TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS

Transcription

1 TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS Prepared for : Food, Fibre & Timber Industries Training Council WA Inc. (FFTI) Prepared by : Esther Ngang, CEO of & Garden Industry WA Inc.(NGIWA) Date : September 29, 2014 Proposal # : Funding approved as per letter from FFTI dated April 30, 2013

2 TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS A survey conducted in May/June 2014 confirmed the current gaps and identified preferences for mode of training and development. It is found that there is a communication gaps between RTOs and industry. As a consequence, industry believes that their skills shortages needs are not met in the short term by RTOs, due to the length of the certificate courses vs. speed of delivery per class. On the flip side, there is also a lack of communication and understanding by businesses for fees increases versus value of what is being offered by RTOs that would benefit the businesses. There is also no benchmarking of minimum qualifications or experience when seeking new staff, as employers are desperately seeking anyone with knowledge (via experience through working in the industry or train on the job, rather than via educational training). The desperation is as a result of shortages (labour and supervisory skills) for an industry that is not first or second choice for careers choice by school leavers, nor locals making career changes when comparing pay rates amongst industries. Also, there is a higher pay in the related industries of landscaping, parks and gardens, or local government so there is a natural progression of trained staff into those industries causing a drain to the nursery and garden industry that is not equally or sufficiently replaced by new labour pool. Industry associations and various groups are organizing non- accredited courses for training, however it would be ideal if the knowledge gained are formalized in qualifications that would lift the professionalism in the industry and align with benchmarks for easier identification of training, trainers, and skills level for recruitment. There is an urgent need for a robust Skills Recognition process to lift the qualifications in the industry to a level where employers as benchmarks when recruiting recognize qualifications. Skills gained from on the job training that are not recognized as a formalized qualification is a lost opportunities when RTOs are identifying trainers for future training for there are many with knowledge but would not be able to show proof of capabilities in their resumes, if they were to apply for a teaching / trainer role. Courses that are on the AHC10 Qualifications for Production are: Course Title Recommended for Time taken to complete, if studied Full time Certificate II in Production Production nursery worker Certificate III in Production worker

3 Certificate IV in Production Diploma in Production Senior nursery worker, Production nursery team leader Production Manager Courses that are on the AHC10 Qualifications for Retail are: Course Title Recommended for Time taken to complete, if studied Full time Certificate II in Retail Garden Centre sales assistant Certificate III in Retail Certificate IV in Retail Diploma in Retail hand, nursery worker, retail sales assistant Retail sales team leader Retail Manager, Garden Centre Manager WHERE there is a training need for the nursery and garden industry: These are the areas noted in the industry that can benefit from structured training : PRODUCTION NURSERY Propagation knowledge and skills Identification of plants, weeds, and diseases Hygiene Practices plant disease identification, bench heights, bench drainage, growing media storage, weeds management, water recycling Pests & Diseases identification and management Integrated Pest Management awareness and knowledge Growing Media determining basic properties, soil health and nutrition Grafting Skills Chemical Handling and Storage First Aid Irrigation management

4 Machine Operation and Management Worksafe and Insurance matters Business Skills sales & marketing skills, cash flow, pricing, project management, social media skills, tender submissions, contracts management Risk assessment pricing and growing for tenders Succession Planning RETAIL NURSERY (also known as Retailer or Garden Centre) Hygiene Practices plant disease identification, bench heights, bench drainage, growing media storage, weeds management, water recycling Pests & Diseases identification and management skills Growing Media determining basic properties, soil health and nutrition Chemical Handling and Storage First Aid Irrigation Management Machine Operation and Management Worksafe and Insurance matters Business Skills sales & marketing skills, cash flow, pricing, project management, social media skills Design and Presentation skills merchandising and stock, shelving presentation, showroom stock presentation skills Service skills phone techniques, customer service and suggestive selling skills WHO in the nursery and garden industry needs to learn As per terminology of AHC courses, these are the roles in the nursery and garden industry that needs to be trained: PRODUCTION NURSERY Production worker Senior worker Production team leader Production Manager RETAIL NURSERY Retail Sales assistant hand worker Retail Sales team leader Retail Manager

5 All required to know the basics. The depth of knowledge increases with the level of supervision or breadth of scope of the works for each business. WHAT needs to be covered: PRODUCTION NURSERY Propagation knowledge and skills Identification of plants, weeds, and diseases Hygiene Practices plant disease identification, bench heights, bench drainage, growing media storage, weeds management, water recycling Pests & Diseases identification and management Integrated Pest Management awareness and knowledge Growing Media determining basic properties, soil health and nutrition Grafting Skills Chemical Handling and Storage First Aid Irrigation management Machine Operation and Management Worksafe and Insurance matters Business Skills sales & marketing skills, cash flow, pricing, project management, social media skills, tender submissions, contracts management Succession Planning RETAIL NURSERY (also known as Retailer or Garden Centre) Hygiene Practices plant disease identification, bench heights, bench drainage, growing media storage, weeds management, water recycling Pests & Diseases identification and management skills Growing Media determining basic properties, soil health and nutrition Chemical Handling and Storage First Aid Irrigation Management Machine Operation and Management Worksafe and Insurance matters Business Skills sales & marketing skills, cash flow, pricing, project management, social media skills Design and Presentation skills merchandising and stock, shelving presentation, showroom stock presentation skills Service skills phone techniques, customer service and suggestive selling skills

6 WHEN is training to be offered: It is ideal to have training for the completed in the months of January to August. This will help minimise accidents and mistakes made during the peak season of the nursery and garden industry (spring) and maximize marketing opportunities in the lead up to the peak season. Mix of class- based and site- based training being offered months of January June. Online tutorials months of July / August. Refresher and recap July / August HOW should the training be offered: This is identified for trades that are already in the industry as opposed to training of students from VET school programs. There are many in the nursery and garden industry that have gained on the job training that would benefit from a shorter accreditation process via Skills Recognition. Recommendation of training format is in combination or in format identified as effective for each training areas are: Skills Recognition Class based theory / conferences Onsite training / workshops / field days / trade days Work experience Online tutoring. Online tutoring is especially important to those based in remote regions, however there are some areas of training where it is compulsory for class based / onsite training / work experience. WHY is training required for the nursery and garden industry in the proposal outlined above? Performance improvements pressures with squeezed margins, and a distinct lack of succession planning noted in the last decade as a result of : Increasing pressure for hygiene protocols to mitigate risks of loss of contracts or sales as a result of unhealthy or diseased plant stock Increased growth of big chains in WA (Bunnings, Masters, Mitre 10, Woolworths etc.) Broadening of knowledge and skills required for business and staff management, supervisory and training New machinery and lack of training New technology and lack of training Labourer lack of training

7 Staff lack of pro activity, positive attitude and alertness Many businesses lag in marketing via social media/ web enquiries/quotes. WHO needs to be involved in Training? RTOs (private and public) Industry Associations NGIWA and other relevant hort type associations within the amenity horticulture industry and representing each major topic for training Industry members Retirees and Life Members of the industry WorkSafe ChemCentre AgWest Centre of Phythopthora and Science Management, Murdoch DOCEP SBDC There are different needs for each group, and different sources required for Trainers / Lecturers. WHAT are the desired performance outcomes: what should learners do as a result of training? Learners should be able to increase confidence and positive attitudes during work, handle tools/machinery/chemicals better to reduce mistakes and accidents, and improve efficiency through better knowledge and understanding of workflow planning, and help improve profit margins for the business they work for, or own. WHAT is current performance: what are learners doing now? There is a gap between current training model and the desired training model. Hence, there is a gap between current and desired levels of performance. The gap exist because: There is a serious lack in dialogue and communication between RTOs and industry to update the requirements for training as per changes in the nursery and garden industry There is a strong need identified to decrease the length of the training via Skills Recognition.

8 Training by RTOs is modeled as per funding and marketing pressures to increase registration by simplifying the courses for school leavers, thus eroding applicability/sufficiency for industry needs. A better funding model is recommended for the sustainability and effectiveness of delivery of training There needs to be more kudos for industry members to spend a minimum of 2 hours as Lecturers /Trainer. Imparting knowledge is a benefit of to industry, and teaching is a good way to get feedback for further improvement from new entrants to the industry Lecturers / Trainers skills and knowledge needs to be more consistent with benchmarking of knowledge and skills required for the topic of Training Lecturers / Trainers need to refresh their skills and knowledge in Personal Development hours that is relevant to what they are teaching Lecturing / Training needs to be included as a career path within the industry, for there is a current trend of early exit from the industry, or retirement without consideration of teaching/training as a career which leads to brain drain in the industry Training should be a mix of institution- based, and industry- based. The current situation is institutions struggles to fund a solid training model that caters for industry needs, and industry association is under national funding model pressures to organize and run industry- specific training Need for stronger alignment between industry and RTOs The NGIWA Survey ran in May/June 2014 revealed that method of delivery and training favoured were off site and on the job training delivered by qualified trainer, and on the job delivered by other employee. and garden industry members are at two extreme ends. The likes of large nursery like Benara is able to organize site training for their staff and trainees. The opposite end of the scale is in- house training. WHAT are the overall training goals? Objective to improve workplace enthusiasm by developing employees into more confident, empowered, inspired, and enthusiastic individuals.