WERC Previous Articles 

E-journal of Workplace Education from the School of Administration & Training, University of New England, Australia.

Year 2000 Archive:

Workplace Training Through Music.
Annie Mitchell		 A Fresh Approach
 to Management Training 
Roberta Thompson		 Profiles:
Angela Robertson
Paul Byrne
Workshop on Evaluation 
Barrie Brennan		 Mentoring and Flexible Delivery:
Julianne McCloud		 A Train the Trainer course customised for Aboriginal learners
Jill Byrnes
Partnership Solutions
 UNE’s industry training arm, joins forces with Sydney Water
Leonie Henschke 		THE WORKPLACE THE LEARNINGPLACE
By Elaine Roberts		 Self-Directed Learning and the Development of Key Competencies in a Work-Based Traineeship Scheme
Professor Rod Gerber
WHAT IS GOING ON? Researching your the Workplace
Margaret Somerville 

 

 2001 New Edition Is Here

 

Annie Mitchell writes about workplace training through a comprehensive Music Program

Annie is a Music Teacher in the ATSI Arts Faculty, Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE

The Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE has nine campuses which service the educational and training needs of a region one and a half times the size of Victoria; which stretches from Tully north to the border of Papua New Guinea, west to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Principal client areas are: Cairns and urban, rural and regional, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and correctional centre inmates. A 3 year music course is currently being piloted at Certificate and Diploma levels, with Advanced Diploma commencing n 1999. Annie has been employed in the music department since the beginning of the course, and is involved in course facilitation, curriculum planning, resource development, vocational training etc.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

The music program covers several broad learning areas from practical musicianship to industry and indigenous cultural studies. Students are educated to develop practical instrumental, vocal, ensemble and performance expertize; knowledge of music theory, history and aural perception. They also develop a facility in operating computers, video cameras, film making production and sound recording equipment; business skills of planning and managing music venues, events and organization of business practices; creative expression through song writing, arranging and composition.

PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM

The purpose of the music course is to provide training for students to become effective participants in the music industry, e.g. performing, teaching, songwriting, business management, sound production. The increasing tourist demand and commercial marketability of indigenous cultural expression, evident in the success of businesses such as Tjapukai Dance Theatre and recording artists like David Hudson, make Far North Queensland a conducive environment for training such a workforce. One vital area of workplace training involves the education of students to become community teachers, preparing their return to usually remote communities to facilitate music learning programs.

MATCHING TRAINING TO NEEDS

Requirements by the music industry include the training of potential employees with appropriate skills, knowledge and application to compete in the workforce at a professional level; with sufficient self-direction, creativity and business acumen to ensure a reliable quality of service and product.

Institutional needs must include a sufficient proportion of students applying and graduating to preserve the academic and professional integrity of the college; ensure continued governmental support; and compete in a diversifying market place as a training provider.

Community needs are complex and diverse. There is an obvious need for programs which develop the educational potential of a population with poor educational history and generally sporadic learning opportunities. The need for expression of cultural identity; effective leisure pursuits in communities of notoriously high unemployment; and positive engagement in activities to avoid problems of boredom, indulgence in alcohol, drugs and similar destructive practices; are genuine concerns expressed by representatives of these communities.

Needs of staff include the desire for job satisfaction, a sense of achievement of aims and expectations, administrative support, and the challenge to apply and extend professional skills and knowledge.

Student needs are the improvement of their educational and employment potential, development of musical abilities and knowledge, and the expression of personal creativity through interaction in a positive and stimulating learning and social environment.

STRATEGIES THAT WORK

Encouraging co-operation and creating a balance between structured activities and personal freedom of expression, are strategies which generate positive responses and greater application to tasks. Realistic yet relatively high expectations of students, with sufficient explanation and support to help achieve these aims, is productive and helps counteract feelings of apathy and negativity.

Respect for different personal and cultural communication styles is beneficial. The learning environment is usually relaxed and friendly encouraging a sense of belonging to an interdependent group. Varying the learning environment can be beneficial e.g. working outside

Performing and touring were major motivating incentives. Student bands frequently perform at local venues and concerts, and have performed at cultural festivals at Barunga, Laura and Thursday Island. All music students participate in a choir which sings at such events as well as formal functions.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM

Some of the rewards of teaching in this faculty are: seeing students overcome serious learning difficulties such as poor literacy and the apprehension of participating in a mainstream educational institution. Nurturing the creative and artistic spirit and product of individuals is also pleasing as is observing the growth of personal confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging to a wider artistic community in students. The program helps to prepare them for meaningful participation in the music industry and in their local communities as well as helping to address some personal problems

Other outcomes include the registration of all students as performing artists and composers in Australian Music Performing Rights Association (APRA);

The inclusion of 6 original student compositions and their performance on Queensland

Arts Network’s indigenous music compilation recording, which is to be distributed to all Queensland indigenous communities;

The composition and recording of soundtracks for promotional videos for the Sport and

Recreation and Community Justice programs and the planning, marketing and performing in a fundraising concert which raised over four thousand dollars for the victims of Papua New Guinea Aitape tidal wave disaster.

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Mentoring and Flexible Delivery:

Julianne McCloud goes underground in the mining industry

A Workplace Communications Initiative for Powercoal Pty Ltd.

Since the end of 1995, a federally funded, Workplace Communications Program has been running at Powercoal Pty Ltd, an underground black coal producing company, operating 8 mines in the Lake Macquarie, Central Coast and Lithgow regions of NSW. The Workplace Communications Program has worked with employees from 7 of the 8 mines up until this year, delivering courses, including basic literacy, presentation skills, report writing, meeting skills and basic computer skills.

The Western Region’s business manager in Lithgow felt that his employees would benefit from such a program and suggested a meeting with me to discuss how this could be achieved. I put a proposal to him that the Angus Place Program be set up as a Flexible Delivery project using workplace mentors. I would travel to Lithgow once a month to teach the employees face to face and for the other 3 weeks, I would develop individual learning packages to be sent to the men by courier. I would speak to them by phone at a mutually arranged time and they would work with their own nominated workplace mentors.

The project was agreed upon and is now under way. Having addressed each shift at the colliery I then went about advertising the program through flyers attached to payslips and posters on noticeboards. Those who stood up to be counted were individually interviewed and the program began. At this stage there are 18 men enrolled in the Angus Place Program. Half of the participants are needing help with spelling and writing skills while the remainder are keen to learn basic computer skills.

We have applied for and successfully obtained 12 months federal funding which pays for 50% of the cost of the Angus Place program. Some fast and clever talking successfully persuaded the federal government’s Sydney representative that Angus Place was so isolated from the rest of the company that it warranted special treatment. The company has already received maximum funding for the last three years. The fact that the program and funding had recently received free publicity through "A Current Affair" helped the win case!

At the initial interview each man was asked to nominate a workplace mentor to help guide them with their learning packages. Several were reluctant to let anyone know that they were participating in the program, least of all others from work. Some of these named their wives as mentors and the rest nominated workplace mentors without hesitation. The mentors will receive formal training in another month.

To design the mentor training I have called upon the University of New England Partnerships to provide Mentor Training for me. Through Leonie Henschke, the Managing Director, I have been put in contact with Leh Simonelli, a Academic Director of the company. He has designed some customised training for me with I am working through. He has taken an Action Learning approach which is working perfectly under the circumstances. We discuss the Angus Place issues as they arise and are able to put plans in place. I’m sure it is a learning experience for both of us. Leh is based in Melbourne but we speak often by phone and use email to send material.

The project is unfolding so far without any problems. I met my students in a classroom situation recently and it was satisfying to continue establishing a good working relationship with them. I was able to pick up their individual learning styles which will help with the design of their learning packages. They are happy with the system as it gives them the flexibility and freedom they require for their adult learning. It will also help them take responsibility for their own learning as the project progresses.

Julianne McLeod, Worksite Communications consultant

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A Fresh Approach to Management Training

 

A new skills assessment and training initiative
develops leadership principles and attitudes

Time to swing into 'frontline' action. A National study (the Karpin Report) recognised that one of the key ways in which Australian enterprises can raise their performance is by improving the competency levels (skills, knowledge and understanding) of their Frontline Managers.

As a result, a set of Frontline Management Competencies has been identified as part of the Government's Frontline Management Initiative (FMI). One area where this program differs from other management courses is that instead of classroom learning, the FMI concentrates on the concept of workplace learning. The focus of the FMI is self-guided learning and development, and the goals to be achieved by a frontline manager. These are achieved within the context of the overall objectives of the organisation.

The Frontline Management program allows managers to recognise skills they have now and concentrate on management skills that need developing.

It's time to 'lead from the front'. Leaders need to establish a vision, build trust and meaning, encourage a stimulating, working environment and institute flexible systems which will ensure ongoing success in managing a changing arena. Leaders need to follow leadership principles and attitudes that ensure positive staff empowerment. Allowing staff greater involvement in work processes leads to less resistance to change, as people tend to support what they have helped create. The result is greater motivation of staff working as a cohesive team with shared goals.

How do leaders gain the necessary skills and knowledge to manage effectively? Through the Frontline Management program, which focuses on management and leaderships skills, current skills and knowledge are recognised and via assessment, areas where development may be needed are identified. The knowledge gained is directly applicable to, and assessed in, the workplace - very practical.

The FMI program is offered at three levels within the Australian Qualifications Framework; Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma - all available through UNE Partnerships. UNE Partnerships has set up a new division for competency-based Management and Leadership development. We offer a 'complete service' with expertise in Frontline Management, skills audit and training needs analysis, strategic and organisational reviews, workplace training assessment systems and more.

If you would like to know more about UNE Partnerships we invite you to visit our web site http://www.unepartnerships.com and for further information on Frontline Management, please contact Roberta Thompson at UNE Partnerships.

Roberta Thompson
Management & Leadership Division
UNE Partnerships Pty Ltd
PO Box U199
University of New England NSW 2351

Phone: (02) 6771 1097 or (02) 6773 0018
Fax: (02) 6772 5230
Email: robertat@unep.northnet.com.au

1Report of the Industry Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills, Enterprising Nation - Renewing Australia's Managers to Meet the Challenges of the Asia Pacific Century (April 1995)

 

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Partnerships provide solutions

UNE Partnerships, UNE’s industry training arm, joins forces with Sydney Water to provide training which works!

The University of New England is in the business of providing education and training solutions. The Strategic Links with Industry project has provided a resource and support network for training and human resource managers, building on a nucleus of people studying postgraduate awards in the education and training field. The Project has established industry forums for professional support of these (and other) training managers and UNE Partnerships complements this role by working with them to provide solutions to specific training needs of their staff.

One such client is Sydney Ports where a strategic link has been set up to offer customised training to management staff.

This training will include:

 

And one of the particular benefits of this program is that the training provider comes to them! They don’t have to send staff off to a campus – time out of the workplace is minimised. All consultations to date have been held in the client’s workplace and all training is offered in-house and customised to meet the particular situation, level of the employee and the industry sector. (You don’t want the trainer giving examples from Coca Cola when it’s not relevant to your industry.) All case studies, scenarios, etc relate to the client right down to the examples of reports used. And a key feature of the training is that evaluation is built into the delivery process.

The emphasis in UNE Partnerships is on practical, accredited Nationally Recognised programs which can be directly applied to the workplace and also articulate into higher qualifications to enable a structured career path.

The joint activities of the University and UNE Partnerships provide one of the most comprehensive training solutions services in Australia. UNE Partnerships' ability to accredit courses, add new National Register courses and training packages to its suite of programs, access new traineeship funding, and design and deliver these programs under the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector accreditation guidelines, provides an enviable complement to the capacity of the University in the Higher Education sector. UNE Partnerships and UNE can respond to industry and professional needs with a full range of education and training solutions. Services can range from skills assessment up to Certificate I, II, III, Diploma and Advanced Diploma and on to qualifications of the University. Key areas include frontline management, project management, workplace training qualifications, marketing, strategic planning and human resource management.

We are working in a wide range of areas but the most important aspect of this training solutions service is that UNE Partnerships finds out what groups need either on an industry wide basis or by skills assessment in the specific workplace and then designs and selects accredited programs to suit those needs.

To discuss training needs, directly applied to YOUR workplace, contact the Managing Director, Leonie Henschke, UNE Partnerships, PO Box U199, University of New England, NSW 2351 tel 02 67 71 1097, fax 02 67 72 5230 or email leonieh@unep.northnet.com.au

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Exploring Evaluation Notes from a session at the July Workshop in the Hunter by Barrie Brennan

This session will explore five points - with some discussion but also some working on the tasks/questions by participants. The five points are:

1. What is evaluation?

2. What do we need to know first?

3. What sort of data?

4. Assembling the data.

5. The reporting of the data

1. What is evaluation?

Distinguish evaluation of:

i. the whole program

ii. the individual's performance

Evaluation looks at the issues of

i. the 'worth' or 'value' of the program

ii. the notion of improving the program

In some volumes on training these distinctions are not clearly identified. The first (worth or value) is the relevant option in the present exploration.

2. What do we need to know first?

What does the organisation view as being the purpose/goal of training or are there several goals with different emphases? or is it something vague:

- learning organisation

- make us better/competitive, more efficient

or something specific

- be more productive, gain more market share,

- gain specific accreditation

- gain a specific standard

Where do we find these sorts of statements:

- articles of association - constitution?

- mission statement?

- annual reports?

Remember training is not an END in itself - it is a MEANS to an END - those who manage the organisation need to recognise this fact - as do trainers!

Whose responsibility to set this goal?

Upper management - the Board/Council

BUT with 'help' from HRD/ training supervisors.

The goal should be set in terms that can be assessed/measured - reported on in specific (s/times qualitative) terms. There is little point in noting that 64 staff attended 263 programs over 964 days in ten locations covering 15 different topics .. it is the outcome of this activity, what the individuals and the organisation gained, that counts!

3. What sort of data?

It is normally assumed that program evaluations of training are a very formal/objective affair... not necessarily true.

It is also usual to assume that the quantitative is more powerful than the qualitative... not always true. If the bottom line rules, then what does that mean in terms of training?

Check it out - be sure!

Check on past data:

- useful for comparisons

- useful if this is the first and can therefore set precedents

- Comment on what is called - cost-benefit/cost-effective, sometimes difficult and expensive to perform, sometimes difficult to explain

 

4. Assembling the data

If 2 (above) is unknown (or unsure), the task is difficult/impossible.

Assuming it is known/ written somewhere or generally 'understood', then the task is to gain data to provide some sort of answer from

Data already collected where?

by whom?

i.e. data already collected as part of the normal running of the organisation, eg in indivudal training activities such as assessment figures: _ % of those competent

or

data specifically sought for evaluative purposes. There is an important cost-factor in the specially collected data.

Data to be collected from stakeholders, i.e:

- staff

- those who do the training

- those who receive the training

- those who have to work with those who have received the training

- the supervisors and the supervised

-clients/customers and the industry (for comparisons/benchmarks)

 

5. The reporting of the data

What are the normal means used in the organisation?

- written reports

- with pie charts

-personal presentations

- a picture tells a 1000 stories

- other means?

Do not forget to remind the Board of the television news story of your trainee being awarded the industry's best performer of the year award and of its write up in the trade journal!

- What sort of regularity?

- Who reads them?

- Who interprets them for senior management?

- To whom are they presented?

See to what extent the human factor appears here as in other parts of the strategy!!

- Is it worth doing?

- Are decisions made on the basis of such data or are other factors more important?

 

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Profile 1:

Angela Robertson

Training & Development Co-ordinator

Identity Services

Department of Internal Affairs

Wellington

New Zealand

I currently manage Identity Services Training & Development team. Identity Services is a core business group of the Department of Internal Affairs. It is the agency for government responsible for administering New Zealand citizenship and passport services, and the registration of births, deaths and marriages. The information held by Identity Services is the most important information resource relating to key life events for the general public, government and other organisations in New Zealand.

Idenity Services like many organisations is undergoing significant technological change in each of its business areas, these changes coupled with changes in the political environment will transform the way in which

the organisation does business over the next decade. In addition, the introduction of a Call Centre has changed the relationship with internal and external customers.

This is an exciting time for the organisation and particularly exciting for the Training & Development team. Significant organisational development is in progress to review processes and equip staff with the necessary skills so we can confidently offer instant customer service to individuals & organisations reducing bureaucracy minimal risk associated with fraud & other criminal activity increased integrity of information a seamless service to the customer revolutionary change in the nature of the business from providing documents of national identity to provision of information global accessibility.

I am also studying for a Masters at UNE!

Angela has a background in Human Resources, Risk Management and Training & Development. She has held education and training positions with a variety of Public Sector organisations including Occupational Safety & Health, New Zealand Army (as Civilian Training Officier), Land Transport Safety Authority and the Ministry of Transport. Angela has researched evaluation

of training in the Public Sector in New Zealand and her current focus is on a systematic approach to organisational development.

Profile 2:

Paul Byrne successful student and scholarship winner from Uralla

Paul Byrne, an employee of Uralla Shire Council is undertaking the Graduate Certificate in Adult Education thanks to a joint scholarship offered him by UNE and his employer. The Strategic Links with Industry Project is keen to encourage employers to sponsor employees to undertake studies which will be beneficial to the individual and the organisation. Uralla Shire Council Manager Rob Fulcher is clearly a farsighted employer who sees the benefit of upskilling his workforce and value adding to his organisation through training and development.

Paul Byrne agrees saying, "The courses I’m studying at UNE are interesting and challenging and what I have learned has broadened my way of thinking with regard to on the job training". "For example", he continues, " the different approaches and philosophies of learning and teaching that I’ve picked up (at UNE) have improved my program planning". "Now when conducting training I ask myself ‘Are the staff learning what I want them to learn’?. "I also understand now the difference between training and learning and I am more aware of learner needs."

When asked what was the best thing about his UNE experience so far Paul talked of the week long residential school where he met with fellow external students. "The Program school was enjoyable and beneficial", he said. "I met other who had similar concerns and issues and I also realised I was not alone with regard to being a newcomer to tertiary education." "One of the main benefits was the support offered by the lecturers", he added.

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THE WORKPLACE THE LEARNINGPLACE

By Elaine Roberts, presented at Grape Expectations

the workplace learning event held in the Hunter Resort Pokolbin on 9 & 10 July 1999.

This paper has three parts. The first is a tour of the Learning place set up within Queensland Rail Civil Infrastructure during the past five years. The second is some attempt at distilling the experiences of section one to isolate issues for educators in the workplace. The third is a reconsideration of some of the paradigms that have underpinned teaching practice.

PART ONE A TOUR OF THE QR TRACK INITIATIVES LEARNINGPLACE

For convenience sake, the tale of QR Track Maintenance staff has been sub-divided into some very obvious headings. These form a framework for some common sense reforms, where the wisdom from many sources was tapped:

While there were some twists in the tale, it is one of significant industrial cooperation. Not a day or even an hour was lost in disputation, as the biggest change to the way our track workers were developed, organised, and remunerated was implemented.

There were eight important features of the major project:

1. Knowing Exactly What People Need To Do

With the fast changing rail population, we can no longer be sure that "Fred, the track guru," is there in every gang, to act as the corporate memory and advise the youngsters. This luxury of having the resident "track guru" is fast disappearing, and with the upward movement of the median age of rail workers it is essential that their knowledge is not lost for ever.

Before any real process to meet the needs of industry for knowledge and skills preservation and extension can be achieved, a full codification process has to be undertaken. The process of writing competencies and contextualising evidence is no process for the faint hearted.

All Civil Infrastructure work was listed. Then it was described and recorded using the National Competency format, complete with performance criteria for each element, range statements, evidence guides, reference texts, legal and organisational prerequisite licences, medicals, certification and safety requirements.

The competencies were written, trialed and validated by the very people who know most about them, the users. Certainly help was given with the writing process, but essentially the competencies belong to the people of the track. Queensland Rail was several years ahead of the national initiative to codify infrastructure work on a national scale. While QR took an active role in that initiative, it also took a slightly different tack internally.

QR decided to use a series of small competencies rather than move towards the large all embracing competencies of the national project. This was to encourage employees to achieve small competencies with ease and gradually build their expertise with bite-sized chunks.

While the recording of all this minutiae took effort, it proved to be a satisfying tool which enabled us to look at the functional and literacy requirements that each person undertaking a competency safely and efficiently. This was a crucial part of the quality processes implemented.

 

2. Knowing They Can Do The Work To Standard

Having framed the standards, it was necessary to find a way to ensure that all employees reached and maintained the standards of work as recorded.. There were two major components of this requirement:

In this paper "Training" refers to class-based formal activities. This is to ensure that due recognition is given to the other ways that people learn effectively eg. Mentoring, Coaching, Experience, Work Shadowing, Reading etc. There is , of course, a place for structured learning experiences and the traditional training courses, but they are not the focus. The focus is on learning and on measuring and making good the shortfalls in a way that is appropriate for the individual.

A system of training partners has been established so that each workplace has a nationally accredited workplace trainer (category 1). This person works as a full time member of the work group but does training duties when required. Professionally prepared packs to match the competencies can thus be delivered under a quality controlled system in the workplace.

These packs were not easy to develop to a satisfactory level. There was a major difference between a training pack to support mere learning outcomes and one that promotes competency ie. provides sufficient underpinning knowledge but equips the employee with the skills to do and to manage the outcomes, of a competency.

Use of a training pack was then followed up by coaching and workplace experience until the Supervisor or another competent employee was willing to sign the sponsor form to suggest that the employee was ready for workplace assessment.

All Infrastructure Districts have a team of category 1 nationally accredited Workplace Assessors. These employees were, at first, working full time on assessment to start the process, but have now reverted to being full-time gang members who do assessment when required. To date some 106,000 assessments have been completed on 3,000 employees without reference to the grievance process. Assessment either established the exact learning needs of an individual or recognised their competence.

Under the arrangement of the Certified Industrial Agreement , when an employee gained a competency it could have the status of "credited" or of "recognised". If the person was required to use the competency in the course of regular duty it counted points towards their pay and thus had the credited status. If the employee was simply looking ahead, and the competency was not needed at that time, it was recognised and recorded and could be used for future career moves.

3. Recognising They Can Do The Work

Recognition comes in two forms:

The remuneration recognition was reached by firstly allocating points to each competency. As the infrastructure work was not covered by an apprenticeship calling, the TAFE Apprenticeship training hours formulae were not applicable. A formula which took into account the time taken to learn the work, as well as the work value to QR, was devised. Points were allocated to each competency and wages were linked to various benchmarks in the Award. This total process was undertaken in consultation with unions and field staff representatives.

QR agreed to pay for any competency that an employee was required to use in their specific workplace within the current work plan cycle. This meant that each gang had to sit down with Supervisors and work out what competencies and how many it would need to complete the next years work. .

Competencies that everyone had to have included track safety as well as occupational health and safety. These were known as mandatory competencies or pre-requisite competencies. Those that every member of the gang could access were core competencies and those that only a few gang members required were known as additional competencies. The whole process of who got what competencies was negotiated at gang level. Local needs were established and met and the pay was linked to the local work pattern and the skill level of the operatives.

The real achievement of this part of the change was that staff recognised the need to remain competitive in terms of pay structure. No time was lost in industrial disputation when employees negotiated their own competencies and thus their pay.

The processes which governed these arrangements were enshrined in a Certified Industrial Agreement. That agreement commenced on 1 January 1997 and the vote to extend the agreement with minor alterations was agreed with an 89% approval rate in December 1998.

Holding a competency meant that the employee could take charge of the work and bring in the job to standard, despite any unusual occurrences, and take responsibility for the outcome with absolute responsibility for the safety of all and with due regard for the environment. This had one major flow on effect. In order to be competent, an employee had to be able to get train times to organise and program work as well as to clear the track . It required use of a full range of literacy skills. This encouraged our people to brush up on rusty or patchy skills to meet the new challenges.

 

4. Supporting Workplace Literacy

Workplace Literacy with a difference was offered in every part of the State. The TAFE network was used but the material and the approach were provided by QR. The approach featured the development of a Peer Tutor network to support those who needed help in the workplace on an on going basis without interruption of work. It was not a standard TAFE Program but used the workplace for the vocabulary, the reference texts and the activities for the action learning approach..

This program has grown, ably supported by WELL (Workplace English Language and Literacy) funding subsidised by QR funding. The stories of people who have turned their lives around as a result of these offerings would melt the sternest heart.

The National Reporting System has been used as a bench mark to estimate the levels of the literacy skills of reading, writing, listening, speaking and numeracy for each competency. However, the real advantage of the literacy initiative is the raised awareness of literacy as a safety issue, a behavioural issue and an upskilling issue in the workforce. The link with the new remuneration arrangements and the extensive awareness sessions have lifted the veil on discussion of literacy and self identifying is the norm. More than 400 have volunteered for assistance in three years.

The other form of recognition is that of certification. QR decided to follow the Enterprise Competency route, on the proviso that a cross matching was done to the National Competencies. The final approval of the QR Enterprise Civil Infrastructure Competencies by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) is being sought in a submission which will ensure formal recognition of our track workers.

 

5. Ensuring That Vast Technological Change Does Not Leave Them Behind

QR has recognised that change is one of the constants in our industry. Technological change, brings special challenges as often the training needs appear to be related to what has changed on the new model of equipment. What is really needed is consideration of the skills or attributes which underpin the new knowledge required. Some of today’s skills like flow charting were not even invented when today’s forty year olds were at school.

The solution QR is trialing is the implementation of specific bridging programs. These are entirely workplace focused using the actual diagrams to teach the reading of flow charts and wiring diagrams just as one example. It is clearly most effective when the literacy of the subject is taught as part of the content.

QR is also pursuing provision of user-friendly documentation in association with the purchase of new equipment. Early involvement of workplace members has always been a priority. The use of Workplace Literacy Experts in this document preparation may become an element in the future arrangements.

 

6. Providing A Forum For Discussion And Resolution Of Problems

QR has introduced a total workplace consultative process. Its goal is to provide a forum for discussion and problem resolution at every level of the organisation. To do this without losing undue time to endless meetings has been a challenging act.

At workplace level, there are Workplace Task Groups. These consist of the Depot Supervisor and in the case of small gangs all gang members and in larger gangs, elected representatives. This group considers any relevant local issues eg. new equipment and the associated competencies, training needs, assessment and competency allocation, gang competency profile issues. They are the people at the workface and thus have the real knowledge of the situation. They are in the best position to come up with solutions. Of course, these solutions have to be within the possible, reasonable or affordable realms. If issues cannot be resolved at this level they can be referred to the next level of decision making.

The next level in the consultative process is the Local Consultative Committee and this is usually based on a single Infrastructure District. The District Infrastructure Engineer sits with three Management and three Union selected representatives to deal with issues of concern at district level. The issues include, gang profiles, provision of training, workplace assessment needs, any issues regarding remuneration as well as the discussion of district based competencies. Again if issues are not resolved at this level, they can be referred to the next level.

The next level is the Civil Infrastructure Stream Coordinating Committee which consists of relevant Managers and, Senior Union Representatives. This level initiates the plans and processes that lead to Industrial Agreements and implementation plans. Issues that affect the whole state are discussed and strategies framed. Once again, if issues are unresolved at this level, they can go to the final level, but this has not been necessary.

The final level is the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) which consists of the Chief Executive and the Senior Executive Queensland Rail and State Union Executives. At the outset, the SBU set the ground rules for consultation and it still retains the final arbiter role if required.

7. Quality Systems

In QR Civil Infrastructure, moves were made to ensure the gap between policy and practice was minimised. Our strength lay in two places:

The Stream Committee worked at designing policy and designing plans to be implemented by its Workplace Projects unit in a seamless way in the workplace. Our Workplace Projects Unit is not the traditional Human Resources Project Unit, nor a traditional Training Unit, nor an Industrial Relations Unit, but had elements of all three in managing the huge task of implementing the systems.

Workplace Projects Team Members came from the Infrastructure Workplace to combine their expertise with a range of other specialist operatives. Experienced and respected track and structures staff as well as Union representatives worked with educators, safety experts, a researcher and a workplace literacy team to weave a seamless implementation.

This unit took the responsibility for briefing every gang in the state eight times during three years. It also worked with District Management to establish key processes for gang profiling i.e. working out what competencies would be required in every gang in light of the work to be done and the equipment available. Management and Union representatives were always jointly involved in these discussions. The Unit has continued to assist when needed as things work, equipment or personnel changed and re-profiling was required.

The individuals of each gang were then assessed for competencies required in the gang profile. The design of this system and the quality of the individual assessors were the crucial parts of acceptance in the workplace.

Processes were put in place for assessment grievance resolution. However, after 106,000 individual competency assessments the process has not been used. The early planning of the massive task of assessing all employees for all competencies was an enormous learning experience for all concerned. However, workplace assessment is now an accepted part of the workplace activities and simply continues as the need arises organised at district or gang level.

The Human Resource Information System needed a purpose built section to manage the enormous amount of data generated so that the system could drive the payroll system in accordance with the Industrial Agreement. The system had to developed from the concept stage through the trial, the use and the refinement stages. This ensured that every gang and every district could access, update and use the system.

As training needs emerged from assessment, processes were developed to ensure that these shortfalls were rectified, regardless of type. These quality processes ensure that the workforce is constantly upskilled to meet the workplace requirements.

8. Recognising The All Important Frontline Supervisors /Managers.

As the work practices in the gangs changed so that the competent person took charge of the work, the change to the Supervisory role became apparent. The supervisory roles moved to tasks like benchmarking, budgets, microplanning, inventory control and minimisation of risk

A major Supervisors Initiative was commenced with a series of focus groups to refine such issues with the various levels of supervisors. All three hundred Supervisors were surveyed regarding need, problems and training options. Just as this material was collated, the results of the Karpin Report and the Frontline Management Initiative came to our notice. The conclusion of both bore an uncanny similarity and showed that Supervisors were in need of a special kind of development not previously offered in Australia.

Queensland Rail was fortunate to be the only Queensland organisation to be selected and funded for the trial. The sites for the trial were challenging - Supervisory Staff on the track that connects Townsville and Mt Isa -1000km due west. Townsville is 1200 km north of Brisbane. Traditional educational offerings are few as Townsville and Mt Isa are the only centres with TAFE or University offerings. The other site was Supervisory Staff on track around Brisbane, one where all participants were within 30 km of a TAFE or a University campus.

This was indeed a test for FMI. If it could succeed in such diverse and challenging climes, it really deserved recognition in our workplaces. The Frontline Management Competencies are behaviour based and describe the processes that forward thinking managers use to reach outstanding targets. Accreditation is given for proof of performance measured against the National Standards using the local workplace. While there is requirement for underpinning knowledge, unless it is demonstrated by workplace results it is not significant or recognised.

The key features of FMI were certainly crafted to fit QR. This was because of the ease with which the evidence could be contextualised to the local scene. FMI is not about teaching abstract principles and expecting them to be understood and applied in a concrete way by the participant. It is all about using everything that is at hand to prove and improve one’s own work wherever that may be. It is essentially a self regulated process which aligns perfectly with adult learner principles.

The model QR chose, used an itinerant coach/assessor as a keystone. The coach/assessors visited the participants in their workplaces to set up the learning processes and the evidence required. Wherever a gap of experience, knowledge or skill was detected either by the coach or the participant, the issue was resolved jointly. This resolution took into account such things as:

The Coach /Assessors are qualified to level three national assessment competency standard. While initially we have some full time coach assessors, the long term goal is that immediate Managers will actively develop their people/supervisors. Then the role of Workplace Projects will be to provide system, resource and coaching support to the Managers.

By late May, 1999 almost 30 of the 300 participants had achieved an award at levels ranging form level 3 to level 5. To date no one has dropped out of the program, even though some people have had time out while family or other crises were weathered. The bite sized of the learning and immediate application of things that make a difference in their workplace are the telling factors.

Queensland Rail has changed significantly for the better in the past five years. The competency-based workplace has become a tested and tried reality. This has started from the lower levels of the organisation and is exerting significant pressure upwards as Supervisors and Managers of track are paid by management and technical competency acquisition and use. The imperative of having everyone capable and committed has been pursued with vigour, and the changes have been largely workplace driven.

PART TWO ISSUES FOR EDUCATORS IN THE WORKPLACE.

Packaging of Learning Materials

Many of us have, with the very best of intentions, violated the most basic of adult educators and packaged material to be taught according to the organising systems suggested by our own experience. The contextualising of material to the world of the learner is the crucial issue.

The omission of the term teaching material is deliberate as the focus is on the learner and the learning to be done. When dealing with motivated adults in the workplace, active teaching is often the least effective way. Methods such as guided discovery, problem solving, facilitation, provision of suitable materials with just the right amount of detail in the language of the workplace are usually more effective. It is important to the self-concept of the adult learner that the learner has at least a perception of control of the learning.

The strength of FMI can be seen as the way in which it forces the Coach to look for the gaps in performance and then arrange in consultation with the learner, how to fill the gaps. This requires, just enough, in the right way at the right time in the right style for the learner. It is demanding on the learning facilitator, but the results make it totally worthwhile. In fact it often became an embarrassment when one considered how much we had taught over the years and how much had been like the excess vitamins some take—great stuff but unable to be absorbed not even by the fish further down the chain.

 

Individualised Assistance

The packaging of learning was not meant to apply to the physical packaging as in Training modules, but to the size of the chunks of learning attempted using the material of the workplace. Report writing takes into account the things the Supervisor has to report on. If it is a Spreadsheet, then spreadsheeting is part of the Report writing. It does not have to be the full program on Excel, simply enough for what he needs. At a later date when more is needed the ease of use of the initial skill is the base used for experimentation or for further learning. If the report is an easy style , most have some regular headings, so a macro can be created to help manage the process. It does not require a unit on macros at the initial stage.

Relevance

This style of approach ensures 100% relevance in the workplace. There are those who are concerned about this style of learning and its apparent lack of lock step approach. However, starting adults where they can see a difference immediately from their learning unleashes the enormous motivating energy that is a feature of adult learning. Adults, if effectively supported in their learning will only use the starting place as a launching pad to build their own collage of experience and ability, frequently a more effective and efficient solution to their workplace than could have been envisaged. The conceptual understanding is part of the ongoing development of the Supervisors.

Economic Case

Businesses have always imaged an economy of scale is achieved if people are taught in a class. There may be some areas where a class is part of the learning. It may be hard to teach group dynamics without any other people about. However, to assume that everyone has learned the same thing if they are all in the one room is fallacious. When the goal of management is regular performance in the workplace, as a manager, the class may be a less effective vehicle for change of behaviour in the workplace and in fact an expensive option. The questioning of the cost of the outcome and the derived benefit is necessary in any cost sensitive business.

Teaching to the Gaps

We have coined a phrase called "teaching to the gaps" . It refers to the need to teach only what a participant needs but linking it to the current workplace to allow the participant to make sense of it. This is demanding for the teacher who has to know the subject thoroughly and be able to swing into any part of the work to explain what is needed. Gone are the days of deciding what I will teach today!!! It requires a change of approach to whatever someone needs toda, I will find a way to make it sense and simple. Once the simple idea is communicated it is easy to build on it at a future time when they are ready for it.

Proof of Performance

The key to an integrated learning workplace is proof of performance. Improved performance wins the support of managers who are meeting benchmarks and struggling with their roles. Assessment based on proof of performance also wins the participants who grow in competence , but more importantly in confidence. The prove/improve syndrome is a powerful one. Performance does not consist of one single act of proof but recording of many convincing performances under an array of conditions. It also requires accountability for the outcome of the work. Those institutions who have concerns about the ability of organisations to really understand the importance of standards, need fret no more, as the organisations themselves have a vested interest in maintaining and exceeding standards. It is called business survival!!!

 

PART 3 RECONSIDERATION OF SOME TEACHING PARADIGMS

The Nature of Partnerships

Learning partnerships have, at times, been a business deal where a teaching institution agreed to provide a service to a business organisation for a fee. Bill Ford talks about "the new organisational shape is about networks, alliances, partnerships, joint ventures, spinoff’s integration and outsourcing." It is this sort of comment which causes us to question the paradigm of institutional superiority. Businesses are fast moving and if they are not, they do not survive. The speed of change at the very workface ensures that the very best expertise is within the workplace. However, the very best abilities in packaging information and making sense of research may not be in the workplace.

The diaspora model of businesses of the future, have changes of management and leadership according to the expertise required at the particular time.

Teaching Institutions may need to question where their real expertise lies. It may not be the traditional areas of content teaching and examinations. It may well be in helping organisations set up systems rather than direct teaching.

Prerequisites or not?

While it is clear that some parts of the knowledge tree are easier to understand if some crucial facts are known or some skills are mastered first, the notion of clearly articulated learning may well be challenged when it comes to adults and their workplace learning. Dr Norm Pyle asserts that adult learning is like a rich untidy pastiche. It may well be worthwhile looking at the other unconventional literacies that adults use to know instead of some of the technical prerequisites set by course designers. Using the "other literacies" requires studies not yet undertaken.

Action Learning and Coaching

The assumptions that the class is the most efficient way to learn is probably one that needs revisiting. Funding allocated has traditionally been for the numbers of class members present or sitting for and examination. This tends to restrict the flexible nature of adult learners. This is particularly so with VET offerings that are College based. The effectiveness of coaching and action learning have been demonstrated in many workplaces. Improving these service offerings may well be the way of the future. However, there are some massive changes to be made to funding models and this is an area which requires research and publicity.

"Kaizen" and "Gemba"

"Kaizen philosophy assumes that our way of life, be it our working life, our social life or our home life deserves to be continually improved." It means doing little things better. Gemba is the real place, where it happens, the frontline . These two things have the power to contribute significantly to our learning and our productivity. Productivity means our ability to still be here. Far sighted Chief Executives are recognising the absolute necessity of ensuring that an integrated learning workplace is a feature of the organisation as this the frontline is where the war is won.

Traditionally, the frontline has been seen as the end of the educational market that was not worth great research and change in terms of dollars. However, Karpin showed that this was our weakness and we ignore it at our peril.

Conclusion

Those who seek to implement an integrated learning workplace, find planning to a vision is all important. However, it is often not an easy concept to sell as some managers, tend to think in cells without joining them together.

In that case it may. be necessary to adopt a stealth approach and get the major pieces on the table and working within the visionary scope before emphasising the connectivities to management. However, it is essential that those in the frontline see the connections at a practical level and work the synergies to the limit. Debate has a place in the integrated learning workplace , but only on how we can all use our talents for maximising an outcome for all concerned, not for the promotion of fiefdoms.

We have been fortunate in Queensland Rail in having inspired leadership at the top that has set a large vision, with clear goals. While there is yet a way to go, we have a rough blue print for future action that is workplace driven. As could be expected in a learning workplace, we are still learning.

References used:

ANTA 1996 Prentice Hall FMI Kit

De Lacey, Anne 1999 HR Monthly February Understanding the Knowledge Worker

Ford, Bill1999 HR Monthly May The Gospel of the Learning  Organisation

Karpin, David 1995 Enterprising Nation Report of the Australian Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills

Imai, Masaki 1999HR Monthly March Management’s Forgotten Duty

Pyle, Norman T 1985 University of London Adults Learning in Technical Fields

Zeckendorf, Helen 1999 HR Monthly May Put the Action into Learning

 

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A Train the Trainer course customised for Aboriginal learners

Jill Byrnes, Kununurra, Western Australia

In 1997 the Kimberley College of TAFE produced a training package for Aboriginal trainers called the Certificate IV in Workplace Training (Category 2): A Guide for Aboriginal Trainers. I was the co-ordinator of that project. The training package is customised, with permission from ANTA, from an existing ‘mainstream’ program, aimed at making it more appropriate for Aboriginal learners.

Certificate IV in Workplace Training (Cat.2) teaches people to be trainers of adults, particularly in the vocational education and training sphere. It provides a formal adult teaching qualification giving students a thorough grounding in how to teach adults effectively, and it has a nominal duration of 210 hours. This equates to about 30 days full-time or 3-6 months part-time study. A Guide for Aboriginal Trainers is a Category 2 course with the full national accreditation of the original package.

The project was guided by a Steering Committee made up of 7 Aboriginal people with vocational training experience and 1 non-Aboriginal person representing the funding body. The latter member brought to the team considerable experience in teaching the mainstream package. The project staff consisted of a Co-ordinator (myself) who is non-Aboriginal but has over fifteen years experience working with Aboriginal people, and an Aboriginal trained teacher (Beverley Russ) who was the Project Officer. The process was highly collaborative and Beverley and I jointly undertook all the editing and designing of the materials. The draft materials were then, module by module, put before the Steering Committee for their comments.

Once a final draft set of the materials had been developed, a pilot course was run to trial the materials. The pilot group consisted of 9 Aboriginal people, of whom 7 successfully completed the whole course and were awarded their Certificate IV in Workplace Training (Category 2). The pilot group were invited to make suggestions for improvement on the materials as they used them, and did so. As a result of the pilot course, the materials were further customised and improved. They were then printed and published.

The new package is nothing like the original. The layout, appearance and artwork in the Aboriginal package have all been completely changed - it is now much more pleasant on the eye, user-friendly and appropriate. The project team increased the font size and spacing, and incorporated many graphics and cartoons (all by Aboriginal artists) which illustrate points made in the text. The Aboriginal package is in three binders instead of one because the above changes require a lot more space.

The wording, language and activities in the package have also been very substantially changed. The project team felt the original wording was full of jargon and not particularly easy to understand. The language in the new package is ordinary everyday English, very much easier to understand. Where jargon words or unusual words are used we have added a "keyword" in the margin with an explanation of its meaning. All the keywords for each module are also indexed at the end of each module.

The activity ideas are learning tools designed to help people better understand and remember what they have learned. A lot of these are group activities such as discussions or role plays on particular points. They are not assignments and are voluntary. We have tried to make the activity and assessment ideas more appropriate to Aboriginal learners.

The package is designed to be flexible so that learning can take place in any way that suits: as an individual studying externally by self-paced correspondence, full-time or part-time in a group, by block release, or mixed mode.

An 8 minute video which gives an introduction and overview of the Aboriginal package has been produced and is available on a loan basis from the address below. It does not come with the package. The video is titled Training for Aboriginal Trainers: A New Learning Package.

The package costs $130 for the 3 manuals. The course should be able to be offered by any registered Training Provider anywhere in Australia and the package can be purchased from:

The Professional and Career Development Unit, Western Australian Department of Training, 1 Prospect Place, Perth WA 6000, Ph. 08 9227 3288

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Self-Directed Learning and the Development of Key Competencies in a Work-Based Traineeship Scheme

Professor Rod Gerber is Dean of the Faculty of Education Health and Professional Studies at UNE. He has a long interest in issues of workplace education and has been a keen supporter of the Strategic Links with Industry Project. Here he writes about some of his own research into workplace learning.

This ARC-funded study undertook a detailed investigation with several cohorts of trainees at the Australian Newsprint Mills’ Boyer (Tasmania) plant into the effectiveness of learning through self-directed means in the Australian training industry with particular emphasis on work-based learning. Over a three-year period, a longitudinal study was conducted through intensive qualitative and empirical data collection and analyses to develop a close understanding of how around thirty papermaking trainees use self-directed learning and more traditional learning approaches, together with on-site work activities to learn in their work and training.

The phases of the study consisted of the following:

  1. Obtaining the current workers’ conceptions of self-directed learning through focus groups discussions, selected interviews and written statements by the workers. These conceptions acted as a benchmark against which to compare the trainees’ learning experiences.
  2. Separate investigations of the trainees’ traditional and self-directed learning through trainees’ diaries, individual interviews with each trainee twice per year and trainees’ competence log.
  3. At the end of each year a comparison is made of the trainees’ experiences using their traditional and self-directed approaches to learning in their course. This was done through seeking qualitative variations in the trainees’ learning experiences.
  4. After three years of data-gathering and analysis of the trainees’ learning experiences and achievement in their course, the researchers reflected on the quality issues that should be considered in the management of work-based self-directed learning in the paper mill. Then, a final set of discussions was held with trainers, training managers and tutors/mentors at the mill to discuss the didactical and course design issues that have emerged from the study and how these may be implemented in the work-based learning experiences to enhance learning.

The results of the study can be summarised in a number of ways. For example, in terms of how the trainees learned in the different contexts the following categories of description emerged from the data:

  1. Claremont Senior College:
    1. Learning through theoretical underpinnings and skills development
    2. Learning through peer interaction
    3. Learning through external guidance
    4. Learning through personal characteristics
    5. Learning through problem-solving
  1. Hobart TAFE College:
    1. Learning through practical application of theory
    2. Learning through external guidance
    3. Learning through personal characteristics
    4. Learning through problem-solving
    5. Learning through peer interaction
  1. ANM Sills Centre:
    1. Learning through independent responsibility
    2. Learning through theoretical underpinnings
    3. Learning through problem-solving
    4. Learning through peer interactions
    5. Learning through external guidance
  1. ANM Work Team:

Learning thr9ough observation and the practical application of theory

Learning through external guidance

Learning through problem-solving

Learning through peer interaction

Learning through personal characteristics.

While changes in the learners occurred in all trainees during their time in the course, the variations in how they learned in different environments produces a range of challenges for workplace educators to address. For examples, which of the ways of learning should be promoted in the mill to maximise workplace learning during the traineeship and on the job? To what extent do trainees value the different forms of workplace learning that they encounter in their training? How useful is it for their life-long workplace learning? Answering these questions will help workplace educators understand effective forms of workplace learning, what is actually learned in such training, what changes occur during this learning, trainees’ changing understanding of the workplace learning process, and enable them to make judgements about the value of self-directed learning in workplace education.

Rod Gerber, Colin Lankshear, Chris Bishop

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WHAT IS GOING ON? Researching your the Workplace

Margaret Somerville explains the process of gaining UNE's collaboration in workplace research

How can you find out what is happening in your organisation in a systematic way?

Research at all levels can help you to find out, assess and evaluate what is happening in your organisation. You might be interested in the needs of a particular group of employees for training so you can design a training program, whether a program you have introduced is effective or not, how your organisation is coping with change, whether it has the best culture for learning. Research in all these area could help you make good decisions about how to maximise scarce resources for training.

HOW can UNE collaborate with you on research?

There are many ways we can collaborate with you to do research in your organisation.

Individual research

We can work with you as an individual in our postgraduate programs. In the Graduate Diploma you will get the opportunity to undertake a small piece of guided research and for many students this is the first piece of research they have ever carried out. Often students choose to focus their research on an aspect of their work that is important or puzzling to them. The following are three examples of workplace research at this level.

  1. Bernoth, Maree. Manual Handling Practice - Achieving Attitudinal Change Through Education. 1996.
  2. McDonald, Jenny. On Being through the Mill: The Effect of Restructuring on Steelworkers. 1998.
  3. McLeod, Julianne. Exploring the Aftermath of Restructuring on Older Migrant Workers at BHP Rod and Bar Products Division, Newcastle. (Proposal available). 1996.

Maree's study investigates the puzzling lack of results from the introduction of new manual handling strategies at Allendale Aged Care Facility. The cost of injury in the aged care industry is high and much time and resources are spent on programs that attempt to reduce the level of injury. Despite the introduction of new strategies however, the rate of injury and hence cost to the industry continued to rise. What is the problem? Maree introduced a new training program about manual handling based on attitudinal change and carried out an evaluation into the effects of this program by interviewing eight of the participants.

Jenny McDonald and Julianne McLeod worked together at BHP in workplace literacy education. They had watched the workers over the years dealing with the massive effects of restructuring in the Newcastle BHP Steel Mill. What were the effects of the restructuring on these workers? How did they cope with the changes? They carried out qualitative research by interviewing two different group of workers, Jenny with English speaking literacy students and Julianne with Non English speaking workers and the research results surprised them. Jenny and Julianne thought they knew, but in the busy-ness of a working day you don't get time to carry out systematic investigations and really listen to people.

At Masters level students have the opportunity to undertake a research degree and carry out a larger piece of research. At this level you will complete a research methods course to teach you how to do research and then will spend the next two years carrying out and writing up a research project of your own. This research is still supported by a member of the academic staff who will be an experienced researcher but it is largely an independent learning exercise. You will have frequent contact with your supervisor to discuss your project, report on your progress and get feedback on your written work as you progress.

Many students at this level are doing their research on workplace education and training issues. Kris Varma is looking at the learning needs of middle level management at Sydney Ports Authority. Susan Cooke is investigating how the interactive nursing handover functioned as a learning tool for busy nurses in the hospital workplace. It has now been placed by a taped handover for reasons of time efficiency. The question here might be how effective are the measures introduced under the guise of efficiency? What have we lost? What have we gained? Where does the balance lie? Debra Pugh is using an action research methodology to evaluate the use of a government referral form in implementing change in a range of services dealing with home care, the aged and disability. How can we systematically chart the processes and results of changes that we introduce? How can we track their movement through complex networks of people and organisations? How can we work with others to do research in a team way? are some of the questions Debra's research addresses.

Organisational

At an organisational level it is possible for UNE lecturers to work as consultants with industry on small and large research projects. In this case the industry would pay. Or alternatively a UNE lecturer may be interested in working with you to design a research project in an area of common interest and the university lecturer may then seek funding from other sources such as UNE research grants, NCVER grants and so on. Darryl Dymock has carried out research at Optus on mentoring using such a scheme. On an even larger scale my own experience has been with Industry Collaborative Research Schemes funded through the Australian Research Council. The Federal Government is keen to promote stronger links between industry and research so that research is directly applicable to industry and the cost is equally borne by the government and corporate sector.

My own involvement is in a joint project between Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation and a UNE team of archaeologists and oral historians. The purpose of the research is to provide an oral history and archaeology database for Yarrawarra's ecotourism enterprise. Their aim is to increase their tourist visits from 5000 to 15000 over the three years of the project. The research project is funded to the tune of $220, 000 over a period of three years. So Yarrawarra's contribution has to equal that amount. Their contribution can be in-cash or in-kind and there are quite complicated ways of working out what is a cash contribution and what is in kind. This is important to an industry because the more they can contribute in kind with personnel for instance who would be available to do that sort of work anyway, the more cost effective it is for the industry. In Yarrawarra's case their prime business is ecotourism so for two people to devote two days per week for research in that area and have UNE contribute two full lecturers for an average of a day a week each and a full time research fellow employed on the grant is highly cost effective. The main advantage of this kind of research is that a large amount of data can be collected and processed. One of the disadvantages is the long developmental time for the results of the project but it takes an organisation quite some time to incorporate changes in technology and training and the industry may only just keep up with the results of the research. The project is now in its third year which is an analysis and production phase and everyone is happy because we are seeing good results. A new dormitory will be opened for visitor accommodation and by the time it is opened the first of the booklets, which will be the basis of educational and tourist kits, will be produced.

If you have a question or a problem in the area of education and training that might be solved by research you can contact the adult education team at the university (See below). We will be happy to talk, to visit your industry, and work with you on whatever size project is appropriate for the problem.

Margaret Somerville (Dr)

Lecturer

Adult Education Program UNE

Ph 0267 733362

Fax 0267 733363

Email msomervi@metz.une.edu.au

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Created at The Art Learning Network for the School of Administration & Training. Last revised: November 4th. 2001 Email:preader:metz.une.edu.au © 1999 University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351.
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