Escan 2011 Launch

IBSA’s Escan 2011 Skilling diverse workforces – innovation, leadership and beyond, was publicly released at the Hilton on the Park, Melbourne on Friday 13 May 2011.

IBSA Chair John Vines, OAM launched Escan 2011 and acknowledged the input of industry participants and IBSA’s Sector Advisory Committee members; this is the fourth annual Escan IBSA has produced that summarises the industry skills and workforce development issues in the six industries for which IBSA is responsible.

Guest speaker at the launch, Mr Leigh Funston, Head of Stakeholder Relations at the Australian Institute of Management Victoria and Tasmania (AIM VT), advocated for leadership, equity and innovation and the benefits of building these into organisations’ culture and previewed the results of AIM VT’s recent Skill Gap Survey.

Mr Vines stressed that Escan 2011 was strongly influenced by two key areas of thinking and planning - business opportunities that will arise from general access to highspeed broadband and the attention to business’s requirements of the education and training industry. Looking at the capacity of the education and training industry is a particular focus following the Productivity Commission research report Vocational Education and Training, April 2011 and Skills Australia's Skills for Prosperity, May 2011. IBSA's Escans continue to report the importance of innovation and leadership skills across Australian industries, consistent with the messages from AIM VT on the importance of leadership and management in business planning and skills development.

The Chair noted that IBSA’s Escan 2011 highlights:

• business views on sustainability – people, the economy and the environment
• the importance to businesses and working Australians of digital literacy to maximise advantage from access to highspeed broadband
• regional skilling needs as well as ‘live’ business case studies showcasing the benefit of planned workforce development, and
• the critical role of vocational education and training in skilling future workforces.

The Chair also noted that the six industry and principal Escans identified that:

• training packages and the national VET system remain crucial to the ongoing development and productivity of the Australian workforce, and
• the continuing rise of the digital economy – spurred on by general access to a high speed broadband through the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout – will intensify the interconnectedness of all industries, and highlight the need for the closer integration of ICT, business, creativity and design capabilities.

Pictures from the launch:

(1) AIM VT, Head of Stakeholder Relations, Leigh Funston, advocating for leadership and innovation	(2) IBSA Board Chair, John Vines addressing Escan 2011 launch attendees
(3) Escan 2011 launch attendees	(4) Escan 2011 launch attendees
(5) L – R: IBSA CEO, Patrician Neden; ANZIFF, Bronwyn Mills; PIAA, Jim Hargrave; Institute of Certified Bookkeepers - Jims Bookkeeping, John Birse	(6) L – R: IBSA Board, John Maddock; IBSA Board Chair, John Vines ; IBSA, Chris Anthony; ACPET, Ben Vivekanandan
(7) L – R: Master Builders Association of Victoria, Alan Odgers; IBSA Board, Keith Harvey; Brisbane North Institute of TAFE, Michael Norton	(8) L – R: IBSA, Ruth Rosen; AIM VT, Leigh Funston
(9) L – R: Service Industries Training Advisory Council NT, Melanie Brenton; Financial, Administrative and Professional Services Training Council WA, Allan Jones	(10) L – R: Creative Industries Skills Council QLD, Sam Nicolosi; Multimedia Victoria, Melinda Marty
(11) Escan 2011 launch attendees	(12) Escan 2011 launch attendees