Employability Skills Update VET Planning and Research Network Forum 2/2005, July 22, 2005 New Ways of Knowing and Learning

Employability Skills Update Origins Key Competencies Competency Standards BCA/ACCI report “Employability Skills for the Future” Advice to Training Package Developers

Employability Skills Update Key Competencies 1 “Young people’s participation in post- compulsory education and training” (Finn Review) Established by AEC in 1990 with particular reference to young people who have left school and are not participating in formal education and training Review defined “key areas of competence”

Employability Skills Update Key Competencies 2 Mayer Committee followed Finn (1991/92) and proposed seven key competencies Each competency had three performance levels Mayer recommended that assessment and reporting of the key competencies be nationally consistent

Employability Skills Update Competency Standards 1 “What people need to know and be able to do to work at a specified level of performance” The National Training Board was established in 1990 to define and develop national competency standards for industry ANTA developed Training Packages in 1996 as instruments for the delivery and assessment of competency standards

Employability Skills Update Competency Standards 2 Key competencies were incorporated in Training Packages – in units of competency or at the qualification level Initially not well done – bolted on rather than built in Confusion over how performance levels related to the AQF

Employability Skills Update Employability Skills Report 1 Defined as ‘the skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one’s potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions.’ (page 3) The study was based upon a literature review by ACER, case study research large firms and focus groups/interviews with small and medium firms The report developed an Employability Skills Framework consisting of personal attributes, skills and elements

Employability Skills Update Employability Skills Report 2 Skills which contribute to the enterprise: -communication - teamwork - problem solving - initiative and enterprise - planning and organising - self-management - learning - technology

Employability Skills Update Where are we now? ANTA’s National Training Quality Committee has ratified advice developed by consultant David Rumsey on how to incorporate employability skills in Training Packages ANTA has provided funds to Industry Skills Councils to begin the incorporation process The Council has agreed to establish a Employability Skills panel to assist in this process Incorporation to be completed by the end of 2006

Employability Skills Update What is the future? Successful incorporation will take competency standards to a new and higher level of quality – better design Successful delivery and assessment of better standards will improve outcomes in preparing people for work – a key objective of the Finn review