PwC’s Skills for Australia is holding a series of focus groups and consultations with printers around the country, as secretariat for the Printing and Graphic Arts Industry Reference Committee.
Andrew Macaulay, CEO, PIAA, says the industry body has encouraged PwC’s Skills for Australia to conduct a consultation program across the country to engage more broadly with interested industry participants, and to identify what employers of print apprentices need in print training programs to better align themselves with their skills needs.
He says, “Your industry representatives have, amongst other things, been advocating for the modernisation of the print training package to be in line with new technologies developed in our industry, and for courses to be fully funded.”
Sara Caplan, CEO, PwC’s Skills for Australia says "New technology is changing what skills employers are looking for, and digital print skills in particular are increasingly in demand.
“There is interest from industry in creating shorter courses to enable people to learn new skills for a particular specialism alongside their current job role.
“Industry is telling us that greater clarity is needed in terms of specialisations and the specific skills outcomes of learners graduating with qualifications to ensure that they are sufficiently competent in the type of printing organisations require.”
Focus groups took place in Perth (2 October) and Brisbane (8 October), and one-on-one consultations have been organised in Sydney and Melbourne.
There will also be a focus group in Adelaide on 18 October. Additional sessions may be run in Sydney and Parramatta, depending on demand. You can register to attend by emailing info@skillsforaustralia.com.
Walter Kuhn, PIAA President, says, “This is a great opportunity for the voice of genuine employers of apprentices to be heard and acted on. PIAA has long fought for better skills training and better funding. This consultation process with industry is a critical part of achieving what industry needs.”
Caplan says “PwC’s Skills for Australia undertakes detailed industry research, engages with employers and students across Australia and collaborates with experts in the VET sector to identify and understand current and emerging trends in the global and domestic economy and how they impact on Australia’s skills needs.
“As a Skills Service Organisation, our role is to work directly with industry to identify skills and knowledge needs in the workforce, and translate these into learning standards in training products.
“By putting employers at the heart of the nation’s qualifications and training system, we are helping support Australia’s continued global competitiveness and economic prosperity.
“This is about working together with government, industry and educators to ensure all Australians have the skills they need to get a job, or a better job.”
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