New TCE qualifications for Year 12 students

This morning I attended a Reference Group meeting at TQA in Battery Point, of relevant people who might be able to distribute information regarding the new TCE qualification which will be issued for the first time at the end of this year (2009) to all eligible Year 12 students.

Basically, over the past few years, TQA have been undertaking a total revamp of the qualifications our students receive at school. The feedback TQA received prior to that indicated that in the world of work, employers couldn't understand what the school results meant in regard to the student's capabilities and qualification to do the actual job of work required of them by the employer.

The former TCE qualification was introduced in 1991, and, as a qualification that new entrants to the workforce wave under the nose of a potential employer, has been essentially dismissed by industry.
There will be two new qualifications issued now:

TCE - Tasmanian Certificate of Education, which has 5 requirements for the students to have attained before they are issued with it.
QC - Qualifications Certificate, which will be issued to cover additional qualifications a person achieves later in life, or in studies that are not covered or included in the TCE, for instance if a student is doing their TCE at school, and outside school are learning to play the piano, so end up with an AMEB qualification.

The 5 requirements the student MUST have to gain their TCE are:
*must have reached an agreed literacy standard (ie practical, everyday writing, reading and communication)
*must have reached an everyday standard of numeracy
*must have reached an everyday adult use of ICT/computer (familiar with Word packages, email etc)
*must have 120 units of credit in education and training, 80 of which must be at Level 2 or higher
*must have a Pathway Plan lodged with TQA at the end of Year 10, signed off by the school and stating where they are going in Years 11 and 12.

There will also be an additional qualification issued named TCEA - Tasmanian Certificate of Educational Achievement, which will be a special purpose certificate issued to a small number of people with difficult circumstances, for example, autistic or deaf or critical family issues. A panel of experts will evaluate the eligibility of students to achieve this qualification. It will reflect their achievement as a fairer account of what they have achieved in their trying circumstances.

The main message I came away with, apart from finding out the details of the new TCE, was the fact that TQA are wanting feedback on this qualification. They want anyone and everyone who is interested enough to do so, to feed back their responses to this new TCE. Obviously that won't be till next year, after this years batch of Year 12 students gain it, then use it to get jobs in 2010. So round April 2010, they will be looking at industry and employers and anyone else to provide feedback.

New announcement from Canberra

PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT PARTICIPATION
IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
TO SUPPORT RETRENCHED WORKERS

To support Australian workers during a global recession the Government today announced a $298.5 million additional investment in employment services in Australia. This targeted investment will ensure any Australian worker made redundant will now receive immediate and personalised assistance to help them get back into the workforce. Rather than having to wait at least 3 months to receive intensive personalised assistance from today all newly redundant workers will now receive this support immediately.

This intensive assistance will be the equivalent to Stream 2 services such as:
• career advice;
• a comprehensive skills assessment;
• skills development training;
• IT support and stationary support to help with job applications;
• targeted referral to appropriate education and training;
• $550 credit to the Employment Pathway Fund to pay for items such computer courses, heavy vehicle license, safety boots and work uniforms.

Today’s targeted investment builds on the Government’s $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan to invest in nation building, support jobs and Australian workers during a global recession. The Government is determined to take all action responsibly possible to help those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own during this global recession. Providers of employment services will also receive increased resources in recognition of the extra workload. In addition, providers will be eligible to receive outcome payments if they directly assist an individual to obtain a sustainable employment outcome.

These changes build on the Rudd Government’s investment of more than $4 billion over three years on a new, more effective, employment services system that will provide better targeted support and do more to assist disadvantaged jobseekers from 1 July.

Today’s announcement will allow workers made redundant from today access to more intensive services from April 1. The Job Seeker Account is also being made more flexible to allow funds to be used to assist job seekers without the need for unnecessary red tape.

In addition, the Rudd Government has committed $75 million to assist newly retrenched workers access training. 10,000 additional training places will be made available under the successful Productivity Places Program and delivered by Registered Training Organisations. Productivity Places Program provides participants with new skills and qualifications that can lead to a pathway of further training and employment. Training will be provided at the Certificate III and Certificate IV levels and will be offered across a wide range of industries.

The $2 billion Productivity Places Program is a major long term commitment that will deliver 711,000 training places over five years. Since April 2008 more than 80,000 Australians have enrolled in a training course through the Productivity Places Program. A highly skilled workforce provides individuals with greater job opportunities and will benefit the Australian economy in the longer term.

The Government will take further action to assist people who lose their job into the future.

More information on these measures are available at: www.deewr.gov.au
CANBERRA

I found it interesting that The Mercury hasn't printed this story at all, either yesterday (Wednesday 25th February 2009) following the media release on Tuesday 24th February 2009, or today.

Welcome

Pictured above are, from left, Mic Smith, Helen Ellis and Mark Goodluck - three speakers at an Employer Breakfast held at Bellerive Yacht Club in June 2008.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Tasmanian RICA! On behalf of Shannon, Malcolm and myself, I encourage you to keep checking in to this site to keep up with the latest info from round Tassie about work and jobs, and all things associated with those subjects.