Guest author: Jenny Martin
(For those readers who are not in Australia we have a complex and often confusing vocational training sector. If you want to know more please check out www.training.com.au)
I recently attended a round table discussion at which Dr John Mitchell and John Ward presented the findings of a survey they conducted of VET practitioner skills in late 2009. They had 2230 responses from across Australia to a survey containing 81 questions. From this data they have developed the JMA Analytics model of VET Capability Development. In this article I attempt to summarise the key features of the model, how it could be used and the impacts that its findings could have on the VET sector.
“The analysis of the survey responses identifies the skills sets of VET practitioners in a unique manner, by showing how these skill sets relate to different stages of development of practitioner, from foundation to advanced level.”
The results from this survey should raise alarm bells for managers involved with workforce planning as the potential skills gaps into the future especially given the current aging workforce.
The foundation VET practitioner category includes both novice; those still developing the five foundation skills sets skills sets; and established; those who have acquired the skills required of the VET professionals.
The five foundation skill sets include:
- 1. Learning theories: including “knowledge of VET pedagogy and andragogy and theories of cognitive leaning, behavioural learning, experiential learning, learning styles and learning preferences”.
- 2. Learning styles; including the “ability to take into account visual , auditory and kinaesthetic learners when teaching”.
- Foundation learning facilitation, including facilitating individual, group and workplace learning and learning among equity groups.
- Foundation assessment including “summative, formative, diagnostic and recognition of prior learning assessments” both in the classroom and workplace.
- Course organisation and student management including “ability to apply continuous improvement to the management and delivery of VET courses, to engage stakeholders in the delivery, monitoring and evaluation of courses, to ensure that all students receive necessary training assessment and support services, and the ability to ensure that all training & assessment materials meet the requirements of the relevant training package”.
New practitioners who have recently obtained the CIV in TAA qualification would be in the novice category where they are still developing the foundation skills sets. Whilst they may have basic knowledge of these skill sets they have not had the opportunity to develop the skills through experience. It takes 5-10 years to develop the skills required to move from the novice to the foundation practitioner.
This model could be used by individuals and managers to assist in professional development.
As a novice practitioner, which of the skills sets outlined above do you feel you need to improve your knowledge or skills in? How would you achieve this? As a foundation practitioner, which of these skills sets are your weakest? How would you further develop these skills sets?
The survey identified that there are current skills gaps with current professional development opportunities not meeting VET practitioner needs and occurring in an ad hoc manner. RTO’s should aim would be to have all of their experienced (5-10 years) trainers and assessors attain the established Foundation VET practitioner stage. The analogy given by John Mitchell was that in the medical profession we need lots of good GP’s, and that’s it OK to be a good GP, not everyone should desire to be a specialist in the medical profession and that the same applies in the VET sector. The survey found that 53% of practitioners were classified as Established Foundation VET practitioners.
All RTO’s employ part time teachers who are still working in industry, this enables them to maintain their industry currency. These people are professionals in their industry or trade and then begin their training to become VET practitioners. Given the high churn rate of part time teachers, the survey showed that 18% of practitioners are at the Novice level. Unfortunately many RTO’s also have part time and full time trainers and assessors, who have been in the system for many years, who have not yet developed to the established foundation VET practitioner stage. Current systems of professional development, including coaching and mentoring, performance management and reward and recognition need to be reviewed to assist novice practitioners to become established practitioners. This includes development strategies for part time staff, an area that is often neglected.
The model shows that generic skills and research skills underpin foundation and advanced practice. Generic skills include “negation skills, communication skills, decision making, critical thinking and ethical standards”. Education research includes collecting and analysing data to inform educational quality.
There are two broad types of specialist VET practitioners:
- The VET Commercial specialist – “these practitioners are specialists in personalising training for commercial customers and in related marketing and sales. They are able to offer consultancy services, can manage commercial relationships and can adapt training packages for commercial purposes”
- The VET Learning and assessment specialist – “These practitioners are specialists in the facilitation, organisation and management of learning and assessment that goes beyond the context of either the classroom or the workplace. This includes e-learning and online assessment as well as distance and off-shore learning.”
“Advanced VET practitioners are equally competent in the tasks required of a commercial specialist as well as the tasks required of a learning and assessment specialist.” Ie practitioners must meet the requirements for both the commercial and learning and assessment specialist.
The survey showed that 23% were VET commercial specialists but only 2% were VET learning and Assessment specialists with 4% advanced practitioners (having both commercial and learning and assessment specialist skills). These findings reflect the pressure to develop commercial specialists, to remain competitive. This has been at the potential neglect of developing learning and assessment specialists, which underpin the quality of the service being provided by the RTO. Given TAFE’s current strategy of applying the minimum qualification requirements specified in the AQTF, future TAFE teachers will not have to attend Uni to develop their learning and assessment skills. These figures will be exacerbated as current advanced practitioners retire, further reducing the number of learning and assessment specialists and Advanced practitioners.
JMA Analytics model can be used by individuals to review their current skill levels against the 9 skills sets to identify their skill development needs and potential developmental pathways. The model and survey findings can be used by senior managers to “review recognition and reward schemes, re-examine their workforce planning and development strategies and sharpen their strategies around competitive advantage.” John Mitchell and Associates have developed psychometric tools called VETCAT, to assist in capability development through looking at skills levels, skills needs, learning needs and learning aspiration of existing workforce.
Reference
(Mitchell J & Ward, J, 2010) “The JMA Analytics Model of VET Capability Development” A report on the National Survey of Vocational Education and Training (VET) Practitioners Skills, conducted October – November 2009. www.jma.com.au/jmaanalytics.aspx
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