EMPLOYABILITEMPLOYABILITY SKILLSY SKILLS

Ken FraserKen FraserManager Professional Manager Professional Development Development November 2008November 2008

Background infoBackground info Employability Skills were developed through a Employability Skills were developed through a

national project managed by Business Council of national project managed by Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Australia and the Australian Chamber of CommerceCommerce(Report 2002)(Report 2002)

The Employability Skills Framework was The Employability Skills Framework was developed, incorporating 8 Employability Skills, developed, incorporating 8 Employability Skills, each one made up of elements or “facets”each one made up of elements or “facets”

The National Quality Council endorsed an approach The National Quality Council endorsed an approach to embed Employability Skills (ES) into Training to embed Employability Skills (ES) into Training Packages from 2006Packages from 2006

The ES Framework was modified to The ES Framework was modified to capture industry specific requirements, capture industry specific requirements, then mapped to existing TPs and then mapped to existing TPs and embedded into Units of Competencyembedded into Units of Competency

DEEWR and Industry Skills Councils have DEEWR and Industry Skills Councils have worked to integrate Employability Skills worked to integrate Employability Skills into all endorsed Training Packagesinto all endorsed Training Packages

The ES Framework is a re-definition and The ES Framework is a re-definition and expansion of the older “key expansion of the older “key competencies”competencies”

Employability skills are non-technical skills Employability skills are non-technical skills which play a significant part in contributing which play a significant part in contributing to an individual's effective and successful to an individual's effective and successful

participation in the workplace. Employability participation in the workplace. Employability skills are also sometimes referred to as “soft skills are also sometimes referred to as “soft skills”, generic skills, enabling skills or key skills”, generic skills, enabling skills or key

competenciescompetencies..

From Training Packages @ Work, DEEWRFrom Training Packages @ Work, DEEWR

What are Employability What are Employability Skills?Skills?

o communication skillscommunication skillso teamwork skillsteamwork skillso problem-solving skillsproblem-solving skillso initiative and enterprise skillsinitiative and enterprise skillso planning and organising skillsplanning and organising skillso self-management skillsself-management skillso learning skillslearning skillso technology skillstechnology skills

There are 8 Employability There are 8 Employability SkillsSkills

Employability SkillsEmployability Skills communication skillscommunication skills, which , which

contribute to productive and contribute to productive and harmonious relations between harmonious relations between employees and customers employees and customers

teamwork skillsteamwork skills, which , which contribute to productive working contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes relationships and outcomes

problem-solving problem-solving skillsskills, which , which contribute to contribute to productive outcomes productive outcomes

initiative and initiative and enterprise skillsenterprise skills, , which contribute to which contribute to innovative outcomes innovative outcomes

planning and organising planning and organising skillsskills, which contribute to , which contribute to long-term and short-term long-term and short-term strategic planning strategic planning

self-management skillsself-management skills, , which contribute to which contribute to employee satisfaction and employee satisfaction and growth growth

learning skillslearning skills, which , which contribute to ongoing contribute to ongoing improvement and improvement and expansion in employee and expansion in employee and company operations and company operations and outcomes outcomes

technology skillstechnology skills, which , which contribute to effective contribute to effective execution of tasksexecution of tasks

Interview with Ann RobertsInterview with Ann Roberts

Earlier in 2008, Ann was oneEarlier in 2008, Ann was one of many IT teachers involved of many IT teachers involved in a PD workshop with in a PD workshop with industry representatives industry representatives focusing on their focusing on their expectations of the expectations of the employability skills of TAFE employability skills of TAFE graduatesgraduates

Employability Skills in TPsEmployability Skills in TPs Many ES are already embedded in unitsMany ES are already embedded in units

The content of some units are very directly The content of some units are very directly related to ESrelated to ES

All new and revised TPs must include ESAll new and revised TPs must include ES

For each qualification in a TP, the For each qualification in a TP, the Employability Skills Summary lists the Employability Skills Summary lists the facets or elements of each skill that have facets or elements of each skill that have been identified for the qualification. been identified for the qualification.

An example from TLI07An example from TLI07TLI20107: Certificate II in TLI20107: Certificate II in

Transport and Logistics Transport and Logistics (Warehousing and Storage)(Warehousing and Storage)

Initiative and EnterpriseInitiative and Enterprise

• Modify activities dependent Modify activities dependent on differing situations and on differing situations and contingencies that may arise contingencies that may arise during warehouse and storage during warehouse and storage operations operations

• Take appropriate initiatives in Take appropriate initiatives in a range of diverse operational a range of diverse operational situationssituations

• Respond appropriately to any Respond appropriately to any changes in equipment, changes in equipment, standard operating standard operating procedures and the working procedures and the working environment environment

TLI50107 Diploma of logisticsTLI50107 Diploma of logisticsInitiative and enterpriseInitiative and enterprise

• Translate ideas into action Translate ideas into action including applying including applying consultative processes, consultative processes, developing plans, applying developing plans, applying new technologies and new technologies and concepts and gaining the concepts and gaining the support of internal and support of internal and external stakeholders external stakeholders

• Contribute to and manage Contribute to and manage continuous improvement continuous improvement processesprocesses

• Manage the response to any Manage the response to any contingencies and changes in contingencies and changes in equipment, standard equipment, standard operating procedures and the operating procedures and the working environment. working environment.

For the ES Summaries for different For the ES Summaries for different qualifications, see:qualifications, see:

http://http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/ employabilityskills.training.com.au/

Available for newly revised or Available for newly revised or endorsed Training Packages endorsed Training Packages

Interview with Interview with Gabriele Seidel-WynneGabriele Seidel-Wynne

Gabriele’s hairdressing Gabriele’s hairdressing section has embarked on a section has embarked on a strategy of stronger strategy of stronger engagement with the engagement with the employers of their employers of their students, and has learnt a students, and has learnt a lot about their lot about their expectations of the skills expectations of the skills of their apprentices.of their apprentices.

Suggestions for good Suggestions for good practicepractice

• Engaging with industry to understand the Engaging with industry to understand the expectations of employers and to interpret ES expectations of employers and to interpret ES for the industry and qualification levelfor the industry and qualification level

• Providing students with explicit information Providing students with explicit information about the ES related to their qualificationabout the ES related to their qualification

• Integrating into delivery of training and Integrating into delivery of training and assessmentassessment

• Workplace experienceWorkplace experience• Integrated delivery and assessment of Integrated delivery and assessment of

unitsunits

Assessing ESAssessing ES Employability Skills are most appropriately Employability Skills are most appropriately

assessed in direct relation to the criteria, assessed in direct relation to the criteria, knowledge and skills described in units of knowledge and skills described in units of competency, and not as a separate item. competency, and not as a separate item.

Particular types of activities will relate to Particular types of activities will relate to particular Employability Skills. particular Employability Skills.

For example, observing a candidate while they For example, observing a candidate while they perform a group related task at work provides perform a group related task at work provides evidence of their ability to complete tasks as well evidence of their ability to complete tasks as well as providing opportunities to assess skills in as providing opportunities to assess skills in relation to relation to teamworkteamwork and and communicationcommunication..

Where to from here?Where to from here?What would you like to do in your section to What would you like to do in your section to

promote the integration of ES in your delivery?promote the integration of ES in your delivery?

• PD has produced a set of posters and postcards PD has produced a set of posters and postcards that can be distributed to staff and used for that can be distributed to staff and used for discussions, and can provide support for discussions, and can provide support for activities – section-based or cross-sectionactivities – section-based or cross-section

• Training resources for staff on ES are available Training resources for staff on ES are available from DEEWR (links to follow)from DEEWR (links to follow)

Questions? Questions?

More information on ESMore information on ES

Websites that can provide more information: Websites that can provide more information: • www.tpatwork.com/back2basics/db4_employabilitysk.htm www.tpatwork.com/back2basics/db4_employabilitysk.htm

• http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/index.php http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/index.php

http://www.training.com.au/documents/Employabilityhttp://www.training.com.au/documents/Employability%20Skills_From%20Framework%20to%20Practices.pdf %20Skills_From%20Framework%20to%20Practices.pdf

The PD wikispace will have links to additional resources: The PD wikispace will have links to additional resources: • http://http://

employabilityskills.westernsydneyinstitute.wikispaces.net employabilityskills.westernsydneyinstitute.wikispaces.net