From 2007–2010 the NSW Public Sector ITAB worked with NSW councils, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), schools and local community agencies to promote vocational education and training pathways, to give new and existing council employees skills to work in areas experiencing shortages.
The project was funded by the Strategic Skills Program—Industry Partnerships within the NSW Department of Education and Training and its focus was on the development and recognition of skills in the areas of planning, environmental health and building assessment as well as the creation of school-based traineeships in local government.
Achievements
Some of the achievements of the project included:
- 94 enrolments in local government planning and environmental health qualifications between Jan 2008—Feb 2010, with the involvement of 47 councils compared with the targeted 20.
- An increase of 52% in school based traineeship numbers between 2008 and Feb 2010 and a rise in the percentage of participating councils from 5.9% of all councils in 2007 to 15.8% in 2010.
- The establishment of school-based traineeship pathways in Certificate II in Local Government and Certificate II in Local Government (Operational Works).
- The production of a brochure promoting Certificate IV in Local Government (Planning), Diploma of Local Government (Planning) and Diploma of Local Government (Environmental Health and Building Assessment).
- Production of two brochures promoting school based traineeships in local government to employers (councils) and school students (trainees).
- Production of a DVD with Government Skills Australia featuring two clips promoting local government school based traineeships—one targeted to school students and careers advisors and the other, to council managers.
Full details of the project’s objectives, activities and recommendations are included in the Final Report.