Page 2653 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
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in playing a central role in the innovation ecosystem in the ACT and building individual and corporate capability. Earlier this year CIT hosted the CBR Innovation Network’s first Wednesday connect, open to all businesspeople, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, students and investors interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, which was a great success, attracting more than 200 people.
The decision by the Chief Minister to extend representation at the Vice-Chancellors Forum to include the CIT chief executive officer recognised the need for all members of the education sector to work together to implement innovation policy and contribute to the diversification of Canberra’s economy. Through this forum CIT is leading the way in the development of key government initiatives in cybersecurity, as Mr Wall noted, and renewable energy.
On top of all the excellent work CIT is doing, it also recently went through its re-registration with the Australian Skills Quality Authority, or ASQA, audit, a requirement for all registered training organisations. CIT was found compliant across all aspects of the audit and its RTO registration has been extended by the maximum seven years. Only about 20 per cent of RTOs gain ASQA compliance without any rectification, an excellent outcome for CIT.
CIT not only is well respected in the ACT and region but also represents the ACT on the national and international stage. A few examples of the wonderful work that CIT is doing are a CIT photography teacher being selected from a highly competitive field to exhibit at what is recognised as the most prestigious international art show, the Venice Biennale; and photography students annually participating in the UN photography competition, which results in a student being sponsored to undertake work experience in a United Nations member country.
A CIT student was awarded the 2016 national Apprentice of the Year and then went on to represent the ACT and VET at an international conference in India, speaking about apprenticeships, the importance of the apprentice system and the difference this training has made to his life. Two CIT landscape construction students are heading to Dubai later this year to compete in the biennial WorldSkills international competition, accompanied by a CIT teacher who has been selected as the industry expert in landscape construction.
CIT delivered training in India in the last financial year to more than 100 VET sector participants as part of TAFE Directors Australia vocational education and leadership training. There have been a range of overseas education experiences for students through the VET mobility scheme, which has sent more than 200 students overseas over the past four years; and 10 electrical students under the VET mobility scheme will shortly be travelling to France and Spain to look at new technology in renewable energy and building technology with Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and automation, and Neoen, a leader in solar energy and wind power.
I am confident that the transformation of CIT, under the direction of a very competent and enthusiastic board and leadership staff, and with its dedicated staff, will ensure the ongoing viability of our public provider for many years to come. The
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