THE AUSTRALIAN GREEN SKILLS AGREEMENT POLICY AND INDUSTRY CONTEXT, INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE AND GREEN SKILLS DELIVERY Martin Riordan – CEO TAFE Directors Australia APEC Human Capital Policies for Green Growth and Employment Symposium Washington DC, 20 th March 2012

POSTCARD – Sydney from Bondi Beach

POSTCARD – Sydney from Manly Beach

POSTCARD: Australia as a major resource producer

POSTCARD: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Outline of presentation Introduction – skilling priorities Policy context Commonwealth Government The Green Skills Agreement Other policy areas State Governments Industry perspective Priority challenge Vocational Education and Training Green transformation Green Skills and the VET practitioner The green status of Australian TAFEs Cu lture, campus, curriculum and community National uptake of Green Skills Challenges and opportunities environmental-upgrade-boost /

7 1. Policy context - Structure of Australian Training - Industry-led training 61 Australian TAFE Institutes 11 Industry Skill Councils Membership consists of TAFE, Industry, Educators Training Packages Qualifications NOTE – Australian training operates in an open competition -- TAFE (technical and further education) competes in a total market of 5,001 Registered Training Providers

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9 One in eight of year old males not employed Employed as % of population by age, Australia 1970 to 2010, males

Percent with qualifications who are in workforce and in work P ersons aged 15-64, Australia 2009, % 10

Employment 88% of those with high literacy 48% with low Persons aged 15 to 74, Australia 2006,

Policy key areas ‘COAG’ targets – on education, on sustainability Focus on education and training – linked to sustainability and carbon reduction drive National drive to lift productivity -- OECD benchmarking showing Australia slipping in productivity performance Address by Secretary of Treasury – Dr Martin Parkinson Sustainability is more than environmental issues, and that energy, resource and environmental efficiencies are key drivers of productivity Parkinson asserts that the theme of sustainability must shape the approach to policy development of this generation Links between productivity, sustainability and innovation are critical to a thriving economy The Green Skills Agreement was endorsed Nov 2009 – four Commonwealth policy areas influencing Vocational Education and Training

Policy Context (1) Commonwealth Government Four policy areas 1.National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability 2.National VET Sector Sustainability Policy and Action Plan 3.The Green Skills Agreement (GSA) 4.Clean Energy and Other Skills Package The Green Skills Agreement Develop national standards in skills for sustainability within the requirements of the national regulatory framework. Review and revise Training Packages to incorporate skills for sustainability Up-skill VET practitioners so they can provide effective training and facilitation in skills for sustainability Implement strategies to reskill vulnerable workers in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Policy context (2) State & Territory governments NSW – Green Skills Strategy Implementation Plan South Australia - a series of initiatives to enhance the opportunities of South Australian TAFEs in delivering skills for sustainability Victoria – courses in energy efficiency, sustainable painting and workplace project delivery, Green Skills audit and Victoria’s TAFE Development Centre delivered sustainability courses over 500 VET Teachers Western Australia – Report in 2010 (Skilling for a Sustainable Future) recommendations yet to be implemented Queensland - Under the Skills for Sustainability Policy and Action Plan- includes funded support for Skills for a Low Carbon Economy and Green Building Skills Fund

Industry perspective Influencing the green skills agenda Dr. John Spiering’s role Skills Australia Reported that sustainability will be one of 6 major drivers of skills needs in Australia Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) The eleven ISCs collectively produced a publication (Environmental Sustainability: An Industry Response) The majority of ISCs have now incorporated sustainability in training packages The Australian Industry Group Report in 2012 – “the industry has recognised the important alignment of sustainability and innovation” Business Council of Australia Indicated that investment in innovation and education is vital for a sustainable future y_associations_unite_to_improve_green_collar _skills/063577/

Vocational Education and Training Green Transformation The leadership of TAFE in Australia Central Institute of TAFE, Swinburne TAFE, Sydney Institute of TAFE and TAFE NSW North Coast Institute of TAFE The Green Skills Agreement has seen the embedding of sustainability in training through: Green technical skills Skills for Sustainability ‘bolted on’ Sustainability embedded Qualifications in sustainability (for sustainability professionals) uginfile.php/918/mod_page/content/3 9/CoreCompetencyFeature.png

Green Skills and VET practitioners Some challenges Competence in understanding the principles of sustainability - Education about sustainability AND engaging students to reflect on their own ’values and attitudes’ towards sustainability - Education for Sustainability Education for Sustainability includes learning based strategies around systems thinking, problem solving, critical thinking and reflection Recruiting difficulties in competent teachers in nascent or emerging technologies

The green status of Australian TAFEs Culture, curriculum, community and … campus – a survey of 61 TAFEs was undertaken in December Culture – 83% of Institutes had a current sustainability plan with targets for environmental indicators, teaching and learning and infrastructure. Curriculum - 81% Institutes cited active programs in sustainability. 30% of courses registered included sustainability competencies. PD in sustainability varied with some only delivering basic courses Community – a modest response with several Institutes, mostly regionally-based, having strong community, regional and industry partnerships in sustainability

TAFE and Sustainable Campuses

National uptake of Green Skills (1) Green Skills/ energy efficiency training enrolments (Aust 2008 – 2010) Source NCVER Students and courses database) State training NSW ining_providers/greenskills/general_r esources.html ining_providers/greenskills/general_r esources.html

National uptake of Green Skills (2) Green skills/energy efficiency enrolments by industry, Australia 2008 – 2010 (Source: NCVER, Student and courses database)

Challenges and opportunities Challenges: Workforce delivery and community engagement Building institutional capability Demand for TAFE (and other) Institutions to develop quality and profitable programs in green skills delivery Opportunities: A proliferation of teaching resources for green skills programs to support Institutions and teachers Professional Development opportunities across Australia for VET Practitioners The Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) has launched a sustainability benchmarking tool (LiFE) The potential development of Green Skills Networks – currently scoping Community of Practice between Australia and the USA Community College network

In conclusion Productivity, innovation and sustainability are closely linked in a thriving economy The Green Skills Agreement has had a significant impact on the VET sector Industry is engaging with sustainability through a focus on productivity and innovation The VET sector is transforming and delivering on Green Skills The most significant changes in the VET sector are infrastructure with culture and curriculum gaining momentum The national uptake of green skills has doubled in the past 5 years Challenges and opportunities are being addressed

Contacts Martin Riordan -- TAFE Directors Australia Telephone: Facsimile: | THANK YOU