Professional development programs for VET practitioners in Skills for Sustainability
In December 2010 the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) commissioned consultants to research the up-skilling of VET practitioners with effective training and facilitation in skills for sustainability.
The research addressed the second objective of the COAG-endorsed Green Skills Agreement – ‘upskilling VET practitioners so they can provide effective training and facilitation in skills for sustainability’.
The consultants reviewed eight skills for sustainability professional development programs for VET practitioners operating in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
The research and field work was completed in April 2011 and the final project report provided to DEEWR in early June.
Models of professional development
Most professional development in VET about skills for sustainability is based on one of two models:
- short, one-day accredited or non-accredited introductory workshops for large numbers of VET practitioners
- extended, accredited training for select groups of Sustainability Champions.
These champions are being trained to provide ongoing delivery of professional development programs and services to other VET practitioners.
Accredited training options
Targeted accredited training options are available to underpin these two approaches.
The unit TAESUS501A ‘Analyse and apply sustainability skills into learning programs’ is designed to provide VET practitioners with the skills, knowledge and accreditation required to deliver skills for sustainability training. The unit can be delivered through short workshops to large numbers of practitioners.
In addition, higher-level qualifications, such as the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Education and Training for Sustainability through the National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne University, are available to train Sustainability Champions.
Five challenges and opportunities
The report identified five challenges and opportunities for the Commonwealth and developed 14 strategies to address them.
The five challenges and opportunities are:
- The imperative to take action (at systemic and local levels) is not strong enough.
- Professional development is but one aspect of a change process requiring strong leadership and commitment, relevant and effective education and awareness raising and support for embedding change.
- Practitioners are already overwhelmed by time and workload pressures and face ‘issues fatigue’.
- There are gaps waiting to be filled, particularly in relation to building leadership capability and commitment, providing resources and engaging industry.
- Existing good practice could be supported even further.
Next steps
The report proposes a series of ‘first steps’ to provide a foundation for achieving the necessary changes in the VET sector’s capability to address skills for sustainability
Leadership
- Articulate the Commonwealth’s vision for skills for sustainability and reinforce this through all of the activities conducted in this space.
- Find an appropriate forum in which to work with the States and Territories and identify shared priorities to guide skills for sustainability professional development, as well as agreed measures against which to evaluate progress.
Resources
- Investigate the potential for the ALTC-developed website to be further developed to provide the VET sector with:
- a central repository for resources
- a framework for addressing skills for sustainability
- a forum for supporting Sustainability Champions and Communities of Practice (possibly across the three education sectors)
- an arena for recognising and promoting good practice.
- Fund the development of resources to fill gaps in identified priority areas.
People
- Support the development of Sustainability Champions, including:
- offering scholarships to undertake the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Education and Training for Sustainability
- working with States and Territories to achieve an appropriate spread according to geographical, industry or priority-based considerations
- working with employing organisations and States and Territories to identify roles and opportunities for the champions to influence policy and practice, not only in their organisations, but in the sector more broadly.
- Investigate the feasibility of funding partnership projects between educators and industry representatives, which focus on articulating and embedding best practice in the development of all three aspects of skills for sustainability (ie. Education for and about Sustainability and technical skills).