全部
标题
发文机构
首页
-
资源中心
-
政策文件
《构建技能型澳大利亚――职业教育与培训的新方向》（Skilling Australia――New Directions for Vocational Education and Training）
2005
发文机构：澳大利亚教育、科学与培训部
行政级别：国外
国别：澳大利亚
查看原网站全文
Guiding Principles for Proposed Changes Under the Australian constitution, State and Territory Governments (the States) have primary responsibility for education and training. The Australian Government contributes approximately one third of the total government funding for training. Since the establishment of the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) in 1992, the training system has consistently improved through collaboration between governments and Australian business and industry. The proposed new arrangements will build on this success. The guiding principles are clear: 1. Industry and business needs must drive training policies, priorities and delivery. 2. Better quality training and outcomes for clients, through more flexible and accelerated pathways, must be assured. 3. Processes should be simplified and streamlined. Industry and business needs must drive training policies, priorities and delivery including: • Industry and business directly influencing training policy and delivery - including through a direct line of advice to the new Ministerial Council overseeing the operation of the training system; • Improving the capacity of industry and business to determine relevant skills needs and to define the competencies required in their workplace; • Enabling industry and business to influence planning decisions - including through a clearly defined role for industry and business in developing the States’ annual plans for training provision; • Developing more flexible Training Package qualifications - explicitly incorporating ‘employability skills’ and developing shared skills sets across industries to break down the silos in different industries’ approaches to skills development; and • Eliminating unnecessary regulation for registered training providers - giving genuine effect to the national registration process. Better quality training and outcomes for clients, through more flexible and accelerated pathways, must be assured by: • Removing the final elements of a time-based approach in the national training system - moving instead to a genuine competency-based approach for all training qualifications supported by effective User Choice arrangements; • Enhancing the national approach to managing quality - including establishing a national quality agency to promote quality, strengthen quality assurance mechanisms and improve the national consistency of State registration and auditing activity; • Supporting more informed consumer choices - including through public reporting of training provider performance in areas like graduate completion and employment rates; • Strengthening the voice of clients in the training system - to ensure it is inclusive of their needs and to drive continuous improvement in the delivery and outcomes of training; Page VII • Improving the collection and reporting of data on the performance of the national training system - to inform future policy and planning directions; and • Introducing a strong focus on the outcomes of training - including through developing an outcomes-based audit model and introducing State-level measurement of key outcomes in the Commonwealth-State Training Funding Agreement, such as employer satisfaction rates. Processes should be simplified and streamlined by: • Removing the bureaucracy and red tape associated with the current plethora of committees and working groups - replacing them with a small number of Action Groups to provide targeted specialist advice to the Ministerial Council; • Streamlining public planning and reporting arrangements - replacing annual processes with a three-year cycle, to ensure greater certainty for planning and priority setting; and • Establishing a single point of on-line access to training materials - to simplify the process for training providers identifying and acquiring materials and entering licences, and minimise duplication in the development of materials. The new training system will be established through: • new legislation to be introduced into Federal Parliament in 2005 which will set out national planning, funding and accountability responsibilities; and • multilateral and bilateral funding agreements between the Australian Government and the States. Page 1 1 Skilling Australia 1.1 New Arrangements for Vocational Education and Training Twelve years ago, before the establishment of ANTA, Australia had eight separate training systems operating quite independently of each other, with the content and delivery of training largely determined by training providers. Employers operating across more than one State could not be confident that the quality of their employees’ qualifications was consistent, nor that they would have the competencies industry felt they needed to undertake their work. Today, the foundations of a truly national industry led system are in place with, for instance, Training Packages covering most industries and more than 80% of the workforce. Nationally recognised qualifications are offered by more than 4,000 registered training organisations, both public and private, all of which are registered in accordance with a national set of standards. The progress to date can be seen as a measure of the success of the ANTA arrangements. However, in meeting the challenges that now confront Australia’s economy and its education and training system, more appropriate governance, accountability and operational arrangements are required. We need to keep training focussed on current and future skill needs and reinvigorate the leadership role of business and industry. From 1 July 2005 the responsibilities and functions of ANTA will be transferred to the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and a new Ministerial Council on Vocational Education will be formed to lead the national training system. This Directions Paper sets out a range of views on the future operation of the national training system. The Australian Government will undertake targeted consultations with key business and sector stakeholders involved in training around Australia. The paper sets the parameters for discussion and details of the consultation process. Meetings will take place during February and March 2005 to inform the establishment of new arrangements from July 2005, when ANTA responsibilities transfer to DEST. Following the consultation process, a model for the new national training system will be finalised, and the Australian Government will begin a separate process with the States to finalise a new Commonwealth-State Training Funding Agreement. This Directions Paper does not encompass matters that will be the subject of the Training Funding Agreement. 1.2 The Training System We Need for Further Economic Growth When ANTA was established in 1992, Australia faced unemployment of 10%. Today, with unemployment at 5.1%, we face a quite different predicament. Australian businesses estimate that the most significant challenge to ongoing economic growth is the need for more skilled Page 2 workers to meet demand. We face serious needs for skilled workers in traditional trades, such as building, electro-technology, commercial cookery, hairdressing, automotive, and manufacturing. At the same time, we must strive to continually enhance Australia’s skills base to meet the changing needs of industry – great leaps in technology, innovation and investment are driving our need for different and more sophisticated skills for both new and existing employees. Traditional forms of employment are similarly undergoing change - part-time, casual and contract employment characterise the working life of around half of the Australian workforce.1 The national training system must be flexible to meet the needs of these workers. In addition, Australia’s ageing population holds particular challenges for the training system. As older workers are encouraged to stay longer in the workforce, to make up for an absence of younger workers entering employment, our training system must find ways to provide training to mature aged workers in a style and format which suits their learning needs. In addition, we must find ways to re-engage workers who have left the workforce, or those who have delayed entry into the workforce. Skills shortages and ageing populations are global phenomena for mature economies. Increasingly, international companies are making decisions about the location of their operations based on the availability of skilled workers. In an internationally competitive market, it is in Australia’s interest to build on the high skill level of our workforce and the responsiveness of our vocational education and training sector to meet the needs of industry. The growing expectations of learners, especially among young Australians, and the need for lifelong learning, present new challenges to educators. Providers and institutions must continue to innovate and adopt new technologies and practices to reach out to existing and new learners. With individuals increasingly taking responsibility for their own skill development and the growing demand for workplace learning, there is pressure on the system to deliver new forms of training. Growth in non-standard employment, frequent and multiple career changes and different forms of work organisation, mean that skills can no longer be defined solely in terms of traditional occupations and career structures. Training in the 21st century must address all these issues to deliver the skilled workforce for the future, and to meet social expectations. 1 The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that while “the dominant type of employment is still as an employee with paid leave entitlements working full-time, this has declined from 56% in 1992 to 50% in 2003” (Australian Labour Market Statistics cat no. 6105, October 2004). Page 3 2 The Foundations of Vocational Education and Training 2.1 National Collaboration and Industry Engagement Two elements have led to the success of Australia’s training system: national collaboration and industry engagement. These elements provide the foundation of the three proposed components of the new training system: • business and industry leadership and engagement at all levels of training; • a national governance and accountability framework; and • a national skills framework. The National Governance and Accountability Framework establishes the decision making processes and bodies responsible for training, as well as planning and performance monitoring arrangements to guide the operation and growth of the training system. The National Skills Framework sets out the system’s requirements for quality and national consistency in terms of qualifications and the delivery of training. Industry leadership and engagement will be injected into all aspects of the new training system. This will range from high level advice to the Ministerial Council on business and industry priorities and skills needs, to input at the operational level, such as in the development and review of Training Packages. A NATIONAL APPROACH NATIONAL SKILLS FRAMEWORK NATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT National Qualifications Online Product Support Quality Assurance National VET Quality Agency National Skills Agency Public Reporting on Provider Performance Legislation Commonwealth-State Funding Agreement Ministerial Council National Senior Officials Committee Action Groups Planning and Reporting Client Advisory Mechanisms Research High level advice to Ministerial Council Input into policy development and monitoring performance Development and review of Nationally Recognised Qualifications, including Training Packages Representation on Action Groups and Advisory Mechanisms Participation in setting research priorities Input to State planning to influence resource allocation Bilateral Funding Agreements Page 4 3 Governance and Accountability Framework The Governance and Accountability Framework includes the legislation, funding arrangements and key decision making processes relating to the leadership, policy, planning, and monitoring of training in Australia. The framework will ensure that the training sector performs to the highest possible level and responds to the needs of government, industry, individuals and communities. A focus on performance and governance and accountability is vital. Good governance is a key to a high quality and responsive national training system. Well governed organisations, focussed on their core functions, have a good understanding of the success they are aiming for and clearly defined roles, responsibilities and powers. 3.1 Legislation and Funding The Australian Government’s investment in training is at record levels. The Government is committing $2.1 billion this year to vocational education and training with a further $1.06 billion in new funding proposed for vocational education and training programmes over four years. The Australian Government contributes $1.13 billion per annum to State Governments. New Commonwealth legislation and funding agreements between the Australian Government and the State Governments will set out the arrangements for this money to be directed to national priorities. 3.1.1 New Commonwealth Legislation New Commonwealth legislation will reflect the Australian Government’s commitment to vocational education and training and establish the key elements of the new training system. It will provide clear national objectives and goals for vocational education and training and set out planning, funding and accountability responsibilities. A number of provisions in the existing legislation will continue, such as the requirement for separately established Training Authorities within each State with appropriate industry representation, and a defined role for business and industry in developing State Vocational Education and Training Plans which set out the State’s intended training activity for the upcoming year. It is proposed that the legislation also defines the powers, structures, roles and secretariat support of the Ministerial Council and other bodies, including their ability to establish committees and to delegate powers. Consideration will be given to reflecting business and industry engagement in legislation. Page 5 The new legislation needs to be introduced to Parliament for passage by July 2005. Current legislation, the Australian National Training Authority Act 1992 and the Vocational Education and Training Funding Act 1992 will be repealed. 3.1.2 Sustaining a National Training System: Multilateral Funding Agreement between the Australian Government and the States A new Commonwealth-State Training Funding Agreement will replace the current ANTA Agreement. It will continue to set out overall objectives and aims for the national training system and provide the mechanism for the release of funding to State Governments. As with the existing ANTA Agreement, new funding arrangements will recognise and reflect that the training system is jointly funded by the Australian and State Governments. Specifically, the Agreement will establish: • a shared commitment to support national goals and objectives for vocational education and training; • national policies to support the effective operation of the training system, including improving consistency and quality; removing barriers between jurisdictions; introducing greater innovation in the training system; raising standards of auditing and monitoring; and improving the system’s responsiveness to rapid changes in demand for skills development and to addressing skills shortages; • national planning arrangements to support improved training outcomes; • national priorities that are to be achieved in the medium term; • national outcomes-focussed performance measures, such as module and qualification completion rates, and employer satisfaction levels; • national initiatives and project activities that would advance the training system, such as promotion and marketing, and research priorities; • national targets that will reflect Australian and State Government policy objectives; and • agreed sanctions for non-achievement of performance measures or other requirements in the Training Funding Agreement. 3.1.3 Meeting Localised Needs: Bilateral Funding Agreements between the Australian Government and the States In addition to a multilateral agreement, bilateral agreements with each State will provide flexibility to implement national priorities and establish performance levels that are relevant to each jurisdiction. For example, should addressing skills shortages be an agreed national priority, a bilateral agreement could specify which industries and regions would be priorities for addressing skills needs and the strategies that are likely to be most effective to address these needs in a particular State and region. Page 6 Bilateral agreements will include: • State planning requirements and funding priorities; • payment and acquittal processes; • performance reporting; and • State-specific initiatives, particularly those which are supported by Australian Government funding. 3.1.4 The Australian Government Funding Offer The Australian Government will negotiate its funding offer to the States at the conclusion of the consultations on the new training arrangements. The current formulae for allocating funds to each State will continue under the new Commonwealth-State Training Funding Agreement. However, during the life of the Agreement, the Australian Government will seek State agreement to explore options for a revised, more sophisticated funding model which takes account of the changing circumstances in States, including demographic factors. This would form part of a broader examination of the funding of vocational education and training in Australia. 3.2 Setting Policy Directions for the National Training System: The Ministerial Council on Vocational Education On 22 October 2004 the Prime Minister announced that a Ministerial Council on Vocational Education (the Ministerial Council) will be established from July 2005 as part of new arrangements for training in Australia, and as a replacement for the ANTA Ministerial Council, which has all Australian and State Government Ministers for Training as members. The core membership of the Ministerial Council will remain the Australian and State Government Training Ministers. The Australian Government will be represented by both the Minister for Education, Science and Training, and the Minister for Vocational and Technical Education. The new Ministerial Council will have responsibility for the operation of the national training system. This includes agreeing national priorities and strategies, planning for the operation of the national system and ongoing monitoring and accountability. With the establishment of a new Ministerial Council, protocols for its chairing and voting arrangements need to be considered. It is proposed that an Australian Government Minister chair the Ministerial Council, as is the case with the current ANTA Ministerial Council. It is also proposed that the current voting arrangements would continue with the Australian Government having two votes and the Chair having a casting vote. Mechanisms are required to support the Ministerial Council to fulfil its strategic responsibilities. It is proposed that the Ministerial Council meet annually, however, in the early stages of implementing the new national training arrangements it might be necessary to meet twice a year. Page 7 DEST plans to operate the Secretariat for the Ministerial Council, although other approaches could be considered. Operating the Secretariat out of DEST offers considerable benefits, especially if the Secretariat services other committees. The Secretariat would also act as a central coordination point. Other options for supporting the new Ministerial Council include: • establishing a stand-alone independent Secretariat; or • outsourcing responsibility to the Ministerial Council of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) Secretariat. Either of these alternative arrangements would need to be funded through the CommonwealthState Training Funding Agreement. 3.2.1 Alignment with the Ministerial Council of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) consists of State, Australian and New Zealand Government Ministers responsible for employment, education (early childhood, schools and higher education), training and youth affairs. At present, most Ministers who attend MCEETYA also hold training responsibilities and are members of the ANTA Ministerial Council, and would become members of the new Ministerial Council. It is important that the responsibilities of MCEETYA and the new Ministerial Council are aligned and complementary. Currently many issues cut across both the ANTA Ministerial Council and MCEETYA. The new Ministerial Council arrangements should support high level consideration of important cross-sectoral issues, but minimise overlap and duplication. Some streamlining of business could be achieved through coordinated meetings and integrated secretariats. However, in an integrated model there is a risk that some issues in different sectors would not receive the appropriate level of attention. Many major emerging issues, such as workforce planning, skills shortages and articulation between the tertiary sectors, could be more readily addressed through better coordination and linkages between vocational education and training, higher education and employment. The Australian Government is therefore open to considering the benefits of expanding the responsibilities of the Ministerial Council for Vocational Education to include higher education and employment. MCEETYA could continue its responsibilities for early childhood, schools, and youth affairs (including school transitions), as well as issues that cut across all education sectors, such as the Australian Qualifications Framework. MCEETYA will be asked to consider this proposal. Page 8 Ministerial Council on Vocational Education Proposed Terms of Reference The functions of the new Ministerial Council on Vocational Education will include decision making on national policy and planning issues including: • a national strategy for vocational education and training including national objectives, priorities and performance targets; • maintaining strong industry leadership and engagement in the national system; • arrangements for the delivery of vocational education and training nationally; • responding to business, industry and stakeholder advice on issues impacting on the national training system, such as skills forecasting; • the principles to be applied for the allocation of funding; and • accountability to Federal Parliament for the expenditure of Australian Government funds including through the Annual National Report. These Terms of Reference could be expanded to include higher education and employment matters should the Ministerial Council’s responsibilities be broadened. 3.3 Business and Industry Advice to Ministers The role of business and industry will remain a central tenet of the new national training system. The Australian Government is open to views, particularly those of business and industry, on the models presented in this paper, which are designed to secure industry advice at the national level. The options are discussed below. 3.3.1 Direct Industry Input to the Ministerial Council through an Industry Advisory Group At present, the Board of ANTA provides direct advice to all Training Ministers through the ANTA Ministerial Council. The ANTA Board will cease operations on 30 June 2005. In place of the Board, a business and industry advisory group could be formed to provide strategic industry advice at Ministerial Council meetings. Ministers would receive face-to-face input on business and industry needs, including priorities and future directions, and views could be exchanged on the response required from vocational education and training. Members would be drawn from high profile leaders in business and industry peak bodies. As with the current ANTA Board practice, the Chair and Deputy Chair would need to be Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major companies or successful small to medium enterprises which rely heavily Page 9 on training for their workforce in both traditional and non-traditional trade areas, and be appointed by the Chair of the Ministerial Council. It is anticipated that membership of the Group would be small. The Ministerial Council would nominate the members of the Group for a two to five year term. Nominations could be brought forward by Ministers based on recommendations from peak industry bodies and major businesses within their jurisdiction. The Chair of the Ministerial Council would have the right to make the final decision on the membership of the Group and to determine the term of each member’s appointment. The group would require secretariat support and access to resources to commission research on matters influencing their advice to the Ministerial Council, such as future skills demand. National Industry Advisory Group Proposed Terms of Reference The role of the National Industry Advisory Group is to support the functions of the Ministerial Council by providing high-level advice on behalf of business and industry on national policy and planning issues. Functions of the Advisory Group would include: • ensuring future business and industry priorities are reflected in national planning arrangements; • driving an industry focus in national research priorities such as market and skills forecasting and making recommendations to Ministers on research findings relevant to business and industry; • providing high level advice to Ministers on the training and workforce planning needed to support the future directions of the Australian economy; • providing advice on training delivery and quality assurance issues; • providing a business and industry perspective on papers presented at Ministerial Council meetings; and • providing advice as required by the Ministerial Council. 3.3.2 Engagement through Business and Industry Peaks Alternatively, the Ministerial Council would consult with industry through business and industry peaks. This model would need to be supported with commissioned work from the peaks or other major industry groups and relies, in part, upon the ongoing engagement of industry through other levels of the training system. The Ministerial Council would consult business and the peak bodies on future directions for the training system or on critical issues facing training. The peak bodies represent the highest level views of industry across Australia and are therefore well-placed to provide input to the Ministerial Council. Page 10 3.3.3 National Industry Roundtable Either of the advisory mechanisms outlined above could be supplemented by an industrygovernment training roundtable, which would bring together a wider range of business and industry representatives to enter into dialogue with governments. Broad-based business and industry views would provide input on the future direction of training. National Industry Roundtable Proposed Terms of Reference The National Industry Roundtable will represent the interests of a broad range of industry sectors and business enterprises and through this provide feedback to governments on vocational education and training matters including: • current and emerging workforce planning needs; • industry response to training research and priorities for future research effort; • any responses required of the national training system; • the quality of training; and • usability of and access to the national system. 3.4 Supporting the Work of the Ministerial Council While Training Ministers would meet either once or twice a year, it is important to establish vehicles to coordinate training effort on a more regular and ongoing basis and undertake the work requested by the Ministerial Council. To this end, it is proposed to establish a National Senior Officials Committee to act as the conduit between the Ministerial Council and the day-to-day operation of the training system, and a small number of Action Groups to undertake specialised tasks for the Ministerial Council. 3.4.1 National Senior Officials Committee Based on the existing ANTA CEOs committee, core membership of the National Senior Officials Committee would consist of Chief Executive Officers of the Australian Government and State Training departments. Effectively, the Committee would be the administrative arm of the Ministerial Council to implement priorities and tasks as identified and directed by the Ministerial Council. It would be charged with establishing a workplan for the business of the Ministerial Council. The Committee would also coordinate the preparation of proposals and ensure Ministerial Council decisions are executed. It would also direct research and evaluation activities, form Action Groups to advise on specific policy issues and generally drive collaboration between governments on training related matters. Page 11 The Committee would play a key role in monitoring the effectiveness of structures and processes supporting the operation of the national system. It is envisaged that the National Senior Officials Committee would operate on a similar basis to the current ANTA CEOs committee and meet on a regular basis. As ANTA currently chairs this committee, new arrangements would need to be established. It is proposed that the Secretary of DEST would act as Chair of the new Committee. CEOs of other agencies with policy responsibilities impacting on training could be invited to join the Committee as required. Similarly, should the Ministerial Council membership role be expanded to include higher education and employment, the Committee’s core membership could be expanded to reflect this. The Committee would be expected to ensure implementation of key Ministerial Council decisions such as the State enactment of model clauses, the outcomes of the recent review of the Australian Quality Training Framework and the outcomes from the High Level Review of Training Packages. Support for the Committee would be provided by the Ministerial Council Secretariat. National Senior Officials Committee Proposed Terms of Reference The role of the National Senior Officials Committee is to act as the administrative arm of the Ministerial Council. In fulfilling this function the Committee will: • develop a work plan for Ministerial Council business; • coordinate work on the Ministerial Council’s behalf and ensure Ministerial Council decisions are executed; • provide policy advice to the Ministerial Council on matters referred by the Ministerial Council; • direct national research and evaluation activities; • form and direct national Action Groups to progress specific policy issues; • provide a chair for national Action Groups; • monitor the effectiveness of governance arrangements supporting the national system; • consider implications of all proposals before they are presented to the Ministerial Council, including agenda items; and • oversee national data collection and reporting arrangements. 3.4.2 Action Groups To assist the National Senior Officials Committee in executing Ministerial Council decisions, the Australian Government proposes a national Action Group model to facilitate targeted projects on national priorities. Action Groups would replace the current large number of Standing Committees Page 12 and Working Groups, and would operate under streamlined business processes to remove much of the bureaucracy of the current arrangements. National Action Groups would be established on a needs basis, for a fixed time period, with the aim of providing targeted, specialist advice requested by the Ministerial Council or the National Senior Officials Committee. Responsibility for managing and coordinating the work of a group would rest with a State or Australian Government training department. This provides an opportunity for a jurisdiction to address an issue which has particular relevance to it on behalf of the
Copyright ©宁波大学园区图书馆
