The Australian Training Awards & VETnetwork Aust. Webinar Series

The Australian Training Awards and VETNetwork Australia are running a series of free webinars throughout March and April. The webinars are designed to provide award applicants with information, tips and tricks on how to apply into the 5 direct entry categories. Categories and webinar topics are:

• Australian Apprenticeship - Employer Award Webinar
• Disability Training - Employer Award Webinar
• Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award Webinar
• School Pathways to VET Award Webinar
• International Training Provider of the Year Award Webinar

To register and find out more go to the VETnetwork website.

VET FEE-HELP Reforms

On 12 March 2015 the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, announced that the Government will deliver a rolling campaign of legislative and other changes to deal with rogue training providers and better protect students taking out VET FEE‑HELP loans.

Reforms will be made to the VET FEE‑HELP scheme to prevent unscrupulous marketers targeting vulnerable Australians and exploiting the scheme.

Eight key areas will be targeted as part of their reforms. 

A VET FEE‑HELP Reforms factsheet has been developed for a clear overview of the Governments intentions for the reform.

See press conference.

The New Retail Series - Service Skills pilot

Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, launched The New Retail Series pilot training program on 19 February 2015.

The program developed by Service Skill Australia addresses skills shortages in Australia’s retail workforce.

Participants are to be trained in the identified skill gap areas of merchandise management and online retailing. Feedback from the pilot will inform the development of nationally recognised qualifications, ensuring that they meet the needs of industry.

View media release

Free Foundation Skills Professional Development for RTOs

ACPET is running a series of training sessions to build knowledge and skills within the Foundation Skills Framework.

The sessions are fully subsidised, and you are encouraged to join as many as you would like.

Learn how to easily assess your learners’ language, literacy and numeracy as well as employability skills. Improve your understanding of:

• the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF)
• the Core Skills for Work Development Framework (CSfW)

Find out more

26TEN Grants Program applications open

Tasmania's 26TEN grants program for employers opened for applications on Monday 2 March 2015.

The program is part of the Adult Literacy Action Plan and has been developed to boost adult literacy levels in Tasmania.

26TEN aims to increase the skills of people in the workplace, to build a culture of life-long learning and to make it easier for employees to get literacy support.

Applications close on 27 March 2015.

Enquiries to:

Jennifer Dunbabin
26TEN Strategy Team
(03) 6165 6064 (Mon-Thurs)
jennifer.dunbabin@education.tas.gov.au

CHC/ HLT consultation

CSHISC has opened consultation for updates to the Community Services and Heath training package. Comments can be submitted through the new online portal.

Updates have been made to skill sets and units of competency for:

• Pastoral Care
• Oral Health
• Health Professional Support

Public consultation opened on 2 February 2015 and will close on 28 February 2015.

Instructions to use the portal are available for download, please direct any questions about using the portal to cip@cshisc.com.au

Industry Skills Fund -Youth Stream

The Industry Skills Fund - Youth Stream includes two pilot programs for funded Youth training incentives. These programs aim to support businesses employ more young people; and community organisations to help young people gain further education and build skills.

Funding is available for:

• Training for Employment Scholarships
• Youth Employment Pathways

The two pilot programs are available until 29 February 2016 in selected regional areas and areas of high youth unemployment.

ACPET releases revised Code of Ethics and a new Code of Practice

ACPET have a developed a Code of Ethics and a Code of Practice to establish the professional standards expected of education and training providers.

They detail a framework for agents and brokers working or partnering with an ACPET member, to provide students, the community and government with confidence in the integrity of the agents/brokers used by ACPET members.

The codes were officially launched on 13 March 2015 by Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham.

View media release.

ACPET call for abstracts

The 2015 Conference Committee welcomes workshop abstracts which must align with the conference theme, Inspiring Ideas, Building a better private education and training sector through innovation, diversity and quality.

The key focus must be on the 4 main areas of interest for our members:

• Vocational Education and Training,
• International Education and Training,
• Higher Education, and
• ELICOS

Presentations are to be specifically for ACPET conference; further info and submissions here.