1. Presented By: Keith Cowlishaw Head of School School of Fashion & Textiles Exploring Training & Education needs of Textile Clothing & Footwear SME

2. RMIT UniversitySlide 2 RMIT University School of Fashion and Textiles Textile and Design Specialist Centre

3. RMIT UniversitySlide 3 Textile & Design Specialist Centre Established under Victorian Government Specialist Centre Initiative 2003 Objectives are Industry Engagement - School Industry Interface - Flexible Innovative delivery - Special projects

4. RMIT UniversitySlide 4 Sustainable as part of School structure Projects - Seminar activity (Innovation, Business) - Lonati Exhibition - OH&S Training - Fashion Technicians of Australia - SME delivery Textile & Design Specialist Centre

5. RMIT UniversitySlide 5 Restructuring Completed $12 Billion Industry Design competitive advantage Small Manufacturing Enterprises (SME) - Manufacture - Design - Import - Supply Chain Textile Clothing & Footwear (TCF Industry)

6. RMIT UniversitySlide 6 Textile Clothing & Footwear (TCF Industry)

7. RMIT UniversitySlide 7 Research undertaken by OTTE 2004 - Difficult to engage - Time Constrained - Self taught - Deliver at the work Place - E-learning opportunity TCF SME – OTTE Research Source: New and Emerging skills TCF - OTTE 2004 Kreital Consulting Group

8. RMIT UniversitySlide 8 How can the centre deliver training to SME? Do they have training needs? Are e-learning tools an affective option? Project TCF SME – Training & Education

9. RMIT UniversitySlide 9 Project Key Element - Offer training to a cross selection of SME- TCF - Business - Marketing - Textiles Skills - Systems Explore different delivery mechanism - Online - CD-Rom - Hard Copy - Face/Face TCF SME – Training & Education

10. RMIT UniversitySlide 10 74 SME approached 36 responded initially - 4 were willing to consider project - 3 were interested to discuss ideas - 8 were too difficult to contact - 21 were definitely not interested None were interested in e-learning delivery Other opportunities identified TCF SME – Training & Education

11. RMIT UniversitySlide 11 Other Opportunities - Mentoring - Collaboration through a cluster - Knowledge sharing - Business focus - Industry network TCF SME – Training & Education

12. RMIT UniversitySlide 12 Mentoring - Facilitate groups of six for mentoring on campus - Skill gaps, recruiting needs, collaboration and mutual support Cluster - established a dye/finishing cluster with eight companies TCF SME – Training & Education

13. RMIT UniversitySlide 13 Cluster Facilitated series of meetings Outcomes - Identification of key issues (water, energy) - Share problem resolution experience - 28 members of cluster - On-line Sharing - Collaboration? TCF SME – Training & Education

14. RMIT UniversitySlide 14 Cluster Activities - Networking with Government - Policy development - Securing funding Issues -Not core Business (Education & Training) - Specialist Centre / Policy/ Industry Association - Cluster Sustainability - Ignorance of what RMIT can offer TCF SME – Training & Education

15. RMIT UniversitySlide 15 Findings SME not interested in Training & Education - E-learning challenge - Established needs? - Understand Institution capability SME are interested in Networking - Needs facilitation -Information sharing -Problem resolution -Policy Impact Industry Cluster -Possible Solution -Sustainable? TCF SME – Training & Education

16. RMIT UniversitySlide 16 NCVER findings - a clear focus on business specific needs - A personal approach through a skilled facilitator - Flexible provision in an informal manner - Business mentoring - Networking - Collaborative group learning TCF SME – Training & Education Source: Susan Deane, Nhi Nguyen “Education & Training that meets the needs of small business – A systematic review” (NCVER)

17. RMIT UniversitySlide 17 Path Forward - Continue with dyer/finish cluster - Develop training needs - Benchmarking - Water forum - Policy - Seek additional cluster TCF SME – Training & Education