Printing Industries is pushing for an urgent meeting with the Victorian Minister for Higher Education and Skills, Peter Hall, on his return to Melbourne next week, calling on the government to implement its commitment to finding an acceptable solution to the industry training crisis.
Printing Industries CEO, Bill Healey (pictured), says that RMIT University’s move to sell its print training courses to private trainer, CLB, was undertaken too hastily, without consideration for the industry, and he is concerned for the quality of training in Victoria and Tasmania as a result of the sale.
“Victorian and Tasmanian companies are outraged at the decision by RMIT to exit printing apprenticeship training and sell its assets to a private training provider without first consulting the industry,” says Healey.
“We believe RMIT acted with undue haste. We are disappointed that they chose not to work with the industry to identify a solution recognising the time and investment that had been made by industry stakeholders in the operations of the International Centre of Graphic Technology (ICGT) over many years.
“But our biggest concern is the question mark that now hangs over the future of quality training for apprentices in Victoria and Tasmania,” he says.
Healey, however, acknowledges that some changes may be required to the existing training model to ensure that the printing industry would have access to a skilled workforce for its immediate and future need, but he remains concerned that fully on–the-job training as advocated under the CLB deal will provide a narrow set of skills.
“We need to look at ways of ensuring apprentices have an opportunity to mix with peers outside their workplace and have access to the broad range of equipment that will enable them to become well rounded trades people,” he says. “That’s why it’s essential that the industry is involved in managing its training agenda to meet its needs for its future and why so many people are feeling totally let down by RMIT.”
According to Healey, Printing Industries had consulted with CLB but to date had not had a response from the Vice Chancellor of RMIT.
“At the top of our agenda with the Minister along with our assertion that an industry controlled Registered Training Organisation (RTO) similar to successful operating overseas models will be necessary to provide access to quality training for all companies,” says Healey.
Printing Industries has already started implementing the $1.4 million Federal Government funded Printing Industry Apprenticeship Advisory and Mentoring Program to support apprentices, increase their retention rates of current apprentices and encourage new entrants.
“We also have an application pending for a grant under the Accelerated Apprenticeship program to look at ways of making apprenticeships more responsive to our changing workplace,” says Healey. “We see training as vital to the development of the printing industry and hope that our vision is shared by the Victorian Government and all other stakeholders.”