Providing leadership
The Industry Training Act charges industry training organisations (ITOs) with the role of providing leadership on skill and training needs. Introduced by the Industry Training Amendment Act 2002, this is beyond ITOs' core functions of setting industry skill standards and overseeing training arrangements. This is further explained in the Tertiary Education Commission's Investment Guidance document (PDF, 625 Kb).
The setting of national qualifications by ITOs helps ensure that industry skill standards are reflected across a wider range of tertiary provision. This is because once qualifications are registered on the National Qualifications Framework any accredited provider can offer them.
The ITO strategic leadership role involves lifting the effectiveness of the tertiary system as a whole in responding to skill and training needs, particularly by working with tertiary providers and:
- Identifying strategic trends influencing current and future skills needs
- Developing strategic training plans to assist industry to meet those needs
- Promoting to employers and employees training that will meet those needs.
ITOs are expected to undertake this role as part of their day-to-day functioning. The role is funded via Standard Training Measure payments and industry cash contributions. In some circumstances this role is supported through the ITO Sector Leadership Component of TEO Component funding.
TEOC Sector Leadership Component funding 2010
The TEOC Sector Leadership Component (SLC) funding for the 2010 calendar year is now available to industry training organisations (ITOs) for projects finishing before 31 December 2010. A total funding pool of $1,000,000 (GST exclusive) is available for proposals on three themes:
Joint Strategic Training Plans (STPs) $500,000 allocated
For ITOs to collaborate through the scaling up of already developed individual STPs. This will result in a joint STP to be embraced and used by broader industry groupings and the wider tertiary system.
Joint approach to enabling and supporting ITOs in their leadership role $380,000 allocated
To facilitate ITOs to make changes to Customer Relations Management (CRM) information systems that will be consistent with the planned Industry Training Register (ITR). The development of the ITR will provide high quality real time data but may require changes by ITOs to align CRM systems to one of three that are commonly used. Clusters of 10 or more ITOs will be funded to work with a CRM vendor to develop shared back office functions.
Development of qualifications at NQF Levels 5 and above through collaborations between ITOs and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) $120,000 allocated
To develop national qualifications at Level 5 and above through collaborative arrangements across the tertiary sector. ITOs will be required to provide evidence of collaborative arrangements with providers willing to develop and deliver the qualifications.
Process for funding
ITOs are requested to submit a Confirmation of Intent (CoI) document of no more than one page in length by 5.00pm, 18 December 2009. CoI documents are to be submitted to: industrytrainingprogrammes@tec.govt.nz
ITOs are requested to discuss the proposed content of the CoI with the TEC Investment Manager that works with their organisation prior to its submission.
To be eligible for funding ITOs must match funding on a dollar for dollar basis.
All CoI documents must include the following information:
- the name of lead ITO
- the names of the collaborating organisations, and
- the theme for which funding is sought.
Accountability
ITOs will be required to deliver the outputs described above under each theme by 31 December 2010. ITOs that do not deliver these outputs will be required to repay any funding provided.
Resources
Sector Leadership Reporting Template (DOC, 50Kb)