Australia has a skills shortage problem. If you work in any major industry, then you’ve no doubt felt it too. Employers across the board are struggling to find workers who have the right skills to perform their jobs well.
Training providers are in a uniquely good position to help fix this problem. However, many may not be aware of how critical their role is in closing the Australian skills gap, or exactly what they can do about it.
Read on to learn more about how your training organisation can do its part to fill skill gaps, and why the stress placed upon training providers has never been greater.
Where the Shortage Is Actually Coming From
Skill gaps don’t just appear out of nowhere. It’s safe to say that several factors have been contributing to the rising skill shortages in Australia for years now. An ageing population means there’s going to be higher demand for aged care workers, construction is under pressure to meet housing supply demands, and trades such as electrical work, plumbing, and refrigeration are seeing skills shortages build.
Over the past few years, though, training organisations in Australia have started to feel the weight of this pressure. Employers have reported that vocational training makes a difference — workers who undergo some form of training provided by training organisations have a better skillset than when they entered the workforce. Many more could benefit.
What Training Providers Are Actually Being Asked to Do
Filling skill gaps is about more than simply getting numbers through the door and handing out certificates. Employers need vocational training that works. The best training programmes will result in graduates being able to contribute meaningfully to the workplace.
To provide effective vocational training, providers need to form a close relationship with industry. Industry consultation is frequently recommended. Assessing is done effectively, ensuring that the skills learnt will actually lead to competency.
On top of that, providers need to understand the unique challenges faced by learners. Many learners undertaking vocational training are working adults; some may be changing careers, some may be coming back into the workforce after starting a family. As such, training needs to be developed with care and flexibility, taking into account real-life situations that learners will face.
This is only a fraction of what goes into running a successful training organisation, however. There is paperwork, assessment management, compliance with training packages and the list goes on. Many have been looking into what the best software for registered training organisations can do in order to help handle this operational weight so that they can focus on what matters, which is teaching students.
Industry Partnerships and Why They Matter
Providers that have been making the biggest difference in skill gaps tend to share one thing in common: strong relationships with industry.
When organisations maintain strong connections with industry partners, learners can benefit from things like work placements and hands-on experience. What most people talk about when they refer to vocational training is honing practical skills, skills that come from experience.
More than anything else, providers need to understand what the job requires and what challenges workers are likely to face on an everyday basis. Only then can they genuinely prepare learners so that skills learnt in classrooms and workshops translate into real-world competencies.
Of course, this kind of relationship doesn’t appear overnight. It takes time to build strong connections and for the benefits of those connections to compound. For most training providers that want to improve what they’re already doing, though, this is just one of many challenges they’re uniquely equipped for.
The Funding and Policy Environment
The government has a significant role here. Vocational training programmes for critical fields like healthcare and aged care have been getting increased attention from local and federal governments in recent years.
Government policy is what dictates how training providers receive their funding and why they administer their programmes in a particular way. Of course, there are other challenges involved in running a training organisation, but keeping up with policies and ensuring funding goes where it should is quite crucial.
Delivering Outcomes That Count
It’s ultimately easy for employees and employers alike to see whether vocational training efforts are fruitful. Are people getting jobs? Are employers satisfied with what they can do?
The best way to address Australian skill gaps is for providers who really want to make a difference to collaborate with industry partners and get meaningful information regarding the challenges workers face on the job.
Learners must be able to exhibit practical knowledge; providing effective assessment shows whether they have achieved this or not.
Many things go into running a successful training organisation and management and administration challenges are just one part. By focusing on forming the right connections and gaining insight into the everyday tasks performed in the roles learners are training for, it’s possible to provide effective vocational training that fills skill gaps over time.
