Sheep Cooperative Research Centre
SKILL ECOSYSTEMS EXEMPLAR | Belinda
Smith, SmithComyn & Associates
for TAFE NSW ICVET
Training programs that advance skills in the new technologies ensure immediate capability within industry, rather than the traditional Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) approach of simply providing information on new technology.
In this case study a staff member from the Primary Industries Curriculum Centre of TAFE NSW is seconded to the Australian Sheep Industry CRC (Sheep CRC). The partnership between TAFE NSW and Sheep CRC is leading to the development of resources to support the delivery of national competencies in sheep and wool by RTOs, better integration between VET and industry funded extension programs; support of a national industry education program covering VET and schools; and potential for real links between VET and universities by working with common course content.
The Sheep CRC was established in 2002 as a joint venture between Australia's leading sheep research, education and industry organisations under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program. The Sheep CRC promotes collaborative scientific research and education in the wool and meat sectors to ensure the Australian sheep industry is profitable and sustainable.
Ownership
The two sheep industry research and development corporations Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) have matched Sheep CRC funds to incorporate a Vocational Education and Training (VET) subprogram into the Sheep CRC. TAFE NSW also contributes 10% of salary and administrative support as 'in kind'. This has given TAFE NSW supporting party status with a CRC for the first time.
Impetus
CRCs are increasingly judged on the direct takeup by industry of new technology and research. CRC funding requirements place a strong emphasis on adoption of technology and VET is seen to provide a mechanism to roll out innovations to industry. At a basic level, the conduct of training is a straightforward strategy to capture numbers of industry involvement.
Significantly for the CRC, the TAFE person brings expertise in program design and training implementation that did not exist within the CRC research and development culture. The TAFE person develops training programs that advance skills in the new technologies ensuring immediate capability within industry, rather than the traditional CRC approach of simply providing information on new technology.
Cultural Match
Initially the cultural match between the CRC and TAFE was not strong, with the TAFE person spending much of his time working on cultural change in relation to understanding and raising the status of VET. Members of the CRC had a poor appreciation of the role and value of VET and it has taken some time for members to comprehend the intricate processes and requirements.
The Sheep CRC has an extension program working to communicate CRC outcomes. Typical strategies for research programs to disseminate their information include preparing one-off events and distributing information at field days. The VET initiative was seen as a threat by some within the CRC, who would prefer to see all CRC funds directed to their own research-based programs with dissemination of information to industry about their research outcomes. The VET program has increased capacity to deliver consistent structured training and provide maximum return for funding allocated to resource development.
By working fulltime with the CRC, the cultural differences have considerably reduced. It is an ongoing learning process for all partners including TAFE NSW. The TAFE representative has learned to work with the political sensitivities of higher education and the CRC environment in negotiating a strategic role for VET in industry research and development.
The VET work involves developing new high priority training resources to equip industry with skills for the future. These resources all meet Australian National Training Framework requirements. Advances in industry practices and knowledge need to be made available to this dispersed industry (both the current work force and those training to enter the industry). By incorporating CRC information in VET resources, up-to-date information is rapidly incorporated into industry practices.
The Sheep CRC VET subprogram sees its role as building a bridge between researchers with the latest research findings and trainers who have the skills to build high quality training packages and courses for the VET sector. TAFE, agricultural colleges, consultants and extension agents have access to these training resources and are able to use them to run informal and formal training and promote awareness of research outcomes in industry.
Whilst the TAFE NSW representative is seconded from his role as a Program Manager with the Primary Industries & Natural Resources Curriculum Centre, he acts as an interface for VET generally rather than just the TAFE system. This has promoted a broad VET perspective, rather than representing the interests of TAFE NSW, thus increasing the status of VET generally and removing the confusing problem for industry of dealing with the competing RTO interests. The result of this has been to raise the training activity of TAFE NSW by developing consistent perceptions of the role and value of VET with industry.
Trust
Building trust is an ongoing process and results from developing and maintaining personal relationships. Meeting people face to face is important in cultivating trust as is doing what you say you will do. The CRC undertakes a consultative strategic planning process that enables the partner representatives to work on long-term projects. The strategic plan sets parameters for the contribution and work of each partner to avoid overlap and to identify complementary synergies.
Collaboration
This allows CRC partners to confidently undertake work related to their areas of responsibility. The planning process involves a lot of documentation, which clarifies complex issues and develops common understanding, with plenty of questioning and debating of issues occurring amongst the partners. Successful collaboration relies on people being involved in all relevant processes and contributing at all levels.
Credibility
The TAFE NSW representative believes securing credibility is best achieved by successfully demonstrating what can be achieved through VET. This often involves drawing on personal experience and examples from other industries. It is just as important to demonstrate why outcomes of a proposal will be less than optimal, and how VET can improve the potential outcomes for industry uptake of research.
Communication
Maintaining good open communications is a challenge for the CRC as the partners are based all over the country. Teleconferences are widely used and a key planning meeting is held with all partners annually. Communication and negotiation is ongoing as issues and priorities change.
The CRC partnership is a two way process with all sides learning new things as the relationship develops. Currently the partners are learning about training and how it works and how it contributes to industry uptake of CRC research outcomes. Establishing a role for VET has led to the TAFE representative developing lateral and flexible approaches to training solutions, and communicating these to get program support.
Another element of this work has led to an Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) funded project to develop a common interpretation of content, delivery and assessment for shearer and wool handler training package qualifications - the sort of 'settlement' recommended by Schofield in the high level review of training packages. All RTOs training in wool harvesting have now committed to using this system.
Success
Important to the success of the partnership was the TAFE NSW representative working fulltime on the partnership. Learning to explain VET and how it works to a layperson has been challenging but important to developing partner buy in. This has involved locating VET in different contexts and using different strategies to explain VET. Importantly, while the TAFE NSW representative engaged in the partnership as a training person he had to contribute to the broader organisational goals and develop a role for VET to support those – rather than focusing on VET as the key organisational objective.
The partners consider their success to be reflected in the number of active relationships across a broad range of organisations. This success provides the benefit of exposing TAFE to a range of different organisations that previously were not exposed to TAFE or the VET system.
Through this project, TAFE has gained greater recognition within the industry and a passionate advocate who has the potential through broader experience to add another dimension to TAFE activities. The sheep industry has access to a greater range of technical training opportunities, which will result in the overall skill levels of industry improving by being able to take advantage of new technologies earlier. The status of VET and TAFE NSW has been raised and the role of VET and TAFE NSW in innovation is viewed by industry and higher education as valuable.
See also
Skills Ecosystems/Industry Partnerships | A-Z Resources
PARTNERSHIPS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP - for other exemplars and papers
