With the Government pushing through a major reform of the entire vocational education sector, those of us in road transport need to ask ourselves what we need to encourage the work placebased training and skills essential to our industry, and how we can grow the number of young people keen on a career in freight and logistics?
In RTF’s submission to the Government’s original proposal, we made it clear that the goal of rationalising the vocational training and education sector so that all qualifications and the way they are delivered are the same, was something that we supported.
We also supported a reorganisation of the polytechnic sector as anyone who can read a balance sheet could see that the current situation was unsustainable.
However, as I discussed in my column in the May edition of TransportTalk, the RTF does not support the Government’s desire to do away with the industry training organisations (ITOs).
We believe that the strength of the current ITO model is that it’s industry-led, industry-governed and therefore responsive to the natural changes in each industry and the wider economy.
I am yet to be convinced that the new Institute and Workforce Development Councils will deliver better results than the ITOs.
As RTF’s submission made clear, the value the Government is seeking to inject into the training and qualification sector is directly linked to the relationship industry has with training organisations.
No amount of restructuring will improve that.
The strength of work-based training is in the relationship between employers, training providers and qualification developers.
We are yet to see where road transport will fit into the new Workforce Development Councils, which means we still have a lot more questions than answers.
However, so far it feels like we are going through all this for a bunch of different titles and management structures with a strong injection of union influence to deliver the same outcomes.
The question industry needs to ask itself is whether, for all the disruption and cost, will we be left with a vocational sector that is more responsive to learners and industry or are we just getting a rehash of what we have now with a dollop more state control?
In our view, the key outcomes of the reform should be to:
• Create an attractive regime that addresses inequity and inequality.
• Have industry driven and guided training and qualifications.
• Create a system that end users want to participate in.
• Create world-leading and integrated vocational education.
So, while we wait to see how all this plays out, and don’t forget ITOs will still be around until 2021, we must keep pushing to find industryled solutions to our considerable workforce challenges.
I have, however, been encouraged by the Government’s recent announcement of a new employment strategy.
The strategy includes the stated objective to “build a skilled workforce by ensuring the education, immigration and welfare systems all pull in the same direction” and is intended to “support industries and regions to thrive by ensuring they are well served by the skills and training system”.
Once again, the announcement is extremely light on detail, but if the intentions are reflected in practice, then it could be really positive for road transport, which has always argued for better integration of education, immigration and social welfare policy.
RTF has recently taken responsibility for future development of the Sector Workforce Engagement Programme
(SWEP).
This move means that RTF can incorporate workforce development into our government advocacy work and an overarching industry strategy.
We will have more to announce on SWEP’s work programme in the future.
RTF is also keen to see a formalised industry-led cadetship programme developedthat has clear parameters and appropriate levels of recognition and opportunities for cadets.
We want people that want to work in the sector and can see clear pathways both for entry into the industry, and to develop a career within it.
For those of you thinking of participating in this year’s RTF Conference, you need to
hurry and get those registrations in.
The conference is being hosted by RTANZ Region 2 and CARTA at the Wairakei Resort near Taupo on September 24 and 25.
The conference will cover core industry issues such as the state of the economy and whether we can expect an
economic slowdown, the future of our regulatory environment and the importance of managing our mental health.
Delegates will also hear from transport minister Phil Twyford, forestry, infrastructure and regional economic development minister Shane Jones and National Party transport spokesperson Chris Bishop.
*Go to rtfconference.co.nz for registration and accommodation.
