TAFE NSW is stepping up its already massive game, tasking specialists in hospitality and other sectors to tailor purpose-driven solutions to training in dynamic industries.
TAFE NSW is not just the largest training provider in Australia, but across the world, employing more than 17k staff to manage nearly 500k annual enrolments, taking place at 140+ locations and 77+ hospitality teaching venues throughout the state.
In 2022 TNSW announced a vision to be the leading provider of lifelong learning, requiring it to meet the evolving needs of both industries and those seeking education.
Part of the organisation is the team of 18 Industry Innovation Specialists, whose roles were overhauled this year, in line with the announcement, to enable them to better represent industry.
The Industry Innovation Specialists attempt to cover all industries. Their primary responsibility is engaging in thought leadership, aiding collaboration to identify needs and innovative solutions for current and future workforce requirements.
This represents a very new and different role in the government sector, distinct from traditional industry engagement roles in that they are not constrained by existing frameworks and solutions.
The hospitality Specialist is Jen Downes, who was selected for her 35 years’ experience in Australia and overseas in the fields of hospitality, commercial cookery and finance.
Downes says they will “push the boundaries of the current Accredited Training models” by engineering both traditional and non-traditional solutions, including partnerships, delivery pathways and development approaches.
The formalised method of the Specialists is to chair Industry Collaboration Reference Group (ICRG) committees, comprised of industry stakeholders and thought leaders, bringing knowledge of the challenges and needs of workforce development. The knowledge gleaned is used to effect change.
“It’s an exciting challenge to innovate, and this can only be achieved by collaboration,” says Downes.
“We seek out feedback from everyone. Every employee, employer, association, peak body, private training provider, learning developer, government agency, school, university and more importantly our next generation of young learners who are interested in joining the sector.”
In the wake of the pandemic, the 2020 Hospitality ICRG provided feedback on critical skills required to support the COVID recovery, directly influencing the first round of Skilling for Recovery fee-free funded accredited programs, and prompting some short micro skills courses to meet the immediate needs.
The 2022 Hospitality ICRG was reportedly “even more influential” with development of attraction strategies, a youth engagement plan and funding. On the committee were Jen Russell from W.Short Hospitality, Danielle Richardson from Laundy Hotels and John Green from AHA NSW, alongside Michael Johnson (TAA), Sarah Derry (Accor), Sheree Clarke (Pan Pacific), Kimberly Loke (Marriott), Kylee Dennis (M&K Hotels), Reyna Mendes (Clubs NSW), Rob Fahey (Holiday Inn), Nathan Cooper (TSNSW), Glenda O’Brien (DoE), Sarah Rosen (SkillsIQ ITab), Natasha Rasheed (Marriott), Craig Kidd, Paula Meyer.
Key outcomes included:
- Fee free funding approval for existing workers; Hospitality is Open funding for 1,000 places
- Design of a ‘managing aggressive customers’ funded short course to upskill existing staff due to rising customer complaints
- Co-design of a finance course to support back of house workers to gain valuable skills in using Excel, budgets and financial reports
- A youth engagement plan designed around the five influences of a young person’s career
“We actually want to connect with people who are not afraid to have the hard conversations, and support, embrace, partner and provide innovative suggestions with our team to allow us to support the industries we love,” stresses Downes.
“There is so much collaboration with so many people who are all working behind the scenes to support the industry. These many silent influencers are all working towards our longer-term plan to make the hospitality industry a competitive and attractive industry one milestone at a time.
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