Careerforce eChat June 2010

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MPs experience workplace training first hand

Last week a group of Labour Party Members of Parliament visited Horizons Day Options Trust in Christchurch to learn more about Careerforce supported workplace learning.

Hon Ruth Dyson, Hon Lianne Dalziel and Brendon Burns talked to Horizons staff and trainees about the nature and structure of their training, and also met some of Horizons’ clients. As well as visiting Horizons Day Options Trust, the MPs also saw industry training at work at workplaces in the apparel and textile, and civil engineering industries. The visits were organised by the Industry Training Federation.

Photo: Hon Lianne Dalziel discusses workplace training with Careerforce Workplace Advisor Joanna Martino. 

Horizons Day Options Trust provides day services and community participation programmes for approximately 110 adults with intellectual disabilities. All staff undertake Foundation Skills (Level 2) and are encouraged to continue their learning by undertaking Core Competencies (Level 3). Horizons are also interested in extending the qualification pathways available to include the Diversional Therapy (Level 4) and proposed Team Leader (Level 5) qualifications.

Public Health and Advocacy consult summaries

Since May's eChat Careerforce has completed the analysis of the consultations held on the proposed Public Health Practice (level 4) and Advocacy (level 5) national certificates, and these are now available on the Careerforce website.

Overall there was widespread support amongst respondents to both surveys on the structure and content of the draft qualifications.

Careerforce hopes to begin the process of registering the two qualifications with NZQA in September 2010 (a process which normally takes approximately 10 weeks).

To view the summaries of consultation on these and other qualifications, go to www.careerforce.org.nz/haveyoursay

For more information please contact our Qualification Pathways Manager Mark Pearce.

Mental health and addiction update

Careerforce is currently completing the analysis of feedback from the consultation on the proposed National Certificate in Mental Health and Addiction Support (level 4).

This consultation comprised eight separate surveys – one of which was on the compulsory section while the other seven surveys were on the seven elective topics.

It was pleasing that 94 people provided feedback on at least one of the surveys, with many respondents completing more than one survey. This is the largest number of responses to any of the consultations held this year. We hope to be able to release a summary of the results of this consultation by July 16.

Work on reviewing the current National Diploma in Mental Health Support Work (Level 6) is about to commence and is expected to last at least 12 months. The composition of the external reference group, which will provide oversight to this project, is currently being finalised.

Preliminary work is underway to analyse the usage of the current diploma, and to profile some of the career progressions and experiences of recent graduates. If you have graduated with the national diploma and would like to share your experiences with Careerforce, contact Margaret Vick. 

Get your Foundation Skills CD-ROM today

All workplaces with trainees doing Careerforce-supported training have been sent two copies of a new trainee learning resource.

The CD-ROM presents all the information from our nine Foundation Skills workbooks in a colourful and lively way. It contains interactive quizzes, has the option of having the information read aloud, and trainees can select their answers and get immediate feedback. From now on all new enrolments in Foundation Skills will be sent workbooks and a copy of the CD-ROM. Trainees already enrolled in Foundation Skills can request their own copy from Careerforce. The CD-ROM is available at no additional cost to trainers and trainees at workplaces with Careerforce-supported training.

To order a CD-ROM contact the Training Support Team at info@careerforce.org.nz or 0800 277 486.

Assessment rebate reminder

The annual assessment rebate aims to support the costs incurred by employers undertaking workplace based assessment.

If your organisation has trainees that have completed workplace based national qualification(s) at level 3 or above since November 2009, or who will complete qualification(s) by 31 October 2010, then your workplace could be eligible for this year’s assessment rebate. 

To make the most of this opportunity Careerforce strongly encourages workplaces to support and encourage trainees who may be close to completing their qualification to complete it by 31 October.

Careerforce will send an eligibility report to every workplace in November showing the trainees that have successfully completed their qualification(s) within the timeframe and the rebates available.

For more information on the assessment rebate, click here.

Skills Highway Award

Careerforce continues to work with health and disability workplaces to help them address the learning and literacy needs of their staff. There are now a number of organisations currently building their capability to integrate literacy and learning as a natural part of their onsite training.

Careerforce is encouraging health and disability workplaces involved in the “Integrated Workplace Learning Project” to enter the Skills Highway Award. This Award is sponsored by the Department of Labour and celebrates the efforts of workplaces to improve their employees’ reading, maths and communication skills.

The Award is presented at the annual Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Trust Work & Life Awards and is open to workplaces from across all parts of the New Zealand economy. Entries for the 2010 award are due by 12 noon Thursday, 22 July 2010. For more information on the Skills Highway Award click here.

For more information on the literacy and learning support available to health and disability workplaces click here or contact Louise Hawkins

NCALE study grant

Workbase is taking enrollments now for its National Certificate in Adult Literacy Education NCALE (Vocational Tutor/Lecturer or Workplace Trainer).

The Level 5 qualification is designed for vocational tutors and workplace trainers whose learners, trainees or apprentices need support developing their literacy skills to succeed in training. Study grants are available.

For more information click here.

Recognising prior learning

The New Zealand health and disability workforce has a high reliance on overseas trained workers. The ageing nature of the workforce, and of our population in general, means that it is likely that overseas trained workers will continue to play a very significant role in meeting future health and disability needs.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a process whereby a person who has an international or national qualification requests that Careerforce compare the competencies in that qualification with Careerforce unit standards. Where there are relevant competencies then unit standards, or a full qualification, can be awarded.

Laura Fergusson Trust Canterbury (LFT) has a very diverse workforce, with over 20 different nationalities represented. They have worked closely with Careerforce to formally recognise the qualifications gained by staff with overseas training.

LFT support worker Bev Frost (pictured holding the certificate) has benefited from having her overseas qualification recognised. Beverley came to New Zealand from England, having completed a City and Guilds qualification in social care. Bev was awarded over half the unit standards required for Foundation Skills (Level 2), following a comparison of the competencies within the two qualifications. This has allowed her to focus on the content of the unit standards within the qualification that are new to her. This has included undertaking unit standards in cultural safety and advocacy.

Photo (from left): LFT trainees Darryl Cormack, Jill Waldron (assessor and educator), Ita Anggraeni, Bev Frost , Fiona Mak and Tracey Cui.

RPL is done on a user pays basis and can take some time. For more information contact Careerforce or phone 0800 277 486.

Glenwood Graduates – Support of the Older Person

The education achievements of staff at Glenwood Home in Timaru were formally recognised in May when they attended a mayoral reception at the Timaru District Council chambers.

The six National Certificate in Support of the Older Person graduates from Glenwood Home were presented with industry training certificates by Timaru Mayor Janie Annear.

According to Mayor Annear the graduation night was the community's way of showing graduates how much their hard work is appreciated. “[The graduates] are important for our economic growth and strengthen our community hugely. The excitement on the night was great to see, as the graduates received their certificates with proud family, friends and employers watching on." Photo from left: Sally Hill; Gillian Allan; Glen Manson; Denae Holwell (Assessor); Maureen King; Mayor Jainie Annear; Shona Prue and Maxine Gallagher.

Expiring qualifications and unit standards

Careerforce would like to remind trainees and assessors that the National Certificate in Support of the Older Person (Level 3) is an expiring qualification. The last day for submitting results to the training support team is 31 October 2010.

There are also a number of unit standards in the National Certificate in Diversional Therapy version 4 (Level 4) and National Certificate in Human Services (Level 4) that expire this year and the last day for submitting results against these unit standards to the training support team is also 31 October 2010.

Click here for more information.