To answer the question in the title, we do! Kevin Fothergill writes about the training and regulations fighting against industry cowboys.

We do! Apart from a few cowboys that tarnish the industry, that’s the answer from our skilled cablers. But is the training regime fit for purpose? Let’s have a look at a bit of history, looking mainly at the issues affecting the cabling sector.

In the “old” days of the monopoly of PMG/Telecom Australia and Telstra (in the early days at least) training was addressed nationally and was reasonably consistent across states and territories.

Core training programs for telecommunications technicians were primarily around Certificate III/IV level and often in skill set areas such as customer premises equipment (CPE), network, transmission and radio communications. Training at the Certificate II level was also delivered along with in-house qualifications. With deregulation, over time, all the accumulated expertise, access to training materials and live equipment for hands-on training and supporting documentation were let go.

Unfortunately, most of the deregulation agenda was driven politically and there was no viable training alternative put in place to replace a proven training system. That still haunts us and although successive governments have played with the VET system, there are still problems to be overcome and with the new national VET system now in place, this will help.

Competency-based training grew in the 1990s and gained political, industry and union support. The Telecommunications Training Package was developed by the original TITAB (Telecommunications Industry Training Advisory Board) as one of four packages. It included a customer premises category with national competency standards assessment methods and set out the skills and knowledge to be delivered.

Up to the 1990s CPE installation and maintenance had big numbers employed by the network owner, who was also a customer premises equipment provider. Now, with the NBN Co taking over the network, CPE installation and maintenance is populated by some carrier staff on smaller scale remedial tasks, small data businesses and electrical contractors, large and small. Electricians, dual qualified as registered cabling provider rules cablers are now a significant resource, usually trained as part of the apprenticeship system.

While there may not be a major shortfall in number of cablers, training quality has been diminished, with some “dumbing down” of cabling training. Some RTO programs for CPR registration are down to as little as five “classroom” days. A cabling cohort of what can be called “sub-sub-contractors” has also evolved, where labour cost reduction prevails over the need for quality work.

This is an area where a small percentage of cablers may not be registered and are often not picked up in ACMA audits. This is where the ACMA complaints system can be useful. Reports of breaches should go to the ACMA compliance group.

So, where to now? A new national Future Skills Organisation (FSO) has recently been established. We are almost going back to what worked in the recent past. There is a revised Vocational Education Training System (VET) based on competency-based training (CBT) and it involves industry much more directly in the design of programs to deliver quicker, more relevant outcomes.

Currently, the FSO is spearheading a range of projects to tackle workforce challenges in technology. An information communications and technology (ICT) needs and gap analysis is due for completion late in October and should be a guide for the future.

In telecommunications cabling, the CPR System is to be reviewed later this year by ACMA. It is essential that stakeholders input into this review. It does not need to be a major essay, but at the last review, a wide range of inputs strongly supported the regulatory role of ACMA in CPR registration. All indications are that support among the industry, remains strong.

Many of our industry enterprises are reluctant to get involved in programs that are often of major importance to them in the long term. A recently conducted government-supported project by CITT on Cyber Security was designed to inform the industry on options for protection and also develop a way forward to continue Cyber Awareness programs.

However, many enterprises missed the opportunity to participate as they were preoccupied with daily operations and lacked time to get involved. This is understood. But in the end, industry players in communications and cabling specifically, need to get involved in more activities that can shape decision-making if we are to meet the demands of the future.

The Australian Digital & Telecommunications Association (ADTIA) is made up of a wide range of stakeholders including carriers, consultants, vendors, registrars and cabling companies and represents telecommunications/data/digital interests not picked up by Communications Alliance and Standards Australia and provides an opportunity for more industry participation.

ADTIA as part of its practical actions, is running an industry survey to assist with developing inputs to the forthcoming ACMA CPR review and to federal and state/territory government training agencies, as opportunities arise.

There is also a role for the regulator to have a say in training programs. ACMA have tended to leave technical subject matter input and RTO liaison, to the CPR registrars, like TITAB. More “mature industries” like building, plumbing/gas and electrical have a tradition of influencing apprentice training and skills development. Our regulator should look to do the same.

In modern industry, as well as apprenticeships and certificated outcomes, there is a trend toward inclusion of skillsets and more targeted qualifications with wider acceptance of enterprise-based certifications. TITAB, other CPR registrars and ADTIA are on committees developing future telecommunications training programs.

Telecommunications is a transport medium and is core to the advancement of information technology and digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). It is now recognised as an essential service, along with other utilities and emergency services, as demonstrated in flood, fire and other national emergencies.

While NBN Co now runs the network out from the terminal devices, customer equipment and cabling work is undertaken by big and small enterprises and individual contractors in the private sector. But NBN Co plays a major role in influencing their delivery partners on compliance with CPR registration and standards. They also have some contractors who work across the network boundary

Quality is linked directly to compliance with national technical standards, such as mandated Wiring Rules, commonly called AS 009 and the lesser known, AS 008, covering cable types. A high proportion of non-compliance in ACMA audits is by ignoring AS/CA S009 and to a lesser extent AS/CA S008. Some training programs have not devoted enough time to these basic cabling requirements – including the mandated requirement to issue compliance certificates, TCA1s to customers.

TITAB works with other registrars and ADTIA building relationships with registered training organisations and government agencies to improve training quality at state/territory and national levels.

Equipment quality is an industry challenge with so much offshore production and some products not meeting Australian Technical Standards. An example is patch cords. Many commercially available are not compliant. A standard requirement is for clear markings to be visible on cable indicating compliance with Australian standards. As with all CPE products, cheap can in the long run be more expensive. If the last metre of cabling fails, the best switching and transmission system is useless to the customer. Registered cablers are a critical link in the chain of quality.

While there are challenges, (the quality and integrity of the network is the responsibility of all of us) telecommunications is an essential service easily demonstrated in emergencies. A key step in the journey to top quality and industry best practices is adherence to the national technical standards and national training requirements.

We cannot leave it to the regulator alone to ensure adherence, it is up to all of us to pursue quality work and best practice.