tag:theconversation.com,2011:/uk/topics/skills-2805/articlesSkills – The Conversation2023-12-13T13:31:09Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2196462023-12-13T13:31:09Z2023-12-13T13:31:09ZWales’s Pisa school test results have declined – but it’s not a true reflection of an education system<p>Every three years, an early Christmas gift arrives for the global education community from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Programme for International Student Assessments (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/">Pisa</a>) is an international test in which 15 year olds are tested on their knowledge and skills. </p>
<p>It relegates those far below the Pisa top ten as poor performers in desperate need of improvement, which this time includes Wales.</p>
<p>The Pisa scores for participating education systems around the world are unquestionably significant. But since its inception in 2000, Pisa has sparked much debate, especially among experts and policymakers, with many viewing it as a <a href="https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2019/11/is-pisa-fundamentally-flawed-because-of-the-scaling-methodology-used/">flawed</a> assessment of educational outcomes. In <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/Combined_Executive_Summaries_PISA_2018.pdf">2018</a>, around 600,000 students took part in the standardised Pisa tests, which measured their performance in maths, science and reading, and also looked at wellbeing.</p>
<p>Predictably, the 2023 Pisa results captured the negative impact of COVID on learners and learning, with some downward trends in performance visible across the data set. </p>
<p>The results signalled mixed fortunes for the <a href="https://www.education.ox.ac.uk/pisa-results-reveal-students-in-the-uk-have-higher-than-average-levels-of-maths-reading-and-science/">UK</a>. The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67616536">BBC headline</a>, reporting the results starkly stated: “Wales slumps to worst school test results.” Such sweeping statements are by now an anticipated byproduct of Pisa that ignore how the tests are often highly contested and <a href="https://revisesociology.com/2020/05/15/the-pisa-global-education-tests-arguments-for-and-against/">controversial</a>. </p>
<h2>Pisa in Wales</h2>
<p>Every three years, Pisa measures the ability of 15 year olds to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges. In Wales, 2,568 pupils from 89 schools took a two-hour computer-based exercise. To put this in context, there are <a href="https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Education-and-Skills/Schools-and-Teachers/Schools-Census/Pupil-Level-Annual-School-Census/Pupils/pupils-by-yeargroup-sex">approximately</a> 33,000 pupils in Year 11 in 178 secondary schools and 27 middle schools in Wales.</p>
<p>The subsequent OECD report <a href="https://www.gov.wales/achievement-15-year-olds-program-international-student-assessment-pisa-national-report-2022">acknowledges</a> that “the sample for Wales, and for many other countries, did not meet some of the Pisa standards”. It is important to reflect on how a test taken by a sample of 15-year-old students, every three years for two hours, can possibly be a valid and reliable measure of a system’s performance even in a relative sense. </p>
<p>Pisa’s statistics show that Wales’s average score for mathematics in 2022 was significantly lower than the average across OECD countries. Wales’s average scores for mathematics, reading and science have all declined significantly since 2018. This was also the case, on average, across OECD countries for mathematics and reading. Although for science, the difference between the OECD average in 2022 was not significantly different to that in 2018. </p>
<p>It also noted that the gap in performance between pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and the least disadvantaged backgrounds was smaller in Wales than it was on average across OECD countries for all subjects. </p>
<p>The important thing to observe is that Pisa deals in averages. In the latest results, those averages are derived from the 81 countries that took part, which is a huge range. The report notes a relative fall in Welsh performance against an aggregated average of OECD countries. </p>
<p>It then highlights that this decline was also the case on average across OECD countries for mathematics and reading. In other words, this is a trend. It also suggests that Wales has been more successful in closing the achievement gap between the most disadvantaged and least disadvantaged pupils than most other OECD countries. Yet this important indicator of success has been overshadowed by the blanket headlines of abject educational failure.</p>
<p>If all countries participating in Pisa now recover fully after COVID and improve their educational performance across the board, it is highly likely that Wales will “underperform” on Pisa yet again, whatever it does. If all countries in Pisa continue a steady trajectory of improvement, the country differentials will remain largely the same. Some countries may move up or down, but that movement will be marginal. </p>
<h2>A game of relatives</h2>
<p>There were no real surprises in the latest results. Countries like Singapore, Taiwan and Japan have retained their comparative advantage and will probably continue to do so, because Pisa is a game of relatives. The complexity and dynamic of any education system cannot (and should not) be at the mercy of a single measure of assessment however compelling or lucrative. </p>
<p>But what does that mean for Wales? First, it should encourage us to look at Pisa as one data set only and to not be obsessed by its findings. It is important to put Pisa in perspective by looking far beyond the simple headlines and delving into the detail of the report. </p>
<p>Second, it should be a reminder that Pisa is a snapshot of performance at a particular moment in time. It takes no account of the possibilities and potential of ongoing reform – deep contextual detail is not on its global radar. Hence, the danger is that every three years, Pisa fuels doubt, dissent and concern, when education systems need certainty, confidence and consensus about the reforms they are putting in place.</p>
<p>Third, no education system is perfect. Getting great Pisa scores is certainly no guarantee that the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people is not compromised or sidestepped along the way. The potential of human collateral damage in achieving high Pisa performance over two decades, unsurprisingly, does not feature in the OECD reports. </p>
<p>Wales has a choice, to either let this global compass direct its educational pathway, accepting that every three years it will derail and disrupt the reform agenda, or to hold its nerve. We cannot ignore Pisa, but we can put it in perspective and continue to focus on the learning and wellbeing of all children and young people in Wales. This is what matters most.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219646/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alma Harris does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Pisa measures 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science every three years - but is that the best way to test an education system?Alma Harris, Professor of Leadership in Education, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2158002023-10-19T00:23:57Z2023-10-19T00:23:57ZAustralia has a new National Skills Agreement. What does this mean for vocational education?<p>This week, national cabinet signed off on a <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/landmark-national-skills-agreement-unlock-billions">National Skills Agreement</a>. This is a A$12.6 billion funding agreement determining federal and state funding for vocational education and training over the next five years. </p>
<p>More than a year in the making, the agreement also promises a new era of cooperation between governments, the vocational education and training sector, business and the community. </p>
<p>What is in the agreement and will it actually boost skills and productivity?</p>
<h2>What is the National Skills Agreement?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/skills-reform-priorities/national-skills-agreement-vision-and-principles">National Skills Agreement</a> updates and renames the <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-information-training-providers/national-agreement-skills-and-workforce-development">National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development</a>, first set up in 2012.</p>
<p>This agreement was supposed to be finalised in 2022 but was hampered by state <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22media%2Fpressclp%2F8498578%22">objections</a> to the Morrison government’s potential reductions in funding to TAFEs and increased course fees, among other concerns. Then the change in government further delayed the agreement. </p>
<p>But the delay also provided a opportunity to respond to <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/skills-workforce-agreement/report">Productivity Commissions concerns</a> concerns two key targets – increasing skill levels and qualifications – were not being met by previous arrangements. </p>
<h2>What’s in the new agreement?</h2>
<p>Under the <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/national-skills-agreement">new agreement</a> Australian governments have agreed to work together to: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>deliver a high quality national vocational education and training system to boost productivity</p></li>
<li><p>support Australians to develop the skills they need to obtain well-paid, secure jobs</p></li>
<li><p>ensure Australia has the skilled workforce it needs now and in the future, with TAFE “at the heart” of vocational education and training.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The federal government will provide $12.6 billion over five years from January 2024.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/there-may-not-be-enough-skilled-workers-in-australias-pipeline-for-a-post-covid-19-recovery-140061">There may not be enough skilled workers in Australia's pipeline for a post-COVID-19 recovery</a>
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<h2>How much of the money is new?</h2>
<p>Based on the <a href="https://budget.gov.au/content/bp3/download/bp3_06_part_2_skills.pdf">2023-24 federal budget</a>, the states and territories were already planning to receive about $9.8 billion of the $12.6 billion over the next five years. </p>
<p>Much of this was based on initiatives that had already been agreed during the first year of the Albanese government, including $8.6 billion in federal funding for states’ training systems. There is also $1.2 billion to fund schemes such as fee-free TAFE courses and to revitalise TAFE campuses across Australia. </p>
<p>The government says there is $3.7 billion in new funding. Looking at available government statements and documents, (such as the <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-10/p2023-447996-working-future.pdf">Working Future White Paper</a>), our best estimate is there is between $2.8 billion and $3.7 billion of “new” funding from the federal government. This because because some of the funding is contingent on states also contributing funds to different components (and they may not choose to do all of this). </p>
<p>In terms of average yearly funding, the federal government will contribute an average of $2.5 billion per year to the new national skills agreement.
This is significantly higher than the average of <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/vet-knowledge-bank-landmark-documents-funding-historical-overview">$1.6 billion per year</a> under the previous agreement. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1638316701589680128"}"></div></p>
<h2>What will the agreement do?</h2>
<p>The bulk of the new money will be for “<a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/landmark-national-skills-agreement-unlock-billions">flexible funding</a>” to state and territories to meet <a href="https://ministers.dewr.gov.au/oconnor/communique-skills-ministers-meeting">national priorities</a> including:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/Attachment-D_Employment-Session-Two-Skills-Meeting-Summary.docx">gender equality</a>,
<a href="https://www.niaa.gov.au/sites/default/files/reports/closing-the-gap-2019/education.html">Closing the Gap</a> and <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/supporting-australian-workers-industries-communities-power-our-net-zero-future-fs.pdf">net zero</a> in vocational education and training</p></li>
<li><p>sustaining <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/mitchell-institute-skills-for-recovery-the-vocational-education-system-we-need-post-COVID-19-updated.pdf">essential care services</a> such as child and aged care</p></li>
<li><p>developing Australia’s <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/business-industry/industry-capability-programs/sovereign-industrial-capability-priorities-plans">sovereign capability</a> or ability to make things ourselves, <a href="https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/2010/12/securing-australia%25e2%2580%2599s-future-pmseic-releases-expert-reports-on-food-security-and-energy-water-carbon-intersections">food security</a> and <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-and-training/resources/australian-digital-capability-framework">technological capability</a> and</p></li>
<li><p>improving regulation of <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/quality-reforms">VET qualifications</a>.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The remainder of the funds will address some reforms <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/national-skills-agreement">recommended by the Productivity Commission</a> and previous reviews. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>establishing a national network of <a href="https://tda.edu.au/newsletters/nationally-networked-tafe-centres-of-excellence-comment-by-ceo-jenny-dodd/">TAFE Centres of Excellence</a> and strengthening collaboration between TAFEs, universities and industry and</p></li>
<li><p>improving <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/apprentice-and-trainee-completion-rates-decrease-2021">vocational education and training completions</a>, including for women and others who face completion challenges.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/migration-is-a-quick-fix-for-skills-shortages-building-on-australians-skills-is-better-159207">Migration is a quick fix for skills shortages. Building on Australians' skills is better</a>
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<h2>Will this work?</h2>
<p>At this early stage, the new funds seem to be well targeted. It is also significant states and territories have agreed to address these issues and <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/resources/national-skills-agreement-overview">match the federal funding</a>. When combined, this essentially doubles the investment to resolve some <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/are-we-all-speaking-the-same-language-understanding-quality-in-the-vet-sector">urgent and complex problems</a> in the sector. </p>
<p>The National Skills Agreement is also based on a new “<a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/resources/stewardship">shared stewardship</a>” approach. This will see governments working together and <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/collaboration-key-in-upskilling-australias-workforce">engaging with community stakeholders</a>, to set shared outcomes for skills and workforce development. </p>
<p>This will be important for the next steps for the sector, which involves the federal government developing a vocational education and training “<a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/resources/vet-workforce">workforce blueprint</a>” by early 2024, to grow the vocational education workforce and ensure it is sustainable. Next year all governments will also develop public “skills plans”, setting out how they will deliver on agreed priorities and targets.</p>
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<img alt="An elderly man holds a stress ball, while another person helps." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554469/original/file-20231018-29-gwn3z2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The National Skills Agreement acknowledges the need for more aged care workers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-stress-ball-339620/">Matthias Zomer/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-keeps-talking-about-revamping-vet-but-is-it-actually-doing-it-117743">The government keeps talking about revamping VET – but is it actually doing it?</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>There are still risks and challenges</h2>
<p>But it is important employers do not see this additional funding as a further excuse to reduce their contribution to employee skills and training and development. We need <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/vet-knowledge-bank-landmark-documents-funding-historical-overview">industry to coinvest</a> in areas such as skills development and Closing the Gap if they are to truly succeed.</p>
<p>Other major training organisations apart from TAFEs will also have to do their part. </p>
<p>For example, a large amount of targeted federal funding is for strengthening collaboration between TAFEs, universities and industry and for growing and retaining a quality vocational education and training workforce. So <a href="https://vuir.vu.edu.au/40391/1/Australian-Investment-in-Education-Higher-Education.pdf">universities</a> and private <a href="https://www.iteca.edu.au/ITECA/Content/News/2023/vet-q1/rto.great.for.taxpayers.aspx">Registered Training Organisations</a> will also need to invest and support these initiatives. </p>
<p>This may also form part of the upcoming <a href="https://universitiesaustralia.edu.au/media-item/unis-key-to-solving-nations-skills-challenge/">Universities Accord</a>. A final report on the accord is due in December 2023. </p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">our research</a> notes, we need all stakeholders to have skin in the game if Australia is going to to reverse <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview202223/SkillsTraining">its’ long decline</a> in skills and training investment. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/jobs-are-changing-and-fast-heres-what-the-vet-sector-and-employers-need-to-do-to-keep-up-118524">Jobs are changing, and fast. Here's what the VET sector (and employers) need to do to keep up</a>
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</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215800/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The $12.6 billion agreement promises a new era of cooperation between governments, the vocational education and training sector, business and the community.Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2141252023-09-26T15:00:50Z2023-09-26T15:00:50ZFossil fuel workers have the skills to succeed in green jobs, but location is a major barrier to a just transition<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549816/original/file-20230922-28-33hz0i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=67%2C16%2C5599%2C3687&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Renewable energy jobs often aren't close to fossil fuel workers' homes.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/portrait-of-a-wind-turbine-engineer-royalty-free-image/1433295579">Prapass Pulsub/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As the U.S. shifts away from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, thousands of coal, oil and gas workers will be looking for new jobs. </p>
<p>Many will have the skills to step into new jobs in the emerging clean energy industries, but the transition may not be <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/15/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-cleaner-industrial-sector-to-reduce-emissions-and-reinvigorate-american-manufacturing/">as simple as it seems</a>. New research published in the journal Nature Communications <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41133-9">identifies a major barrier</a> that is often overlooked in discussions of how to create a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/15/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-cleaner-industrial-sector-to-reduce-emissions-and-reinvigorate-american-manufacturing/">just transition</a> for these workers: location.</p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HZcCKu8AAAAJ&hl=en">We</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pia9kOsAAAAJ&hl=en">analyzed</a> 14 years of fossil fuel employment and skills data and found that, while many fossil fuel workers <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41133-9">could transfer their skills to green jobs</a>, they historically have not relocated far when they changed jobs.</p>
<p>That suggests that it’s not enough to create green industry jobs. The jobs will have to be where the workers are, and most fossil fuel extraction workers are not in regions where green jobs are expected to grow. </p>
<p>Without careful planning and targeted policies, we estimate that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41133-9">only about 2%</a> of fossil fuel workers involved in extraction are likely to transition to green jobs this decade. Fortunately, there are ways to help smooth the transition.</p>
<h2>Many fossil fuel and green skills overlap</h2>
<p>As of 2019, <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021.02.22_BrookingsMetro_FossilFuel-MethodologyAppendix.pdf">about 1.7 million people</a> worked in jobs across the fossil fuels industry in the U.S., many of them in the regions from Texas and New Mexico to Montana and from Kentucky to Pennsylvania. As the country transitions from fossil fuel use to clean energy to protect the climate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-the-coal-industry-shrinks-miners-deserve-a-just-transition-heres-what-it-should-include-116340">many of those jobs will disappear</a>.</p>
<p>Policymakers tend to focus on skills training when they talk about the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/environment/cc/g20-climate/collapsecontents/Just-Transition-Centre-report-just-transition.pdf">importance of a just transition</a> for these workers and their communities.</p>
<p>To see how fossil fuel workers’ skills might transfer to green jobs, we used <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/onet">occupation and skills data</a> from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to compare them. These profiles provide information about the required workplace skills for over 750 occupations, including earth drillers, underground mining machine operators and other extraction occupations.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Workers in hard hats reach for pipes in a tall stand of pipes at a finishing well in Oklahoma." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549818/original/file-20230922-27-2sqfti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fossil fuel extraction jobs and renewable energy jobs are often hands-on.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/an-oil-well-worker-pumps-pipes-from-a-finishing-well-news-photo/509077802">J Pat Carter/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Overall, we found that many fossil fuel workers involved in extraction already have similar skills to those required in green occupations, <a href="https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/sites/default/files/transitionforfossilfuelworkers.pdf">as previous studies also found</a>. In fact, their skills tend to be more closely matched to green industries than most other industries.</p>
<p><a href="https://j2jexplorer.ces.census.gov/">Job-to-job flow data</a> from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that these workers historically tend to transition to other sectors with similar skills requirements. Thus, fossil fuel workers should be able to fill emerging green jobs with only minimal reskilling. </p>
<p>However, the data also shows that these fossil fuel workers <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41133-9">typically do not travel far</a> to fill employment opportunities.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A worker stands in the nacelle of a wind turbine far above the ground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549723/original/file-20230922-19-rocz7p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A technician makes adjustments to a wind turbine in Colorado.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/iip-photo-archive/23095737515">Dennis Schroeder/NREL</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The location problem</h2>
<p>When we mapped the <a href="https://sites.pitt.edu/%7Emrfrank/justTransitionDemo/">current locations</a> of wind, solar, hydro and geothermal power plants using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, we found that these sites had little overlap with fossil fuel workers.</p>
<p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projections for where green jobs are <a href="https://www.bls.gov/emp/">likely to emerge by 2029</a> also showed little overlap with the locations of today’s fossil fuel workers.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The map shows pockets across the U.S., such as California, the Upper Midwest and the Northeast" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550422/original/file-20230926-27-tzz4j9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Where green jobs linked to solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower production can be found.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://sites.pitt.edu/~mrfrank/justTransitionDemo/">Morgan Frank/University of Pittsburgh</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These results were consistent across several green employment projections and different definitions of “fossil fuel” occupations. That’s alarming for the prospects of a just transition. </p>
<h2>How policymakers can intervene</h2>
<p>Broadly, our findings point to two potential strategies for policymakers.</p>
<p>First, policymakers can explore incentives and programs that help fossil fuel workers relocate. However, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41133-9">as our analysis</a> reveals, these populations have not historically exhibited geographic mobility.</p>
<p>Alternatively, policymakers could design incentives for green industry employers to build in fossil fuel communities. This might not be so simple. Green energy production often depends on where the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/wind/where-wind-power-is-harnessed.php">wind blows strongest</a>, <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar-resource-maps.html">solar power production is most effective</a> and <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/gis/geothermal.html">geothermal</a> power or hydropower is available.</p>
<p>We simulated the creation of new green industry employment in two different ways, one targeting fossil fuel communities and the other spread uniformly across the U.S. according to population. The targeted efforts led to significantly more transitions from fossil fuel to green jobs. For example, we found that creating 1 million location-targeted jobs produced more transitions than the creation of 5 million jobs that don’t take workers’ locations into account.</p>
<p>Another solution doesn’t involve green jobs at all. A similar analysis in our study of other existing U.S. sectors revealed that construction and manufacturing employment are already co-located with fossil fuel workers and would require only limited reskilling. Supporting manufacturing expansion in these areas could be a simpler solution that could limit the number of new employers needed to support a just transition.</p>
<p>There are other questions <a href="https://www.climatechangenews.com/2023/07/21/biden-green-jobs-unions-labor/">that worry fossil fuel workers</a>, such as whether new jobs will pay as well and last beyond construction. More research is needed to assess effective policy interventions, but overall our study highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to a just transition that takes into account the unique challenges faced by fossil fuel workers in different regions. </p>
<p>By responding to these barriers, the U.S. can help ensure that the transition to a green economy is not only environmentally sustainable but also socially just.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214125/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Morgan R. Frank receives funding from Russell Sage Foundation and the Heinz Endowment.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Junghyun Lim received funding from Russell Sage Foundation and the Heinz Endowment.</span></em></p>In a greener future, what becomes of current fossil fuel workers? Despite possessing skills applicable to green industries, their geographical locations will limit their opportunities.Morgan R. Frank, Assistant Professor of Informatics, University of PittsburghJunghyun Lim, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2142672023-09-26T04:12:46Z2023-09-26T04:12:46ZIs it time for Australia to introduce a national skills passport?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550146/original/file-20230926-30-llx87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C8%2C5960%2C3982&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-writing-on-tablet-computer-while-using-laptop-4348401/">Antoni Shkraba/Pexels</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As part of the <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/employment-whitepaper/final-report">new employment white paper</a>, the federal government has announced it is thinking seriously about a national skills passport. </p>
<p>It has <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/digital-skills-passport-jim-chalmers-national-skills-passport-to-create-digital-id-of-training-and-qualifications/50f19be0-72a1-4925-b2ba-a96776a20ee1">set aside A$9.1 million</a> to prepare a business case for the passport to “help workers promote their qualifications and businesses find more skilled workers”.</p>
<p>What might this involve? And is it a good idea? As our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2019-0217">research shows</a>, skills passports can build trust between employers and employees. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-australian-workers-is-either-underemployed-or-out-of-work-white-paper-210967">1 in 5 Australian workers is either underemployed or out of work: white paper</a>
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<h2>What is the government proposing?</h2>
<p>At this stage, the national skills passport is just a proposal and the government says it still needs to consult with businesses and state governments. </p>
<p>Treasurer <a href="https://ministers.education.gov.au/chalmers/national-skills-passport">Jim Chalmers says</a> the government wants to develop a business case to “define the scope, outcomes and benefits” of a skills passport.</p>
<p>It would apply to anyone undertaking post-school vocational education and training or higher education. The idea is it would make it easier for employees to demonstrate their skills and for employers to hire candidates possessing the specific skills and qualifications they require.</p>
<p>Similar to other personal data on other government systems (such as My Health Record), it will create a one-stop, secure online repository where you can view and manage your skills, certificates and training. There would also be a digital certification system that would allow for information to be verified. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1705770040824631436"}"></div></p>
<h2>Where did the idea come from?</h2>
<p>The idea of a skills “<a href="http://www.futured.com/pdf/ePortfolio%20Backgrounder%2096.pdf">passport</a>” (also known as a skills portfolio, learning passport, human capital account, life work portfolio, career passport and cumulative record of learning achievement) emerged at the end of the 1990s.</p>
<p>In recent years, skills passports have gained more attention due to the changing nature of work and education. This includes <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-youre-preparing-students-for-21st-century-jobs-youre-behind-the-times-131567">rapid changes in technology</a>, combined with improved transport and communication systems and globalisation. This means workers are much less likely to stay in one job for a significant length of time. </p>
<p>Instead, they will have to retrain and learn new skills regularly to keep up with these changes. They may have different careers in multiple locations in different phases of life.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/254855/subir100-skills-workforce-agreement.pdf">skills passport</a> should not just include transcripts (or results), but also <a href="https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/article/view/1317">other evidence</a> of an individual’s skills and qualifications. This could include <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-a-microcredential-course-4-things-to-consider-first-207619">microcredentials</a>, digital badges, portfolios, resumes and references. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A worker uses a grinder on the floor, surrounded by cables." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550160/original/file-20230926-19-aybg8t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The concept of a skills passport has grown as workers have needed to retrain more often.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-grinder-1216544/">Anamul Rezwan/Pexels</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-credentialism-and-is-a-degree-more-than-just-a-piece-of-paper-40941">Explainer: what is credentialism and is a degree more than just a piece of paper?</a>
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<h2>Our research shows skills passports are important</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2019-0217">2023 research</a> has shown digital initiatives that improve transparency – such as skills passports – help overcome information and trust gaps between employers and employees. </p>
<p>Besides showing relevant information about potential candidates in a standardised, unbiased manner, skills passports verify qualifications. </p>
<p>This reduces the problem of fake certificates and wrong information. Further, by showing all the skills on one platform, skills passports can help individuals, employers and educational institutions recognise more easily the skills individuals have developed at school, work and through life experiences. </p>
<p>Not only does it help people get jobs, it helps them plan how to further their skills. </p>
<h2>What happens in other countries?</h2>
<p>In 2004, the European Union launched the <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32004D2241">Europass initiative</a> – a set of documents that help individuals communicate their skills and qualifications and make skills and qualifications more transparent and comparable across the EU. The Europass includes a CV, language passport, mobility document and qualifications supplement. </p>
<p>In 2019, Singapore introduced a <a href="https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/digital-certificates-will-be-issued-graduates-year">digital skills passport</a>. This is a digital record of an individual’s skills and qualifications, issued by accredited schools, polytechnics, universities and other training providers. </p>
<p>In the United States, large companies are taking the lead. In 2019 financial services firm JP Morgan <a href="https://www.jpmorganchase.com/news-stories/jpmorgan-chase-global-investment-in-the-future-of-work">created its own skills passport</a>. This helps employees assess their skills and provides learning suggestions based on their current skills and role requirements. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1350109231379214336"}"></div></p>
<h2>What about Australia?</h2>
<p>Australia’s national training authority started consulting on a skills passport as far back as <a href="http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/23686">the late 1990s</a>. But progress has been slow. This is largely because of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.2304/rcie.2010.5.3.261">complexities</a> of the skills, training, education and employment systems in Australia.</p>
<p>Since 2015, Australia has had a “<a href="https://www.usi.gov.au/about-us">unique student identifier</a>” for all vocational students. This is a unique reference number made up of ten numbers and letters and tracks students’ learning and qualifications. Since 2021, this has also applied to all <a href="https://www.usi.gov.au/providers/higher-education">new university students</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1347386829192929287"}"></div></p>
<h2>Would it work here?</h2>
<p>In many ways, the national skills passport is a natural extension of the unique student identifier. </p>
<p>But it may be difficult to gain consensus quickly on why there is a need to extend the current unique student identifier to a skills passport. </p>
<p>This is because it will involve different education sectors, different employment sectors, different levels of governments, and different states, territories as well as professional bodies and industries. </p>
<p>But as a way to make getting a job, hiring and planning career development easier, this is an important idea to pursue. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-national-skills-agreement-needs-time-in-the-policy-spotlight-and-it-must-include-these-3-things-201183">The National Skills Agreement needs time in the policy spotlight and it must include these 3 things</a>
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</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214267/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As part of the new employment white paper the federal government has announced it is thinking seriously about a national skills passport.Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2118762023-08-20T12:31:49Z2023-08-20T12:31:49Z‘Care’ economy to balloon in an Australia of 40.5 million: Intergenerational Report<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543563/original/file-20230820-101875-efbsyz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=928%2C401%2C2910%2C1640&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia’s care economy could increase from its present about 8% of GDP to about 15% in 40 years, according to the government’s Intergenerational Report, to be released by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Thursday.</p>
<p>The projections say in four decades’ time Australians will be living longer, with more years in good health - but the larger cohort of aged people will increase the need for care.</p>
<p>By 2062-63, life expectancy for men is projected to be 87 years (currently 81.3), and for women 89.5 (85.2).</p>
<p>Australia’s population is expected to grow at a slower rate in the coming four decades than in any 40 year period since federation, according to the report, prepared by the federal treasury. By 2062-63 Australia would have a population of 40.5 million. </p>
<p>The Intergenerational Report puts a long lens on the nation’s future, looking at the implications of demographic changes and covering a broad range of economic and social areas. The first report was done under the Howard government and the most recent in 2021. While these reports are important for policy makers in identifying trends and signposting looming problems, they are also limited by the extended time frame and the inevitability of changing circumstances and different policies.</p>
<p>This year’s report again highlights the economic and budgetary issues presented by an ageing population. The combination of increased longevity and low fertility means Australia will continue to age over the next four decades. “The number of people aged 65 and over will more than double and the number aged 85 and over will more than triple,” the report says. This will make for “an ongoing economic and fiscal challenge”.</p>
<p>“The average annual population growth rate is projected to slow to 1.1% over the next 40 years, compared to 1.4% for the past 40 years,” the report says. “Australia’s population is projected to reach 40.5 million in 2062–63.” </p>
<p>Present projections are for the number of health care and social assistance workers to increase by 15.8% from 2021 to 2026. The former National Skills Commission projected the demand for aged care workers alone was expected to double by 2050. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543557/original/file-20230820-177767-jqcbca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Extract from 2023 Intergenerational Report.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Commonwealth Treasury</span></span>
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<p>Chalmers said the report showed growth in the care economy “is set to be one of the most prominent shifts in our society” over the period, with the care sectors playing a bigger role in driving growth. </p>
<p>“Whether it’s health care, aged care, disabilities or early childhood education – we’ll need more well-trained workers to meet the growing demand for quality care over the next 40 years. The care sector is where the lion’s share of opportunities in our economy will be created,” he said.</p>
<p>The report projects population growth to fall to 0.8% in 2062–63. </p>
<p>Both migration and natural increase are expected to fall relative to the size of the population. Net migration is assumed at 235,000 a year. </p>
<p>“The 2023–24 Budget forecast that net overseas migration will recover in the near term due to the temporary catch‑up from the pandemic. It is expected to largely return to normal patterns from 2024-25. Even with the near‑term recovery, on current forecasts, cumulative net overseas migration would not catch up to pre‑pandemic levels until 2029-30,” the report says. </p>
<p>“Over the next 40 years, net overseas migration is expected to account for 0.7 percentage points of Australia’s average annual population growth, falling from 1.0 percentage points in 2024–25 to 0.6 percentage points by 2062–63.”</p>
<p>On budgetary pressures, the report follows a familiar theme. “The main five long‑term spending pressures are health and aged care, the NDIS, defence, and interest payments on Government debt. Combined, these spending categories are projected to increase by 5.6 percentage points of GDP over the 40 years from 2022–23 to 2062–63.”</p>
<p>On the crucial issue of productivity, which has languished for years, the report downgrades the assumption for productivity growth “from its 30-year average of around 1.5% to the recent 20-year average of around 1.2%. </p>
<p>"Placing more weight on recent history better reflects headwinds to productivity growth, such as continued structural change towards service industries, the costs of climate change, and diminishing returns from past reforms. This downgrade is consistent with forecasts in other advanced economies.”</p>
<p>The report points to areas where there are opportunities to lift productivity growth.</p>
<p>These include reforms to reduce entry and exist barriers for firms, facilitating the diffusion of technology, and encouraging labour mobility. It also highlights the potential of digital innovations, including artificial intelligence. </p>
<p>On human capital, the report says, “The jobs of the future will require increasingly specialised skillsets and there is potential to support Australians at all stages of their human capital development. Promotion of foundational skills – such as in literacy and numeracy – at an early age will facilitate participation in the expanding knowledge economy over the next 40 years.”</p>
<p>Chalmers said the report “will make the critical point that the trajectory or productivity growth in the future is not a foregone conclusion, and it will depend on how we respond to the big shifts impacting our economy”.</p>
<p>Meanwhile the Business Council of Australia is unveiling a reform plan, titled Seize the Moment, for ways to reverse Australia’s “productivity slump” and boost competitiveness. It claims if implemented the reform package would “leave each Australian $7000 better off a year after a decade”. </p>
<p>Among its multiple proposals, the BCA says there should be “broad-based reform of the tax system to minimise distortions and increase incentives to invest, innovate and hire”.</p>
<p>It also says federal and state governments should commit to a “10-year national net zero roadmap based on a whole-of-system approach to decarbonising the economy to 2050”. It calls for more action to increase women’s economic participation, a more flexible industrial relations system, “a coherent system of lifelong learning”, and an agenda for microeconomic reform.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211876/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The Intergenerational Report puts a long lens on the nation’s future, looking at the implications of demographic changes and covering a broad range of economic and social areasMichelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1974792023-05-31T16:20:48Z2023-05-31T16:20:48ZHow to hone your leadership skills, and what your company can do to help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529195/original/file-20230530-5447-pnxehw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7900%2C5269&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Leadership potential.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-african-american-young-woman-eyeglasses-1321400648">GaudiLab/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The UK labour market has <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/jobsandvacanciesintheuk/may2023">finally started to see a fall in vacancies</a> following a post-COVID spike in open positions. But there are still more than a million job vacancies, which are “damaging the economy by preventing firms from fulfilling order books and taking on new work”, according to the <a href="https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/news/2023/05/unfilled-jobs-still-holding-back-economy">British Chambers of Commerce</a>.</p>
<p>A recent survey by this business lobby group found four-fifths of firms can’t recruit the people they need. Companies often <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MD-07-2021-0875/full/html">look outside for external candidates to fill senior roles</a>, but this overlooks current employees who may have the potential to move up within an organisation – even if they do not know it yet.</p>
<p>Overlooking employees often happens when management plays it safe, rather than risking giving “one of their own” an important new assignment. The resulting untapped employee potential can leave people feeling underused and frustrated. You need to be given opportunities to stretch, learn and develop to fulfil your potential at work. </p>
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<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em>
<em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/expert-advice-for-budding-uk-entrepreneurs-during-a-cost-of-living-crisis-202531?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Expert advice for budding UK entrepreneurs during a cost of living crisis </a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/trust-is-important-if-you-want-to-succeed-at-work-heres-how-to-build-it-200095?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Trust is important if you want to succeed at work - here’s how to build it</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-menstrual-leave-could-be-bad-for-women-199568?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Why menstrual leave could be bad for women</a></em></p>
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<p>Human resource managers use potential – and in particular, leadership potential – to identify the employees that could be their organisation’s future leaders. In the business world (and often in academic research too), the term “high potential” typically means you are able to develop further and faster than others in a similar situation. </p>
<p>Someone with leadership potential has the capacity to be an effective leader in the future, but may need support to develop the right skills and experience to succeed. So, how can you work out your own leadership potential? Research highlights three main traits you need:</p>
<p><strong>1. Growth: learning and motivation</strong></p>
<p>Many studies identify the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1099-050X%28200024%2939%3A4%3C321%3A%3AAID-HRM4%3E3.0.CO%3B2-1">ability to learn</a> as key to predicting future leadership effectiveness. This incorporates keenness to learn, the ability to extract as many lessons as possible from different experiences, and to adapt by applying these to enhance your future performance. </p>
<p>This explains why some people learn more from their experiences (and develop faster) than others. There is also a motivational component that includes drive and perseverance to achieve results, and the ambition to lead.</p>
<p><strong>2. Foundational: cognitive and personality characteristics</strong></p>
<p>Research shows that <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2002-15406-013">people who are more</a> emotionally balanced, sociable, ambitious, conscientious and curious are more likely to become leaders.</p>
<p>Also, because it’s important to be able to make decisions effectively in any senior role, cognitive capabilities are key. These typically include strong judgment skills in complex and ambiguous situations, and being able to collect and evaluate information from diverse sources to reach solid decisions. </p>
<p><strong>3. Career: qualities specific to the future role</strong></p>
<p>Some models of potential also include “career dimensions”, which are specific skills relevant to a future role. For leadership potential, these might include qualities such as strategic thinking or collaboration. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/automation-risks-creating-a-two-tier-workforce-of-haves-and-have-nots-205800">New technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-uks-four-day-working-week-pilot-was-a-success-heres-what-should-happen-next-200502">workplace trends</a> are among the factors that are changing how we work. This means the demands of future roles – and the career-specific qualities required to excel in them – may be quite different to those of your current job. In fact, research shows that more than 70% of today’s top performers still lack the key qualities that will <a href="https://hbr.org/2010/05/how-to-keep-your-top-talent#:%7E:text=Our%20research%20shows%20that%20more,is%20not%20all%20that%20high.">help them to be successful in their future roles</a>.</p>
<h2>How can you develop these qualities?</h2>
<p>As rapid change renders knowledge and skills out of date at an astonishing rate, the ability to learn is increasingly crucial to future leaders. Rather than “having all the answers”, you need to be able to find or figure the answers out. This means that leaders need the humility to know they don’t know it all, and the interpersonal skills to listen openly and learn from a diverse network of people. </p>
<p>At the height of the COVID pandemic, for example, New Zealand’s then prime minister Jacinda Ardern didn’t have all the answers. But she used her platform to quite literally ask for information. Ardern did a series of video interviews with different experts to get some key answers, speaking to a <a href="https://m.facebook.com/jacindaardern/videos/214610899823257/">psychologist about coping with the stresses of the pandemic</a>, and an <a href="https://m.facebook.com/jacindaardern/videos/274382413556922/">experienced business mentor about supporting small businesses</a>.</p>
<p>Having asked, listened and sought varied insights, leaders must then apply strong judgment and problem-solving skills to decide on the best way forward – even if there is no obvious path. This draws upon cognitive ability, but it also involves skills that can be learnt.</p>
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<img alt="Man in shirt at laptop, looking forward and sitting between two other people, raising hand." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529326/original/file-20230531-25-7g4mhp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">People with leadership potential ask questions and learn from their experiences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/students-asking-question-whilst-attending-lecture-478412617">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Problems identifying potential</h2>
<p>Unfortunately, organisations often rely upon current (or past) performance as a barometer of potential, which is far from ideal – not just because only a small proportion of current high performers also have high potential, but because people with strong potential may not currently be performing at their best. Perhaps they aren’t in the right role, or aren’t being sufficiently stretched or supported. </p>
<p>Either way, your employer shouldn’t conflate your current performance with your potential. This could also perpetuate the lack of diversity that persists at leadership level in many firms. Past performance is limited by opportunity. Some people, due to biases and stereotypes, may not have been offered the chance to show what they are capable of yet.</p>
<p>To avoid these problems, organisations need to assess their employees objectively to find those with leadership potential. This could include doing psychometric tests of their personality and cognitive and learning abilities. Simulations of typical tasks or problems could also replicate the likely cognitive demands of future leadership roles, helping to identify people who can best cope and learn from the experience.</p>
<h2>Supporting future leaders</h2>
<p>It’s important to remember that potential does not automatically unfold once it’s identified. Indeed, some studies claim that <a href="https://hbr.org/2010/05/how-to-keep-your-top-talent">40% of high-potential promotions end in failure</a>. </p>
<p>However, if you’re good at learning from experiences and applying this to improve how you do things, and are motivated to progress and grow, you have a good chance of developing the career dimension qualities needed to be a future leader – and to do this faster than your peers. </p>
<p>But organisations must help by finding ways to stretch employees, while also building the scaffolding to support their learning and development. They should balance challenge with support through coaching, to help employees learn as much as they can from their experiences. If you want to be a future leader, you can then use these experiences to enhance your job performance and reach your full potential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197479/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zara Whysall also works for Kiddy & Partners, part of Gateley Plc.</span></em></p>In the rapidly changing, ambiguous and unpredictable world of work, future leaders must be able to learn fast.Zara Whysall, Associate Professor of Business Psychology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2011832023-03-21T19:12:16Z2023-03-21T19:12:16ZThe National Skills Agreement needs time in the policy spotlight and it must include these 3 things<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516562/original/file-20230321-26-o6qxgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=47%2C47%2C7868%2C5237&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ThisIsEngineering/Pexels </span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia continues to grapple with acute skills shortages. Businesses are struggling to find workers with the skills they need. Meanwhile, workers struggle to get jobs because of the mismatch between available training and occupations. </p>
<p>There is currently a high-profile debate about the university sector’s role in this via the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-universities-accord-will-plan-for-the-next-30-years-what-big-issues-must-it-address-200367">Universities Accord</a> review process.</p>
<p>But the role of vocational education and training is not getting the same level of attention, even though the <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/national-skills-agreement-vision-and-principles">National Skills Agreement)</a> is <a href="https://www.themandarin.com.au/213196-skills-and-workforce-ministers-talk-national-reforms-and-better-funding-models/">also being developed this year</a>. </p>
<p>This is timely. While enrolments in vocational education and training courses <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/apprentice-and-trainee-numbers-grow">increased during the pandemic</a>, the latest <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/government-funded-students-and-courses-january-to-september-2022">national data</a> shows in the first nine months of 2022, there was a decrease of 6.1% in government-funded enrolments in these courses, compared with the same period in 2021. </p>
<p>This is despite the fact that <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/education/biggest-skill-shortages-in-low-skilled-jobs-that-don-t-need-a-degree-20230305-p5cphf">seven of the current top ten</a> jobs facing skills shortages require vocational qualifications, rather than university degrees. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-we-know-there-is-a-skills-shortage-here-are-3-jobs-summit-ideas-to-start-fixing-it-right-away-188833">Yes, we know there is a 'skills shortage'. Here are 3 jobs summit ideas to start fixing it right away</a>
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<h2>What is the national skills agreement?</h2>
<p>The federal government is proposing a five-year National Skills Agreement to start in January 2024. This will be with the states and territories, <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/national-skills-agreement-vision-and-principles">with the aim</a> of developing “high quality” vocational education to “boost productivity and support Australians to obtain the skills they need to participate and prosper in the modern economy”.</p>
<p>Its predecessor was the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development (NASWD), established in 2012. Under this, the federal government provided <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/skills-information-training-providers/national-agreement-skills-and-workforce-development">about A$1.6 billion</a> per year to governments to help deliver vocational education services and run training systems.</p>
<p>But a <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/skills-workforce-agreement/report">2021 Productivity Commission review</a> found that the NASWD was not increasing skill levels and qualifications. The former Coalition government had planned to finalise a new National Skills Agreement in the second half of 2022. But the election changed the timeline. </p>
<p>After the Jobs and Skills Summit in September last year, the new Labor government signed an <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2022-23-october/content/factsheets/download/factsheet_skills.pdf">interim 12-month agreement</a>. This one-year agreement provides $1.2 billion to support 480,000 fee-free vocational education and training places (mainly in TAFEs). </p>
<p>This is a welcome start but the longer-term National Skills Agreement needs to focus on three key areas if it is to succeed. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1352481167644250115"}"></div></p>
<h2>1. Retaining more apprentices</h2>
<p>The latest national data shows about <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sas-biggest-industries-need-skills-to-pay-the-bills-now-theres-a-plan-to-rebuild-tafe-and-train-enough-workers-to-meet-demand/news-story/0b47dba0c42c1181af761ae7423dc2df">half of apprentices drop out</a> before they complete their training, with a quarter quitting in their first year. </p>
<p>Completion rates have been in decline for a decade now, from a high of 61.6% in 2012. </p>
<p>One of the <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/australian-apprenticeships/resources/australian-apprenticeship-services-and-supports-discussion-paper">key reasons</a> for this are low wages. Starting apprenticeship wages are generally below the national minimum wage of $21.38 per hour. Increasing <a href="https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/compliance-and-enforcement/proactive-investigations/hairdressing-apprentice-initiative">apprenticeship and traineeship wages</a> to a competitive level will provide an incentive for apprentices to stick with their employer and complete their training</p>
<p>Other reasons apprentices drop out are poor relationships with colleagues and not enjoying the work. This means we also need to look at improving work experience opportunities and changes to <a href="https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Apprenticeship-women-and-workplace-culture-Literature-review-October-2021-1.pdf">workplace culture</a> to ensure apprentices go in with a good understanding of what apprenticeships will involve and complete their training in a supportive environment.</p>
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<h2>2. Making training more flexible</h2>
<p>Recent reviews like the <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/publications/strengthening-skills-expert-review-australias-vocational-education-and-training-system">2019 Joyce review</a> and a <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/skills-workforce-agreement#report">2020 Productivity Commission review</a> have highlighted the lack of flexibility in the current apprenticeship model. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/45163853.pdf">OECD also found</a> Australian apprenticeships were rigid and seem to depend on duration rather than competence. Meanwhile, training has <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/mitchell-institute-skills-for-recovery-the-vocational-education-system-we-need-post-COVID-19-updated.pdf">not been able to keep up</a> with technology or changes in market demand. </p>
<p>This makes it hard for employers to meet skills shortages by upgrading employees while they are still on the job. They may have to wait until apprentices complete their qualifications before they train them in more updated technologies and processes. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.afr.com/business-summit/why-your-next-career-course-should-be-a-micro-apprenticeship-20210308-p578po">Micro-apprenticeships</a> are mini qualifications done in smaller blocks. As our <a href="https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2021vol12no1art1317">research</a> shows, they can be done on the job, instead of going through vocational education providers. They are flexible and can allow apprentices to be rapidly trained to meet ongoing technology and market changes. </p>
<p>If these are going to work in Australia, the new skills agreement will need to support employers who want to “<a href="https://theconversation.com/advanced-apprenticeships-will-boost-skills-for-future-jobs-but-not-in-time-to-counter-covid-impacts-147113">top up</a>” their workers’ qualifications. </p>
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<h2>3. Encouraging more vocational-uni collaboration</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/australian-universities-accord">Universities Accord</a> is currently looking for ideas on how universities and the vocational education sector can collaborate more. </p>
<p>A key ongoing challenge is lack of cooperation between the two sectors. Both often see each other as <a href="https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/vocational-education-and-training-vet-in-fe-a-question-of-divide-and-rule/">competitors</a> for school leavers and government funding. </p>
<p>However, <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">our research</a> shows we need closer collaboration between the two. Thanks to changes in technology, Australian workers will increasingly need both “hard” or technical skills and “soft” or non-technical skills. So the current defined boundary between higher education and vocational education will be unhelpful. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-universities-accord-will-plan-for-the-next-30-years-what-big-issues-must-it-address-200367">The Universities Accord will plan for the next 30 years: what big issues must it address?</a>
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<p>The vocational and university sectors have already proven they can work together. For example, Swinburne University has worked with the Australian Industry Group and Siemens to establish the <a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/research/facilities-equipment/advanced-manufacturing-design-centre/">Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre</a>, to give students the opportunity to use the latest manufacturing and design techniques and technologies. The centre provides vocational education (including certificates and diplomas) which can lead to bachelor and higher degrees. </p>
<p>Victoria University, BAE Systems Australia and the Australian Industry Group have also collaborated on a “<a href="https://studyworkgrow.com.au/2022/04/20/australias-first-degree-apprenticeship-program/">degree apprenticeship</a>”. These programs combine university study with on-the-job training. </p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>With both the Universities Accord and the National Skills Agreement being developed, this year can be the catalyst for the vocational and university sectors to collaborate more and for governments to make changes to keep more apprentices in training and make it easier for them to keep training.</p>
<p>There are huge challenges to get the skills we need in nursing, disability, aged care, garages, retail, construction, and hospitality. It is worth getting this right, both for now and into the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201183/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Vocational education and training is facing some big changes. The federal government is proposing a five-year National Skills Agreement with the states to start next year.Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2013492023-03-17T13:15:30Z2023-03-17T13:15:30ZSeven tips for finding happiness at work<p>Work, it’s something most of us do though it isn’t always enjoyable. Whether it’s long hours, gruelling tasks or just the repetitive nature of a day-to-day routine, work can sometimes be something we have to do rather than something we want to do.</p>
<p>But given that the average person will spend <a href="https://www.forbes.com/2010/03/04/happiness-work-resilience-forbes-woman-well-being-satisfaction.html?sh=4521c887126a">90,000 hours at work</a> over a lifetime it makes sense to try and enjoy it if you can. So what can you do to be happier at work and reduce stress? </p>
<p>I was the lead scientist in a <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/Mental+Capital+and+Wellbeing-p-9781405185912">government project</a> that looked at how our wellbeing and emotional resilience can change over a lifetime. </p>
<p>As part of this project, the team, with help from think-tank the <a href="https://neweconomics.org/">New Economics Foundation</a>, identified several things that can reduce stress and enhance wellbeing and happiness – all of which can be applied to the workplace. So what helps?</p>
<h2>1. Be active</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/13/4817/htm">Exercise and other physical activities</a> won’t make your problems or stress disappear, but they will reduce their emotional intensity and give you mental space to sort out problems – as well as keep you physically fit. </p>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0?platform=hootsuite&error=cookies_not_supported&code=a592bab8-77e7-45db-8299-6661718e8da4">Research</a> shows time and time again the positive benefits of exercise, so why not bookend your working day with some <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-guidelines/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/">physical activity</a>. </p>
<p>Walking to and from work is a great way to create separation from the working day. If that’s not possible you could get off the bus a stop early, make your lunchtimes active or maybe find an exercise class to do before you start work for the day.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman does plank pose at a yoga class." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515176/original/file-20230314-22-6v996v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Try a lunchtime exercise class for a change of scenery.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-black-tank-top-and-black-leggings-doing-push-ups-8436690/">Pexels/Yan Krukau</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>2. Connect with people</h2>
<p>If you examine most of the <a href="https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/measuring-happiness/">happiness scales</a>, <a href="http://ghwbpr-2019.s3.amazonaws.com/UAE/GH19_Ch6.pdf">relationships</a> with others come near the top of these lists. </p>
<p>During the pandemic, many people found their wellbeing suffered due to a lack of social contact. Indeed, a good support network of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797619898826?journalCode=pssa">friends and family</a> can minimise your work troubles and help you see things differently.</p>
<p>It’s also worth getting to know your colleagues. The more you invest in your relationships at work, the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0033354919878434">more enjoyable</a> you may find your day. </p>
<p>Helping work colleagues and others in your life, can also enhance your <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197117300507">self-esteem</a> and give you a sense of purpose, which is essential to your <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797619849666?casa_token=zHOv_GeDvXkAAAAA%3Ah-vgfibn2aME4gV0QakcXFN0_Oa5xns5X6ZGG9IhrsriAjGmqHEkxOQ9PwZCNqatYFxZvs4z8A&journalCode=pssa">wellbeing and contentment</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three women walking at work." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515177/original/file-20230314-3349-mnk1jl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Get to know your colleagues, you might discover you enjoy spending time together.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/diverse-successful-businesswomen-smiling-and-walking-together-in-modern-workplace-6457562/">Pexels/Alexander Suhorucov</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. Learn new skills</h2>
<p>Keeping “<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/physical-and-mental-exercises-keep-you-smart/">cognitively active</a>” is critical to your psychological and mental wellbeing and can provide you with new opportunities in terms of your career development. So try to keep learning – take a course, develop some new skills or learn a new hobby, it all adds up.</p>
<p>Having things going on in your life outside of work is also important for your emotional and mental wellbeing. In the UK we work some of the <a href="https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/british-workers-putting-longest-hours-eu-tuc-analysis-finds">longest hours in Europe</a>, meaning we often don’t spend enough time doing the things we really enjoy. Don’t work excessive hours. And ensure you make time for socialising, exercise, along with activities you find fun.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman hanging flowers in shop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515178/original/file-20230314-2482-v7ut18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your new hobby could even lead you down a new career path.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/through-glass-of-cheerful-florists-creating-cozy-counter-in-floristry-store-5414337/">Pexels/Amina Filkins</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>4. Stay present</h2>
<p>This is all about “being in the moment” rather than in the past or looking too far forward. Enjoy the present and you will <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2019.1651888?casa_token=BgnPI1MYoM4AAAAA%3AHqFldsOEsSQ7sb35iz9R3sGXiwItSEJGCW69yuw3-nbIty80lMCWkmUEdZ4y4JpIkntvj8zTcw&journalCode=rpos20">appreciate</a> it more. Indeed, there is plenty of <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0191332">research</a> on the positive aspects of <a href="https://theconversation.com/mindfulness-is-not-a-waste-of-time-it-can-help-treat-depression-59100">mindfulness</a> and how it can help with mental health.</p>
<p>You don’t have to sit down for hours meditating either. Being in the moment is more about bringing your brain back to the now. A more <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/">mindful approach</a> to life is something you can practice at any time of the day, it’s just about being aware, noticing your surroundings – the sights, sounds, smells. You can do this while you’re walking, in a meeting or making a cup of tea.</p>
<h2>5. Recognise the positives</h2>
<p>Staying present also helps you to recognise the positives <a href="https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdf?_ga=2.245695623.2060952378.1676481192-1952323121.1676481192">in your life</a> – allowing you to be a <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier">glass half full</a> rather than a glass half empty person. </p>
<p>Accept there are things at work or in life you can’t change and concentrate on the things you have control over. Remind yourself to feel grateful for the <a href="https://baycrest.echoontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Positive-Psychology-Progress-Empirical-Validation-of-Interventions.pdf">positives in your life</a>. </p>
<h2>6. Avoid unhealthy habits</h2>
<p>Given what we know about their long-term consequences, using excessive alcohol or coffee consumption or smoking as a coping strategy for work stress is ultimately likely to have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621324/">a negative impact</a> on your happiness, even if they seem to provide a quick pick-me-up.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man working from home on a laptop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515180/original/file-20230314-3872-7cur6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Finding the positive in things could help you to enjoy time spent on Zoom meetings rather than resent it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-using-a-laptop-5198239/">Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>7. Work smarter, not longer</h2>
<p>Prioritise your <a href="https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/productivity-means-working-smarter-not-longer">workload during working hours</a> and you will have more disposable time to do the things you enjoy. Accept that your in-tray will always be full, so concentrate on the important things first. </p>
<p>The more you take control of your work life and get the balance you need, the more likely you will be happier at work. Indeed, given that in the UK stress-related illness accounts for nearly 60% of all <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1133968/causes-of-long-term-absence-in-the-uk/">long-term sickness</a> you must prioritise your wellbeing and try to reduce work stress where possible.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201349/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cary Cooper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime, so you might as well try and enjoy it.Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health, University of ManchesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1912592022-12-07T19:05:11Z2022-12-07T19:05:11ZAustralia wants international students to stay and work after graduation. They find it difficult for 4 reasons<p>International students are <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/education/international-students-to-return-en-masse-in-2023-20220825-p5bcpy">flooding back</a> to Australian universities. Some predictions say 2023 could even see record numbers of overseas students in the country.</p>
<p>This is not only good news for universities, but potentially good news for Australian employers. Part of the Albanese government’s plan to boost skills in Australia is to try and ensure more students stay longer after they graduate and join the workforce. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-universities-accord-could-see-the-most-significant-changes-to-australian-unis-in-a-generation-194738">The universities accord could see the most significant changes to Australian unis in a generation</a>
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<p>Education Minister Jason Clare <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/outcomes-jobs-and-skills-summit">recently announced</a> those with a bachelor’s degree could stay for four years, up from two, to “strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour”, <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list">particularly</a> likely to include graduates in healthcare, teaching, hospitality and accounting. </p>
<p>But the government’s simple policy change is not enough. It assumes graduates will be able to get jobs in the areas they studied. There are four key reasons why getting more skilled international graduates into jobs needs more than just a visa extension. </p>
<h2>1. Not all graduates secure a job</h2>
<p>Up to <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2021-gos-international-reportb5ff0a7af7a54ca2a1ebc620f2570151.pdf?sfvrsn=845a4689_0">one-third</a> of international graduates who stay in Australia post-study are still unemployed six months after graduating. This is the case even with <a href="https://www.financeminister.gov.au/media-release/2022/07/14/unemployment-rate-falls-48-year-low">historically low</a> unemployment rates. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students on campus at Melbourne University." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497852/original/file-20221129-26-b06gwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Up to one third of international graduates who stay in Australia have no work at all, six months after graduating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Julian Smith/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Full-time employment rates for international graduates are also consistently lower than for domestic graduates. For example, in 2021, the full-time employment rate for international graduates with an undergraduate degree was 43.0% compared with 68.9% for domestic graduates. </p>
<p>Many international students are self-funded and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15578771.2018.1431741?casa_token=VZWoyi2q3-QAAAAA%3A29qUpV7EX4_mb5jNIMsvMOCNtBibMjgOYxWlOrWcuWLJfpDanvSVEv-bNcjty2mTVY648HNZ33v3vBM">report</a> feeling stressed and under pressure to financially support themselves and their families due to the increased cost-of-living. </p>
<h2>2. Or if they do find a job, it pays less</h2>
<p>Finding well-paying employment in occupations related to a student’s field of study also takes time. </p>
<p>Many students and graduates <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv:84450">report</a> they are taking jobs that are not related to what they have studied, often for low wages. </p>
<p>Studies<a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2021-gos-international-reportb5ff0a7af7a54ca2a1ebc620f2570151.pdf?sfvrsn=845a4689">also show</a> that even if international students with an undergraduate degree find full-time employment, they earn 20% less than domestic graduates.</p>
<h2>3. There are not enough work experience opportunities</h2>
<p>Another reason it is difficult for international students to get a job after graduating is the limited opportunity to work while they study. </p>
<p>Due to COVID and the push towards more online learning, work placements or internships have become scarce. In 2022, many universities have begun to offer internships again, but some students completed their studies without practical workplace experience.</p>
<p>Very few international students have local networks to draw on for job opportunities. They also tend to be less familiar with Australian workplace contexts and cultures and <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-2601-0_2">rely on internships</a> to get the experience they need to secure an ongoing job.</p>
<h2>4. Employers are hesitant</h2>
<p>A 2020 Deakin University <a href="https://deakin.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Post-reported%20that%20work_for_international_graduates_in_Australia_offer%20an%20opportunity_to_enhance_employability,_get_a_return_on_investment_or_secure_migration_/20699056">report</a> found employers were hesitant to hire international graduates on temporary visas. Other <a href="https://www-tandfonline-com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/doi/full/10.1080/14767724.2020.1789449">research</a> also shows employers favour those with permanent residency because they see them as more likely to stay in Australia, and worth the investment in recruiting and training. </p>
<p>Research has <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/365194/international-graduates-employment.pdf">also found</a> employers think international graduates will be more expensive to hire, and they would require more on-the-job training to be able to understand Australian workplace cultures.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-universities-accord-could-see-the-most-significant-changes-to-australian-unis-in-a-generation-194738">The universities accord could see the most significant changes to Australian unis in a generation</a>
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<p>Some mistakenly think language will be an issue, not realising that all university graduates need to meet the minimum English language proficiency to gain entry into any university program.</p>
<p>Sometimes <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09585192.2018.1504106">employers think</a> international graduates are not considered to be a good “cultural fit”. While cultural fit is a consideration when hiring, there is a real danger some employers are using this reason to discriminate against international graduates for no other reason other than their ethnic background. </p>
<p>International students are a <a href="https://educoglobal.com/how-australian-employers-can-benefit-from-international-students-and-vice-versa/">trustworthy and valuable</a> source of productivity and workplace diversity – both of which are necessary to compete in a global economy. They have different skills sets, ideas, attitudes and cultural understandings that can expand how a business operates in a cultural diverse country. </p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>So, giving international students more time in Australia is not the whole answer. They need better career support before and after graduation.</p>
<p>This includes work placements but also help preparing for job applications and interviews.</p>
<p>Employers also need to be better informed about graduates’ capabilities and the benefits of hiring international graduates.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191259/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The Albanese government has changed visa conditions for international graduates. But this alone won’t help students stay in Australia.Danielle H. Heinrichs, Researcher, Griffith Institute of Educational Research, Griffith UniversitySarojni Choy, Professor, Professional Vocational and Continuing Education, Griffith UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1944722022-12-06T13:11:52Z2022-12-06T13:11:52ZSkills shortages are plaguing South Africa’s economy - policy and social conditions must support their development<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496954/original/file-20221123-14-d0xz15.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many South Africans argue that the country has a skills crisis. An equal number question why it can’t sort this out by “adopting the German or Swiss approach”. </p>
<p>The reason the country isn’t getting the right skills to grow its economy is because of the way it thinks about both the problem – and solutions. </p>
<p>There are two aspects to this.</p>
<p>First, in relation to the notion of “skill”, we to see it as expertise embedded in bodies of knowledge, as well as gained through practical experience. Expertise is used for and developed at work, but acquired through schools, vocational institutions, universities, short courses or workplace training. But this is misguided. A dominant idea is that if we just figure out exactly what it is we want learners to be able to do, designing education that enables them to do it will be relatively easy. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is only the case for very specific practical skills like riding a bicycle.</p>
<p>Second, we need to understand skill formation happens through a set of systems which are shaped by, and which shape, economies, institutions and social relations. “Skills” are not a variable that can be changed on their own to create desired changes in the economy. If we want to make changes to skill formation systems and get the right skills, we have to understand this complexity.</p>
<p>Our research at the <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za/real/">Centre for Researching Education and Labour</a> suggests that:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>seeing skill as something to be separated from the knowledge and practice in which it is located leads to misguided and often destructive curriculum reforms. For example, the idea that “problem solving” can be taught as a standalone skill is nonsense.</p></li>
<li><p>education institutions are not the best or only places for learning skills like social skills</p></li>
<li><p>education institutions are the best, and perhaps only places for learning theories, concepts and practices that are very difficult to learn outside structured programmes</p></li>
<li><p>education institutions and systems are complex, difficult to build, require deliberate and extended support and focused cultivation, and are easy to destroy.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>The gaps</h2>
<p>Where work requires expertise, it depends on education <a href="https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/36464">programmes</a> that are broadly, <a href="https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/36464">not narrowly</a>, vocational. That are based on bodies of knowledge in occupational areas, as opposed to teaching the narrow and specific tasks of a particular workplace. </p>
<p>Providing training to do specific tasks through formal education is usually a waste of valuable resources.</p>
<p>A second flaw in the current approach revolves around skill formation systems. Many interventions in skill formation assume that changing one ingredient – the skills of a group of individuals – will change economies and societies. This follows the logic of human capital theory, a simple input/output model which creates a virtuous cycle of more skills, more productivity and higher wages. </p>
<p>From a policy viewpoint, this leads to flawed interventions because it only looks at individuals and assumes individual effects can be aggregated up. Even institutions are theorised as individuals to be incentivised.</p>
<h2>What’s needed</h2>
<p>What we need instead of a neat causal system in which x causes y, and therefore if we incentivise x we will achieve y, we need to visualise a complex system in which changing any one part will have an effect on all the others. </p>
<p>The education system is part of society and the economy. It doesn’t exist outside of them, producing knowledge, expertise and skills in a vacuum. Societies, nationally and globally, are webs of institutions and institutional relationships that shape each other.</p>
<p>Research shows huge differences across wealthy countries in terms of the overall patterns of skill formation. These differences are not simple policy options, or models to be selected and adopted as education reforms, because they are intrinsic to different types of economies. Economic factors that shape skill formation systems include labour market regulation, collective bargaining, welfare and industrial policy and production regimes, political factors including degrees of federalisation, and election systems.</p>
<p>In low and middle-income countries, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13636820.2020.1782455?journalCode=rjve20">we see complex multi-directional relationships</a> between education, poverty and inequality. All the evidence, even from those arguing that fixing schools is key to rupturing inequality, <a href="https://repository.hsrc.ac.za/handle/20.500.11910/15098">shows</a> that poverty is the biggest cause of educational failure in South Africa. </p>
<p>Of course South Africa has problems with our curriculum, teacher training and other aspects of our schooling system. However, poverty is a factor constraining teaching, affecting who becomes a teacher and how teachers are trained, how schools function, and the ability of individuals to learn.</p>
<p>This complex multi-directional set of relationships then shapes what is possible in the rest of the education and training system. Education can’t make up for inadequacies in other policy domains that have and continue to cause mass unemployment and underemployment. The country has to look much more systematically at the different pieces of the system needed to support both the demand for and the development and utilisation of skills, and most importantly, we need policies for structural economic change. </p>
<p>South Africa will improve its chances of skill formation success if it can identify potential key policy levers, and look at how they interact with each other.</p>
<p><em>This article is based on the author’s <a href="https://wits-za.zoom.us/rec/play/IhQIilx17bznV-z7sL0uIrU1so9FMmaYfUeOzDtbIAu2kvo6Qhfoh88UW_N3f-vpiGe_8j0YL01kHDDZ.2DItwgeekJlNUG2G?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=FfjUgaaLShOf4wuolYXpmA.1668674708163.818f8c7aa2452967bbcbd42a1e631045&_x_zm_rhtaid=258">inaugural lecture</a> presented at Wits University on 9 November 2022.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194472/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephanie Allais receives funding from the South African National Research Foundation.</span></em></p>Education can’t make up for inadequacies in other policies that continue to cause mass unemployment.Stephanie Allais, Faculty member, Centre for Researching Education and Labour, University of the WitwatersrandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1888332022-08-25T20:03:54Z2022-08-25T20:03:54ZYes, we know there is a ‘skills shortage’. Here are 3 jobs summit ideas to start fixing it right away<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480234/original/file-20220822-57149-gj7boy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C66%2C7304%2C4781&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/coffee-shop-bar-counter-cafe-restaurant-425709280">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This article is part of The Conversation’s series looking at Labor’s jobs summit. Read the other articles in the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/jobssummit2022-125921">here</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Next Thursday, union, business and political leaders will meet in Canberra for the jobs and skills summit. One of the key issues Treasurer Jim Chalmers has listed for discussion is “addressing skills shortages”.</p>
<p>We hear the term “skills shortages” all the time in media and policy debates about jobs and the economy. But what skills do we need, and more importantly, how do we get them?</p>
<p>While Australia must also think about longer-term planning, we suggest some solutions to train people for the vacancies we have now. </p>
<h2>What skills do we need?</h2>
<p>Australia’s unemployment rate is only 3.4%, and is currently at a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release">48-year low</a>. There are more than 480,000 job vacancies, and many employers struggling to find and retain suitable workers.</p>
<p>Both treasury’s pre-summit <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/2022-302672">issues paper</a> and <a href="https://www.nationalskillscommission.gov.au/reports">National Skills Commission</a> show the most in-demand jobs are in nursing, disability care, accounting, retail and cafe work. These have a wide range of skill requirements: nursing jobs need at least 18 months for the relevant diploma, it is possible to get a disability care qualification in 12 weeks, while you can train on the job for retail. </p>
<iframe src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/10944585/embed" title="Interactive or visual content" class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width:100%;height:600px;" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
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<p>We also <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/2022-302672">know</a>, 42% of technician and trade occupations are facing a skills shortage compared to 19% of other occupations that require skills assessed by an outside body. In a worrying trend, completion rates for trade apprenticeships declined to 54% for those who started in 2017, five percentage points lower than completion rates for those who started in 2013. </p>
<h2>How do we fix this?</h2>
<p>Many of these issues are well-known. Two major recent reviews have looked at Australia’s skills and training system. The Morrison government commissioned the 2019 <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/domestic-policy/vet-review/strengthening-skills-expert-review-australias-vocational-education-and-training-system">Joyce review</a> into vocational education and in 2020, the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/skills-workforce-agreement#report">Productivity Commission</a> did a study on skills and workforce development. </p>
<p>When it comes to quick fixes about jobs, migration is often <a href="https://theconversation.com/local-training-is-the-best-long-term-solution-to-australias-skills-shortages-not-increased-migration-170376">seen as the answer</a>. We have <a href="https://theconversation.com/migration-offers-an-urgent-fix-for-the-skills-we-need-right-now-but-education-and-training-will-set-us-up-for-the-future-186374">previously argued</a> this does not position Australia well for the mid- or long term, rather we need to make changes to our education and training systems. </p>
<p>With this in mind, here are three ideas or changes that can bring about quick change to fill immediate gaps, but do not rely on migration. </p>
<h2>3 ideas to fix the skills shortage now</h2>
<p><strong>1. Micro-credentials</strong></p>
<p>Based on our <a href="https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/article/view/1317">research</a>, industry, vocational education and university providers should do “micro-credentialling”. These are <a href="https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/article/view/1015">mini qualifications</a> that can meet the current, specific gaps in a shorter amount of time. </p>
<p>Both Australian universities and TAFEs have begun doing this in recent years. This could include topics from business leadership and coding to disability support. If the job and skill requirements are higher, these micro-credentialed offerings can be upgraded to micro-apprenticeships.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/migration-offers-an-urgent-fix-for-the-skills-we-need-right-now-but-education-and-training-will-set-us-up-for-the-future-186374">Migration offers an urgent fix for the skills we need right now, but education and training will set us up for the future</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The summit should look at fast-tracking micro-credential schemes. <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">Our research</a> shows the lengthy process required to recognise and accredit training package skill sets – the formal mechanism for micro-credentials in the Australian VET system – makes it hard to adjust program offerings to meet changes in demand. </p>
<p>If we are going to respond quickly to market or technology changes, employers and managers also need to be flexible. </p>
<p>This may include changing their mindsets from only employing “fully qualified” employees, to hiring people that will require ongoing support for life-long learning. </p>
<p><strong>2. Stop the tertiary education wars</strong></p>
<p>While many education providers want a clear delineation between different skill levels and qualifications, and who can deliver what, these <a href="https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/vocational-education-and-training-vet-in-fe-a-question-of-divide-and-rule/">demarcations are artificial</a> and restrict the ability to meet the needs of employers. </p>
<p>In many of the jobs facing shortages, there is not a clear line between what employees trained at different skill levels can and should do. For example, in hospitality and tourism, university graduates and VET sector diploma holders are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2008.10696919">all trained similarly</a> in business operations and how to use industry-standard technology, while incorporating international and cultural perspectives. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1559732169232334850"}"></div></p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">Our research</a> has shown that one of the largest challenges facing making the Australian skills and training system more flexible is the lack of cooperation between the vocational education and university sectors. Both often see each other as competitors for school leavers and government funding. </p>
<p>The TAFE and university sectors have already proven they <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/July%202018/document/pdf/industry-4.0-testlabs-report.pdf?acsf_files_redirect">can work together</a> through a series of “test labs” that focus on manufacturing skills. The model could be applied for industries facing critical staffing and skills shortages such as health and disability care.</p>
<p><strong>3. Stop the state wars</strong></p>
<p>States and territories are also parochial and competitive when it comes to skills and this doesn’t help us fill shortages as a national level. </p>
<p>For example, the Western Australian government and mining sector have been enticing eastern states-based FIFO workers to relocate permanently to the west, with <a href="https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/06/Message-to-east-coast-FIFO-workers-move-to-WA.aspx">large financial incentives</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1270173201209782272"}"></div></p>
<p>Meanwhile <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/free-tafe-courses-australia-states-203310336.html">fee-free TAFE courses</a> are set by state and territory governments, with a mind to which skills are needed locally, rather the bigger, national picture. This is in keeping with the traditional Australian view that skills training and education is <a href="https://cciwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/20200108-CCIWA-Submission-Review-Into-National-Agreement-for-Skills-and-Workforce-Development-FINAL-2.pdf">mainly to meet local needs</a>. </p>
<p>The Albanese government has already pledged to provide 465,000 fee-free TAFE places in areas with a critical skills gap. There is an opportunity here. If these places are created immediately, they will help states and territories train more workers for each other – instead of just for themselves. </p>
<p>Provided there is also a <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/regulations-and-standards/reducing-technical-barriers-to-trade">free flow</a> of workers between states, this will reduce skill mismatches between employers and employees across the nation and boost productivity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188833/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We hear the term ‘skills shortages’ all the time in media and policy debates. But what skills do we need, and more importantly, how do we get them?Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1871432022-08-25T04:17:42Z2022-08-25T04:17:42ZSpare a thought for air-conditioning repair people. As the planet warms, they’re really up against it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480986/original/file-20220825-16-t80kde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=192%2C0%2C4392%2C2584&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>More frequent and extreme weather associated with climate change is creating uncertainty across society. In particular, it raises <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20438206221088381">challenges</a> for the workers required to fix and maintain things. In a warming world this includes equipment such as air-conditioning and refrigeration.</p>
<p>These workers are essential for helping society adapt to climate change. Air-conditioning provides the space cooling that supports our everyday lives. Refrigeration underpins global <a href="https://www.unido.org/our-focus-safeguarding-environment-implementation-multilateral-environmental-agreements-montreal-protocol/energy-efficient-and-green-cold-chain">food supply chains</a>, health care, agriculture and more. </p>
<p>Despite the significance of this workforce, it remains largely under the radar. These workers face difficulties such as heat stress and skills shortages. They also play an important role in climate mitigation by installing more efficient appliances – work that is largely undervalued.</p>
<p>Next week’s national <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/2022-302672">jobs and skills summit</a> will focus, among other issues, on the energy transition. But it should also consider other workers at the frontline of climate change.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Blue cabin with three A/C units on outside" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480992/original/file-20220825-17-6rnapv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As climate change worsens, air-conditioning will become even more crucial to keeping homes liveable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>‘Work up on the roof which is 60°C’</h2>
<p>My research looks at the work of skilled trades, particularly in the area of repair and maintenance. Along with a team of <a href="https://betterwaystowork.com.au/about/">engineers and social scientists</a> at the University of Wollongong, I have been researching the air-conditioning and refrigeration sector. </p>
<p>The team was commissioned by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to research maintenance practices in commercial office buildings. Many issues we found were also common across other building types, including hotels, aged-care facilities and shopping centres. </p>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20438206221088381">The study</a> comprised a large industry survey, 70 in-depth interviews, and four focus groups with building contractors and facilities managers. Our team also accompanied workers as they responded to service calls and undertook routine maintenance in buildings.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-uk-just-hit-40-for-the-first-time-its-a-stark-reminder-of-the-deadly-heat-awaiting-australia-187347">The UK just hit 40℃ for the first time. It's a stark reminder of the deadly heat awaiting Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The installation, maintenance and repair of domestic and commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning helps provide cooling and comfortable indoor environments – an increasingly challenging task as average global temperatures <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-could-get-more-than-4-c-hotter-by-2100-to-keep-cool-in-australia-we-urgently-need-a-national-planning-policy-152680">rise</a>. </p>
<p>Australia’s building stock is ill-equipped for climate change. Much of it is poorly insulated, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/houses-for-a-warmer-future-are-currently-restricted-by-australias-building-code-120072">relies on</a> electrical appliances to stay warm or cool.</p>
<p>This puts air-conditioning workers at the centre of climate adaptation – a job not without risk. Heat stress is already an issue for Australian workers, affecting not just their <a href="https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-020-00641-7">health and safety</a> but also <a href="https://www3.nd.edu/%7Enmark/Climate/ZanderEtAlHeatStress.pdf">productivity</a>. </p>
<p>As one professional in the air-conditioning industry explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Call someone out when it’s 40°C […] all of a sudden the (contractor) is going to go work up on the roof which is 60°C, which is probably a workplace health and safety issue that no one knows about because it’s hidden. </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="two men servicing air conditioning outside building" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480991/original/file-20220825-26-n92lo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Air-conditioning repair work can pose health and safety risks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Maintenance: it actually matters</h2>
<p>Together, air-conditioning and refrigeration account for <a href="https://iifiir.org/en/fridoc/the-role-of-refrigeration-in-the-global-economy-2015-138763">about 17%</a> of global energy consumption. The industry’s workers can help address this by educating consumers about, and installing, more efficient appliances. The timely maintenance of air-conditioning and fridges can also reduce system energy consumption.</p>
<p>However, building owners are not always convinced of the need to upgrade equipment or carry out preventative maintenance. For example, it’s estimated up to <a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/news/gbca-media-releases/cbd-program-opens-door-energy-efficiency-opportunities">80,000</a> commercial buildings in Australia need energy efficiency upgrades – many of them due to air-conditioning systems that are decades old. </p>
<p>Industry contractors told us cooling and ventilation systems are frequently “run to fail”, consuming excess energy and increasing the risk of overloading the broader electricity network. As one worker said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>if we unpack this problem properly, and got preventative maintenance done two months out before summer, we get… all the peak demand issues get reduced, we get reliability.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Upgrading air-conditioning and refrigeration systems is a significant economic and environmental opportunity. But this requires workers, and the sector has struggled to recruit. </p>
<p>Industry figures suggest about 1,600 people <a href="https://nationalindustryinsights.aisc.net.au/industries/electrotechnology/refrigeration-and-air-conditioning">each year</a> start an apprenticeship or traineeship in the refrigeration and air-conditioning trade across Australia. But fewer than half complete the training, pointing to attrition problems. </p>
<p>The industry needs a strong pipeline of skilled workers. Any workforce shortages could seriously inhibit Australia’s capacity to adapt to and mitigate climate change.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="large ventilation and A/C unit on buillding" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480994/original/file-20220825-12-8jdphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Building owners don’t always appreciate the need for preventative maintenance on air-conditioning systems.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP</span></span>
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<h2>Helping people and the planet</h2>
<p>There’s an urgent need to look more closely at the skills required to deliver the energy transition and help humans survive on a warmer planet. </p>
<p>Workers in air-conditioning and refrigeration are just a few of the many skilled professionals we’ll lean on heavily in the coming years and decades. Helping these workers meet the challenges ahead should be a national priority – and doing so will help both people and the planet.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/itll-be-impossible-to-replace-fossil-fuels-with-renewables-by-2050-unless-we-cut-our-energy-consumption-189131">It’ll be impossible to replace fossil fuels with renewables by 2050, unless we cut our energy consumption</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187143/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chantel Carr receives funding from the Australian Research Council. This work was commissioned and funded by the Australian Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (now DCCEW). Dan Daly, Elyse Stanes, Matt Daly and Pauline McGuirk contributed to the broader research from which this article was drawn.</span></em></p>Hot rooftops and a looming skills shortage – these are just a few challenges faced by crucial yet undervalued air-conditioning repair people.Chantel Carr, ARC DECRA Fellow, School of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1708062021-10-28T13:41:30Z2021-10-28T13:41:30ZSkills shortage could undo UK government’s net zero plans<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429051/original/file-20211028-25-kaxri1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C258%2C5760%2C3569&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/renewable-energy-working-situation-sun-panel-1580783833">Ildiko Grant/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The UK government has set out its plans for reaching <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-that-show-whats-wrong-with-the-uks-net-zero-plans-163601">net zero emissions</a>. This target, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson says will be met by 2050, is a crucial test of whether countries can move to a carbon-free economy.</p>
<p>From replacing gas boilers with heat pumps to expanding power generation from offshore wind, the government can only meet its net zero target if it delivers infrastructure projects the scale of which the UK has not seen since the industrial revolution. While the government is promising extra funding for these projects, it’s failing to deliver on a critical ingredient for their success: workers.</p>
<p>Take the offshore wind sector. The government aims to generate <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54421489">40 gigawatts</a> of additional wind power by 2030. To achieve this, the industry is building large windfarms at Hornsea and Dogger Bank that will deliver power to over 12 million homes. These projects need a highly skilled workforce, including scientists, asset managers, project managers, engineers and technicians. The offshore wind sector alone needs <a href="https://www.renewableuk.com/news/557871/More-than-69000-jobs-and-60-billion-private-investment-in-UK-offshore-wind-by-2026.htm">69,000 people</a> to reach the 40 gigawatt target.</p>
<p>But a <a href="https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/more/media-centre/news/2018/offshore-wind-skills-study">report I published</a> uncovered widespread worker shortages which threaten to undermine net zero projects. This includes the government’s own admission that the UK is short of <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-landmark-campaign-to-inspire-next-generation-of-engineers">at least 20,000 engineers</a>. <a href="https://www.engineeringuk.com/research/data/2019-excel-resource/">A 2019 report</a> estimated that shortfall is likely to be much bigger: between 37,000 and 59,000. These shortages pre-date Brexit, but are likely to have been exacerbated by limits on EU workers. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://theconversation.com/autumn-budget-2021-experts-react-170741">the 2021 budget</a>, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £1.6 billion (US$2.2 billion) to roll out new T-levels for 16 to 19-year-olds. These are new and very demanding courses which are supposed to be equivalent to three A-levels and include at least 45 days of work placement. This might sound like a promising partial remedy to the skills shortage. But my experience suggests it will be an enormous challenge for most companies to take large volumes of students and find them useful projects to work on over such long periods of time.</p>
<h2>The net zero workforce</h2>
<p>Why are sectors like offshore wind, which are expected to grow in coming years, struggling to attract and retain workers? A lack of long-term job security, a failure to attract workers from diverse communities to work in more remote coastal areas (where many offshore projects are based) and a lack of investment in lifelong skills training. The government, working with the private sector, higher education institutions and colleges, must overcome these problems if the UK is to meet its net zero ambition.</p>
<p>Governments need to help sectors like offshore wind plan for the long term. This means securing projects which are intended to last several decades, allowing young people to begin a career in the industry, safe in the knowledge there will be work beyond the next few years. More detailed long-term plans would help the sector recruit more effectively. At the moment, offshore wind projects have too little time between planning and construction, often giving just a few months for workers to be found. </p>
<p>In the UK’s political culture, it feels as if politicians pit urban communities against those in small towns. But the barriers preventing people in these places from entering science and engineering careers are similar. Both need more support with training and education to access opportunities building renewable energy and green infrastructure.</p>
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<img alt="An engineer adjusts the large fan unit of an air-source heat pump." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429053/original/file-20211028-24-ttufa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Installing heat pumps in buildings will require skilled workers in every community.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/professional-workman-protective-clothing-installing-outdoor-1552050725">RossHelen/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>What underpins all these challenges is a failure to think about the people and skills needed to reach net zero. For instance, in 2019, the government gave offshore wind companies a funding deal which obliged them to ensure 2.5% of the workforce is <a href="https://www.owic.org.uk/copy-of-entry-routes-to-offshore-wind-1">apprentices by 2030</a>, and to raise the proportion of women working in the sector from 18% to 33%, and from 5% to 9% for <a href="https://www.owic.org.uk/people-skills">Black and minority ethnic workers</a>. This puts offshore wind in competition with other parts of the energy sector, which are also trying to attract talented people. The government must support the whole energy sector to get the skilled workforce needed for a green infrastructure programme.</p>
<p>Aside from T-levels, the government recently introduced a raft of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-59010418">new skills programmes</a> targeted at young people. But they’re unlikely to increase social mobility or end long-term unemployment due to the speed at which they’ve been introduced into an education sector under pressure to recover from the pandemic. Currently, teachers and instructors have to use their own time and resources to secure placements and guarantees of work for students in industries that are also still reeling from the economic effects of COVID-19. The government, industries and education sector need to provide training programmes linked to career paths and supported by simplified funding structures. </p>
<p>The UN climate summit in Glasgow has been talked about as the last chance to save the planet by agreeing a fair transition from the fossil fuel era. A skilled workforce will be integral to pulling this off. Without it, failure to meet net zero seems inevitable, and so does a missed opportunity to transform the lives of communities around the UK.</p>
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<img alt="COP26: the world's biggest climate talks" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424739/original/file-20211005-17-cgrf2z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong>This story is part of The Conversation’s coverage on COP26, the Glasgow climate conference, by experts from around the world.</strong>
<br><em>Amid a rising tide of climate news and stories, The Conversation is here to clear the air and make sure you get information you can trust. <a href="https://page.theconversation.com/cop26-glasgow-2021-climate-change-summit/"><strong>More.</strong></a></em> </p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170806/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Weir does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Wind turbines need building, heat pumps need installing – but Britain has a chronic skills shortage.John Weir, Research Associate in Talent and Skills, Energy & Environment Institute, University of HullLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1654202021-09-21T14:27:02Z2021-09-21T14:27:02ZCorruption in state-owned companies hurts low skilled workers the most: we show how<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421381/original/file-20210915-25-6hh7d3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">State-owned enterprises, such as Transnet, which runs South Africa's ports, loom large over the economy</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>State-owned enterprises are companies in which government owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the shares. Worldwide, <a href="https://cesd.az/new/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/State-Owned-Enterprises-Azerbaijan.pdf#page=3">states own 10%</a> of the largest companies. In South Africa, state-owned enterprises <a href="https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/798071529303940965/pdf/127288-WP-P161945-PUBLIC-Corporate-Governance-in-South-African-SOEs.pdf#page=2">play a significant role</a> in the important sectors of mining, energy, communications, air and rail transport.</p>
<p>Some state-owned entities loom large over the economy. <a href="https://dpe.gov.za/state-owned-companies/eskom">Eskom</a>, for example, accounts for about 95% of electricity generated in South Africa and is responsible for the transmission and distribution networks. <a href="https://dpe.gov.za/state-owned-companies/transnet/">Transnet</a> controls the entire non-passenger rail transport system and the country’s ports and pipelines. </p>
<p>State-owned enterprises were initially designed to promote effective and efficient service delivery in the country. They are a big part of South Africa’s <a href="https://www.oecd.org/corporate/south-africa-state-owned-enterprise-reform.pdf#page=2">economic growth and development strategy</a>. The strategy aims at diversifying the economy and requires state-owned entities to provide services and infrastructure to the private sector.</p>
<p>Global experience shows that when state-owned enterprises are well managed and good governance is in place, <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/11/22/Governance-and-State-Owned-Enterprises-How-Costly-is-Corruption-48800">state-owned enterprises</a> can provide essential commodities and services to the population at affordable cost. The reverse is also true. When they are poorly managed, state-owned enterprises directly affect the poor the most. The poor are the most vulnerable to failure by the state and its entities. The poor performance can manifest itself through ineptitude, corruption and generally poor delivery of public services.</p>
<p>Often, state-owned enterprises <a href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/the-current-situation-and-problems-of-state-owned-enterprises-in-azerbaijan-hashimova-kamala/10012053706">receive advantageous treatment</a> by the state. They may get discounted funding, government supported guarantees, direct subsidies and favourable regulatory treatment. They are also often exempted from antitrust enforcement and insolvency regulations. </p>
<p>Lastly, they are directly linked to the governmental budget through guarantees, bailouts, foreign investments and debts. </p>
<p>But state-owned enterprises are often vulnerable and prone to corruption. This can severely undermine their performance. In addition, governmental support can result in lower production efficiency and poor economic performance. This is because the protection they get often insulates them from competition.</p>
<p>In South Africa, for example, citizens frequently experience <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-south-africas-electricity-blackouts-are-set-to-continue-for-the-next-five-years-155233">electricity power cuts</a>. These are the result of the poor performance of the state-owned utility, Eskom. Numerous witnesses at the <a href="https://www.statecapture.org.za/">commission into allegations of state capture and corruption</a> pointed to favouritism, fraud and corruption at Eskom and Transnet.</p>
<p>Given the big role state-owned enterprises play in the South African economy, it is important to understand their impact on economic growth. Equally important is understanding how these effects are transmitted throughout the economy.</p>
<p>So, we <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/apce.12339">used a macroeconomic modelling simulation framework</a> to explain how reduced economic performance and reduced foreign investments influence the economy.</p>
<p>Our findings are that the inefficiencies of state-owned enterprises and high levels of corruption within them do spill over to the rest of the economy. These negative spillovers include reduced economic growth and income as well as job losses, leading to increased risk of poverty. Low skilled workers in particular are the most affected. This is the cohort that has also been hard hit by COVID-19 because the industries in which they are employed have been most affected by reduced economic activity.</p>
<p>The channels through which the performance of state-owned enterprises is transmitted to the rest of the economy that we analysed are the same for other countries too, developing as well as developed.</p>
<h2>A spiral effect</h2>
<p>The poor performance of state-owned enterprises has a cascading effect throughout the economy. The channel is as follows. It first raises their operating costs, which in turn affects companies and economic sectors that are directly dependent on the services provided by the state-owned enterprises. This reduces the domestic and international competitiveness of these sectors.</p>
<p>It eventually spreads to the entire economy. This makes the country’s exports less competitive. As a result, exporting firms reduce production and eventually lay off workers. This increases unemployment, which in turn reduces household income and therefore <a href="http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0441/P04412ndQuarter2021.pdf#page=6">household consumption</a>, which is one of the drivers of growth.</p>
<p>In time, economic growth weakens, further reducing the economy’s capacity to create jobs. Weakened growth also implies reduced savings, investment and lower tax collection by government. This further constrains the government’s ability to increase various transfers and welfare redistribution efforts.</p>
<p>Fraud and corruption also lead to mistrust in government by citizens and by domestic and foreign investors. This hampers investment, which slows down economic growth, causing further increases in unemployment.</p>
<p>While corruption and fraud make a few rich households richer, the poor and low-skilled lose their jobs and become poorer. </p>
<p>Our analysis helps establish the direct and quantified links to increases in inequality and poverty.</p>
<h2>Conclusion and outlook</h2>
<p>Government ownership of certain businesses can ensure that citizens and industries have access to important commodities and services at affordable prices. But government ownership on its own doesn’t guarantee these outcomes.</p>
<p>Government’s participation in economic activity can open the door to corruption and fraud. The negative effects of the subsequent underperformance won’t be limited to state-owned enterprises. They spread throughout the economy, and eventually affect economic growth, unemployment, household income and consumption.</p>
<p>The only winners in this vicious circle are the minority of a few rich and politically powerful individuals. The poor families of low- and unskilled workers bear the brunt of a weak economy.</p>
<p>The priority for the South African government should be to restore the competitiveness of state-owned enterprises to create a virtuous cycle of increased citizen and investor confidence, which in turn will lead to higher economic growth.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165420/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Corruption and fraud make a few rich households richer. But the already poor and low-skilled lose their jobs and become poorer.Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of PretoriaHelene Maisonnave, Professor of Economics, Université Le Havre NormandieMartin Henseler, Researcher, EDEHN - Equipe d'Economie Le Havre Normandie, Université Le Havre NormandieRamos Emmanuel Mabugu, Professor, Sol Plaatje UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1676452021-09-15T14:04:24Z2021-09-15T14:04:24ZSouth Africa’s labour market trends from 2009 to 2019: a lost decade?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421317/original/file-20210915-15-w9mb4k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Young people wait to register at a South African university in 2012. They are bearing the brunt of high levels of unemployment.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most pressing economic and social <a href="http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0211/P02112ndQuarter2021.pdf">challenges</a>. Over the past two decades it has also proved to be one of the country’s most intractable policy challenges. A plethora of policies and interventions have failed to make a difference.</p>
<p>The initial post-apartheid period saw <a href="https://www.ekon.sun.ac.za/wpapers/2008/wp052008/wp-05-2008.pdf">significant growth in employment</a>. But since 2009 employment growth has <a href="https://www.econrsa.org/system/files/publications/working_papers/working_paper_493.pdf">slowed and both the unemployment level and rate have increased substantially</a>. According to the recently released 2021 second quarter Quarterly Labour Force Survey data, the unemployment level went up to 7.83 million and the unemployment rate rose to <a href="http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0211/P02112ndQuarter2021.pdf">34.4%</a>. This was the highest since the introduction of the survey in 2008.</p>
<p>High unemployment may manifest in various social pathologies such as crime, poor health and, in the extreme, political instability. The short-run effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has starkly worsened the problem.</p>
<p>Two policy responses to unemployment have often been emphasised: upgrading skills and liberalising the labour market. Neither has been well advanced. The reason is that the structural unemployment evident in South Africa is a multi-causal – and complex – phenomenon.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://economicsuwc.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/2021-adams-yu.pdf">study</a>, which was presented at the <a href="https://economicsuwc.wordpress.com/research/">2021 Economic Society of South Africa Research Conference</a>, shows why. We analysed South African unemployment trends between 2009 and 2019 using data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey. We broke it down to give a picture along demographic and geographic lines at the industry level. This allowed us to, indirectly, present an account of the relative success of strategies or policies to increase employment implemented over the past decade.</p>
<h2>Findings</h2>
<p>The long-term trends in labour market statistics tell a consistent story. Employment grew faster during the first decade of the century compared with the second. And unemployment started declining from 2003 but increased shortly before the great recession of 2008/9. </p>
<p>The relatively high-growth period of 2000-2007 saw a reduction in the absolute number of unemployed. The lowest level of unemployed occurred in the second half of 2007 (3.9 million) before steadily rising for almost the entire decade 2009-2019. </p>
<p>The figure also shows a decline in the number of employed following the 2008/9 great recession. Subsequent employment growth remained relatively constrained in comparison to the preceding decade.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420720/original/file-20210913-23-jrfuzq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p>The table compares labour market statistics for three points in time spanning two decades: 1999, 2009 and 2009. The difference in the proportional growth in the number of employed is large: 35% during the earlier decade versus 18% during the more recent decade. In combination with the more rapid expansion in labour participation rates during the 2009-2019 period, these trends saw unemployment increase significantly over this period (growth of 52% during 2009-2019 versus 40% during 1999-2009).</p>
<p>Notably, the youth share of the total employed decreased by 7.5 percentage points, from 28.6% to 20.1% over the two decades. In absolute terms the number of youths employed also decreased between 2009 and 2019. There may be several factors explaining this decline. But the rise in the number of young people not in education, employment or training is one of the more concerning factors.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=687&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=687&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420721/original/file-20210913-24-e6xvgf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=687&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p>The target growth rate estimates the employment growth rate needed to absorb net entrants into the labour market between two given periods. The results indicate that the actual growth rate of employment came closer to the target growth rate during the 1999-2009 period when compared to the 2009-2019 period. As shown by the employment absorption rate – which is the ratio of the actual to target growth rate – growth in employment was only half what was required to absorb net entrants during the last decade, whereas it was 74% in the preceding decade.</p>
<p>On the employment front, it increased during the 2010s relatively more rapidly among the following people: Africans, males, 35-54 year olds, Western Cape and Gauteng residents, those with at least matric (12th year of schooling), as well as those working in large enterprises with at least 50 employees.</p>
<p>The industries that saw the most rapid increases and gross value added were finance as well as community, social and personal services. </p>
<p>There was a loss of employment in the manufacturing industry (a decline of 1%), which perhaps offers some evidence of de-industrialisation in South Africa.</p>
<p>When it comes to unemployment, the groups that had felt the brunt in earlier decades continued to do so: Africans, females, youth aged 15-34 years, job seekers without matric, as well as residents from the Eastern Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga provinces.</p>
<p>Two alarming findings are worth mentioning: 39% of unemployed people had never worked before, and the proportion of unemployed who spent more than five years seeking employment increased from 24.1% in 2009 to 35.9% in 2019.</p>
<p>These findings point to a possible skills mismatch in the system.</p>
<h2>What next</h2>
<p>Skills development has proven to be a challenge for policymakers. South Africa performs badly in international standardised tests such as the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (<a href="https://timss2019.org/reports/">TIMSS</a>) or Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (<a href="http://www.sacmeq.org/?q=publications">SACMEQ</a>). This reflects negatively on the quality of education being offered. This, in turn, constrains the capacity for people to develop skills later life. </p>
<p>For its part, labour market reform remains a contentious political-economy matter.</p>
<p>It would be tempting to suggest that disproportional union power is a significant factor in explaining the country’s labour market outcomes, particularly if advancing the insider-outsider framework for South Africa’s labour market. The capacity for insiders to negotiate higher wages for themselves is often done at the expense of the unemployed. Those without jobs have a more difficult transition to employment as a result of the relatively high wages coupled with limited capacity to signal skills or ability. </p>
<p>This seems descriptive of South Africa’s labour market. Some economists <a href="https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199687107.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199687107-e-040?result=5&rskey=k0Gwth">argue that</a> the impact of South Africa’s labour unions on the economy has been “relatively benign”. They nevertheless conclude that “political economy of wage formation and economic activity in South Africa … are central to appreciating the economy’s current domestic labour market disequilibria”.</p>
<p>The dislocation between training and employment opportunities is one area where policy may gain some traction. The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs43151-020-00012-6">suggestion</a> that training programmes may have some merit as a policy response seems reasonable in theory. But such responses have, in practice, not resulted in meaningful improvements as measured by employment growth. </p>
<p>A logical next step is to understand which training practices may better serve to prepare youth for the labour market – and signal productivity to employers.</p>
<p>An often-discussed intervention is small business development. But <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/saje.12031">research shows that</a> it is mainly large firms that have been responsible for employment growth in South Africa. The relatively low level of entrepreneurial activity is also manifested in the country’s <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9361.2004.00228.x">comparatively small informal sector</a>.</p>
<p>The country’s fiscal position precludes the imminent rollout of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.co.za/a-universal-basic-income-grant-is-much-easier-says-green-paper-on-comprehensive-social-security-and-retirement-reform-2021-8">universal basic income</a>. But the emergency introduction of incomes to unemployed individuals during COVID-19 shows that, at least administratively, it is feasible.</p>
<p>It has been <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14747731.2019.1652469">suggested</a> that the structural impediments to low-skilled employment growth are, perhaps for the foreseeable future, insurmountable. Taking this prospect seriously means <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14747731.2019.1652469">entertaining policies</a> that mitigate against a reality in which labour markets are unable to absorb supply. Despite its <a href="https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030439033">lack of popular or political support</a>, the obvious candidate policy, in theory, is a universal basic income grant. </p>
<p>While the case for its implementation has been presented on grounds of anti-poverty, its practical feasibility has not been rigorously tested in the economics literature. This is perhaps due to it being viewed as patently unfeasible, from a fiscal point of view.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167645/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Can the structural barriers to low-skilled employment growth be overcome?Derek Yu, Professor, Economics, University of the Western CapeCharles Adams, Lecturer, University of the Western CapeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1659782021-08-22T08:11:54Z2021-08-22T08:11:54ZSeeking jobs abroad isn’t an option for young Nigerians: they don’t have the right skills<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416336/original/file-20210816-19-uha3fx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Millions of young Nigerians live on the streets of Lagos and survive through street trading.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source"> Pius Utomi EkpeI/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Nigeria is sitting on a demographic goldmine which could transform the economy. About 60% of Nigeria’s 200 million people are under the age of 25, and that number is expected to <a href="https://www.gcca.eu/stories/nigerias-youth-asset-or-consumer-time-bomb">increase significantly</a> by 2050. </p>
<p>Instead of being an asset, the country’s burgeoning youth population has become an albatross. It poses risks for the economy and social cohesion. </p>
<p>Among Nigeria’s economic challenges, youth unemployment remains the most formidable. The World Bank <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS">estimates</a> Nigeria’s youth unemployment at 17.7% in 2019 compared with <a href="https://ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/briefingnote/wcms_737670.pdf">10.8% for Africa</a>. Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate is <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS">double</a> the national rate of unemployment.</p>
<p>Official statistics on unemployment in Nigeria often underestimate the severity of the problem. For example, they don’t account for the fact that over 80% of Nigerians with primary education or more who are regarded as employed are grossly under-employed in <a href="https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/ar/736731468194635805/pdf/Improving-skills-development-in-the-informal-sector-strategies-for-Sub-Saharan-Africa.pdf">low-productivity informal-sector</a> work.</p>
<p>Activities in this sector typically consist of street hawking, petty trading, tailoring, shoe mending, domestic work, roadside food vending, transportation and subsistence agriculture. </p>
<p>The federal and state governments have introduced various measures to address youth unemployment. These include <a href="https://statehouse.gov.ng/policy/economy/national-social-investment-programme/">social investment programmes</a> that encourage youth entrepreneurship and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Others are skills development programmes, direct labour for public works projects, loans for agriculture and various initiatives to spur entrepreneurship. Despite all these efforts 65 million young Nigerians, or one in three, <a href="https://leadership.ng/economic-disruptions-will-make-1-in-3-nigerians-jobless-in-4-years-fg/">are expected</a> to be unemployed in the next four years. </p>
<p>In a recent <a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35995/Of-Roads-Less-Traveled-Assessing-the-Potential-of-Economic-Migration-to-Provide-Overseas-Jobs-for-Nigeria-s-Youth.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.">report</a> the World Bank proposed strategies for addressing youth unemployment in Nigeria. </p>
<p>One is the creation of safe and legal labour migration pathways for young Nigerians to seek job opportunities in other countries. This would be in contrast with the <a href="https://www.themigrantproject.org/nigeria/risks-migrants-ngeria/">current</a> illegal and perilous migration patterns. </p>
<p>The proposals are laudable, as there are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/07/countries-facing-greatest-skills-shortages/">acute shortages</a> of skilled workers in some developed countries. The <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/employment-based-immigrant-visas.html">US</a>, <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html">Canada</a> and the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa">UK</a> have introduced special visas for attracting skilled workers from other countries. Workers from Asia, <a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/RAD-IndiaII-FINAL.pdf">especially India</a>, have benefited from these opportunities. </p>
<p>The World Bank proposes that countries of destination looking to fill labour shortages provide high-quality and industry-relevant training to potential migrants and nonimmigrants in Nigeria. This, it argues, would increase the global stock of workers and contribute to a brain gain.</p>
<p>The onus would need to be on the companies. This is because many young Nigerians <a href="https://businessday.ng/interview/article/nigerian-unemployed-graduates-do-not-have-skillset-necessary-for-this-21st-century/">lack</a> 21st century skills desired by global corporations. </p>
<p>This proposal is theoretically sound. But it poses a number of questions.</p>
<h2>What’s missing</h2>
<p>Innovation and disruptive technologies have <a href="https://acetforafrica.org/publications/policy-briefs-and-discussion-papers/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-will-africa-be-ready/">become salient</a> components of industrialised economies. Robotics, 3-D printing, precision machining, data analytics, bioinformatics, digital imaging, design and animation all feature prominently. Not many young Nigerian possess these frontier skills.</p>
<p>This lack of skills is not only a Nigerian problem; it is pervasive across Africa. This explains it why much of labour migration – about 80% – in Africa is intra-regional, rather than international. It <a href="https://www.ilo.org/africa/areas-of-work/youth-employment/lang--en/index.htm.">consists</a> mainly of unskilled workers.</p>
<p>Global corporations are looking for workers with <a href="https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/productive-capacities-index">“productive capacities”</a> that can be used in manufacturing, science and technology-intensive sectors, as well as information technologies. </p>
<p>The World Bank proposal is based on the old paradigm of competition in which labour abundance is a major driver of competitive advantage. But this is no longer the case, as technology, knowledge, innovation and skills have replaced labour as the major pillars of competition. The World Economic Forum <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf">suggests</a> that 85 million jobs worldwide will be at risk because the current job holders lack relevant skills. </p>
<p>Thus, attempts at addressing youth unemployment in Nigeria should focus on raising the skills and productive capacities of young Nigerians.</p>
<h2>Local opportunities</h2>
<p>In addition to exploring opportunities in the global labour market, the World Bank has suggested the creation of domestic job opportunities. This may be accomplished if Nigeria is able to attract employment-intensive global corporations. </p>
<p>But Nigeria is not very attractive to global value chains and foreign investors. Foreign direct investment in the country has been <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS?locations=NG.-NG&name_desc=false">declining</a> inexorably, from 6% of GDP in the mid-1990s to about 0.5% in 2019. </p>
<p>Why do global IT and pharmaceutical corporations prefer to locate in India and not in Nigeria? Why does Apple manufacture iPhones and iPads in Taiwan? Why do global textile corporations prefer Vietnam, China and the Philippines? Why has Malaysia, and not Nigeria, become a major hub for solar equipment manufacturing? </p>
<p>The answer is simple: their young people possess a critical mass of the needed scientific and technical skills.</p>
<h2>The way out</h2>
<p>Creating safe and legal pathways for the migration of young Nigerians will only be effective if the following measures are taken. </p>
<p>First, the ongoing de-industrialisation of the Nigerian economy must be reversed. Over the past four decades <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS?locations=NG.-NG&name_desc=false">there has been a steady decline</a> in manufacturing value added in Nigeria – from over 20% of GDP in the early 1980s to less than 10% in 2019. </p>
<p>As a result many young Nigerians have not had the opportunity to acquire industrial, technological and innovative capacities. </p>
<p>Another effect of de-industrialisation is that it has foreclosed opportunities for students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to apply their classroom learning in industrial contexts. In a survey of companies in Nigeria, <a href="https://tech.africa/stem-graduates-women-dr-joe-abah/0">81% said they had difficulty finding workers with the relevant skills</a>. It is also a reason why global corporations do not find Nigeria an attractive location. </p>
<h2>The problem with proposed solution</h2>
<p>The World Bank proposes a model in which the private sector and the government in destination countries would provide high-quality and industry-relevant training to potential migrants and nonimmigrants within Nigeria. </p>
<p>This proposal is theoretically sound. But it poses a number of questions.</p>
<p>First, how would this training be financed? There may be political resistance by taxpayers in destination countries to finance training programmes that benefit the private sector and foreign countries. </p>
<p>Second, private enterprises are often reluctant to invest in training new workers. Investment in training is costly. In addition, it would be difficult to prevent trained workers from taking newly acquired skills to other enterprises or destination countries that did not incur the training costs. </p>
<p>Third, industrial and technical training is a long-term process, but firms are more interested in short-term returns on investment. </p>
<p>Finally, given the bureaucracy and inefficiency of Nigeria’s public sector, it may be challenging to implement a training partnership between firms in destination countries and the Nigerian government. </p>
<p>The World Bank report also notes that Nigerians with relevant skills have found their way to the US where they thrive in various fields. This suggests that the problem of youth unemployment is more about increasing the number of young Nigerians with 21st century skills, and not just about creating more legal migration routes. </p>
<p>Nigeria’s “informal-sector trap” needs to be addressed before promoting a pathway to jobs abroad. Easy entry into the informal sector disincentivises young people from acquiring high-order skills to enable them to obtain high-paying formal-sector jobs. </p>
<p>Young people are attracted to the informal sector because there are no skills requirements. This can be a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that it easily absorbs the teeming population of Nigeria’s unemployed and underemployed young people. But it’s a curse because it provides only a temporary succour, and young people are unwittingly discouraged from acquiring skills desired by global corporations. </p>
<p>Nigeria’s outdated tertiary educational system should be revamped. Tertiary institutions in Nigeria produce thousands of scientists, engineers and technologists every year, but <a href="https://qz.com/africa/603967/about-half-of-the-university-graduates-in-nigeria-cannot-find-jobs/">many </a> end up <a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1058.5208&rep=rep1&type=pdf">unemployed</a>. This is because their training and education are not relevant in the contemporary labour market. </p>
<p>Without addressing the problems of skills mismatch and the lack of digital skills, young Nigerians will continue to miss out on opportunities in the global labour market.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165978/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen Onyeiwu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Youth unemployment in Nigeria is a skills mismatch problem – corporations can’t find suitable workers in the midst of a large pool of unemployed workers.Stephen Onyeiwu, Andrew Wells Robertson Professor of Economics, Allegheny CollegeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1647852021-07-30T04:14:59Z2021-07-30T04:14:59Z3 things we need to get right to ensure online professional development works<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413257/original/file-20210727-13-1120kfz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6048%2C4010&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/multiracial-business-people-gathered-together-online-1857569854">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>One thing the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed is the need for employee training and skills development. Although lockdowns have reduced access to offices and <a href="https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2021/pwc-hopes-and-fears-survey-2021.html">increased job insecurity</a>, they have provided the time and opportunity for building skills. Demand for professional development <a href="https://staff.unimelb.edu.au/mspace/horizon/impact-of-covid-19-economic-downturn">has grown</a>.</p>
<p>However, since early 2020, the only option for employees to upskill has been through remote learning. Training and development specialists have been working tirelessly to adapt programs and courses for online delivery. For most, this has meant replacing face-to-face workshops with dial-in sessions using teleconferencing software. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, these changes have <a href="https://tmb.apaopen.org/pub/nonverbal-overload/release/1">not always been effective</a>. In other cases, employees have been applying their own personal, informal learning methods to develop professionally. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-technology-and-the-rise-of-new-informal-learning-methods-126813">Digital technology and the rise of new informal learning methods</a>
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<p>In comparison, the global online education sector has steadily and organically expanded over the past 25 years. It’s set to <a href="https://www.guide2research.com/research/online-education-statistics">become mainstream sooner than expected</a>. The characteristics of online learning, which can connect a larger and more diverse student body, make it truly scalable and sustainable. </p>
<p>Thankfully, we can draw on decades of research evidence from online education to deliver professional development effectively online. This research shows three of the most important things to consider are flexibility, accessibility and social connectedness. </p>
<h2>Make flexible learning a priority</h2>
<p>Online education is <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2017.00059/full">growing rapidly because of its flexibility</a>. Students can study from wherever, whenever. This means they can maintain roles such as work, parenting and other commitments alongside their studies. </p>
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<img alt="Parents sits with young child on lap in front of laptop as he studies online" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413253/original/file-20210727-23-dsrsw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many people undertaking professional development courses must juggle other responsibilities too.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/parent-child-studying-remotely-homebased-laptop-1529712827">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Flexible online learning is erasing traditional boundaries of time and place.
To provide flexibility in professional development, learning should no longer be restricted to a single day and venue. A combination of scheduled and self-paced learning options provides collaborative and independent learning opportunities as needed. </p>
<p>Flexible learning options work best for learners who can stick to their learning plans and schedules and dedicate their attention to these tasks without distractions. Employers can support flexible learning by respecting these learning plans. This means allowing employees to schedule work around their learning. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-7-elements-of-a-good-online-course-139736">The 7 elements of a good online course</a>
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<h2>Ensure accessibility for all</h2>
<p>A more diverse student body calls for more inclusive teaching and learning practices. The best examples of online education offer all students the same opportunities to do well. </p>
<p>Both learning material and learning management systems need to be reliable and accessible to all. That includes people who are living in remote parts of the country, those who cannot leave the home due to family commitments, or students with special needs who require learning resources to be created that take account of these needs.</p>
<p>Similarly, the use of online learning technology for professional development should act as a learning enabler, not a learning barrier. Advanced learning technology and software – learning management systems such as Moodle, for example – can bring both accessibility and innovation to professional development. It makes for a smoother and more engaging learning environment.</p>
<p>Organisations may need to invest in accessible learning technology – just as they would invest in creating accessible and inclusive office spaces. <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/making-online-learning-accessible-students-disabilities">Guidelines</a> are readily available to help trainers make online learning content accessible and engaging.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/massive-online-open-courses-see-exponential-growth-during-covid-19-pandemic-141859">Massive online open courses see exponential growth during COVID-19 pandemic</a>
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<h2>Foster connections between learners</h2>
<p>Finally, learning remotely, like working remotely, can be isolating. Creating meaningful opportunities to nurture a sense of belonging and connectedness among students is a challenge for online educators. But the benefits of social connectedness are worth the effort. It’s <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2017.00059/full">associated with</a> greater academic performance, self-confidence, engagement, retention and satisfaction. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young woman at a desk chats to a group in an online meeting via her laptop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413252/original/file-20210727-15-189xocg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Promoting social connectedness should be a priority in online learning because of its many benefits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rear-back-view-happy-young-female-1854698215">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Students who opt for the flexibility of online education are often time-poor or juggling multiple competing demands. They prioritise their goal of learning over their social needs. </p>
<p>For this reason, relying on these students to initiate interaction through social forums can often be ineffective. Rather, trainers should embed social collaboration in core online learning activities. </p>
<p>Activities that involve collaboration include peer review and simulation tasks. Online meetings and workshops should also be designed to capitalise on the interplay of learning and dialogue. </p>
<p>Activities like these ensure participants can maintain focus on learning goals while reaping the benefits of social interaction.</p>
<h2>Online professional development is here to stay</h2>
<p>Universities are expanding their educational offerings for professional development. They now offer affordable, accredited and verifiable online study options such as short courses and <a href="https://www.candlefox.com/blog/micro-credentials-the-provider-handbook/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=marketing%20cloud&utm_campaign=Candlefox+AU+April+2021+Newsletter">micro-credentials</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-learning-economy-challenges-unis-to-be-part-of-reshaping-lifelong-education-144800">New learning economy challenges unis to be part of reshaping lifelong education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These courses bridge the gap between higher education and industry needs – bringing a high standard of learning and innovation directly to employees, without the costs of travel or relocation. </p>
<p>The investments universities and other organisations are making in e-learning capabilities mean online professional development is here to stay.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164785/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Demand for professional development has grown but the pandemic has forced it online. Decades of evidence from online education tells us how to ensure professional development remains effective.Filia Garivaldis, Senior Lecturer, BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash UniversitySarah Kneebone, Education & Training Manager, BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1506022021-02-08T16:32:40Z2021-02-08T16:32:40ZHow to navigate a freelance career during the COVID-19 crisis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377403/original/file-20210106-23-ib909b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4286%2C2243&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The COVID-19 pandemic has hit freelancers and gig workers hard. Here's how they can get through the crisis.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Piqsels)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.ilo.org/asia/media-centre/news/WCMS_763819/lang--en/index.htm">Millions of people around the world</a> have lost their jobs, temporarily or permanently, during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>
<p>Freelancers and contract workers have been among those heavily affected by this health and economic crisis. Freelancers often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726715580866">work on a contract basis and for multiple clients</a>. In some industries (such as cosmetics, arts and sports), freelancers have lost many contracts and employment opportunities. </p>
<p>The Canadian government has offered financial support to these gig workers. However, the long-term effects on freelancers might go beyond losing their source of income. It may require them to seek more stable forms of employment, foregoing <a href="https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/gig-workers-value-their-flexibility-lot">the flexibility many gig workers enjoy</a>.</p>
<p>This could halt further development of the freelance employment cohort, <a href="http://www.knowledgebureau.com/index.php/news/article/a-workforce-of-freelancers-almost-half-by-2020">which was expected to grow significantly in coming years</a>. So it’s important to understand how freelancers can cope with the pandemic and remain positive.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-some-workers-are-opting-to-live-in-their-vans-148961">Why some workers are opting to live in their vans</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<p><a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PR-07-2020-0563/full/html">I designed a study</a> to examine how freelancers can stay positive and determined in their job searches and how they can cope with the shock of COVID-19. In my study, I looked into three aspects I call “career resources” that freelancers might use to stay confident and to explore their job opportunities. </p>
<p>These resources are explained in a book titled <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/an-intelligent-career-9780190494131?cc=ca&lang=en&"><em>An Intelligent Career</em></a> by Suffolk University career expert Michael Arthur and his colleagues. As explained in this book, people use a combination of resources to work and navigate their careers, including the following three:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><em>Passion for career</em>: Internal motivation (or passion) to do the job;</p></li>
<li><p><em>Expertise and skills</em>: A set of skills that helps them perform the job; and</p></li>
<li><p><em>Professional relationships</em>: Colleagues and friends who offer encouragement, help and support.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In short, I wanted to answer these questions: Do these three career resources help freelancers stay confident in times of uncertainty? Which career resources help them remain determined in exploring their job opportunities?</p>
<h2>The study’s design</h2>
<p>To find out, I asked 87 Canadian freelancers to complete a survey about their job search during the COVID-19 pandemic. I asked questions about their career resources (their passion for their freelance jobs, their level of skills and expertise, and their relationships). I also asked questions about their confidence in finding jobs as well as their proactiveness in exploring job opportunities.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1920%2C1279&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A makeup artist applies eye shadow to another woman." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1920%2C1279&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377382/original/file-20210106-17-4g8k16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Freelancers were asked about the passion they feel for their work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pixabay)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Statistical analysis showed that passion was the most powerful resource for freelancers to stay confident and motivated in job searches. Skills were also related to freelancers’ level of confidence and proactiveness. </p>
<p>However, relationships did not necessarily contribute positively to freelancers’ confidence and proactiveness in their job search. This could possibly be because they’ve heard disheartening news about their friends and colleagues losing jobs during difficult times, such as the pandemic. The larger someone’s network of people is, the more likely that they’ve heard bad news and negative thoughts. As a result, freelancers might lose confidence and drive after hearing that many of their colleagues and friends lost work.</p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>There are many ways governments and employers can help freelancers remain hopeful, confident and proactive in their job searches.</p>
<p>Because passion and skills are key resources for freelancers, governments can provide programs that enable them to develop their skills and enhance their passions. For example, online educational videos can provide freelancers with insightful information on key skills such as leadership. These online videos could be provided to various groups of freelancers, especially those who apply for employment insurance in times of difficulty.</p>
<p>Employers can also assist freelancers by designing interesting jobs with on-the-job learning and growth opportunities. These opportunities not only improve freelancers’ skills, but also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108">heighten their passion</a> by satisfying their desire to feel challenged.</p>
<p>Friends and family members can also help freelancers. In my study, friends and colleagues did not necessarily improve freelancers’ confidence and proactiveness. It might be because so many people share negative thoughts and discouraging news about widespread job losses and potential economic crises. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two people hold hands at a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377405/original/file-20210106-13-9n1nkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Support from friends and family is critical for freelance workers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Piqsels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I suggest people be kinder and spread positive thoughts to the freelancers in their lives. This is central to one of the three career resources that many people rely on in their professional lives — friends and colleagues offering support and encouragement.</p>
<p>Last but not least, freelancers themselves must be proactive. They can take advantage of lockdowns and economic downturns by investing their time in skill development. An inexpensive (or sometimes free) way to do so is to <a href="https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/platforms-for-online-courses">take online courses</a> related to their area of work, leadership or interpersonal skills. </p>
<p>Taking these courses will help them feel more skilled and connected, which will help increase their passion for their work while putting them in a stronger position to find jobs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150602/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mostafa Ayoobzadeh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Freelancers who have lost work during the COVID-19 crisis can take steps to ensure they have a successful long-term career in the post-pandemic period.Mostafa Ayoobzadeh, Lecturer, Leadership Development, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1478212020-11-02T15:01:51Z2020-11-02T15:01:51ZImmigrant women are falling behind during the COVID-19 pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366763/original/file-20201030-13-9dg5n0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C506%2C5932%2C3450&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dollarama worker Ze Carole Benedict, originally from Cameroon, addresses a demonstration in Montréal in August 2020 to join in calls for higher pay and better working conditions amid COVID-19.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Immigrant women are feeling the brunt of the negative economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — and it may not get better.</p>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has reignited public debate on the adverse socio-economic effects on women engaged in both paid and unpaid work. There have been some specific conversations about <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/data-june-ottawa-pandemic-1.5593998">health-care workers</a> and academic professionals.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-women-in-academia-are-feeling-the-brunt-of-covid-19-144087">How women in academia are feeling the brunt of COVID-19</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Generally, women experience greater work inequality, including <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/women-employment-canada-covid-19-1.5652788">high unemployment</a> as well as increased <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/back-to-work-childcare-1.5598971">child care</a> and <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/03/balancing-work-and-elder-care-through-the-coronavirus-crisis">eldercare</a> burdens.</p>
<p>Despite Canada’s dependence on immigration to curb the impacts of an <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects-start/seniors_and_aging">aging population</a> and sustain high levels of <a href="https://www.cicnews.com/2020/09/what-canadas-throne-speech-means-for-immigration-0915858.html#gs.jcx5cl">economic growth</a>, skilled foreign professionals often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/deskilling">encounter deskilling</a>, downward career mobility, underemployment, unemployment and <a href="https://calgaryherald.com/news/national/skilled-immigrants-wasting-their-talents-in-canada">talent waste</a>, and find themselves in occupations that are not commensurate to their education and experience. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A health-care worker swabs a man at a walk-in COVID-19 test clinic." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3000%2C1827&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366742/original/file-20201030-17-1a4qmqe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A health-care worker swabs a man at a walk-in COVID-19 test clinic in Montréal in May 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Immigrant women also encounter <a href="https://ocasi.org/report-state-immigrant-and-refugee-women">particular vulnerabilities</a> due to their gender responsibilities, which influence their employment experiences.</p>
<p>What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrant women’s employment? Our <a href="https://carleton.ca/criw/research-2/immigrant-participation-at-work/">interdisciplinary research</a> team at Carleton University conducted an in-depth survey of 50 high-skilled immigrant women in July and August of 2020 asking about their employment experiences during the pandemic to understand the gendered effects of the pandemic on deepening <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pandemic-covid-coronavirus-cerb-unemployment-1.5610404">social and especially gender-based inequalities</a>.</p>
<p>These women had post-secondary education and work experience in a variety of professional fields. The survey contained factual and reflective open-ended questions, allowing respondents to write as much as they desired.</p>
<h2>Significant, widespread negative impact</h2>
<p>Forty-one out of 50 respondents were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>
<p>Some recently arrived immigrants had their career start delayed. </p>
<p>Some experienced a reversed career trajectory due to layoffs or decreased availability of short-term opportunities. </p>
<p>Others had their career trajectory interrupted, as they faced pressures to navigate increased family demands, reduced opportunities to perform and advance in a work-from-home environment, and limited social support.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman in a pink head scarf looks at her phone with her laptop in front of her." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366867/original/file-20201101-24-1f6vhto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many immigrant women have seen their career trajectories halted or reversed during COVID-19.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Artem Podrez/Pexels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>COVID-19 measures, in particular, along with the drastic shift to online environments (job applications, closures and remote provision of social supports, and virtual networking) increased delays in career starts for recently arrived immigrant women. Some women who found work in February had job offers revoked, were laid off and faced limited work opportunities at the onset of drastic lockdown measures recommended by public health officials in March.</p>
<p>Those who retained their jobs during the pandemic struggled with balancing work and family responsibilities. As well, their aspirations to move up the organizational ladder and secure better positions were interrupted by the onset and continuation of the pandemic. </p>
<p>These delays, reversals and interruptions also made many of them ineligible for emergency <a href="https://canadianimmigrant.ca/money-and-business/cerb-benefits-during-covid-19-many-new-immigrants-and-international-students-are-ineligible">government support</a>.</p>
<p>The graph below displays the expected career trajectory of immigrant women in the pre-pandemic environment (solid line) versus immigrant women’s actual career trajectory (dotted line) during the COVID-19 pandemic:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A graph shows desired career trajectory versus pandemic career trajectory." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366793/original/file-20201030-22-2826vk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Desired career trajectory versus pandemic career trajectory.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Authors)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Typically, in studies of employment support, entry-level jobs are viewed as a temporary concession and a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0018726720949630">stepping stone towards commensurate employment</a>.</p>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic, however, created conditions of decreased job stability (the vertical axis) and a move towards lower-skilled jobs (horizontal axis), in effect reversing expected career trajectories. </p>
<p>Overall, the opposing nature of the two trajectories depicts downward career mobility and talent waste of immigrant women compounded by challenging virtual work environments and a rise in family responsibilities.</p>
<h2>Long-term consequences</h2>
<p>We predict that these ongoing socio-economic challenges and post-pandemic recovery may have long-term consequences for immigrant women.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/inquiry-into-coronavirus-nursing-home-deaths-needs-to-include-discussion-of-workers-and-race-139017">Inquiry into coronavirus nursing home deaths needs to include discussion of workers and race</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Immigrant women’s delayed, interrupted and reversed career trajectories can prevent them from acquiring the necessary work experience in their fields to advance their careers and find job satisfaction. </p>
<p>They may continue to have their skills and experiences further devalued, and their confidence and psycho-social adjustment to Canada eroded. </p>
<p>Finally, the pandemic has led to <a href="https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/front-line-health-care-workers-calling-on-province-to-expand-pandemic-pay-1.4965617">increased demand for front-line workers</a> engaging in health care, essential sales, production and food processing positions traditionally filled by <a href="https://canadianlabour.ca/lessons-of-the-pandemic-must-lead-to-change-for-frontline-workers/">disadvantaged groups</a>. Immigrant women might remain stuck in low-level occupations.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man walking his dog." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3600%2C2635&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/366731/original/file-20201030-15-1ik0yi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A man walks his dog past a mural that pays tribute to health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto in July 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Urgent measures are therefore necessary from various levels of government to develop support programs providing financial and other emergency support regardless of immigration status. That includes reliable child care, career coaching and mentoring and mental-health support to minimize the long-term negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for immigrant women.</p>
<p>It’s not enough to think about the current circumstances and immediate consequences of the pandemic. It is vital that any dialogue include a plan for a post-pandemic future for Canadian immigration policies and immigrants themselves who want to make Canada their home.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147821/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amrita Hari receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant (892-2019-0024). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luciara Nardon receives funding from This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant (892-2019-0024)</span></em></p>Urgent measures are necessary from various levels of government to develop support programs for immigrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.Amrita Hari, Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, Carleton UniversityLuciara Nardon, Associate professor, international business, Carleton UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1260602020-08-04T15:22:59Z2020-08-04T15:22:59ZHow to narrow the gap between what universities produce and what employers expect<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350634/original/file-20200731-18-hvltk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">LumiNola/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Higher education is usually seen as a way for individuals and families to improve their economic status. <a href="http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/jspui/bitstream/10539/26339/2/Final_Research%20Report_Zinhle_457779.pdf">Research</a> shows, though, that graduates can remain unemployed for up to a year. In <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_615594.pdf">developing countries</a>, in particular, the labour force is often growing faster than the labour market. </p>
<p>Graduate unemployment remains a reality for many in <a href="http://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=12121">South Africa</a>. The most recent figures from Statistics South Africa put the graduate unemployment rate <a href="https://mg.co.za/article/2019-08-07-graduates-and-their-unemployment-dilemma">at 31% in the first quarter of 2019</a>. </p>
<p>Among the reasons for the unemployment rate are the needs and expectations of the labour market and the quality of graduates leaving higher education institutions. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13639080.2019.1620924?src=recsys">Research</a> into graduate work readiness has shown that there’s a gap between what universities produce in their graduates and what employers expect. </p>
<p>Employers are often <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Colleen_Bernstein/publication/283452903_Graduateness_as_a_contested_idea_-_Navigating_expectations_between_higher_education_employers_and_graduates/links/5695d56708ae3ad8e33d941c.pdf#page=71">cited</a> as saying that the graduates who enter the workplace are ill-equipped for the realities of the South African labour market. This gap between employers and universities is referred to as the skills gap. There are critical skills shortages in the <a href="https://briefly.co.za/26159-list-scarce-skills-south-africa-2020.html">science, engineering, technology and information technology</a> fields while universities are seeing increasing <a href="http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-92-01-05/Report-92-01-052017.pdf">enrolment</a> in business, economics and commerce, followed by education and engineering. Despite the enrolments aligning more recently, there remains a gap between the skills graduates possess and what employers expect.</p>
<p>Work-integrated learning is one of the techniques that higher education institutions use to address the skills gap. It exposes students to real or simulated work environments where they can develop the skills their future employers expect. Work-integrated learning has a long history in higher education, with studies as far back as <a href="https://search.proquest.com/openview/6ce07e1d0d85c85316faecae006a3cfe/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2026363">1976</a>. </p>
<p>While the evidence on work-integrated learning has been mixed in some disciplines, there is a general <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2018.1450359?src=recsys">consensus</a> that these programmes improve the skills and employability of graduates. Work-integrated learning is therefore an integral component of the Research Masters programme on which we teach. </p>
<p>We conducted a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0950422218774701">study</a> that was aimed at understanding how students in the discipline of psychology benefited from this alternative approach to teaching and learning. The findings of the study indicated that students primarily focused on developing technical skills. Secondly, they worked on developing their identities as researchers. Thirdly, students made use of multiple sources of information to develop their sense of the workplace.</p>
<h2>Reflective learning</h2>
<p>During their studies, students keep reflective diaries about what they are learning. We analysed the diaries of six cohorts of students to understand the work placement learning experiences that take place from the students’ perspective. These were work placements where students worked for companies for a period of 10 to 20 weeks.</p>
<p>In the reflective diaries students described the strategies they used to evaluate new or complex information. They reflected on gaps in their learning and identified areas in which they required further development. They recorded their thoughts about how they expected to contribute to the organisation they joined.</p>
<p>For instance, very few students had worked in a formal work environment prior to the course and therefore had never seen or signed an employment contract. By consulting lecturers and peers, students were able to decipher the contracts to understand the commitments they were undertaking. At a more technical level, students were exposed to skills such as data cleaning and analysis. Again, they used networks to fill in the gaps in their knowledge about these processes.</p>
<p>These reflections highlighted gaps in graduates’ knowledge. <a href="https://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe/article/view/3397">A previous study</a> indicated that employers in this field, such as market research firms, held strong preferences for statistical skills, the ability to present and the ability to draft professional reports as key skills. </p>
<p>Students’ experiences and feedback were integrated into group discussions in their academic programme.</p>
<p>The findings of our study highlight how integrating work experiences and the course curriculum can support students during their transition from formal learning to the first phases of career development. </p>
<h2>Connected learning</h2>
<p>When we viewed student learning as a network, we were able to incorporate industry partners into the learning process. This shift also changed our role as lecturers from conveyors of knowledge to facilitators who help students find their way. </p>
<p>One of the key benefits of our work-integrated learning programme was that students were able to build and develop relationships that would follow them into their early years in the workplace. </p>
<p>In turn, lecturers became part of more extensive networks when students entered the workplace. Being connected with them created learning opportunities for future students. The extensive network assists the university to understand what skills the workplace actually uses and needs.</p>
<p>Work-integrated learning thus proved to be a crucial part of our programme. It’s an approach that has been followed successfully in many countries but there’s still much to be done to standardise it in South Africa. </p>
<p>We propose that the learning process should be created through collaboration between the student, the host organisation (which is often the potential employer) and the higher education institution. This will help develop skills that are specific to an industry.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126060/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Angelo Fynn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A South African study explored how psychology students benefited from an alternative approach to teaching and learning.Angelo Fynn, Specialist Researcher, University of South AfricaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1400582020-06-10T19:53:56Z2020-06-10T19:53:56ZUniversity students aren’t cogs in a market. They need more than a narrow focus on ‘skills’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340785/original/file-20200610-82665-1711nnr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">PRobl</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/old-people-geriatric-hospice-elderly-lady-405715708">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This essay is based on an episode of the University of Technology Sydney podcast series “<a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/impact-studios/podcasts/new-social-contract">The New Social Contract</a>”. This audio series examines how the relationship between universities, the state and the public might be reshaped as we live through this global pandemic.</em></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-26/key-points-from-scott-morrison-press-club-ir-skills/12287690">Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced</a> a revamp of the vocational education and training (VET) sector to focus more on skills needed for work. Providing training for people “who need to upskill or reskill” was also a recommendation of <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/skills-workforce-agreement/interim">an interim Productivity Commission</a> report released last week. </p>
<p>The same emphasis on skills is evident when it comes to higher education. In explaining his government’s move to embed micro-credentials in the Australian Qualifications Framework, <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/covid19-has-created-the-opportunity-for-reform-in-higher-education/news-story/bedf0e3d5943ddec536e9ab106cf9a9d">education minister Dan Tehan</a> predicted future growth in the sector would be “in part employer-driven and in part driven by the individual knowing and understanding what set of skills will best suit their employment opportunities”.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/there-may-not-be-enough-skilled-workers-in-australias-pipeline-for-a-post-covid-19-recovery-140061">There may not be enough skilled workers in Australia's pipeline for a post-COVID-19 recovery</a>
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<p>Australians are a highly educated people, with more than <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2019_f8d7880d-en">one third of the population educated to a degree level or above</a>. Yet Australia’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/14/unemployment-rate-in-australia-jumps-to-62-due-to-covid-19-as-600000-jobs-lost">youth unemployment doubled</a> to 13.8% in April, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.</p>
<p>Something is going wrong in the relationship between education and employment. Trying to narrowly focus education and training on equipping young people with specific skills for work isn’t going to fix it. We need to fundamentally <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_650239.pdf#page=145">change our approach</a>.</p>
<p>Education should equip people not just with specific skills, but also with the knowledge they need to be citizens, parents, community members, and for occupations in which they can grow and develop across the course of their lives.</p>
<h2>What are skills?</h2>
<p>When people talk about skills they might mean different things. “Skills” can refer to specific or technical skills needed to execute tasks in particular jobs. Or it can mean more generic skills such as communication or problem solving, which everyone needs for work. </p>
<p>The emphasis on skills in Australia began in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A21463">series of key reports commissioned</a> by the Hawke and Keating Labor governments. The aim was to increase capacity and participation in VET and higher education and ensure Australian workers had both a wider range and higher level of skills. </p>
<p>First the focus was on “generic” and “employability” skills in vocational education and, somewhat later, <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A18283">“graduate attributes” in higher education</a> such as critical thinking, effective communication and problem solving skills. More recently we have begun to hear an emphasis on <a href="https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/21st-century-skills">21st century skills for everyone</a>. </p>
<p>An influential report by the <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEFUSA_NewVisionforEducation_Report2015.pdf">World Economic Forum and Boston Consulting Group</a> defines 21st century skills in three broad categories: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>foundational literacies, which include literacy and numeracy</p></li>
<li><p>competencies, which include critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration</p></li>
<li><p>character qualities, which include curiosity, initiative and persistence.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>But people are more than an assembly of skills, and skills mean different things in different contexts. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340787/original/file-20200610-82625-94bop8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Problem solving for a childcare educator is very specific to the context.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-beautiful-teacher-toddlers-playing-building-1690362274">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>“Problem solving”, for example, means something completely different to the childcare worker trying to deal with a room of two-year-olds having meltdowns, than it does to the oil worker trying to put out a fire on an oil rig. Each requires distinctive knowledge and expertise to deal with the problem in their own occupation.</p>
<p>This is why it is not possible to teach problem solving or other skills independently of occupations or the people who do them.</p>
<h2>From employment to employability</h2>
<p>Increasing the nation’s stock of skills, governments believe, will lead to economic efficiency and a more productive economy. If educational providers clearly specify the skill they are teaching, and if employers clearly identify which skills they want in their employees, students will be able to decide what they should learn (and pay for). </p>
<p>What this means is that the social contract between education and the world of work has shifted from one that emphasises employment (a pathway to a meaningful job), to one that emphasises employability (the attributes that might enable a person to find and keep a job). </p>
<p>The consequence is that it is now up to individuals to prepare themselves for something called “the job market”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-have-gone-from-being-a-place-of-privilege-to-a-competitive-market-what-will-they-be-after-coronavirus-137877">Universities have gone from being a place of privilege to a competitive market. What will they be after coronavirus?</a>
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<p>Students entering university are encouraged to “invest” in themselves by first anticipating, and then acquiring, the skills and qualities future employers might want. They are encouraged to understand themselves in a culture of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0268093022000043065">continual calculation</a> and risk management. </p>
<p>As the economy changes and work becomes more uncertain, the risks of someone making a bad decision increase and employers’ demands for skills become <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2018.1549752">more narrowly focused</a>.</p>
<p>That’s why it is not surprising that, as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-24/centrelink-minister-stuart-robert-not-anticipate-coronavirus/12080612">queues at CentreLink</a> have grown longer, Dan Tehan has encouraged <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/covid19-has-created-the-opportunity-for-reform-in-higher-education/news-story/bedf0e3d5943ddec536e9ab106cf9a9d">more Australians to invest in short courses to reskill</a> themselves.</p>
<h2>Occupations instead of skills</h2>
<p>But skills are not the only way to think about the relationship between education and employment.</p>
<p>A whole set of preconditions <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dimensions-of-expertise-9781847062680/">enable a person to be a good worker</a>. These extend beyond that person’s ability to execute a task and include the broad range of factors that make it possible for them to feel respected, connected and that the work they do is meaningful. </p>
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<iframe src="https://webplayer.whooshkaa.com/episode/670130?theme=light&visual=true&enable-volume=true" height="190" width="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay"></iframe>
<p>Subscribe to the New Social Contract podcast on your favourite podcast app: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-new-social-contract/id1510173684">Apple Podcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2ltBYx6bVMrpqGAWlSpMV5">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-new-social-contract?refid=stpr">Stitcher</a></p>
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<p>People need to live in safe, inclusive communities and they need to be able to have a say in the kind of society we share. People, after all, are more than job seekers.</p>
<p>People study and go to work so they can sustain themselves and their families and because they find these activities meaningful. They do not study and go to work because it contributes to the creation of markets. This may be the outcome of their activity, but for most people it is not the purpose of their lives. </p>
<p>An education system focused on skills misses this bigger picture, in which the whole person is developed for an occupation, which is part of a broader network of occupations in society.</p>
<p>Occupations are composed of many specific jobs. They are underpinned by both theoretical and practical knowledge. Occupations have histories, face ethical dilemmas and are part of a complex web of other occupations that work with each other. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/students-striking-for-climate-action-are-showing-the-exact-skills-employers-look-for-113546">Students striking for climate action are showing the exact skills employers look for</a>
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<p>Electricians, for example, frequently work with engineers. And social workers often work alongside health workers. Research shows people are <a href="https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A53815">more likely to move within occupations</a> or to other occupations where they require similar knowledge, skills and attributes, than they are to move to entirely new fields of work.</p>
<p>We need to think more broadly about occupations, and what it means to prepare people to work in them. Rather than focusing on skills, government policies on education and training might focus on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13636820.2016.1275031">supporting occupational pathways</a> (for example, from aged care worker to nurse). </p>
<p>They might ensure graduates can go to good quality jobs with employers who will support their continuing professional development.</p>
<h2>Training for work that anchors communities in transition</h2>
<p>Preparation for the workforce has long been crucial to the relationship universities have with governments on the one hand, and different elements of society on the other.</p>
<p>It will become all the more important as our economies and societies are transformed, not just by new technology, but also by the changes that will come under the pressures of climate change.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-the-most-important-mission-for-universities-of-the-21st-century-139214">Climate change is the most important mission for universities of the 21st century</a>
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<p>We now need an education system <a href="http://www.johncainfoundation.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TAFE_social_settlement_report_s0213043.pdf">that will anchor communities in transition</a>. Adaptable, qualified graduates who have deep knowledge of their field, who can see a pathway to their future and who feel connected to, and respected in, the society they inhabit, will be able to respond to these challenges more effectively than those forced to continually second guess an uncertain job market.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>The next article linked to <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/impact-studios/podcasts/new-social-contract">The New Social Contract</a> podcast will look at universities and the communities they serve.</em></p>
<p><em>Universities and the nation’s workforce was made by <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/impact-studios/about-us">Impact Studios</a> at the University of Technology, Sydney - an audio production house combining academic research and audio storytelling.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140058/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leesa Wheelahan has received funding from an Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Human Research Council of Canada which explores the relationship between education and the labour market.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tamson Pietsch receives funding from the Australian Research Council</span></em></p>Education should equip people not just with specific skills, but also with the knowledge they need to be citizens, and for occupations in which they can develop across the course of their lives.Leesa Wheelahan, Professor & William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership, University of TorontoTamson Pietsch, Associate Professor, Social & Political Sciences, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1185242019-06-24T20:10:42Z2019-06-24T20:10:42ZJobs are changing, and fast. Here’s what the VET sector (and employers) need to do to keep up<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280885/original/file-20190624-97745-qyy3lt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">We're entering the fourth industrial revolution, which isn't a bad thing. But it does mean we need to take action.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This essay is part of a series of articles on the future of education.</em></p>
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<p>Technological developments are expected to majorly, and rapidly, <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation">disrupt</a> or change the nature of employment. The multiplier effect of these disruptions interacting with each other has led to what has been termed the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/focus/fourth-industrial-revolution">fourth industrial revolution</a> (i4.0). </p>
<p>The first industrial revolution took us from agrarian to industrial economies and the second used resources like electricity and steel to create mass production. The third refers to technology advancing from analog and mechanical devices to the digital technology available today. </p>
<p>The fourth industrial revolution represents ways technology has become embedded in societies by the fusion of technologies, or what is known as cyber-physical systems. For example, <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-industry-digital-reinvention">3D printing</a> needs advanced materials with printers linked to the internet, which are increasingly intelligent and autonomous.</p>
<p>The consensus among experts is that our training providers and employers aren’t adapting fast enough to meet the skill needs of the fourth industrial revolution. This is reflected in a <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/skilling-the-australian-workforce-for-the-digital-economy">growing technological and digital skills gap</a>. But there are some things the sector can do to catch up.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-australians-will-have-uni-or-tafe-skills-if-governments-dont-reform-tertiary-education-117903">Fewer Australians will have uni or TAFE skills if governments don't reform tertiary education</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>Doom or opportunity?</h2>
<p>Commentators have <a href="https://www.ippr.org/files/publications/pdf/technology-globalisation-future-of-work_Mar2015.pdf">polarising views</a> on the possible effects of the fourth industrial revolution. Some see technologies offering limitless new opportunities while others see major economic disruptions – the so-called dark side of technological change. </p>
<p>The pessimistic perspective is provided in an often cited 2013 study by labour researchers <a href="https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf">Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne</a>, who argue 47% of total employment in developed economies is at risk of automation. This figure also underlies eye-catching headline such as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/could-a-robot-do-your-job-artificial-intelligence/8782174">Could a robot do your job?</a> </p>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-09/artificial-intelligence-automation-jobs-of-the-future/8786962">Artificial intelligence and automation are coming, so what will we all do for work?</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In Australia, the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/digital-disruption">Productivity Commission</a> estimates 40% of employment is at risk of being digitally disrupted by automation over the next 10-15 years. The Australian Industrial Transformation Institute <a href="http://www.flinders.edu.au/fms/AITI/Documents/AITI201705_creative_solutions_final.pdf">estimates</a> the level of disruption to be between 5-10%. </p>
<p>But an important point often overlooked in these and related studies based on Frey and Osborne’s modelling, is that they investigate the potential for existing jobs to be automated. They don’t take into account the net effect of automation on jobs and that new jobs may be created as a consequence of automation.</p>
<p>More recent reports address this issue and point to a less pessimistic future. The World Economic Forum <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf">recently projected</a> that while 75 million jobs will likely be displaced by robots, 133 million new jobs will be created. This means a net gain of more than 50 million jobs globally.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280890/original/file-20190624-97799-1vyp2vr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Robots will take some jobs, but more might be created.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shuttrestock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This suggests by 2022, some established roles such as data analysts and software developers – as well as so-called emerging roles such as machine learning specialists and robotics engineers, together with existing roles based on distinctively human traits such as customer service workers and people and culture specialists – will rise from 16% of the labour force to 27%. </p>
<p>On the flip side, as algorithms replace workers, declining roles such as accountants and telemarketers, currently representing around one third of the labour force, will fall to one in five workers.</p>
<p>In Australia, <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/building-lucky-country/articles/path-prosperity-future-work.html">Deloitte Access Economics</a> estimates more than 80% of jobs will be created between now and 2030 for knowledge workers. </p>
<h2>Should we be worried?</h2>
<p>The suggested net employment gains are not a foregone conclusion. There is growing consensus developed economies like Australia must take <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-30/skills-shortage-coming-due-to-vet-business-council-say/9175516">urgent steps</a> to mitigate the negative effects of technological disruption and take advantage of opportunities. </p>
<p>The fourth industrial revolution is predicted to be as, if not more, disruptive than the preceding three, in part as a consequence of the <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Leading_through_the_Fourth_Industrial_Revolution.pdf">pace of change and magnitude of skill shifts</a>. Australian workers are growing increasingly worried they will be <a href="http://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/2018/7/ANUPoll_25_JobSecurity-thefutureofwork-Australianworkersviews.pdf">displaced by technology because of irrelevant skills</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/media/swinburneeduau/centre-for-the-new-workforce/cnew-national-survey-report.pdf">More than half</a> expect they will need skills they currently lack within five years and that they will need to upskill, reskill and retrain. </p>
<p>Skills are a Darwinian, survival issue, not only for workers, but for the organisations that employ them. <a href="http://www.gbm.hsbc.com/%7E/media/gbm/reports/insights/mastering-the-fourth-industrial-revolution.pdf?la=en-gb">Two-thirds of employers</a> say technology-related skills shortages are impacting them now (not in five years) and have noted their biggest challenge is to re-skill employees.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-point-of-education-its-no-longer-just-about-getting-a-job-117897">What's the point of education? It's no longer just about getting a job</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>Recent <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">research</a> shows that while disruptive technology has reduced the need for some jobs, the main issue facing Australian employers is the changing nature of existing jobs. </p>
<p>This is particularly the case for the <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/2948129/Webinar_SkillingForDigitalDisruptionAndTheFutureOfWork_PresentationSlides.pdf">expanded range of tasks</a> workers are expected to do. Employers seeking external training <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/training-for-the-fourth-industrial-revolution">report</a> difficulties finding VET providers delivering training in disruptive technologies. </p>
<p>Accordingly, larger firms will likely resort to <a href="http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912390aa26b0d192a2d7b4348257d95001ca629/$file/2390.pdf">in-house training</a>, while <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13636820.2011.567336?scroll=top&needAccess=true">smaller firms with fewer resources</a> look to hire skilled workers. </p>
<p>Employers also often view university graduates with technology-related skills as more valuable than employees with VET qualifications. The result is <a href="https://pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/domestic-policy/vet-review/strengthening-skills-e%20xpert-review-australias-vocational-education-and-training-system">a decline in confidence in the ability of the VET sector</a> to deliver training that meets the challenges of technological disruption.</p>
<h2>What kind of skills will future jobs need?</h2>
<p>Much of the <a href="https://www.ceda.com.au/CEDA/media/ResearchCatalogueDocuments/Research%20and%20Policy/PDF/31760-CEDAVETReportAugust2016Final_flattened.pdf">recent debate</a> related to digital disruption has focused on the dichotomy between the importance of hard or technical skills (such as industry 4.0 programming, software engineering and data science) and soft or non-technical skills (such as creativity, design and teamwork).</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://insight.ieeeusa.org/articles/why-technical-skills-get-you-in-the-door-but-soft-skills-advance-your-career-2/">about half</a> of Chief Information Officers favour hard skills while the other half prefer soft skills among future employees. </p>
<p>This divide is driven by modelling based on a technology-centred (automation) scenario. But it ignores two other important scenarios, as <a href="http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/wiso/11480.pdf">reported by German researchers</a>, into the fourth industrial revolution: the hybrid and specialisation scenarios.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280892/original/file-20190624-97808-xj0hx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">More than half of Chief Information Officers prefer soft skills in future employees.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Under the <a href="https://bluenotes.anz.com/posts/2019/02/the-forth-industrial-revolution-and-ai-opportunities">hybrid scenario</a>, the distribution of tasks between people and technologies is based on the relative strengths and weaknesses of workers versus machines, and employees will face increased demand to be highly flexible. Control tasks will still need to be performed through technologies that require people for monitoring and directing. </p>
<p>Under the specialisation scenario, people use cyber-physical systems to aid decision-making. <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/industry-40-testlabs-in-australia">Cyber-physical systems</a> are technologies that enable bringing the virtual and material dimensions together to produce a fully networked domain in which intelligent objects interact with each other. </p>
<p>For example, in new smart production systems, there will be less need for employees with administrative, production and monitoring competencies. But there will be a growing need for qualified and <a href="https://policynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Work-in-the-Digital-Age.pdf">ultra-specialised</a> employees with IT competencies, in particular those who can integrate them with production—technical competencies. </p>
<p>Applying this to <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-implications-of-technological-disruption-for-australian-vet">the Australian context</a>, disruptive technologies are influencing the demand for both hard and soft skills in many occupations, with some skills in decline and others in demand. Industry needs both technical and non-technical skills to <a href="https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=csiro:EP162981&dsid=DS2">“future-proof”</a> Australian workers. </p>
<h2>What needs to be done?</h2>
<p>The VET sector requires <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/call-for-vet-unis-to-face-future-together/news-story/ad04458ea62b483a81d8809c0d82703c?login=1">increased collaboration</a> between industry, educators and governments. It also needs <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/linking-qualifications-and-the-labour-market-through-capabilities-and-vocational-streams">responsiveness and flexibility in delivering skills</a>, from formal qualifications to micro-credentials or non-formal education to reflect the needs of rapidly changing technologies. </p>
<p>A good example of this is the first <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/machine-learning-australia-s-first-automation-course-launched-at-wa-tafe-20190612-p51ww4.html">nationally recognised qualification in automation</a>, launched in Perth earlier this month. This came out of a collaboration led by Rio Tinto, South Metropolitan TAFE and the WA government.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-keeps-talking-about-revamping-vet-but-is-it-actually-doing-it-117743">The government keeps talking about revamping VET – but is it actually doing it?</a>
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<p>Employers should also take a lead with <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/commsen/9794d543-f5b2-4c0a-8a37-51ecb4459a75/toc_pdf/Select%20Committee%20on%20the%20Future%20of%20Work%20and%20Workers_2018_03_12_5978_Official.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22committees/commsen/9794d543-f5b2-4c0a-8a37-51ecb4459a75/0000%22">experimenting and testing new methods</a> to meet future skill needs. A South Australian electronics firm, REDARC, is preparing employees to become ready for the fourth industrial revolution by engaging experts to run dedicated sessions on the application of an overarching i4.0 lens across the core competencies of mechanical, chemical and electronic engineering.</p>
<p>The VET sector can play a <a href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2017/05/03/the-future-of-jobs-and-jobs-training/">complementary and reinforcing role</a>. Besides catering for current students and apprentices, VET providers need to work with industry to build systems to facilitate continual learning (such as through flexible micro-courses) to ensure the <a href="https://www.bca.com.au/future_proof">skills of VET graduates or alumni are upgraded responsively</a>.</p>
<p>Federal and state governments need to work <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/collections/employers-use-and-views-of-the-vet-system">to restore the confidence</a> of employers and students in the VET sector. An important first step is to implement the early recommendations of the <a href="https://pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/vet-review">Joyce Review</a> on VET. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-keeps-talking-about-revamping-vet-but-is-it-actually-doing-it-117743">Recent initiatives</a> indicate the VET sector, industry and government have recognised these issues. They will need to <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/news-media/speeches/future-work">pick up the pace</a> to ensure vocational education provides students – and businesses that employ them – with the future-ready skills needed to succeed in the fourth industrial revolution.</p>
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<p><em>Read other essays in this series <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-three-things-universities-must-do-to-survive-disruption-117970">here</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118524/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pi-Shen Seet receives funding from NCVER.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janice Jones receives funding from NCVER. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ann-Louise Hordacre and John Spoehr do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Training providers and employers aren’t adapting fast enough to meet the skill needs thrown up by the fourth industrial revolution.Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityAnn-Louise Hordacre, Senior Research Fellow, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityJohn Spoehr, Director, Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1177432019-05-29T19:43:57Z2019-05-29T19:43:57ZThe government keeps talking about revamping VET – but is it actually doing it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276936/original/file-20190529-126291-zqh0zw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The VET sector is struggling to keep up with the rapid changes in industry.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The vocational education and training (VET) sector is integral to Australia’s economy and the businesses and workforce that underpin it. The sector provides skills to <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/total-vet-students-and-courses-2017">4.2 million students at 4,200 registered training providers</a>. </p>
<p>This is important because, as the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/the-digital-skills-gap-is-widening-fast-heres-how-to-bridge-it/">World Economic Forum highlights</a>, access to skilled workers is a key factor that distinguishes successful enterprises from unsuccessful ones. But many Australian employers <a href="https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/collections/employers-use-and-views-of-the-vet-system">are unhappy with the VET system</a> – employer satisfaction is the lowest it’s been in the decade. </p>
<p>The rise of the digital economy and the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/focus/fourth-industrial-revolution">fourth industrial revolution</a> are predicted to cause major job disruptions. In essence, industry needs are changing rapidly and the VET sector isn’t keeping up. And there are ongoing concerns about the quality of the sector itself, after the rise of some dodgy private organisations offering questionable qualifications.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-fix-higher-education-funding-we-also-need-to-fix-vocational-education-102634">To fix higher education funding, we also need to fix vocational education</a>
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<p>In November 2018, the federal government appointed former New Zealand skills minister Steven Joyce to lead <a href="https://pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/vet-review">a once-in-a-generation review</a> of VET. The Coalition government based many of its pre-election announcements on some recommendations of this review (now known as the <a href="https://pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/domestic-policy/vet-review/strengthening-skills-expert-review-australias-vocational-education-and-training-system">Joyce review</a>), which were released in April 2019.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1127392671540973568"}"></div></p>
<p>So, what did Joyce recommend and is the government actually heeding the advice?</p>
<h2>What did Joyce recommend?</h2>
<p>The Joyce review details 71 recommendations. These form the basis of a six-point plan to transform VET so it can provide students with skills that reflect the needs of employers. </p>
<p>The plan centres on:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>strengthening quality assurance</p></li>
<li><p>speeding up qualification development</p></li>
<li><p>simplifying funding and skills matching</p></li>
<li><p>providing better careers information</p></li>
<li><p>providing clearer secondary school pathways into VET</p></li>
<li><p>providing greater access for disadvantaged Australians.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The Joyce review noted it might take five to six years to act on many of the recommendations. In the interim, the report advised moving early on recommendations that would address the declining confidence in the sector. These early steps are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>bringing forward reforms to strengthen the <a href="https://www.asqa.gov.au/">Australian Skills Quality Authority</a> – the national VET regulator</p></li>
<li><p>piloting a new business-led model of organising skills for qualification development, and extending work-based VET further into less traditional areas, such as assistant professional jobs in health care or high-tech industries</p></li>
<li><p>establishing a national skills commission, which would start working with the states and territories to develop a nationally consistent funding model based on shared needs</p></li>
<li><p>revamping apprenticeship incentives to increase their attractiveness to employers and trainees</p></li>
<li><p>establishing a national careers institute, which would provide better careers information to students</p></li>
<li><p>introducing new vocational pathways into senior secondary schools to create a more seamless transition from Year 11 and 12 into VET courses</p></li>
<li><p>providing new support for second-chance learners needing foundation language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills.</p></li>
</ol>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1117570986918936576"}"></div></p>
<h2>Is the government doing it?</h2>
<p>The federal government <a href="https://ministers.education.gov.au/cash/delivering-world-class-vocational-education-and-training-system">agreed to implement most of the early action recommendations</a>. It committed A$525 million to the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/skills-and-training-budget-overview-2019-20">Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow</a> package. But it has a looser interpretation of how early these should be put in place. </p>
<p>Only two of the six early actions identified by the Joyce review were budgeted for in 2019-2020: the establishment of a national skills commission and a national careers institute. Some actions, such as 40% of the funding for a new apprenticeship initiative, or A$108 million, are only planned to be resourced as late as the 2023-24 budget. </p>
<p>The review’s recommendations mainly focused on the <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/policy/health/bypass-degrees-and-tick-and-flick-providers-new-review-takes-them-on-20190405-p51b92">slow process of creating and updating qualifications</a>. This is good, but it could be argued the review didn’t directly address the needs articulated by various industry groups.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/employer-incentives-may-not-be-the-most-cost-effective-or-fair-way-of-boosting-apprenticeship-numbers-114986">Employer incentives may not be the most cost-effective or fair way of boosting apprenticeship numbers</a>
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<p>These included calls for <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/call-for-vet-unis-to-face-future-together/news-story/ad04458ea62b483a81d8809c0d82703c?login=1">more collaboration between the VET and university sectors</a>. Then there was the Business Council of Australia’s appeal for a single market platform and <a href="https://www.bca.com.au/future_proof">funding model for the two sectors</a> to enable workers to more easily retrain and reskill over their lives.</p>
<p>However, the review agrees with industry that “change will take time”. It will require the federal government to “work with the states and territories” but also, as the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/productivity-review/report">Productivity Commission noted</a>, the changes will need to be “piloted and evaluated by willing industries”. </p>
<h2>Some creative partnerships</h2>
<p>Some states and territories have already started experimenting with a small number of players in the VET sector to overcome industry concerns. There is Rio Tinto’s collaboration with Western Australia’s South Metropolitan TAFE to develop an <a href="https://thewest.com.au/news/north-west-telegraph/rio-tinto-tafe-launch-australias-first-automation-course-ng-b88795187z">autonomous vehicle qualification</a>. And Blockchain Collective’s development of an <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/australias-first-accredited-blockchain-courses-have-arrived">Advanced Diploma of Applied Blockchain</a>). </p>
<p>Other significant experiments include the New South Wales government’s <a href="https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/business-and-industry-in-nsw/innovation-and-research/sydney-school-of-entrepreneurship">Sydney School of Entrepreneurship</a> between TAFE NSW, universities and industry, and the <a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/latest-news/2018/10/advanced-manufacturing-industry-40-hub-at-swinburne-.php">Factory of the Future</a> between the Victorian government, Swinburne University and Siemens.</p>
<p>These green shoots point to a willingness in governments, industry and broader VET stakeholders to take the initiative to work together and <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/commsen/9794d543-f5b2-4c0a-8a37-51ecb4459a75/toc_pdf/Select%20Committee%20on%20the%20Future%20of%20Work%20and%20Workers_2018_03_12_5978_Official.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22committees/commsen/9794d543-f5b2-4c0a-8a37-51ecb4459a75/0000%22">experiment</a>. We believe this will help overcome the inertia in making changes to the VET sector, and better meet the future needs of employers and students.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-australians-will-have-uni-or-tafe-skills-if-governments-dont-reform-tertiary-education-117903">Fewer Australians will have uni or TAFE skills if governments don't reform tertiary education</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117743/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pi-Shen Seet receives funding from NCVER.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janice Jones receives funding from NCVER. </span></em></p>In April 2019, the government-commissioned Joyce review made 71 recommendations to reform the VET sector. Here’s what the report said, and what the government is doing about it.Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan UniversityJanice Jones, Associate Professor, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1106632019-04-30T10:44:18Z2019-04-30T10:44:18ZCollaborative problem solvers are made not born – here’s what you need to know<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271563/original/file-20190429-194609-mdphbw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Group project experience doesn't automatically translate to competence at collaboration.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/g1Kr4Ozfoac">Brooke Cagle/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Challenges are a fact of life. Whether it’s a high-tech company figuring out how to shrink its carbon footprint, or a local community trying to identify new revenue sources, people are continually dealing with problems that require input from others. In the modern world, we face problems that are broad in scope and great in scale of impact – think of trying to understand and identify potential solutions related to climate change, cybersecurity or authoritarian leaders.</p>
<p>But people usually aren’t born competent in collaborative problem-solving. In fact, a famous turn of phrase about teams is that a <a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jO17AgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA359&dq=%22How+can+you+turn+a+team+of+experts+into+an+expert+team%22+Zsambok&ots=AXprcvw255&sig=OPr4vSa-NGPd70Q9Rw2us3MfEjE#v=onepage&q=%22How%20can%20you%20turn%20a%20team%20of%20experts%20into%20an%20expert%20team%22%20Zsambok&f=false">team of experts does not make an expert team</a>. Just as troubling, the evidence suggests that, for the most part, people aren’t being taught this skill either. A 2012 survey by the American Management Association found that higher level managers believed recent college graduates <a href="http://playbook.amanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2012-Critical-Skills-Survey-pdf.pdf">lack collaboration abilities</a>.</p>
<p>Maybe even worse, college grads seem to overestimate their own competence. One 2015 survey found nearly two-thirds of recent graduates believed they can effectively work in a team, but <a href="https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/LEAP/2015employerstudentsurvey.pdf">only one-third of managers agreed</a>. The tragic irony is that the less competent you are, the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1999-15054-002">less accurate is your self-assessment</a> of your own competence. It seems that this infamous <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-385522-0.00005-6">Dunning-Kruger effect</a> can also occur for teamwork. </p>
<p>Perhaps it’s no surprise that in a 2015 international assessment of hundreds of thousands of students, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264285521-en">less than 10% performed at the highest level of collaboration</a>. For example, the vast majority of students could not overcome teamwork obstacles or resolve conflict. They were not able to monitor group dynamics or to engage in the kind of actions needed to make sure the team interacted according to their roles. Given that all these students have had group learning opportunities in and out of school over many years, this points to a global deficit in the acquisition of collaboration skills. </p>
<p>How can this deficiency be addressed? What makes one team effective while another fails? How can educators improve training and testing of collaborative problem-solving? Drawing from disciplines that study cognition, collaboration and learning, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618808244">my colleagues</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=t3O2u3MAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">and I</a> have been studying teamwork processes. Based on this research, we have three key recommendations.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271566/original/file-20190429-194633-1qkwi4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Specific skills lay the groundwork for successful collaboration.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/3V8xo5Gbusk">Kaleidico/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>How it should work</h2>
<p>At the most general level, collaborative problem-solving requires team members to establish and maintain a shared understanding of the situation they’re facing and any relevant problem elements they’ve identified. At the start, there’s typically an uneven distribution of knowledge on a team. Members must maintain communication to help each other know who knows what, as well as help each other interpret elements of the problem and which expertise should be applied.</p>
<p>Then the team can get to work, laying out subtasks based upon member roles, or creating mechanisms to coordinate member actions. They’ll critique possible solutions to identify the most appropriate path forward. </p>
<p>Finally, at a higher level, collaborative problem-solving requires keeping the team organized – for example, by monitoring interactions and providing feedback to each other. Team members need, at least, basic interpersonal competencies that help them manage relationships within the team (like encouraging participation) and communication (like listening to learn). Even better is the more sophisticated ability to take others’ perspectives, in order to consider alternative views of problem elements.</p>
<p>Whether it is a team of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617697078">professionals in an organization</a> or a team of <a href="https://doi.org/10.17226/19007">scientists solving complex scientific problems</a>, communicating clearly, managing conflict, understanding roles on a team, and knowing who knows what – all are collaboration skills related to effective teamwork. </p>
<h2>What’s going wrong in the classroom?</h2>
<p>When so many students are continually engaged in group projects, or collaborative learning, why are they not learning about teamwork? There are interrelated factors that may be creating graduates who collaborate poorly but who think they are quite good at teamwork.</p>
<p>I suggest students vastly overestimate their collaboration skills due to the dangerous combination of a lack of systematic instruction coupled with inadequate feedback. On the one hand, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0363-y">students engage in a great deal of group work</a> in high school and college. On the other hand, students rarely receive meaningful <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618808244">instruction, modeling and feedback on collaboration</a>. Decades of research on learning show that explicit instruction and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2011.11.003">feedback are crucial for mastery</a>.</p>
<p>Although classes that implement collaborative problem-solving do provide some instruction and feedback, it’s not necessarily about their teamwork. Students are learning about concepts in classes; they are acquiring knowledge about a domain. What is missing is something that forces them to explicitly reflect on their ability to work with others.</p>
<p>When students process feedback on how well they learned something, or whether they solved a problem, they mistakenly think this is also indicative of effective teamwork. I hypothesize that students come to conflate learning course content material in any group context with collaboration competency.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271641/original/file-20190430-194630-1hjqr20.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Educators can do better at helping students learn collaborative problem-solving skills.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diverse-education-shoot-761566714">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<h2>A prescription for better collaborators</h2>
<p>Now that we’ve defined the problem, what can be done? A century of <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/apl0000142">research on team training</a>, combined with decades of research on <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543069001021">group learning in the classroom</a>, points the way forward. My colleagues and I have distilled some core elements from this literature to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618808244">suggest improvements for collaborative learning</a>. </p>
<p>First, most pressing is to get training on teamwork into the world’s classrooms. At a minimum, this needs to happen during college undergraduate education, but even better would be starting in high school or earlier. Research has demonstrated it’s possible to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496408317794">teach collaboration competencies</a> such as dealing with conflict and communicating to learn. Researchers and educators need, themselves, to collaborate to adapt these methods for the classroom.</p>
<p>Secondly, students need opportunities for practice. Although most already have experience working in groups, this needs to move beyond science and engineering classes. Students need to learn to work across disciplines so after graduation they can work across professions on solving complex societal problems.</p>
<p>Third, any systematic instruction and practice setting needs to include feedback. This is not simply feedback on whether they solved the problem or did well on learning course content. Rather, it needs to be feedback on interpersonal competencies that drive successful collaboration. Instructors should assess students on teamwork processes like relationship management, where they encourage participation from each other, as well as skills in communication where they actively listen to their teammates.</p>
<p>Even better would be feedback telling students how well they were able to take on the perspective of a teammate from another discipline. For example, was the engineering student able to take the view of a student in law and understand the legal ramifications of a new technology’s implementation? </p>
<p>My colleagues and I believe that explicit instruction on how to collaborate, opportunities for practice, and feedback about collaboration processes will better prepare today’s students to work together to solve tomorrow’s problems.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110663/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen M. Fiore has received funding from federal agencies such as NASA, ONR, DARPA, and the NSF to study collaborative problem solving and teamwork. He is past president of the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research, currently a board member of the International Network for the Science of Team Science, and a member of DARPA's Information Science and Technology working group. </span></em></p>From the biggest ‘wicked’ problems on down, finding solutions to challenges depends on working together collaboratively. Students think they’re good at this, but they aren’t. Here’s what could help.Stephen M. Fiore, Professor of Cognitive Sciences, University of Central FloridaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1156422019-04-25T12:56:03Z2019-04-25T12:56:03ZTechnology transfer: how universities can harness research for real life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/270396/original/file-20190423-175535-1f3dl4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Scientists work with a nanosatellite at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">CPUT News</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>All over the world, universities produce vast quantities of research. A great deal of this has the potential to make a difference in people’s lives: through the creation of new businesses and jobs, for instance, or in the form of technology that brings innovations to health and wellness.</p>
<p>But this potential isn’t automatically unlocked. This is where a process known as technology transfer comes in. Many universities, have offices dedicated to technology transfer. Their job is to oversee technologies mature from a concept, to a prototype, then a pilot demonstration and finally a commercial product or service. </p>
<p>South Africa’s universities are <a href="https://nipmo.dst.gov.za/uploads/files/SA-IPTT_BASELINE-SURVEY-REPORT-2017.pdf">doing well</a> when it comes to technology transfer. But the rest of the continent seems to be lagging behind. There are several reasons for this, including a lack of resources and capacity. But the biggest issue is a lack of access to funding. Technology transfer is expensive, and universities <a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/MBE-03-2016-0018?fullSc=1&">don’t make significant profit</a> out of it. The value is largely derived by the licensee, who has the right to exploit the technology commercially. </p>
<p>The biggest value of technology transfer, though, is to society at large. The more enterprises that emerge out of research projects, the more jobs that will be created and a bigger boost to a country’s GDP.</p>
<p>Technology transfer requires a cultural shift in academia. Academics usually concentrate on doing research for the sake of publication. Technology transfer asks them to do more: to develop their ideas into commercial products or businesses. There are tremendous benefits and rewards if they do, including additional income and more money in their personal research funds.</p>
<p>African countries could benefit enormously from a focus on technology transfer, especially in terms of economic growth and job creation. It’s imperative for governments to get involved in driving technology transfer by equipping people with the necessary skills, driving a mindset change in academia and providing resources.</p>
<p>My own institution, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, has established several successful technology transfer projects. We’ve done this by identifying gaps in the market, understanding what people want and harnessing our institutional skills. The lessons we’ve learned in the process may offer useful insights to others who want to forge this path. </p>
<h2>Attrition rates</h2>
<p>The amount of funding directed at research and development in the developed world is <a href="https://digital.rdmag.com/researchanddevelopment/2018_global_r_d_funding_forecast?pg=4#pg4">significantly greater</a> than in developing countries. So, if you think of technology coming out of research as a pipeline, developing countries’ pipeline is much smaller.</p>
<p>The trick is to get a higher percentage of researchers focusing on research that can go through the technology transfer process. </p>
<p>Countries in Africa also need to focus on decreasing the attrition rate of technologies through the development cycle. It’s a long process, and it’s not always successful. The attrition rate is correlated with the type of technology being developed and the development duration. Technologies such as <a href="http://www.rci.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/image_tool/images/100/Research_Contracts/R-2-M%20Pharmaceutical%20Products%202018%20WEB.PDF">pharmaceuticals are a good example</a> of a long development cycle with high development costs. </p>
<p>Academic peer review, as applied to journal articles, has a lower threshold than the market. Often the inadequacies of a researcher’s work are highlighted during the technology transfer process. For instance, the drug candidate could be shown to be toxic. </p>
<p>Another possible reason for technology attrition is that funding may dry up. Finally and very importantly, technologies are developed by people. Often these individuals are soft funded, meaning their salary is not paid for by an institution but rather from grant funds. The loss of key individuals in a development team can hamper or prevent the project from continuing. </p>
<p>One way to lessen this attrition rate is by localising technologies. In this model, technologies patented in other countries and proven commercially can be re-developed or engineered for an African country’s context. This is perfectly legal because patent protection is country specific. A good example of localisation is <a href="https://www.baidu.com/">Baidu</a>, which is essentially the Chinese version of Google. A good strategy for a researcher in Africa is to have a mix of projects focusing on unique research as well as localisation.</p>
<h2>Success stories</h2>
<p>There have been some <a href="https://www.capebiopharms.com/">successful</a> <a href="https://www.custostech.com/about/company/">technology transfers</a> at African universities in recent years. </p>
<p>At my own institution, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, technology transfer has allowed us to make great strides in two important areas: outer space (specifically, nanosatellites) and food. </p>
<p>Amaya Space is one of our spin-off companies, which works to commercialise all of the space related technologies emerging from the university. It’s been successful partly because we identified a gap in the market. We noticed that more countries and private companies globally were investing in nanosatellite subsystems. And we understood that South Africa’s space sector needed more expertise, products and services.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cool-cubes-are-changing-the-way-we-play-in-space-41621">Cool cubes are changing the way we play in space</a>
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<p>The solution was simple: we had the technology, the expertise and the will to enter the space sector. Amaya Space was born, and today the institution has eight separate intellectual property rights. These are protected as confidential information (know-how) because we are continuously developing the technology. We also recently <a href="https://www.cput.ac.za/newsroom/news/article/3540/south-africa%E2%80%99s-most-powerful-nano-satellite-sent-off-yesterday">launched</a> the most advanced nanosatellite developed in Africa.</p>
<p>The Bambara technology portfolio is another success story. The <a href="https://www.daff.gov.za/Daffweb3/Portals/0/Brochures%20and%20Production%20guidelines/Bambara.pdf">Bambara Groundnut</a> is widespread in Africa and is known by various names. It has potential as a cash crop because of its nutritional composition, functional properties and antioxidant potential. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/270397/original/file-20190423-175539-k07wjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Bambara groundnuts have been turned into food products by researchers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CPUT News</span></span>
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<p>Again, our institution identified a gap. We’ve used the Bambara Groundnut as a raw material to create several products, like dairy substitutes, baked goods, meat substitutes, and beverages. These products are gluten-, lactose- and cholesterol-free. This taps into the country’s growing consciousness of and demand for healthier diets. It also recognises that African climates are changing: the groundnut can grow under drought conditions.</p>
<p>In these examples, part of the secret to success has been in spotting gaps in the market and identifying areas of need in the country. </p>
<p>This is an important lesson for others who want to get involved in technology transfer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115642/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Revel Iyer receives funding from the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO). </span></em></p>South Africa’s universities are doing well on technology transfer. But the rest of the continent is lagging behind.Revel Iyer, Director: Technology Transfer and Industry Linkages, Cape Peninsula University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.