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Training and the Printing Industry in Western Australia
Executive Summary
This report is part of an ongoing series undertaken for the purpose
of the Western Australian Information, Electrotechnology and Utilities
Industry Training Council (IEU-ITC) Industry Training Plan Planning
processes. The printing industry in Western Australia employs around
7,500 people spread across some 680 locations. Most of this is in the
metropolitan area and involves mostly small to medium enterprises.
One of the claims made against the industry in this state for some considerable
period has been its reluctance to employ apprentices and trainees at
the same levels as other states. This report attempts to clarify that
situation as well as the assertions about the poor training culture
particular to this state. The section on Underlying Themes provides
some analysis of those issues.
ISSUE ONE
In collaboration with the Printing Industries Association (PIA), the
IEU-ITC has included the issues raised by Print 21, particularly Recommendation
6 which is to provide people solutions through review and development
of training initiatives "to the National Printing Industry Training
Council (NPITC) and other training providers for feedback and discussion".
However as the report indicates, the perceived value of those objectives
in terms of business outcomes for the printing industry in Western Australia
attracts little interest. It should be pointed out that whilst this
is not peculiar to the printing industry alone, the interviews undertaken
for the research show the industry to place low levels of acceptance
of a correlation between training effort and business performance.
Recommendation One
That if the printing industry in Western Australia is to maintain its
level of publicly funded training infrastructure, it will need to better
demonstrate its commitment to and participation in the development of
its skills pool. In what is increasingly a highly competitive environment
for public funds, the peak bodies in particular need to work closely
with the NPITC and the IEU-ITC with Print 21 objectives in mind, to
improve the understanding and relationships between training and business
benefits.
ISSUE TWO
Despite continued provision of advice and information across the industry,
there is little industry awareness of the new National Printing Training
System and the added flexibility, relevance and performance outcomes
it provides. Known as the Printing and Graphic Arts Training Package,
the new system has been built by the industry itself, particularly peak
bodies such as PIA and the Australian Manufacturers Worker's Union (AMWU),
it is world class and highly relevant to Print 21 objectives and yet
remains to this point poorly utilised.
At the same time, there has been widespread criticism of the performance
of the training system in Western Australia in its promotion, assistance
and ensuring better industry ownership and involvement in the new system
at large.
Recommendation Two
That the Department of Training take a more industry-specific approach
to the promotion of the new training system with a view to facilitating
a focus on the relationship between apprenticeships and traineeships
and training as a business solution. Further, given that the Western
Australian printing industry is perceived as not as receptive to the
value of training as other industry sectors, that the Department of
Training pilot the industry specific approach using the printing industry
as a test case.
ISSUE THREE
The printing industry has been critical of the performance of the Central
Metropolitan College of TAFE's Print Training Unit (PTU) for some time.
The research and follow-up interviews would show that this criticism
is maintained despite most of those who were interviewed agreeing that
they have had little involvement with the PTU, particularly in recent
times.
There are also a number of senior industry personnel who believe that
the IEU-ITC should control and direct the relevance and quality of training
for the industry. Whilst the IEU-ITC has direct influence over the relevance
of training through the Printing and Graphic Arts Training Package,
the issue of quality remains the jurisdiction of the Department of Training.
Given each of the above, a solution would seem to rest in improved communication
and collaboration so as to ensure issues and concerns are understood
as well as positives recognised.
Recommendation Three
That an Industry Working Group made up of key industry personnel be
formed for which a secretariat would be provided by the IEU-ITC. The
terms of reference would include:
- Facilitating the quality and relevance of on- and off-the-job
training.
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Promotion of training in the context of maintaining the skills pool
and increasing the uptake of apprenticeships, traineeships and training
in general. The management of Recommendation Two would be a function
of this group.
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Participation in this group should include employer and employee representatives,
training providers both public and private, relevant government agencies
and the IEU-ITC.
The body of the report engages and identifies a range of strengths and
weaknesses in relation to printing industry training in Western Australia.
The recommendation if taken up and implemented with a view to tangible
and productive outcomes will go a long way to addressing the intent of
Print 21 and the need for "people solutions" for the industry.
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