Indigenous Learning – Training Packages
The introduction of Training Packages into Australia in the late 1990s provided the potential for Indigenous knowledge and local circumstances to be incorporated into training delivery with the support of training materials and resources.
Australia’s 10 Industry Skills Councils are responsible for the development and continuous improvement of industry Training Packages There are around 73 Training Packages and 10 enterprise packages.
Many Indigenous learners are initially offered Certificate I qualifications. For example, in the resources and infrastructure sectors, the Certificate I is being used as a key strategy to attract new entrants into the workforce. Its versatility is also enabling the qualification to be used for rural and Indigenous communities; VETt in schools, site induction and as a pre employment program.
Many Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), trainers and assessors, find that Training Packages require intensive customisation and effort to ensure relevance and effectiveness for Indigenous learners and their communities. Here we identify some Training Packages with Indigenous specific content, as well as Indigenous specific toolboxes, and publications designed to assist with customisation and application of training packages in an Indigenous environment.
Websites
Industry Skills Councils
To find out what is happening with particular training packages, it is important to regularly consult the website of the relevant Industry Skills Council. Their group website can be found at
Following are some particular initiatives.
Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council
The Health Training Package includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker qualifications. These qualifications are a key component of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce National Strategic Framework and recognize that health workers sit at the forefront of preventative health care.
Innovation and Business Skills Australia
Innovation and Business Skills Australia has established skills sets and qualifications for small business and emerging entrepreneurs. They were originally developed to meet the needs of Indigenous Australians and the end products are inclusive of all cultural needs. The initiative bought together Indigenous Business Australia, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the Department of Education, Science and Training, Department of Family and Community Services; and the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination. The skills enable individuals to improve, develop and implement their ideas and practices, and turn them into sustainable business.
Innovation and Business Skills Australia also manages the Indigenous governance component (BSBGOV (BSB01)) of the Business Services Training Package (BSB07).As well as resources for these units of competency which are available for download at a cost you will find additional free teaching resources for download at www.ibsa.org.au/content/bookshop/indigneous_supt.mat.html
Service Skills Australia
Service Skills Australia have introduced a combined traineeship model This recognizes that service sectors in rural and regional Australia often find it hard to commit to a trainee due to seasonal peaks and troughs of business and this can be exacerbated if it’s a small business where employees need to operate across different job roles. The model combines two part time traineeships chose from Retail, Tourism or Hospitality Training Packages and was piloted in the Northern Territory town of Katherine.
Other Industry Skills Councils can be found at:
www.agrifoodskills.net.au
Agri-Food Industry Skills Council
www.cpsisc.com.au
Construction and property services Industry Skills Council
www.ee-oz.com.au
Electrocomms and Energy Utilities Industry Skills Council
www.governmentskills.com.au
Government and Community Safety Industry Skills Council
www.mskills.com.au
Manufacturing Skills Australiaflexiblfl
www.riisc.com.au
SkillsDMC National Industry Skills Council
(Drillin. Mining. Quarrying. Civil Infrastructure)
www.tdtaustralia.com
Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council
Toolboxes
Australian Flexible Learning Framework
Toolboxes have been developed to provide high quality, cost effective, interactive e-learning and assessment resources to support the delivery of VET programs. Following are some toolboxes that have been developed specifically for Indigenous learners. However, do not neglect other toolboxes, such as the Building Skills Toolbox, which may be able to support Aboriginal learners with a little support or customization.
Don’t forget that there will be many different learning needs and literacy abilities amongst Indigenous students, including in computer literacy. Have a look and assess the capacity of any toolbox to address the needs of your students. Do not set learners up to fail by using a resource which they have do not have any hope of mastering.
All the toolboxes listed can be found at the site identified above.
Interactive Ochre - Toolbox 907
The topic of this tool box is Indigenous Cultural Awareness. It is for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners and focuses upon working with Aboriginal people, history, traditional perspectives, racism and moving on. It combines music, visuals and animation and is available on CD Rom.
Learning about Native Title - Toolbox 423
This toolbox supports the Certificate I –III Governance and Administration, Certificate IV Management of Physical Environment, and units in local government, land conservation and management in the Local Government Training Package. It focuses upon the native title claimant application process and is designed for Indigenous learners and employees of local government, native title representative organisations, and other agencies engaged in native title matters
Indigenous Ecotourism – Toolbox 318
This toolbox supports the Certificate IV in Tourism (Natural and Cultural Heritage) from the Tourism Training Package.
This toolbox can be used by Indigenous people or communities to develop an Indigenous ecotourism plan. As learners work through the content of the toolbox, they will progressively develop an ecotourism plan, and acquire the skills to work in the tourism industry.
Horticulture for Indigenous Learners – Toolbox 422
Supporting the Certificate II in Horticulture of the Horticulture Training Package,, this toolbox supports on the job learning in horticultural settings, particularly in a rural environment.
Cultural Resource Management – Toolbox 518
This toolbox supports competencies form the Conservation and Land Management Training Package in the areas of cultural resource management. Using simulated cultural heritage sites and tasks, Indigenous learners can expand their hands on learning. The toolbox was developed for learners with minimum literacy competency.
Deadly Jam Music Festival – Toolbox 516
This toolbox covers competencies relevant to certificate levels II, III and IV in Music from the Music Training Package. The Deadly Jam Music Festival covers four aspects of the music industry; Musician, Band Manager, Event Manager and Sound Technician and is aimed at young Indigenous people who are interested in pursuing a career in different aspects of the music industry.
Publications
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SCIENCE AND TRAINING and the AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TRAINING AUTHORITY 2004 Getting’ into it. Working with Indigenous Learners Australian Training Products Ltd., Melbourne.
This document is to support the implementation of training packages within an Indigenous context. It contains sections on underlying principles, seven teaching and learning strategies, professional development activities and resources.
O’ CALLAGHAN Katy 2005, Indigenous vocational education and training at a glance NCVER Adelaide.
This publication presents the results of a comprehensive research program on Indigenous Australians in VET. It outlines the thinking behind the seven key factors leading to positive outcomes for Indigenous Australians,
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TRAINING AUTHORITY, 2005, Partners in a learning culture: The Way Forward ANTA Brisbane
This document succeeds Partners in a Learning Culture: Australia’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy for Vocational Education and Training 2000-2005. While continuing to work on the earlier strategic objectives, six new priorities have been identified. They are:
- Building the capacity of the VET Sectors
- Creating more pathways
- Improving funding frameworks
- Culturally appropriate product development, design and delivery
- Links to employment
- Growing VET sector partnerships
MILLER, Cydde 2005, Aspects of training that meet Indigenous Australians aspirations. A systematic review of the research NCVER, Adelaide.
This is a systematic review existing research which found that seven key factors led to positive and improved outcomes for Indigenous Australians as a result of Vocational Education and Training. These are:
- Community ownership and involvement
- The incorporation of Indigenous identities, cultures, knowledge and values
- The establishment of true partnerships
- Flexibility in course design content and delivery
- Quality staff and committed advocacy
- Extensive support services; and
- Appropriate funding that allows for sustainability.
NSW ABORIGINAL EDUCATION CONSULTATIVE GROUP INC. AND nsw DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRIANAING, 2004, Yanigurra Muya: Ganggurrinyma Yaarri Guurulaw Yirringin.gurray. Freeing the Spirit: Dreaming and Equal Future. The Report of the Review of Aboriginal Education. NSW Department of Education and Training, Darlinghurst, NSW
The review found that education and training is only one part of the story in bringing brighter futures to Aboriginal teenagers and young adults. Key messages were:
one of the most valued aspects of schooling and training is the potential to lead to employment; people within DET, its schools and campuses would benefit from additional training and experience in working with Aboriginal people; the understandings of community, collaborative decision making and self determination held by non-Aboriginal leaders and staff members are only a shadow of what these concepts mean to Aboriginal people.
The report has made recommendations in a number of areas which include strengthening policy, planning and implementation and collaborating in partnerships.