The Future of Apprenticeship Training

By Anthony Gray, MIG TRaining

Significant reform is underway in how Vocational education and Training (VET) is managed and developed in this country.

Who cares you might ask?

And how does that have any relevance to my business?

Stick with me and I will try and convince you!

The upcoming reforms are et against a backdrop of a hairdressing training package that while it may have met the needs of industry at the time of development in 2016 it has become increasingly difficult to understand in a modern salon context.

As it currently stands the hairdressing qualification is broken into many individual units of competency making it difficult to relate to salon life and problematic when we try and look at skills training more holistically. It is not as easy as cut, colour, chemical and consultation.

Furthermore, the qualifications lack flexibility, restricting the options to choose and move units that are relevant to employers and apprentices. Additionally, from a training organisations perspective the prescriptive assessment requirement that industry sought when the training package was originally developed has created an environment where the assessment burden tilts the focus of away from learning and skills development to the collection of assessment evidence to meet the assessment requirements.

So, from a business and salon owners’ context, having a knowledge of the reform agenda and a taking time to reflect on what works and does not work under the current training systems allows us as an industry to be in the best position possible to affect change. It means that when those who are responsible for the training system come knocking to ask for our input we are well placed to identify the good as well the areas that need improvement.

There are really 3 huge pieces of review and reform underway that will impact us over the next few years.

1. The review of the standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO)

2. The review of the qualification framework

3. The transition from the 67 Industry Reference Committees (IRC) that look after the training packages for all trades to 10 large Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC) who are responsible for managing skills needs and development across the entire economy.

Due to land mid 2024 the revised standards for RTO’s are designed to modernise and streamline the current standards. Whilst I acknowledge that this might only be exciting for those working in formal education, any result that looks to reduce the complexity and of regulation and implements standards for training organisations and that supports high quality training delivery can only be a good thing for employers and apprentices.

The second piece of reform is a little more exciting for us all.

The current qualification system has become cluttered and difficult to navigate. There are 1,100 separate qualifications and 15,000 individual units of competency. The current system is highly prescriptive and as a result, employees may struggle to have their current skills recognised.

As a result, the apprentice who is upskilling or reskilling often has to undertake some training that delivers similar skills to those they already have. Not a great outcome for the employer or the apprentice. The proposed system goes a long way to allowing the employer to recognise what an employee is capable of and then train to the gaps in their skills and knowledge.

In addition, it provides the building blocks that should allow Hairdressers and Barbers to continue their education journey after qualification by adding smaller skills standards on top of their trade qualification in order to gain higher level qualifications. There is very little in the current qualification structure for Hairdressers and Barbers to aspire to after completing the trade qualification.

The final piece of reform that will have the greatest impact over the coming months is the formation of the Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC). It is a significant shake up of how skills are managed. We have moved from 67 Industry Reference Committee’s across the economy down to 10 clusters or Jobs and Skills Councils (JSC). Hairdressing will now fall under the Arts and Personal Services, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality JSC. The Personal services JSC cover the largest section of the Australian economy.

The Jobs and Skills Councils role extend much further than just developing training products. Their remit is to firstly look at what are the workforce needs of our industries and to think more broadly with an eye to the future skills needs of Hairdressing. The work done on workforce development will then inform the development of Training Products moving forward

The roll out of the JSC is a little behind the initial schedule which was to have the Councils operational at the start of this year. Establishment is well underway and the projected timeline for when our JSC will be operational is mid-year 2023.

The new name for the Arts and Personal Services JSC will be Workforce Equipped. Currently they are working through what they call the establishment phase. An interim board of directors is in place.

Why is this so important to us as an Industry?

Structure aside, it is what comes next that is most important. The JSC will have an Industry Advisory Committee which will hope to access all the wants and needs of Industry. So therefore, as an industry we need to be ready to contribute. Opportunities will become available to be part of a number of working groups designed to capture the needs, improvements and pain points faced by salon owners, educators and those students and apprentices.

Whilst it is too simplistic to suggest that improving the training system is the magic bullet that will address all the flaws we face in training and growing our industry. A system that is flexible, streamlined, allows for the recognition of lifelong learning and above all focuses on holistic skill development would be a powerful change for the better.