TAFE and industry join forces to capitalise on 'Blue Tech' opportunities
Industry recognises TAFE training as key to automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning job transformation and creation
A new report, Capitalising on the ‘Blue Tech’ opportunity, delves into the areas where TAFE plays a key role in equipping the workforce for a digitised world.
TAFE Directors Australia (TDA), the peak national body representing 28 TAFE institutes including six dual sector universities with TAFE divisions, launched the report last week at the TDA National Conference.
The report encapsulates the learnings from a recent TDA study tour, with participants from TAFEs and industry, to Niagara, Toronto, and Washington DC, was supported by Cisco and Optus.
The study tour identified several significant trends impacting skills development and human capital needs, outlined in the report, which includes:
• Industry needs people equipped for a dynamic, digitised world
• TAFEs must be funded to do applied research to remain relevant to industry
• There is a rising tide of ‘Blue Tech‘ or Digital Trades that are the natural market for TAFE
Given the state of flux within industries, and the promise of more to come, managing talent pipelines has never been more challenging. These challenges require firms and industries to partner with educators and training institutions to engage on key public policy issues, including on applied learning and technical skill acquisition.
The Chief Executive Officer of TDA, Craig Robertson, said TAFEs continue to play a vital part through their distinctive role in VET, schooling and higher education, benefitting both the community and the economy.
“We know disruption caused by technology will be so profound that new workers are unlikely to have all the deep technical skills required and graduates will need to have ‘learnt how to learn’, be coachable and have the skills required to work in teams and collaborate.”
To access the Capitalising on the ‘Blue Tech’ opportunity report, go here.
