Automotive qualifications are set to get an overhaul as the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) progresses reforms to vocational education and training.
It will be one of the first Jobs and Skills Councils to action reforms recommended by the Qualification Reform Design Group.
The automotive sector will review the 15 existing Certificate II pathways so that budding mechanics and auto technicians aren’t “forced to specialise too soon”.
This work is expected to reduce the number of qualifications and units of competency and give students a broader range of industry-relevant capabilities.
AUSMASA said this will support the industry to draw on a larger pool of entry-level candidates and provide better career options and job mobility for learners across the sector.
CEO Dr Gavin Lind said AUSMASA is committed to applying the Qualification Reform Design Group’s model to strengthen automotive sector qualifications.
“By embracing the Design Group principles, we’re steering automotive education towards a future where transferability and cross-sector skills are at the forefront,” he said.
“We’re redesigning the way qualifications are delivered for a new era of the automotive industry.”
Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor said the new system will recognise and value what workers already know, and “not force them to slide down the snake to start up a new ladder at the bottom”.
He added: “This reflects the analysis by Jobs and Skills Australia that identifies many common skills across occupations and industries.”
In March this year, the Qualification Reform Design Group delivered advice to skills ministers on how to improve and modernise Australia’s VET qualifications, following consultation.
The Design Group proposed a revised system that moves from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to designing qualifications based on their purposes, especially to respond to changing workplaces and industries.
The model aims to meet industry needs, attract more students to VET by providing relevant knowledge and skills, improve the status and responsiveness of the VET system, and enable quality delivery by reducing compliance burdens.
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