Across the agricultural value chain, safety is a key concern. It is important that everyone has access to a safe work environment and the skills to keep themselves and others safe. These skills are critical in environments where machinery is used, animals are involved, or work takes place in isolated or remote locations.
Click across the tabs to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.
The Agriculture Workforce Working Group (AWWG) held its first meeting in March 2023, convened by then Commonwealth Agricultural Minister Senator the Hon Murray Watt. During this meeting it was proposed that investigations take place into what a safety induction program could look like for agriculture and related industries.
As a result, this project is taking place to explore potential models and develop a safety induction program to be piloted in the meat processing industry. The program would be designed to provide foundational capabilities in safety for workers entering the industry, supporting national consistency in safety skills across the industry.
If you would like to be involved in this project, please get in touch with Mick Crouch [email protected] or subscribe to our newsletter above.
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If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘meat processing’ as one of your industries of interest.
Timeline and approach
Stage 1
30 November 2023 to 30 June 2024
This stage will involve collation of existing resources and initial research and consultation. This includes looking at examples of how other industries manage safety induction and how simulated learning can support safety skills. It also involves establishing a steering committee to guide the project. The steering committee will be made up of industry experts, training providers and the union.
Stage 2
1 July to 31 December 2024
During this stage work will begin on designing a draft training product. Stakeholders will be consulted on the concepts.
Stage 3
1 January to 30 June 2025
The training program will be built and tested with stakeholders. A final report will be produced to outline the findings of the pilot, including recommendations and next steps for how this induction training program could be rolled out for other industries. The Steering Committee will sign off on the final model.
During the first meeting of The Agriculture Workforce Working Group (AWWG), it was proposed that investigations take place into a safety induction program for agriculture and related industries.
The meat industry has been chosen to pilot the development of such a program, with the purpose of providing foundational capabilities in safety for workers entering the industry. A steering committee made up of industry experts, training providers and the union has been established to help guide the project.
The project team is currently undertaking desktop research into how safety induction is currently managed in the meat industry, as well as national training programs used in other industries. We are also investigating options for integrating simulated learning into the proposed training program.
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘meat processing’ as one of your industries of interest.
Online Consultation Session
6 June, via MS Teams
A consultation session was run to collect stakeholder input on what a national safety induction program could look like, using the meat industry as a pilot. It followed an initial session held by MINTRAC with subject matter experts earlier in the month.
Next steps
Further consultation will take place to develop a draft training product, which stakeholders will be invited to provide feedback on.
Findings from desktop research and stakeholder consultation will help inform a report proposing how the training program could be developed. This will be submitted to the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations for approval to develop the training program.
If you would like to be involved in this project, please get in touch with the project manager, Mick Crouch [email protected] or subscribe to our newsletter above.
In March 2023, The Agriculture Workforce Working Group proposed developing a worker safety induction program for agriculture and related industries. As a result, this project is exploring in stages how to develop such a program using the meat processing industry as a pilot.
Stage 2: Underway
From August to September, the project team and steering committee evaluated several training program development agencies with immersive technology expertise, after a request for quotes was sent out.
Two ‘Broad Consultation’ sessions were held in August, to discuss the proposed safety induction program with stakeholders and observe demonstrations by potential vendors for the simulated learning element of the program. Following these sessions, an agency called Virtually There was selected to co-design the safety induction program.
In October, the project team and the steering committee will meet with Virtually There to storyboard the program for the meat processing industry.
In November, a final steering committee meeting will take place to finalise stage 2 and start planning stage 3, which will involve building and testing of the program with stakeholders.
If you would like to be part of this project, please get in touch with the project manager Mick Crouch [email protected]
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘meat processing’ as one of your industries of interest.
Stage 1: Complete
Starting in November 2023, the project team researched how safety induction is currently managed in the meat processing industry and other industries’ national safety programs, as well as options for integrating simulated learning into a safety induction program.
A Steering Committee of industry stakeholders was also established to guide the project.
Following this, two consultation workshops were held to collect stakeholder insights about current safety induction methods, content to include in the proposed program, and any potential risks.
In consultation with the Steering Committee, the project team developed the concept of the safety induction program and explored potential vendors.
A report outlining these activities and future plans for the project was submitted and approved by DEWR before commencement of stage 2.
Timeline
Stage 1 – 30 November 2023 to 30 June 2024
Stage 1 involved establishing an industry steering committee to guide the project, and research to understand current safety induction practices and resources.
Stage 2 – 1 July to 31 December 2024
Stage 2 begins design of the worker safety induction program and selection of vendor for simulated learning.
Stage 3 – 1 January to 30 June 2025
Stage 3 involves building and testing the safety induction program with stakeholders and producing a report to outline findings and recommendations of the pilot, including advice for implementation across other agricultural industries. The Steering Committee will sign off on the final model.
This stage has not yet commenced.
As part of consensus gathering, we check our work with stakeholders to confirm that solutions are in line with expectations.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the finalisation stage, final checks are conducted and the outcomes of the project are submitted to the Department for consideration. Following this, outcomes are published or enacted.
This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of MINTRAC as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. MINTRAC has a strong history working with the Australian meat processing industry on skills and training solutions and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership.
