Skills Insight is working with agricultural stakeholders to explore the development of an agricultural trade apprenticeship, following recommendations from the National Farmers Federation and Agricultural Workforce Working Group. There is strong support for the apprenticeship model among industry participants, recognising its potential to create a structured pathway for learners to develop skills on the job. For employers and the broader industry, it offers a valuable way to attract, develop and retain the next generation of skilled workers, strengthening the future workforce. Further work is underway to consider how an ag trade apprenticeship could work within existing structures.
Click across the tabs to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.
Project plan
For this project, Skills Insight will explore the concept of a qualification that could deliver apprenticeships across various agricultural occupations. This follows on from a recent feasibility study, which informed how an apprenticeship could be realised, and current work to map agricultural career pathways.
As the next step in investigating an ag trade apprenticeship, stakeholders will be consulted to help identify the required supporting evidence to support the development and implementation of a trade-level qualification. The requirements of the new training package product templates will also be considered in designing the concept for the qualification. Importantly, consideration will also be given to legislations and regulations relevant to agricultural production.
In addition, consultation will help answer whether the qualification could garner support from employers, training organisations, unions and governments. The concept requires tripartite support before it can go through a training package development process, which would be undertaken as part of a separate and future project.
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Approach
A working group made up of stakeholders with relevant expertise is being established to guide the project. The draft concept will be made available for review and comment by any interested stakeholders via this project webpage.
Consultations will unpack how an ag trade apprenticeship could address the needs of industry, learners, employers, and trainers. Consultation will involve a broader range of agricultural sectors than those examined in the feasibility project to identify others that may benefit from inclusion in a trade pathway.
A report outlining consultation outcomes and a potential concept will be submitted to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations at the end of the project. It will include any recommendations for next steps towards developing a draft qualification.
Timeline
Project Team
Andrew Horgan
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Skills Insight
[email protected]
Fatma Kirney
Project Manager
Skills Insight
[email protected]
Tom Vassallo
Developer
Skills Insight
[email protected]
This stage has not yet commenced.
During the development stage, key stakeholders, including subject matter experts, are engaged and consulted to gather further information and begin investigating potential solutions.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the broad consultation stage, we present and discuss potential solutions, collecting feedback from a wide range of stakeholder across the country. It follows consultation with various stakeholders that has already taken place throughout the project.
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.