Page 158 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 February 2016
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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, can you provide an update on the progress of recent reforms to the operation of the Canberra Institute of Technology?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Ms Porter for the question. The reforms to the Canberra Institute of Technology were to establish a CIT board and to reframe the role of the chief executive officer. I was very pleased to welcome Leanne Cover to the role of CEO last month. She brings a wealth of experience to the role. Ms Cover has an extensive background in education and training and has been a leader in the service delivery of education and training here in Canberra, as is well known to members here.
The aim of the reforms is to allow CIT to operate more autonomously and be able to effectively respond to changes in the local economy and in the VET sector. The CIT board began operating on 1 July 2015 and has since met three times. A subcommittee has been established to drive business development.
In addition, a planning session has taken place with a work plan from January to June of this year. The board’s aim is to properly prepare CIT to thrive and stand out in an increasingly competitive training market. The first half of 2016 will be spent developing a new strategic plan to achieve this.
CIT is already delivering great things when it comes to preparing students for the jobs of the future, for example, by offering qualifications in areas like our leading renewable energy sector. By offering qualifications and bespoke training facilities in renewable wind technology, we can establish the ACT as the premier knowledge and education hub in this emerging field in Australia and internationally. It also equips the next generation of workers with practical skills that ensure they are at the forefront of a rapidly growing multinational industry.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, can you please indicate how the benefits of the government’s policies are being realised in the vocational education and training space as demonstrated in the recent ROGS data?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Ms Porter for the question. The ACT VET sector has performed extremely well in the latest 2015 report on government services. In the ROGS report, the ACT had the highest proportions of VET graduates in employment and/or in further study after completing their training, at 91.3 per cent; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander VET graduates in employment after completing their training, at 89 per cent.
The government has also responded to recommendations and introduced a number of policies to strengthen the ACT VET sector. These include the reforms to CIT that I briefly outlined, also the ACT’s skilled capital initiative providing $21 million over three years from 2015 to 2017 to improve access to high quality skills training in areas of need. The ACT Australian apprenticeships program has been revised to build on strong training employment outcomes for graduates to better address the skills needs of local businesses here in the ACT.
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