ALA Blog - A catalyst for lifelong learning

Relish and HEAT: A Mother’s Day for everyone

2010-04-19T17:53:00.002+10:00

What do you get if you mix together some cooking tips from renowned chefs, a lot of goodwill and stir in a pinch of community spirit? Great food for good causes.

Relish is an initiative of the Rotary Club of St Kilda and shares recipes from local restaurants and cafes operating in St Kilda, Prahran, South Melbourne, Malvern and Elwood areas. The HEAT (Hospitality Employment and Training) cookbook features recipes and cooking tips from well known chefs such as Guy Grossi as well as heartfelt stories from young people whose lives have been changed forever by participating in training programs.

This Mother’s Day you can grab mum two recipe books for a special deal of $35 and feel good in the process.

All proceeds from The Relish and HEAT recipe books go to a range of charities and the HEAT hospitality training program, all working to improve the lives of people in need, both locally and overseas.

Purchase both books before Monday, 3 May to be in the running to win a special Mother’s Day treat.

You could be the favourite child as up for grabs is a three course lunch at Mirka at Tolarno’s Hotel for four people, designed by Guy Grossi, a beautiful bouquet and a box of Cacao’s award winning chocolates.

The books can be bought from the HEAT and Relish websites.

www.heat.org.au or www.relishrecipes.com.au

Further information/photos:
Julia Topliss
Rotary Club of St Kilda
Ph: 0411 364 004
Email: pr@stkildarotary.org.au

National Centre for Vocational Education Research

2010-04-19T17:43:00.002+10:00

For parents who believe a child’s happiness is linked to having a degree, it may surprise them to learn that apprentices are just as happy as university graduates, according to a report released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition examines the relationship between individuals’ highest level of education and their self-rated happiness. It is based on extensive information provided by young people over 10 years of their lives (15 to 25 years), as part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY).

Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition can be downloaded from www.lsay.edu.au/publications/2239.html

For media enquiries or interviews with Dr Tom Karmel or Dr Mike Dockery, contact Anna Payton on 08 8230 8638 or Colleen Young, Marketing Services NCVER on 08 8230 8496/0414 584 142.

Full day professional development workshop

2010-03-25T18:55:00.003+11:00

Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) in conjunction with Clear Space Organising is offering professional development workshops nationally.

This full day workshop will provide you with practical skills and knowledge to help you maximise your effectiveness in the workplace.

The workshop covers:
Eliminate paper clutter with a proven paper-flow system
Manage your emails so they don't sabotage your day
Learn how to spend your time on what really matters
Clear your head by managing your tasks effectively
Learn strategies for overcoming procrastination.

National Career Development Week 2010

2010-03-25T17:45:00.002+11:00

National Career Development Week launched its 2010 campaign, with a special community career development forum, hosted by NCDW ambassador Steve Liebmann, guest speakers and inspiring career stories from extra-ordinary local people.

The Launch Your Future - get the life you love! Forum, an initiative of the National Career Development Week Team, held in conjunction with the Macquarie Fields community organisations who form the Learning, Employment and Economic Development Group (LEED), shows what can be achieved when a community works together to improve the career development prospects of its residents.

Celebration week is from 17 to 23 May, but you can be involved through events at any time of the year.

Register your events and receive an Australian 1st video series

Bold Ideas Better Lives Challenge

2010-03-16T13:36:00.002+11:00

Got a great idea for creating better lives for people in Australia? Want access to amazing mentors and a bucket of cash (up to $1million) to get your idea off the ground?

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation is giving you the chance to turn your big idea into big impact. We’re committed to supporting up to 10 projects that show the best and brightest ideas in social innovation across Australia. Your idea could deal with anything from healthcare to education, climate change to the internet as long as it addresses a social need faced by communities in Australia.

Want to know more? Get more information or apply online on our website - http://www.tacsi.org.au/challenge, or you can contact Erin Green (challenge@tacsi.org.au) to find out more.

e-works PD Program

2010-02-16T09:21:00.003+11:00

Adding the 'e' to e-learning action learning PD Program.

This program begins 1 March 2010 and involves 5 days of face-to-face support with 1 hour elluminate sessions between these days.

Contact Debbie Soccio - Debbie.Soccio@eworks.edu.au for details

NCVER Papers

2010-02-15T09:54:00.001+11:00

Just off the press ...
=========================
Vocational education and training workforce data 2008: A compendium
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Editor: Hugh Guthrie_
This is a compendium of three reports. The first examines the size and attributes of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce using a variety of data sources. The second looks more specifically at TAFE's workforce. The final report considers the feasibility of a national VET workforce collection.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2218.html
******************************************************************************
The role of vocational education and training in the labour market outcomes of
people with disabilities
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Cain Polidano, Kostas Mavromaras_
Low levels of education generally among people with a disability is one of the factors contributing to their lower rate of labour market participation. The role vocational education and training (VET) plays in ameliorating this is the focus of this report.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2215.html
******************************************************************************
What would it take? Employer perspectives on employing people with a
disability
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Peter Waterhouse, Helen Kimberley, Pam Jonas, John Glover_
The purpose of this study was to answer the question 'what would it take' to enable employers to employ people with a disability.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2219.html
******************************************************************************
Building capability in vocational education and training providers: The TAFE
cut
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Hugh Guthrie, Berwyn Clayton_
This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of TAFE providers to meet their clients' and stakeholders' needs and draws extensively on the reports of the consortium research program which examined ways to help build vocational education and training (VET) provider and workforce capability.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2224.html

Research Report

2010-02-11T14:52:00.000+11:00

WIDE RANGING REFORMS NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTOR

There is a need for wide-ranging reforms to remove unnecessary burdens and costs faced by the not-for-profit sector and improve its accountability. This is the key message of a research report released by the Productivity Commission. Better regulation, improved funding arrangements and enhanced opportunities for innovation would improve outcomes for the community and the public’s confidence in the sector. Putting the Commission’s case for reform, Presiding Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald, said ‘the proposed reforms would directly address concerns about the multiplicity of regulatory requirements, poor collaboration between the sector and governments and emerging capacity constraints. They would thereby create a much stronger foundation for this expanding sector‘.

NCVER Report

2010-02-11T09:52:00.001+11:00

New research suggests vocational education and training (VET) improves employment outcomes for people with a disability who don’t have a job.

Released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), the report found that for an average person who is out of work and has a disability, completing VET increases the likelihood of getting a job from 9% to 29% in their first year after completion.

What would it take? Employer perspectives on employing people with a disability will be available from NCVER’s website on Friday, 12 February from 9.30am AEDT http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2219.

CONFINTEA VI

2010-02-10T08:37:00.000+11:00

The Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) took
place from 1 to 4 December in Belém do Pará, bringing together more than
1,000 participants from over 150 countries.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks for the support that the
delegation of ICAE lent to this crucial UNESCO Conference, which contributed
greatly to its success.

We should like to draw your attention to the CONFINTEA VI website
(http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/), which provides a day-to-day record
of the proceedings of and presentations made during the Conference. We are
currently updating all online materials in order to provide a full range of
documents, offer a precise account of the presentations made by panellists
and speakers, and incorporate last-minute amendments.

The Final Conference Report will be completed and made available in the near
future.

E-standards Updates

2010-02-08T13:02:00.000+11:00

E-standards - updated for 2010!

The vocational education and training (VET) system’s e-learning standards (e-standards) for the creation of online resources have been updated for 2010, supporting e-learning accessibility, affordability and interoperability.

The 2010 e-standards – which are available both online and in printable Word and PDF formats – are published by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), and endorsed by the National Senior Officials Committee (NSOC).

Key updates in the 2010 e-standards include revised operating system, browser and plug-in support to bring the standards for development and testing into line with the systems commonly used in VET. Accessibility requirements have also been updated to improve access for a greater proportion of users. For more information on the updates, click here.

The e-standards are supported by the revised, user-friendly VET E-learning Content Development Guidelines. These guidelines are easy to use, setting out three basic steps for developing VET e-learning content – develop, package and describe.

E-standards and the VET E-learning Content Development Guidelines are essential documents for anyone involved in the planning, development or management of VET resources.

The Framework’s E-standards for Training Business Manager, Kristena Gladman, said that the e-standards are a vital part of the national e-learning infrastructure, and have substantial benefits for the VET system.

“E-standards support collaboration irrespective of organisational boundaries or location. They establish a common technical platform which facilitates the exchange, development and testing of online resources. This can save organisations time and money, as resources can be easily shared and reused and development costs can be spread across a greater number of users,” Kristena said.

“Learners also benefit from increased access to high quality e-resources which can be easily customised by trainers to suit learners’ individual needs.”
E-standards for Training will be revising other key e-learning resources, including the m-learning standards, the VET Teacher E-learning Toolkit, and VET tools for e-learning content, throughout 2010. Stay tuned to the E-standards for Training website for updates: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/e-standards

NSW Teacher Accrediation Fees

2010-02-08T09:55:00.000+11:00

INSTITUTE OF TEACHERS AMENDMENT (ACCREDITATION FEES) REGULATION 2010

The object of this Regulation is to amend the Institute of Teachers Regulation 2005 as follows: (a) to increase the annual fee (to $100) for teachers who are accredited (other than transition scheme teachers who are conditionally accredited), and (b) to increase the application fees for: (i) a preliminary assessment of a teacher’s level of professional accomplishment or professional leadership (to $65), and (ii) accreditation of a teacher at professional accomplishment level or professional leadership level (to $605 and $715, respectively) (less $65 if the applicant has been preliminarily assessed in relation to that level within the last 3 years).

On line e-Gems session

2010-02-04T10:27:00.000+11:00

2010 E-learning Innovations applications - the Dos, Don’ts and Musts!

Date: Thursday 18 February 2010
When: 12:30pm – 1:30pm AEDST
Where: http://tinyurl.com/2010-egems-fundingfrenzy

This e-Gems session will outline the key aspects that your E-learning Innovations funding application needs to address, and provide hints on the dos, don’ts and musts. This includes priority areas, funding categories, risk strategies, the project management plan, impact and sustainability, and budget.

Visit http://flexiblelearning.net.au/e-events for more information and to register for this free online event. This session will be archived and available online through the e-events site for further reference.

E-learning funding

2010-02-04T10:26:00.000+11:00

- online applications open

Online applications for E-learning Innovations funding have opened around the country.

Provided by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), this $5.3 million in funding and support will help registered training organisations develop innovative e-learning solutions to better support the training needs of business and industry.

The online application has streamlined the process of applying for funding, with RTOs now able to log in, work on their application, and save their work along the way.

Applications close 2 March. For more information, application guidelines and local Innovations Coordinator contact details, visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/innovations

NCVER Paper

2010-02-04T08:14:00.000+11:00

Work-life issues and participation in education and training

Natalie Skinner National Cente for Vocational Education Research

01 February, 2010

Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressures influence the capacity and motivation of individuals, particularly low-paid workers, to engage in education and training.

Skills Strategy to Benefit Retrenched Workers in Tasmania

2010-02-03T08:16:00.000+11:00

Premier and Minister for Education and Skills, David Bartlett, announced that retrenched workers will be among those guaranteed a place in education and training from 2010. At the official opening of major labour hire company Skilled Group's state headquarters redevelopment in Burnie, Mr Bartlett said that the inclusion of retrenched workers was a key part of Tasmania's first-ever comprehensive Skills Strategy.

Directory of Services for Older Australians

2010-01-28T14:05:00.001+11:00

The free directory provides important information for older people and their families with chapters on accessing aged care, legal rights, finance and health.

This year the directory has been printed with spiral binding allowing it to lay flat, larger type to make it easier to read and tabs to make finding the relevant section of the directory even easier.

Copies of the directory are available by contacting the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853, by contacting a Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222, or through Centrelink offices.

An online version is available online on the Department of Health and Ageing website www.health.gov.au

Jenny Macklin speech

2010-01-28T13:17:00.001+11:00

ADDRESS TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SOCIAL INCLUSION CONFERENCE, MELBOURNE

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, discussed the Community Development Financial Institutions initiative to provide people and organisations, excluded from mainstream banks and services, with access to appropriate and fair financial products - mostly loans; a new income management system will be rolled out nationally aimed at fostering individual responsibility; providing a platform for people to move up and out of welfare dependence and to tackle the destructive, intergenerational cycle of passive welfare; and national standards for out of home care and improving the simple sharing of information between agencies.

Industry e-learning

2010-01-28T13:08:00.001+11:00

$75,000 funding to embed e-learning in industry

Industry sectors, in partnership with a registered training organisation (RTO), can apply for $75,000 in Industry Integration of E-learning funding and support for 2010. The national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), is providing the funding to help one new industry sector meet workplace skills needs through the use of e-learning.The successful industry sector will need to:

be in a position to begin its proposed plan at the end of February 2010
develop a two year plan, although funding for 2010 only is available at this stage.

Funding submissions for the remaining industry sector close at 12.00 noon (AEDST) Monday 15 February 2010. For more information, including selection criteria, download the 2010 Industry Guidelines.Commencing in 2008 and 2009, nine industry sectors have received ongoing funding and support to embed e-learning in workplace development. These industry sectors will receive continued combined funding of $575,000 in 2010.Case studies of the funded industry sectors are available:

dairy and stainless steel industries
housing and child and family welfare industry sectors
aviation industry.

If you would like to discuss your application, please contact:

Jenny Dodd, Industry Integration of E-learning Business Manager, on (02) 6207 4955 or jenny.dodd@cit.act.edu.au

Kerry Manikis, Industry Integration of E-learning Senior Project Officer, on (02) 6207 6267 or kerry.manikis@cit.act.edu.au

For information about E-learning for Industry visit the website: http://industry.flexiblelearning.net.au. This website provides rich resources, such as the online Practical guide to e-learning for industry where employers can discover how to make e-learning work in their business. You can also access the 2009 Guidelines for supporting learners using e-learning in workplaces report which investigates a range of e-learning strategies used by businesses that have received Framework funding over the past few years.

New ABS figures

2010-01-28T12:37:00.000+11:00

Seven in ten adults have insufficient problem-solving skills for everyday life

Almost seven out of ten Western Australians had insufficient problem-solving skills for the demands of everyday life, according to analysis released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

For prose, document, numeracy and health, approximately half of Western Australian adults (15-74 years old) assessed were found to be below the minimum literacy requirement deemed necessary to function effectively in a complex society.

Literacy was found to be poorest in the older age groups, among those with lower levels of education and those who were not in the employed labour force. Lower literacy was also associated with lower income earners.Individuals with poor literacy were more likely to watch television; less likely to enjoy reading or use a computer or the internet; and less likely to participate in both formal and informal learning activities.

Levels of adult literacy in Western Australia were generally found to be similar, or slightly above, the national average.

NCVER

2010-01-28T10:05:00.001+11:00

Just off the press ...
=========================
Approaches to research priorities for policy: A comparative study
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Diana Wilkinson_
This paper uses two contrasting case studies of Scotland and Australia to consider the extent to which it is feasible to align academic research investment with policy priorities.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2223.html
******************************************************************************
Higher education in TAFE: Research overviews
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Gavin Moodie, Leesa Wheelahan, Stephen Billett, Ann Kelly_
Five research overviews have been developed to accompany a research report on this issue; these are 'Research overview on Status', 'Research overview: Implications for Teachers', 'Research overview: Implications for Staff Development', 'Research overview: Implications for Public Policy', 'Research overview: Implications for TAFE Managers'.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2189.html
******************************************************************************
Work-life issues and participation in education and training
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Natalie Skinner_
Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressures influence individuals', particularly low-paid workers, engagement in education and training.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2216.html
******************************************************************************
What's wrong with a career in hospitality? An examination of student choice
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Simon Hamm_
The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low demand in the former is the focus of this paper.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2217.html
******************************************************************************
Students' suggestions for improving their vocational education and training
experience
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Josie Misko, Suellen Priest_
An analysis of student responses in the national Student Outcome Survey provides suggestions for how the vocational education and training (VET) system could be improved.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2202.html
******************************************************************************
Australian vocational education and training statistics: Outcomes from the
Productivity Places Program, 2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_NCVER_
Information is presented in this publication about the outcomes for students who completed their vocational education and training (VET) under the Productivity Places Program (PPP) during 2008.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2220.html
******************************************************************************

National Validation Workshops for revised Training Package

2010-01-28T08:14:00.001+11:00

The Review of the FNS04 Financial Services Training Package has entered its final stages and validation workshops for the revised qualifications and Units of Competency will shortly take place across Australia.

These workshops are a key opportunity for stakeholders to meet and discuss the draft Qualifications and Units of Competency before they undergo a final revision and preparation for endorsement in May 2010.

We invite all stakeholders to join us at the validation workshop in your capital city.

This will be a excellent and key opportunity to:

find out what the revised Training Package will look like

share feedback with the Project Review team and other stakeholders

have your questions answered.

The workshops will occur from mid February to early March 2010.

To view the dates, locations and other contact information for the workshop in your state capital, please click here.

To view the Discussion Paper with background information, project updates and new developments which have impacted on the Training Package, please click here.

Throughout the review we have sustained a high and robust level of stakeholder participation. We are likewise looking forward to a strong attendance at the workshops and we look forward to meeting you there.

Please contact Industry Manager Rohit Gupta: rohit@ibsa.org.au or Project Officer Anna Ridgway: anna@ibsa.org.au should you have any questions about this project.

AQTF Standards Update

2010-01-27T12:49:00.000+11:00

On 3rd December the National Quality Council (NQC) endorsed key changes to the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Essential Standards for Registration. Implementation of the new Standards, including strengthening the AQTF national guidelines for risk management and managing non-compliance, will be completed by March 2010. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) met on 7th December and endorsed the NQC’s amendments. Click here for further information.

To assist in supporting the AQTF in 2010, TVET Australia has released RTO Policies, Procedures and Tools in a singular management product that is customised to the RTO. Click the following link for further publication details www.tvetaustralia.com.au/rtotools

TVET Australia has a number of materials for BSB07 (550 items), CHC08 (21 items), SIR07 (29 items) and SIT07 (80 items) and represent TVET’s first new product offerings for the year. We have thousands of publications across all areas, to search via Training Packages click here, to search via industry fields click here. Can’t find what you are looking for? Try using the search bar with keywords.

New Series 12 Flexible Learning Toolboxes are also available for the following areas:

Training and Assessment
TAA E-learning E-lectives
Preview
Purchase
Community Services
Cybertots
Preview
Purchase
Business Services
Small Business Management
Preview
Purchase

TAA04 is well supported by both Learner and individual Assessor Guides (Please note that the Assessor Guides include Tools in Word format). In addition, a TAA04 Integration resource is also available to assist in efficiently delivering the qualification holistically, this particular publication is well worth a look.

21 new products have been produced for CHC08 Community Services Training Package, click here for further information.

Remember to visit the popular online workforce development tool at workforce.tvetaustralia.com.au, this tool can help you or your clients to plan for training in 2010.

Skills Vic Funding

2010-01-27T10:12:00.002+11:00

Providers wishing to apply for funding previously sourced through ACFE for Youth Compact learners should now apply by registering at https://secure.otte.vic.gov.au/gftp/index.aspx

FEDERAL NEWS

2010-01-27T09:04:00.001+11:00

EMPLOYERS SIGN UP TO KICKSTART APPRENTICESHIPS

Australian businesses have responded enthusiastically to the Federal Government's $100 million Apprentice Kickstart initiative, signing up more than 6,400 young traditional trades apprentices in just over six weeks. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib today urged businesses to continue to take advantage of the boost to employer incentives. The Kickstart bonus has resulted in 4,400 trade apprentices being signed up in December 2009 - 1,500 more than December 2008 and 1,200 more than pre-global recession levels in December 2007. Apprentice Kickstart is a practical measure to generate jobs for young people, tackling both youth unemployment and providing a down-payment on the vital skills Australia needs for the future.