EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

1. EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS Ken Fraser Manager Professional Development November 2008

2. Background info Employability Skills were developed through a national project managed by Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce(Report 2002) The Employability Skills Framework was developed, incorporating 8 Employability Skills, each one made up of elements or “facets” The National Quality Council endorsed an approach to embed Employability Skills (ES) into Training Packages from 2006

3. The ES Framework was modified to capture industry specific requirements, then mapped to existing TPs and embedded into Units of Competency • DEEWR and Industry Skills Councils have worked to integrate Employability Skills into all endorsed Training Packages • The ES Framework is a re-definition and expansion of the older “key competencies”

4. What are Employability Skills? Employability skills are non-technical skills which play a significant part in contributing to an individual's effective and successful participation in the workplace. Employability skills are also sometimes referred to as “soft skills”, generic skills, enabling skills or key competencies. From Training Packages @ Work, DEEWR

5. There are 8 Employability Skills • communication skills • teamwork skills • problem-solving skills • initiative and enterprise skills • planning and organising skills • self-management skills • learning skills • technology skills

6. Employability Skills communication skills, which contribute to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers teamwork skills, which contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes

7. problem-solving skills, which contribute to productive outcomes • initiative and enterprise skills, which contribute to innovative outcomes

8. self-management skills, which contribute to employee satisfaction and growth planning and organising skills, which contribute to long-term and short-term strategic planning

9. learning skills, which contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes technology skills, which contribute to effective execution of tasks

10. Interview with Ann Roberts • Earlier in 2008, Ann was one of many IT teachers involved in a PD workshop with industry representatives focusing on their expectations of the employability skills of TAFE graduates

11. Employability Skills in TPs • Many ES are already embedded in units • The content of some units are very directly related to ES • All new and revised TPs must include ES • For each qualification in a TP, the Employability Skills Summary lists the facets or elements of each skill that have been identified for the qualification.

12. TLI20107: Certificate II in Transport and Logistics (Warehousing and Storage) Initiative and Enterprise Modify activities dependent on differing situations and contingencies that may arise during warehouse and storage operations Take appropriate initiatives in a range of diverse operational situations Respond appropriately to any changes in equipment, standard operating procedures and the working environment TLI50107 Diploma of logistics Initiative and enterprise Translate ideas into action including applying consultative processes, developing plans, applying new technologies and concepts and gaining the support of internal and external stakeholders Contribute to and manage continuous improvement processes Manage the response to any contingencies and changes in equipment, standard operating procedures and the working environment. An example from TLI07

13. For the ES Summaries for different qualifications, see: http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/ • Available for newly revised or endorsed Training Packages

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

15. Suggestions for good practice • Engaging with industry to understand the expectations of employers and to interpret ES for the industry and qualification level • Providing students with explicit information about the ES related to their qualification • Integrating into delivery of training and assessment • Workplace experience • Integrated delivery and assessment of units

16. Assessing ES • Employability Skills are most appropriately assessed in direct relation to the criteria, knowledge and skills described in units of competency, and not as a separate item. • Particular types of activities will relate to particular Employability Skills. • For example, observing a candidate while they perform a group related task at work provides evidence of their ability to complete tasks as well as providing opportunities to assess skills in relation to teamworkand communication.

17. Where to from here? What would you like to do in your section to promote the integration of ES in your delivery? • PD has produced a set of posters and postcards that can be distributed to staff and used for discussions, and can provide support for activities – section-based or cross-section • Training resources for staff on ES are available from DEEWR (links to follow)

18. Questions?

19. More information on ES • Websites that can provide more information: • www.tpatwork.com/back2basics/db4_employabilitysk.htm • http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/index.php • http://www.training.com.au/documents/Employability%20Skills_From%20Framework%20to%20Practices.pdf • The PD wikispace will have links to additional resources: • http://employabilityskills.westernsydneyinstitute.wikispaces.net