Overview
The directorate, through Higher Education, Training and Research and Skills Canberra, delivers initiatives and policy advice to promote the economic development of the ACT region, including its universities, research organisations, business organisations and vocational education and training institutions. This includes:
- determining skills needs in the ACT, which informs delivery of the Skilled Migration Program and the funding priorities for vocational education and training, including for apprenticeships and traineeships; and
- managing quality in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system through monitoring and auditing of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and field officer visits to Australian Apprentices.
The functions of this output work closely with the Innovation, Industry and Investment business area to deliver collaborative sector building projects in partnership with ACT region higher education and research institutions.
Highlights
In 2018-19 the directorate:
- visited over 1,300 ACT Australian Apprentices and employers through the Field Officer program;
- secured funding under the National Partnership on the Skilling Australians Fund, providing access to approximately $4.9 million of Australian Government funding for vocational education and training in 2018-19;
- provided funding for a dedicated Worksafe ACT inspector for Australian Apprentices;
- delivered subsidy increases for the Skilled Capital and User Choice (Australian Apprenticeships) programs, aligned with ACT skills needs;
- delivered the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program (IAP) which offers traineeships in the Diploma and Certificate IV in Government to new and existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers across the Australian Government Departments of Human Services, and Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business;
- administered a second round of Women in Trades grants allocating $560,920 to five new projects;
- launched the Mature Workers Grants Program, allocating $500,000 to two projects designed to address barriers experienced by mature workers seeking to upskill or reskill to get a job, a better job, or pursue a new career;
- launched the Future Skills Future Jobs Program, to support innovative industry projects that increase the number of commencements across pre-apprenticeships, pre-traineeships, Australian Apprenticeships, higher apprenticeships, and other employment-related training in the ACT, with approximately $2 million allocated to 12 projects in 2018-19;
- delivered the ACT Vice Chancellors’ Forum – this key body, chaired by the Chief Minister, brings together Canberra’s tertiary education sector and comprises representatives of ANU, UC, CIT, UNSW Canberra, Australian Catholic University, Charles Sturt University and the Education Directorate. During 2018-19 the Forum discussed a number of issues including international market development, the sector’s economic contribution, student safety, medical and health research, an internal evaluation of Study Canberra, future strategic directions, and legislation to deter contract cheating; and
- delivered the ACT International Education Strategy Canberra: Australia’s Education Capital and the 2018-19 Study Canberra work plan. The work program included:
- delivering the Chief Minister’s Student Welcome – held for the first time as part of the Enlighten festival;
- supporting a joint scholarship program with the University of Canberra (for international ICT students) of $10,000 for up to ten students per academic year to assist with living costs;
- designing and producing destination marketing resources and collateral such as Top 8 Reasons to Study in Canberra, in 14 languages, and the Insider Guide to Canberra;
- delivering the Study Canberra Student Ambassador program to promote the benefits of living and studying in Canberra, with 18 students employed from around a dozen countries and diverse backgrounds and fields of study across all major institutions; and
- assisting newly arrived students with information, referrals and advice at events such as Orientation Weeks, Tertiary Open Day, and the Canberra Careers Xpo as well as providing a welcome desk at Canberra Airport to meet newly arrived international students.
The directorate had five accountability indicators containing 13 separate measures against this output. Of the 13 measures, three were met, six were exceeded and four were not met.
The three measures met were:
- Deliver the ACT International Education Strategy - Canberra: Australia’s Education Capital Destination Marketing and Engagement (Study Canberra Program);
- Deliver the ACT International Education Strategy - Student Experience (Student Ambassadors Program); and
- VET graduate outcomes after training - employed after training or in further study (outcome 92%).
The six measures exceeded were:
- Participation in vocational education and training (VET) - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (Target 9%, outcome 9.6%) – This reflects a greater uptake of vocational education and training participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students than anticipated;
- Total number of students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) qualifications - All students (Target 16,500, outcome 17,745) – This reflects a greater uptake of vocational education and training participation by students than anticipated;
- Total number of students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) qualifications - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (Target 650, outcome 720) – This reflects a greater uptake of vocational education and training participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students than anticipated;
- Total number of students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) qualifications - students with a disability (Target 1,850, outcome 2,045) – This reflects a greater uptake of vocational education and training participation by students with a disability than anticipated;
- Skilled Migration Attraction and Facilitation - Average number of monthly visits to Canberra. Create Your Future website (Target 15,000, outcome 26,986) – This reflects the high level of interest in the ACT Skilled Migration Program; and
- Skilled Migration Attraction and Facilitation - Average processing time for applications across all skilled migration program streams (Target 45 business days, outcome 26 business days) – This reflects that the introduction of a new program management structure and application process has resulted in a significant decrease in average processing times in 2018-19.
The four measures not met were:
- Skilled Migration Attraction and Facilitation - Employer Sponsored Nominated (Target 350, outcome 121) – This reflects that results against this measure are demand-driven. Visa reforms implemented during the 2018-19 period by the Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs have restricted the eligibility criteria for skilled workers seeking employer nomination to apply for a permanent residence visa. The Skilling Australians Fund levy on employers nominating workers for this program has also been implemented;
- Skilled Migration Attraction and Facilitation - Skilled Independent Nominated (Target 350, outcome 140) – This reflects that this is a demand-driven program. The ACT skilled migration program was closed to overseas applicants on 29 June 2018 and reopened to overseas applicants on 29 November 2018. This measure does not measure the total number of applications approved (domestic and overseas) and has been replaced for 2019-20;
- Participation in vocational education and training (VET) for all students (Target 4.5%, outcome 4.2%) – The participation in VET for all students in the ACT increased by 0.1% from 2017 to 2018; and
- VET graduate outcomes after training - Improved employment circumstances (Target 65%, outcome 64.6%).
Future Direction
In 2019-20 the directorate will:
- develop and implement projects under the National Partnership on the Skilling Australians Fund to further strengthen the quality of training and support available to increase vocational education and training commencements;
- continue to improve access to government-subsidised VET programs in the ACT to support improved school education and employment outcomes for people experiencing disengagement or disadvantage, and improved retention and completion rates for apprentices and trainees;
- continue to support non-apprenticeship training opportunities that have a strong link to employment outcomes;
- ensure training meets the skills needs of local industry, including new and emerging industries;
- continue to support CIT as the public provider and largest provider of apprenticeships training in the ACT;
- create stronger pathways from schools into employment-related training;
- promote the benefits of work-based training to students, their influencers and industry;
- continue to work collaboratively to support the health and safety of young people in training;
- continue delivery of the Vice Chancellors’ Forum to support sector growth and our economic and social goals such as diversification, connectivity, inclusion and wellbeing; and
- develop Study Canberra initiatives focused on student experience, social media, employability, community engagement and integration, increasing engagement with agents and influencers, safety awareness, and updated marketing e.g. video content.
Further information can be obtained from
Kareena Arthy
Deputy Director-General
Economic Development
+ 61 2 6207 5564
Kareena.Arthy@act.gov.au
Josephine Andersen
Executive Branch Manager
Skills Canberra
+61 2 6207 4791
Josephine.Andersen@act.gov.au