Skills for Sustainability

Sustainability and Green Skills

IBSA, like many ISCs, has been engaged with the sustainability agenda for some time. The development of units of competency focused on sustainability skills within the Business Services Training Package (BSBSUS201A; BSBSUS302A, BSBSUS501A) have provided useful options for those utilising this Training Package. Other Training Package developers and users have found these units suitable to list as electives or adapt to suit their needs.

In line with the Government imperative to implement its Green Skills Policy, IBSA is undertaking work to ensure that all qualifications have skills for sustainability embedded and that any newly emerging job roles with a core emphasis on sustainability are reflected in the qualifications.  IBSA has also undertaken an audit of its 11 Training Packages to identify the gaps and areas where sustainability skills may need to be incorporated or new units developed.
At this stage, a brief summary of the position with the IBSA portfolio of training packages is:

• Financial Services  –  currently in the detailed review stage and with work underway for specific developments associated with sustainability to be incorporated in the new draft package. The revised training package is expected to be presented to the National Quality Council (NQC) in May 2010.
• Telecommunications  – currently in pre-endorsement and includes specific competencies focused on sustainability and green skills for the Telecommunications sector. The revised Training Package is expected to be presented to the NQC in February 2010.
• Printing & Graphic Arts  - currently in pre-endorsement and includes competencies focused on sustainability and green skills for the sector incorporated as units in the core of all qualifications. The revised Training Package is expected to be presented to the NQC in February 2010.
• Visual Arts Craft and Design  – training package currently under review with objectives of general “fitness for purpose” appraisal and incorporation of higher level qualifications, with specific focus on green skills. The revised Training Package is expected to be presented to the NQC in October 2010.
• New Live Performance Training Package  - previously known as “performing arts” project – this project is building new competencies and qualifications and will accommodate green skills in existing work. The new Training Package is expected to be presented to the NQC in October 2010.
• Information & Communications Technology  – to commence re-development in early 2010, will be substantially informed by the work already completed in the Telecommunications Training Package project and will incorporate significant green IT components. The revised Training Package is expected to be presented to the NQC in August 2010.
• Training and Education  (formally Training and Assessment TAA04) – green skills are currently being implemented in the new training package (which incorporates old Training and Assessment and Business Services “education” qualifications).  The new Training Package will be presented to the NQC in April 2010.  
• Business Services  – generic sustainability units currently the subject of a detailed, focussed review to establish the continuing suitability of the three units and requirements for further development .
• Museum and Library/Information Services  – full review of this package is proposed for commencement in 20010/2011 as part of IBSA’s Continuous Improvement Plan.  Green skills and flexibility rules will be accommodated within any proposed work on this package.
• The following training packages are not subject to a general review process in the timeframe outlined by the Green Skills Agreement and will consequently undergo a focused examination and modification process to ensure that the guidelines articulated in the agreement are met:
• Entertainment
• Screen and Media
• Music
• Business Services – all components except for education qualifications re-located to the Training and Education Training Package
• IBSA will provide updates as the project progresses during 2010.

Scoping Skills For Sustainability

IBSA  has completed the project which aims to scope skill for sustainability across all the IBSA Training.  The worldwide community has accepted that climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is a serious long term threat to the economic and physical health of all communities.  Industry, government bodies, individuals and Australian politics are focused on sustainability themes such as; climate change, water scarcity and carbon trading to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the ‘footprint’ of human activity on the ecological system that supports us. The call to attention by government and enterprise has led IBSA to investigate current and future sustainability skilling needs.

The aim was to conduct a scoping project across all IBSA Training Packages to:

• Determine if current sustainability units should be included as core units in all or selected IBSA qualifications;
• Identify the need and support for industry specific sustainability skills as core competencies;
• Establish a qualifications framework for each qualification, contingent on the outcomes of the above;
• Identify gaps and establish industries support for the development of additional units that provide the skills and knowledge
• Identify and establish industry support for current/future sustainability technologies to support the development of skills and knowledge within new and existing units of competency;
• Determine appropriateness of skills for sustainability for micro and small businesses;
• Review the need for support materials,
• Investigate how other Industry Skills Councils are involved in skills for sustainability;
• Investigate the accredited courses available in sustainability and the institutions conducting the courses;
• Identify the need and support for skill sets for environmental sustainability, and
• Identify the need and support for embedded skills for sustainability.

To access the final report please click Scoping skills for sustainability

For more information on the project please contact Maria Deak on maria@ibsa.org.au