training_the tafe approach
TRANSCRIPT
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Training: - The TAFE ApproachBy Les Johnson
Abstract
The following paper has been written in an effort to clarify some of the confusion that
still exists within the foundry industry in relation to the use of National Training
Packages and industry training.
The paper will discuss past initiatives that have led to training developments, currenttraining activities in TAFE Queensland and finally a look where vocational training may
be heading in the future.
Introduction
Technical and Further Education, or TAFE (as it has come to be known) has provided a
solid theoretical and practical grounding for traditional apprenticeships, forming the basis
for formalised training within our foundry industry.
Lets look at what I call the three evolutionary steps of training. Firstly, how has
training developed and where have we been? Secondly, where is training now? Thirdly,
where do we see training developing and heading in the future?
The development of training (from the early days)
From the distant past, training of apprentices was formalised through a Technical College,
where in Queensland
the Department
responsible, was the
Queensland Education
Department (QED). A
structured syllabus
was broken down intoa curriculum through
the Curriculum
Branch, developing
resources for the
delivery in Technical
Colleges. In those
days the development
of curriculum centered
more on the needs of
the Technical College,
rather than the needs of the students or industry requirements themselves.
However, apprentices who were almost always school leavers, were taught a vest range
of skills based on a holistic approach to the foundry/engineering industry.
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This turned out apprentices with a more rounded skill base, as employers of the day,
generally took on any work that came their way. Training took a similar approach, with
colleges using a variety of strategies including those resources borrowed from other fields
in the engineering industry.
There was, as it seemed, little standardisation of training throughout the country. The
demand for tradespeople with high quality hand skills was high, so training generally
focused on this aspect. The theoretical component was broadly divided into Trade
Drawing, Trade Theory and Science.
The five year apprenticeship, where apprentices did night study was replaced by a four
year system with employers releasing apprentices for the day time study. This was seen as
a major change to the delivery of traditional training, leading to mixed reactions among
employer groups. Some groups supported the idea, while others did not. In Queensland it
produced a split between delivery strategies as regional apprentices could not travel one-
day-a week to college. Courses for these students had to be delivered through
correspondence, which was slow and cumbersome.
The block release system was later introduced to provide apprentice training over an eight
week period. This meant that all training delivery for the year could be completed in one
session or block. However, if you have had dealings with the training of apprentices
you will know how hard it is to keep apprentices focused daily, let alone for eight weeks!!
Employers didnt like losing their apprentices for such a long period, particularly in peak
periods and a fair percentage of apprentices were from small workshops. Changes had to
be made and the introduction of two four week blocks came about.
Somewhere in all this, the Technical Colleges became TAFE Institutes.
With the industrial upheaval of the eighties, training began to take a different approach.Moves were afoot to develop the TAFE Metal & Engineering National Curriculum,
where for the first time, attempts were made to standardise training throughout the
country. TAFE Institutes began to unite in developing curriculum that met the needs of
industry. Both student and teaching resources were developed to provide a standardised
quality outcome process.
This development also brought sweeping changes to the delivery system. In Queensland
the CN100 course (that included Moulders and Patternmakers) saw apprentices having to
complete a total of 24 modules over the four year apprenticeship period. For the first
time, the course was set out in a three tiered approach with compulsory, specialisation and
elective modules being offered.
This style of delivery caused upheaval between many in the teaching fraternity, as some
were disgusted at being told how to go about teaching. Never the less the system was
implemented and was used for almost ten years in training apprentices, prior to the
introduction of the National Training Packages.
In the eighties, the government of the day revised its Industrial Relations Policy and
introduced the accords where all parties had to bargain productivity off-sets in order to
receive pay increases. How can we ever forget those times of industrial upheaval and
unrest. As the process evolved and individual enterprises began to specialise, one thing
became clear. There was a massive skill shortage looming. The Federal Government
recognised Australia needed to stay competitive in the export market, there would be a
demand for skilled workers.
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Qualified tradespeople were in short supply. Unfortunately many existing workers did not
have formalised qualifications necessary to receive higher increments of pay. The notion
of National Training Packages where employees were to be paid for skills they used on-
the-job in their daily activities, gained momentum.
These industry designed training packages, were to be the first attempts to consolidate
non-qualified employees into recognition for their current skill status. Formalised groups
consisting of representatives from State and Federal Governments, Industry groups,
National Training Authorities, Unions and other interested parties met to devise a method
that could provide recognition for employees current skill levels and also provide
guidance in the assessment process.
The Metals, Engineering and Related Services package was released in 1996 after much
debate. Our foundry industry was to say the least, only briefly represented. Despite the
experts trying to convince us how we could use the training packages, as the stood at the
time, to qualify tradespeople in the foundry, we were still largely unconverted or
convinced. Although the next version of the training package, MEM30398 was upgraded
and released in 2001, I still firmly believe that it is a tool of assessment only, not atraining package as the name would imply.
The next steps to the current system
So where did this lead us? Well, we were generally thrown headlong into the system that
few of us really understood or wanted. Most of us hoped it was just another crazy notion
that would go away and we could continue on with business as normal. But it didnt go
away and in fact it gained momentum in the training system. After all, it had to, as it was
seen as the way forward to greater productivity and prosperity in the now fledgling global
economy.
Transition courses were developed to link the old CN100 course into what was nowcalled competency standards. With the introduction of the CNMAN003 course the
modules/competencies were now linked, using a mapping system to convert modules
completed by the apprentice, to competencies on the training plan.
The next steps in a new system
As the foundry industry went through a severe down turn about this time and economic
hardship bit in, apprentice numbers, already low, began to fall even more sharply around
the country. Foundry Industry sectors such as the Smelters and Automotive producers
began to down size at an alarming rate. The public sectors as well as being down-sized
were being privatised, including many State Rail organisations who were traditionallyemployers of large numbers of apprentices.
This decrease in apprentices led to falling numbers in TAFE Institutes around the country.
With Government budgets becoming more restrictive, rationalisation of courses was
taking place. Those courses with small numbers were put under the microscope and as we
all know, foundry course numbers were at an all time low.
During all this turmoil the foundry industry paid little attention to the competency
standards. Not understanding the new system, TAFE Institutes complained about the
low standard of competence required in the outcomes of the training package and once
again refused to be told how to train apprentices. This type of stand off has probably been
the demise of many TAFE Institutes around the country, as training packages were seento be the way forward.
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Faced with the prospect of TAFE closure and what was seen in the Federal sector as a
shift to full on-the-job delivery, the South Australian Government of the day
commissioned the South Australian Centre for Manufacture to produce training resources
for the approaching on-the-job delivery system. This undertaking was truly a mammoth
task for those concerned and the work carried out by a small band of dedicated
professionals was commendable. Although the work began in the modular system of
delivery, sadly the work was terminated before resources for the competency standards
could be addressed. However, it was a very significant and worthwhile project needed to
fill the gaping void in resources at the time.
The conversion from modules to competency standard units was now a major stumbling
block. TAFE Institutes had downsized and in some cases dropped foundry training all
together. With the remaining staff reduced to a bare minimum, production of new
resources to address the outcomes of the competency standards was impossible. In
Queensland we faced the massive task of conversion, after the Department of
Employment and Training (DET), the Department now controlling TAFE in Queensland,
declared it would no longer fund training subjects not converted to competency units. So
the long and arduous task began to convert and deliver vocational training in competencystandard units.
A further requirement of the training package, necessitates all apprentices must have
workplace assessment to ensure the theoretical component of the competency standard
units have been transferred to on-the-job practical experience. It is time consuming and a
costly exercise, coupled with the fact that no matter how the theoretical component of
training is delivered (either on or off-the-job) assessment must be carried out on-the-job.
In 2000 Yeronga Institute of TAFE (Brisbane) employed the first full-time workplace
assessor in the foundry industry, specifically to carry out workplace assessment and
associated functions.
Where are we now?
Well, as Ive discussed before, we have seen many institutes used to train foundry
apprentices, and the vocational training courses, disappear altogether. For a short time
private providers sprang up to go head-to-head with the public institutes. Many found just
how tough the going was and in some cases the standard of delivery and quality of the
learning outcomes were just not there.
To say the least employers of apprentices were very disillusioned with the system and in
particular the Training Packages. Many employers refused to engage apprentices because
of what they believed to be a poor standard of training. Another annoying factor of the
training package was the abolition of the graded system of assessment. We can no longersee the apprentices academic achievement as they are either competent or not.
So here we are in Queensland with a massive shortage of tradespeople and a bigger
shortage of school leavers wanting trades. It would seem young people think its uncool
to be a tradesperson. Some schools see the trades as a job for the underachievers and a
university degree is the only way to maintain a successful career. It would seem some
young people have the IT philosophy. Start at middle management, black BMW, big
office, secretary etc, etc. In TAFE, we see it time and again school leavers wanting a job
and not a skilful career. Employers become locked into hiring young people who really
dont want to be there.
Queensland is currently going through a boom period with some producers of castings
finding niche markets in the export area, while the mining growth is keeping casting
suppliers busy producing expendable mining castings. The Beatie Government has used
its Smart State slogan to advantage in the manufacturing sector by encouraging growth
in areas where skill shortages are being experienced.
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Identifying many problems faced by Queensland manufacturing, the State Government
commissioned a study into both the educational and the vocational training systems in an
effort to place young people into the work force. The Queensland Government has made
it perfectly clear that their goal is to see all young people out of the social security system
into full time employment. The policy of the Queensland Government is being focused
around the earning or learning strategy. All young Queenslanders are to be in full time
schooling, at TAFE, University, in full time employment, or a combination of any of
these strategies by 2006.
What this policy has developed is a seamless and more flexible approach to education and
training in preparation for entry into the workforce. Initiatives such as school based
apprenticeships and traineeships are rapidly being accepted by employers, as they too can
see the benefits of letting young people into the workforce while still attending school. At
Yeronga Institute of TAFE we have our first patternmaking school based apprentice, with
another two more apprenticeships in the foundry industry being negotiated with
employers before the end of the year (2004).
How do school-based apprenticeships work?
School based apprenticeships are set up in exactly the same way you would a
conventional apprenticeship. The two main differences are in the training contract, and
hinge around the duration of the nominal term, which is increased to eight years and
employment category, which is part time instead of the traditional full-time period. This
training contract can be amended and rolled into a standard apprenticeship when the
student completes schooling.
Negotiation with the school is carried out in order to ascertain the best way of delivering
the vocational TAFE based training. In broad terms the student does three days per week
at school, one day with the employer and one day at TAFE. Our current studentcompletes the vocational training by doing one week of study after the school
examinations and one week of study during school holidays. Of course there are many
combinations that can also be negotiated with the school, parents, apprentice, TAFE
Institute and the employer.
What other ways are there of employing apprentices?
We all know how difficult it is to find qualified tradespeople to fill vacant positions. One
solution that is being successfully used by many companies in Queensland is the signing
up of existing employees as apprentices. In a lot of cases, these are mature aged people
that have been employed with the company for some time. This becomes a win/winsituation as the employer already knows the employees capabilities and the employee has
a career pathway with a qualification at the end of the process. I would estimate that over
50% of the moulding apprentices in Queensland are mature aged people.
Traineeships are another area that is expanding in the foundry with Certificate I and II
being offered. Some employers believe that these traineeships clarify the level of
commitment an employee will demonstrate. If the employee gives the commitment (and
the bulk of them do) the employer can roll the traineeship into a full time apprenticeship.
These traineeships can also contain specialised into a certain field with the foundry, for
example as a machine moulder or a furnace operator. The combination of competency of
standard units taken can be identified by the MERS ITAB pathway selection guide used
to develop the training plan. We are seeing employers turning more towards this optionparticularly in the training of shop-floor personnel.
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A recent training session at a Tasmanian foundry saw trainees and new start employees
sharing training together. The company management saw this as an ideal opportunity for
employees to share knowledge and information while the employees saw the benefits of
learning underpinning knowledge associated with day to day foundry operations.
Photograph No.2
Together with traditional apprentice training, our Yeronga Institute of TAFE has
developed a series of workplace delivery strategies tailored to individual foundry
organisations needs. Some organisations are using a combination of on and off-the-job
delivery strategies for apprentices/trainees and shop-floor employees. The delivery isdeveloped to produce flexible solutions to vocational education and training needs.
What funding is available?
Individual states will have their own systems in place. However, training courses in
Queensland can be funded in three main ways. They are user choice, Direct grant and
Fee-for-service funding systems. In the user choice system, providers of vocational
training are given a contract from the department (DET) to provide resources and deliver
vocational training, with a small percentage of the cost paid for by the student. Employers
of apprentices are eligible for both State and Federal incentive payments. The user choice
system is specifically for apprentices and trainees. With the direct grant funding, anemployer can apply to the TAFE Institute to skill up existing employees, in a funded
costing arrangement similar to the user choice system. The Institute is funded by the
department (DET) for an arranged number of hours per year. However, where there is no
restriction on how many apprentices you can train, in the direct grant system, minimum
numbers are required. The fee for service system, as the name suggests, the costs are
negotiated between the employer and the Institute. Alot of employers are finding the fee
for service option to be a very practical option, as the can develop a variety outcomes to
suit their individual requirements.
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Where to from here?
Yeronga Institute of TAFE has re-located its foundry training facility to the Queensland
Rail Foundry at Redbank on the outskirts of Brisbane. A significant financial
commitment from the Department of Employment and Training has led to the installation
of new foundry equipment and the refurbishment of older equipment.New theory rooms have been installed and fitted out with computers for the students the
use up-to-date methods simulation packages. It can be said that a partnership between two
Government departments has been formed for the continued delivery of quality foundry
training in Queensland. The delivery strategies to apprentice moulders has also taken a
face lift. While keeping the standard of delivery high, foundry competencies have been
broken into a series of projects. These projects run for a week at a time sharing both
underpinning theory and knowledge with a practical component. Training is usually set
down in four week blocks, but students can attend in two weekly blocks if necessary.
Judging from the feedback from employers and students alike, the system (in its first
year) seems to working well. Full marks go to the moulding teacher (Mike McCabe) for
his efforts and dedication in getting this programme up and running.
There is a vast distance between some of our regional students in Queensland and
students can travel as much as 1600 kilometres to attend Yeronga Institute TAFE classes.
In more recent times, interstate students and apprentices have been attending classes in an
off-the-job mode of delivery also.
Flexible delivery has been a buzz word for many years, however the true meaning of
flexibility is difficult to achieve, as the needs of all employment situations is an
impossible task to solve. Around the state of Queensland alone there is a vast and varied
selection of production techniques and processes. There are local and regional companies
producing both jobbing and production castings, in chemically bonded sands, green
sands, investment and shell moulding mediums. Both ferrous and non-ferrous castings areproduced in a variety of grades and engineering requirements.
We are now seeing greater specialisation requirements in vocational training. The
Australian foundry Institutes Queensland division has set up a working committee to
develop courses (in conjunction with Yeronga Institute of TAFE) which are targeting the
gap between apprenticeship courses and University degrees in Metallurgy. These courses
are seen as an expansion of industry pathways for school leavers or existing tradespeople
wishing to further their careers. There are virtually no advanced trade courses available
where further engagement of learning can be carried out.
Other industry training
Other similar industries, for example the plastics industry are becoming heavily involved
in enterprise training. An industry partnership is currently being developed to assist in the
vocational training of school leavers and current shop floor workers. Yeronga Institute of
TAFE is at present working in partnership with a Brisbane based producer of automotive
components, in an effort to formalise vocational training within the organisations own
training school. It is envisaged that a formalised structure of apprenticeship outcomes can
be linked to the companys own production requirements. A programme of assessment
involving the recognition of prior learning for existing workers, where skill gaps can be
identified, is also being developed. This will lead to a more highly skilled workforce able
to produce quality tooling in quicker time frames. Training will be ongoing and seen as an
integral component of the companys quality system, providing industry pathwaysthroughout the organisation.
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Because distance is becoming a major factor contributing to the cost of delivery, web-
based programs are also being considered. In the future, courses will be set up online
where students can access learning and training resource material. As I see it its not too
much of a change from our old Technical Correspondence School many of our regional
students were trained on in years past.
Industry groups such as the Australian Industry Group are proposing Technology
Cadetships, which are supported by National Training Authority. These cadetships are
seen as the middle level skills overlapping the constraints of Post Trade and
Advance Trade Skills, Technician Skills and Para Professional Skills. (AIG
Initiative).This type of approach has been long overdue and will now form the next step
in specialisation pathways in the National Training Package.
The Worldskill Australia Foundation
As many of you are aware, Worldskill Australia (WSA) has provided pathways for
apprentices and young tradespeople, through active competitions beginning at regional
level, progressing to national level and finally to the international Skill Olympics.While there has not been an international competitor since 1998, there has been a number
of our apprentices involved in the Big Brother Movement whom have attended personal
development courses with Royal Navy in the U.K. Our own AFI has also been
instrumental in sending moulders and patternmaking apprentices on study tours through
Europe and the U.K. These study and development courses, I believe have done wonders
for the personal development of our future industry leaders, and it is pleasing to see these
young people beginning to take their place at higher positions in the industry.
An innovative idea was put into practice at the last national WSA final held in Brisbane in
May this year. Fourteen skill areas ran, in conjunction with the national competition, a
Try-a-trade for school children, or in fact anybody who wanted to have a go. Our
industry was well represented with apprentices demonstrating their skills in moulding,
metal casting and patternmaking.
Photograph No.3
Students could have a try at a variety of tasks including using hand tools in moulding and
patternmaking, mixing and pouring plastic key rings, or carving a propeller blade.
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Judging by the number of questions that were being asked by children, teachers and
parents, together with the crowds that were at times four and five deep, the concept was a
total success.
Run in conjunction with this event was the Careers Expo, where organisers hoped a
total of twenty-seven thousand people would attend over the three day period of the
event. In fact a figure of twenty-five thousand was achieved on the first day, with a total
of forty-seven thousand people passed through the venue over the three days. Our
industry couldnt buy exposure like that and Im still getting enquiries from people who
attended the event.
Conclusion
Although for some years we have seen the stalling of vocational training and sadly for our
industry, the removal of foundry training courses from some TAFE Institutes, I firmly
believe we are only now seeing strong developments and links to the National Training
Package, which whether we like it or not, are here to stay.
Employers have always seen the benefits of vocational training, but are now becoming
involved in development of training to suit their individual needs. The Queensland
Government has launched its manufacturing Initiative strategy to assist in the up skilling
of the workforce, encourage school leavers to enter manufacturing industries and to
address skill shortages.
It is encouraging to hear rhetoric from John Howard acknowledging skill shortages within
the trades and a need for more apprentices and at the time of writing this, he is promising
a further twenty-four Technical Colleges. I can only hope this move does not fragment
our foundry training further, but will be a positive step for our industry.
Yeronga Institute of TAFE is committed to the ongoing training of foundry apprentices,trainees and employees. The Institutes staff, is being provided with a challenge to
develop and deliver stimulating solutions to a cutting edge technology market. We are
seeing the largest growth in foundry apprentice numbers since the opening of the Institute
in 1967. While most students were Queensland students, there are a growing number of
interstate students undertaking training. It is gratifying to see not only the growth but the
number of inquiries and diversification of training required by employers. I truly believe
that we are continuing in the right direction to fill skill shortages and gaps in skill areas.
The road has not been easy, nor will it become any easier, however if we persevere we
will build a stronger foundry industry producing a world quality product that will
continue to grow our economy and industrial know-how.
References
Australian Industry Group 2004 Cadetship Initiative
Photograph No.2 On-the-job students in Tasmania
Photograph No.3 School children at the Try-a-trade
TAFE 1990 Metal & Engineering National Curriculum
W. Alexander, A Street, 1965 Metals in the service of man Pelican books:
Great Britain (photograph No.1)