Employers & Industry

The New Work Mindset Project was a collaboration between South West TAFE (SWTAFE), Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), Lyndoch Living, Western District Health Service (WDHS) and Eventide Homes - Stawell. The purpose was to develop and trial new career development tools for students and staff to identify new job roles and/or training.

The project has been funded by the Victorian State Government’s Workforce Training Innovation Fund (WTIF). WTIF creates opportunities for the joint exploration of new ideas and solutions to enhance workplace productivity, recognising the need for industry and training providers to work together. The project was designed to address the following WTIF objectives:

• the training and TAFE system delivers high-quality skills training that is relevant and responsive to evolving industry needs and business training requirements.
• partnerships between training providers and industry or employers are strengthened.
• workforces are equipped with the skills needed for identified future growth sectors and new and emerging industries.
• industry and/or business productivity is improved through training and TAFE system involvement in industry-based applied research.

Focusing on three components:

1.     Building localised, future-focused evidence of skills needs
2.     A new approach to career development and management for current and future workers
3.     Design and delivery of high-quality skills training that responds to industry needs and the latest research on the future of work. 

Using FYA’s New Work Order methodology, along with research conducted within the South West Region, within SWTAFE and at consortium partner facilities. The intent of this activity was to support the research in determining whether the current and future workforce are equipped with the right set of skills and mindset to adapt to the changing trends in workforce requirements.

The data sought provided benchmark information on the general perceptions of those intending to work and study in the healthcare and social assistance sector (the Carers cluster). The findings were used to identify the necessary and in demand transferable skills in the healthcare and social assistance sector and develop training options to upskill and reskill the current workforce.

The project is now in its trial and implementation phase and is working with its two key industry partners, Western District Health Services (Hamilton) and Eventide homes in Stawell.  Staff are trialling the use of the PiVOT Career Navigator tool and the 'Skill Solutions' micro-credential training that focuses on Enterprise Skills.

If you want to find out more about the project and how it can be used in your workplace, please contact the New Work Mindset team via email  skillsandjobscentre@swtafe.edu.au or contact Susan on (03) 55648 829