Skilled. Thriving. Connected. will develop a connected skills system
Training providers work closely with other stakeholders and service providers including schools, higher education providers, employers, industry, unions, and governments to deliver a connected skills system.
A connected skills system works with learners at all stages including those in school who are seeking a head start to their career, learners embarking on pre-vocational training, entry level qualifications and those looking to reskill or expand on their initial qualification.
Our focus is to see learners access quality training providers, improve training delivery through flexible and responsive models that meet skills needs.
To ensure training providers can develop skilled and adaptive people ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow, training products must be innovative and transformative, with tailored approaches to respond to local and emerging skills needs.
Connected skills system - Areas of reform
Purchasing training
We are determined to ensure our investment in the skills system maximises outcomes for South Australians and promotes a thriving South Australia.
We must invest in subsidised training that responds to identified economic, social, and environmental need, complemented by fee for service activity.
Skills SA will purchase training through a managed system that targets and invests in a way that leverages the strengths and roles of providers and builds their capacity and capability to deliver high quality training aligned to need. Subsidised training will be aligned to local and national needs and supports learners to engage in the economy and community.
Greater access
Subsidised training reduces barriers for learners and supports the development of a skilled workforce.
We will provide access to subsidised training for individuals as they build their capability over time and eligible learners will have access to:
- short courses (including skill sets and clusters) or pre-vocational qualifications to inform decision making prior to embarking on entry level qualifications, as a pathway to an entry level qualification or job,
- entry level qualifications recognised by industry as the appropriate entry point for their sector (generally at Certificate III or IV level),
- fee free foundation skills training (where there is an assessed need, and the learner is below ASCF exit level 3),
- micro-credentials to support upskilling, re-skilling and skills broadening that are recognised by industry, and
- higher level qualifications in priority sectors facing workforce shortages.
High quality
Quality training providers are essential for developing a highly skilled workforce that is adaptable and responsive to current and emerging opportunities.
Through Skilled. Thriving. Connected., we will strengthen contracting arrangements for government funded providers, and will take appropriate action where issues arise.
We will purchase quality training from providers that:
- develop strong connections to industry and communities,
- respond to learner and employer need,
- monitor and value learner transition outcomes and learner engagement and satisfaction, and
- trial flexible and customised design and delivery approaches and share their learnings across the VET sector to support innovation.
Strengthening TAFE SA and the training sector
TAFE SA is the public and primary provider of VET in South Australia, at the centre of VET delivery, complemented by not-for-profit and industry owned training providers and private training providers.
We invest in public education through TAFE SA to ensure equity of opportunity, minimise risk of meeting government policy objectives for a skilled workforce across regions and sectors, and meet emerging skills needs through research and innovation.
TAFE SA:
- aligns training delivery and services to government priorities, economic and community needs and connects learners to work,
- operates in areas of thin markets, including regional and niche sectors, playing a role in regional development, and contributing expertise to addressing to industry and government priorities,
- works with learners that may need additional support, including priority cohorts, to ensure equity of access and opportunity,
- shows leadership across the South Australian training system to share the benefits of public investment in VET and training infrastructure for all stakeholders, including providers, employers, and learners,
- works with government agencies to respond to skills and workforce needs across South Australia and takes a leadership role nationally as the South Australian public provider, and
- engages with stakeholders, including industry and community, to support the delivery of quality training that achieves leaner outcomes.
Not for profit and industry-based training providers
Not for profit and industry-based training providers, including Aboriginal Community Controlled RTOs, play a valuable role by operating in close connection with their sector and community. These insights and relationships support successful training and employment outcomes.
They have a unique role to play in the South Australian training system and are recognised for this.
Not for profit and industry-based training providers:
- return a benefit to their community or industry sector over and above training delivery,
- deliver strong place based and local responses through geographical community connections, connections to specific learner cohorts and/or industry networks,
- offer specific expertise to support training completions, over and above ASQA quality training delivery, and
- although not publicly owned, offer public benefits that support economic, and community needs.
Community based education providers
Community based education providers engage and re-engage learners with learning and have place-based connections that support further education and employment outcomes. They are driven by giving South Australians access to lifelong learning and providing students with skills to participate in further training, work, and life. The sector is diverse and unique and is strongly supported to help South Australians who need it most.
Community based education providers:
- deliver community-based learning programs through ACE,
- understand and support learners to address barriers and challenges that they may face on their learning journey,
- offer learning, including foundation skill development, in settings that engage learners with specific barriers, and
- support learners to successfully transition to further education and employment.
Private training providers
Private training providers deliver training in areas of need and enable access for learners and employers. They complement the offerings of TAFE and not-for-profit and industry-based training providers and have a valuable role to play in the South Australian training system.
Private training providers:
- operate in areas of demand, including developing training in areas of emerging skills needs,
- offer quality training and responds to demand from their customers, often in fee for service for market,
- enable access for students and employers, with flexible training options, and
- respond quickly to training demand, including supporting training needs at scale.
Flexible and responsive training
We will ensure flexible training products and delivery approaches are strengthened.
Enhanced collaboration and connectivity between learners, industry and training providers are key to developing successful training solutions. These solutions support:
- building work readiness and pre-entry skills, and providing workplace experience to inform learner decision making on further training and/or employment,
- upskilling, reskilling and skills broadening and recognising/building on the skills learners have developed through experience and formal training to meet immediate needs of industry and learner career aspirations, and
- skills that strengthen workforce mobility and resilience across the labour market.
We will work with industry and training providers to develop flexible and responsive products and approaches, including through:
- training pathways delivered in a combination of modes of delivery,
- integrated VET and higher education,
- higher apprenticeships (including degree apprenticeships),
- micro-credentials with strong industry connection and learner benefits, and
- school pathways to VET.
Fee-free TAFE and Vocational Education
CASE STUDY
An initiative of the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education is removing the fees for learners undertaking much-needed skills training and is helping to address skills shortages in key industry sectors.
Sok Tsoutouras is a learner benefiting from the chance to develop new skills and prepare for a career change without putting additional strain on the household budget. A mother of two, Sok, 38, is pursuing her passion for cooking through a Certificate IV in Kitchen Management at TAFE SA’s Regency Campus.
Sok worked as a dental nurse prior to having her children, now aged 7 and 9, and says the training at TAFE SA is giving her new skills to re-enter the workforce.
“A lot of people are surprised by my age and ask me why I’m studying later in life and I say ‘Why not? Fee-Free TAFE has given me a great opportunity’,” she says.
The response from the community to Fee-Free TAFE across the state has exceeded expectations and enabled many new students to gain qualifications that they would otherwise have been unable to attempt.
Sok is looking forward to completing her qualification in 2024 and gaining some industry experience before considering a small business venture of her own.
Strengthening TAFE SA and the training sector
TAFE SA is the public and primary provider of VET in South Australia, at the centre of VET delivery, complemented by not-for-profit and industry owned training providers and private training providers.
We invest in public education through TAFE SA to ensure equity of opportunity, minimise risk of meeting government policy objectives for a skilled workforce across regions and sectors, and meet emerging skills needs through research and innovation.
TAFE SA:
- aligns training delivery and services to government priorities, economic and community needs and connects learners to work,
- operates in areas of thin markets, including regional and niche sectors, playing a role in regional development, and contributing expertise to addressing to industry and government priorities,
- works with learners that may need additional support, including priority cohorts, to ensure equity of access and opportunity,
- shows leadership across the South Australian training system to share the benefits of public investment in VET and training infrastructure for all stakeholders, including providers, employers, and learners,
- works with government agencies to respond to skills and workforce needs across South Australia and takes a leadership role nationally as the South Australian public provider, and
- engages with stakeholders, including industry and community, to support the delivery of quality training that achieves leaner outcomes.
Not for profit and industry-based training providers, including Aboriginal Community Controlled RTOs, play a valuable role by operating in close connection with their sector and community. These insights and relationships support successful training and employment outcomes.
They have a unique role to play in the South Australian training system and are recognised for this.
Not for profit and industry-based training providers:
- return a benefit to their community or industry sector over and above training delivery,
- deliver strong place based and local responses through geographical community connections, connections to specific learner cohorts and/or industry networks,
- offer specific expertise to support training completions, over and above ASQA quality training delivery, and
- although not publicly owned, offer public benefits that support economic, and community needs.
Community based education providers engage and re-engage learners with learning and have place-based connections that support further education and employment outcomes. They are driven by giving South Australians access to lifelong learning and providing students with skills to participate in further training, work, and life. The sector is diverse and unique and is strongly supported to help South Australians who need it most.
Community based education providers:
- deliver community-based learning programs through ACE,
- understand and support learners to address barriers and challenges that they may face on their learning journey,
- offer learning, including foundation skill development, in settings that engage learners with specific barriers, and
- support learners to successfully transition to further education and employment.
Private training providers deliver training in areas of need and enable access for learners and employers. They complement the offerings of TAFE and not-for-profit and industry-based training providers and have a valuable role to play in the South Australian training system.
Private training providers:
- operate in areas of demand, including developing training in areas of emerging skills needs,
- offer quality training and responds to demand from their customers, often in fee for service for market,
- enable access for students and employers, with flexible training options, and
- respond quickly to training demand, including supporting training needs at scale.
Flexible and responsive training
We will ensure flexible training products and delivery approaches are strengthened, noting they play a strong role in ensuring equity of access to opportunity for learners with barriers including for those in regional and remote areas.
The South Australian Skills Commission plays a key role in this regard: promoting equity, participation in and access to the VET system. As the public provider, TAFE SA also has a role in working with industry and community to develop flexible training products and delivery approaches to meet local need.
Enhanced collaboration and connectivity between learners, industry and training providers are key to developing successful training solutions.
Higher education apprenticeships
CASE STUDY
Apprenticeships and traineeships have traditionally been associated with vocational education and training rather than occupational pathways and courses undertaken at universities / higher education institutions. Competition for talent, globally, has never been stronger and Higher Education Apprenticeships and Traineeships will help businesses develop the skills they need to thrive.
The South Australian Skills Commission has declared Australia’s first degree apprenticeship in Software Engineering. The Software Engineering apprenticeship will see students study a Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours) under apprenticeship conditions, combining university level theoretical studies with supervised on-job training, allowing them to earn while they learn. These apprentices will develop practical and technical skills that are critical to South Australia’s skills needs.
The design of the apprenticeship was undertaken by UniSA and Ai Group, and supported by BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin Australia Pty Ltd, DXC Technology, ASC Pty Ltd (WA division), and the Defence Teaming Centre.
The state government has committed $450,000 over three years to support the establishment of this higher apprenticeship, with the program to be delivered via a partnership between the University of South Australia, defence industry employers and peak national employer group, Australian Industry (Ai) Group.
This new higher education apprenticeship will help to address the short supply of software engineers in Australia and feed the growing defence sector workforce, ahead of the construction of nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines, while supporting other high-tech industries such as advanced manufacturing