The VET Sector News - August 2022

News

ASQA Provider Roundtable Communiqué (August 2022)

The ASQA Provider Roundtable held its third meeting for 2022 on 3 August.

The Roundtable noted that with the commencement of ASQA’s Advisory Council, there will be adjustments to chairing arrangements for the Roundtable. ASQA also noted the importance of communicating the role and purpose of its different engagement forums.

Find more information at https://www.asqa.gov.au/resources/asqa-provider-roundtable-communique-august-2022  

From Australia's migration program to wages: What's on the jobs and skills summit agenda

Keeping unemployment at record low levels will be the first topic of discussion at the jobs and skills summit next week.

The unemployment rate fell to 3.5 per cent in July, according to official jobs data released last week, with more jobs now available in Australia than unemployed people to fill them.

Australia's migration program will also feature prominently on the two-day agenda, with the possibility of raising the cap for skilled migrants and visa processing backlogs surfacing as key issues in the lead-up to the event.

Growing wages "sustainably" will also be discussed. This follows subdued wage figures for the last quarter that showed Australian pay packets falling well behind the rising cost of living.

Find more information at https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/from-australias-migration-program-to-wages-whats-on-the-jobs-and-skills-summit-agenda/gxqkml1fc 

Albanese weighs in on visa processing issues amid Australia's skills shortage, says government inherited 'hopeless situation'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged how "frustrating" it is for skilled workers waiting to have their visa cleared for Australia but said his government inherited a "hopeless situation" from the Coalition. 

Mr Albanese was pressed on visa processing times amid a "crippling backlog" during an interview on Wednesday with 2GB's Ben Fordham, who cited figures from the Department of Home Affairs that 140,000 skilled migrants were ready to come to Australia.

The Prime Minister said Labor has been putting "considerable resources" into the system since coming to power in May, with extra staff brought in to help address the backlog.   

"It's a hopeless situation Ben, that we inherited. We have put considerable resources into additional staff to get these visas processed," Mr Albanese said. 

Find more information at https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/albanese-weighs-in-on-visa-processing-issues-amid-australias-skills-shortage-says-government-inherited-hopeless-situation/news-story/2a4d8998c297a124dd4c19236fcbc0c9 

Engineers Australia releases skills roadmap to combat workforce shortages

In an effort to combat Australia’s ‘worst-ever skills shortage’ Engineers Australia has released details for its proposed skills recovery roadmap.

The Strengthening the Engineering Workforce report was published ahead of the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in September, and identifies five factors currently influencing the engineering workforce, including:

School education (primary and secondary)

Engineering study (vocational and higher education)

Retention in the engineering workforce

Skilled migrant engineering workforce participation

The report outlines tangible initiatives that, if implemented, Engineers Australia said will lessen both current and future workforce shortages.

For more information at https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/2022/08/24/engineers-australia-releases-skills-roadmap-to-combat-workforce-shortages/ 

Student visa backlog and educational qualification recognition with Australia high on agenda: Dharmendra Pradhan  

Australian and Indian ministers of education held a bilateral meeting in Sydney to collaborate on education and skills development initiatives between the two nations.

India’s Minister of Education and Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan met with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP as part of the Australian India Education Council (AIEC) at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus. 

With AIEC 2022, India and Australia aim to collaborate in areas such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Agriculture, skill development, curriculum development and Digital University. 

The education ministers launched two landmark initiatives – Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub-India (ARCH-India) and the Australia India Research Students Fellowship (AIRS Fellowship) program – that will boost bilateral research collaboration, and showcase research excellence of India and Australia. 

Find more information at https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/student-visa-backlog-and-educational-qualification-recognition-with-australia-high-on-agenda-dharmendra-pradhan/ 

Australia’s most in-demand professions revealed, but migrants wary of returning 

Australia faces a shortfall of civil engineers, chefs and childcare workers over the next five years, the federal government fears as new research shows the nation’s tight anti-COVID immigration rules have left potential skilled workers wary of seeking to move Down Under.

Ahead of next month’s jobs and skills summit, the government says there is a looming shortage of workers across a string of key sectors, backing its plan to lift investment in the vocational education sector.

Find more information at https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-most-in-demand-professions-revealed-but-migrants-wary-of-returning-20220821-p5bbho.html 

Registrations open for International Education Expo 2022: Bangkok 12-13 November

The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) in Thailand has resumed its physical annual study abroad fair this year to welcome back education providers from around the world to re-connect with prospective self-funding and scholarship students. 

The exhibition is scheduled for 12-13 November 2022, 12.00pm - 6.00pm at Siam Paragon Bangkok.

The event aims to reconnect students face-to-face with education institutions worldwide, after nearly two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Event visitors include Thai scholars and members of the public looking at overseas tertiary studies. There are also increased enquiries among school leavers and working individuals who are interested to undertake English language training and vocational courses abroad.

Find more information at https://www.austrade.gov.au/australian/education/news/austrade-update/registrations-open-for-international-education-expo-2022-bangkok-12-13-november 

Understanding academic integrity

These pages define academic integrity and explain different types of cheating to help students understand the risks and penalties for poor behaviour. This information will help you to identify, avoid and report illegal cheating services. The information on these pages is designed to help you to understand these topics. If you need information more relevant to your circumstances, please speak with your tutor or school. 

Find more information at https://www.teqsa.gov.au/understanding-academic-integrity 

Apprentice and trainee completion rates decrease

The individual completion rate for apprentices and trainees who commenced training in 2017 decreased to 55.7%, down by 1.2 percentage points from those commencing in 2016, according to the latest data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Completion and attrition rates for apprentices and trainees 2021 reports on the completion rates for both individuals and training contracts that started in 2017, the latest year for which observed actual rates are available for all occupations.

“Individual completion rates for those who commenced in trade occupations in 2017 decreased to 54.0%, down 3.0 percentage points from those commencing in 2016,” stated NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker.

Find more information at https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/apprentice-and-trainee-completion-rates-decrease-2021