challenge for your organisation 1. Review that section of the kit and identify what practices you will focus on improving in your organisation

Click to add text What does this mean for your organisation? What does this mean for TAFE Victoria?