At the beginning of 2016 the Australian Government introduced a new framework for engaging industry in the development of training packages that will guide the delivery of VET.

The new training package framework consists of three key entities:

• Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC),
• Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), and
• Skills Service Organisations (SSOs).

Industry Reference Committees (IRCs)

IRCs are the industry engagement mechanism at the centre of training package development providing a conduit for industry feedback to government on industry trends and for promotion of VET to employers. They are the formal point through which industry requirements for skills are considered and defined in training packages.

Each IRC is comprised of industry representatives with expertise from a cross-section of their industry/sector tailored to the particular circumstances of that industry or sector. The primary purpose of the IRC is to provide advice to the AISC about the skills needs of their industry or sector, based on their experience and expertise.

Larry Moore (pictured) – NECA Executive Director in South Australia, was formally appointed as Chair of the Electrotechnology IRC in December 2016, after a year as the Interim Chair.

“NECA welcomes the reforms made by the Government in terms of VET, and it’s an honour for one of our state Executive Directors to be invited to chair our industry’s IRC,” said NECA’s CEO Suresh Manickam.“Larry has over 30 years’ experience in this field and we know he will do a great job,” he added.

”It is also very pleasing to see that both Carl Copeland – the General Manager of our College of Electrical training in WA, and Peter Beveridge – an electrical contractor and NECA board member, from WA, are also on the Electrotechnology IRC.

“We wish the committee well,” Mr Manickam concluded.

For further information on the new training framework, click here.