National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF)

EOI – 15th May, 2012

The Department of Innovation advise they are willing to consider more proposals under the National Workforce Development Fund through to late June. Proposals need to support enterprises undergoing structural adjustment and reform.
The following electronic Expression of Interest is available for use for businesses seeking to access the dedicated tourism national workforce fund. http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?7F5B372D773A2F2F7B
RTOs to note: enquires from RTOs need to identify the employer client and their relevant details.

Update: 15th May, 2012

Of the 11 projects approved under Round 2, Service Skills wishes to acknowledge the SA Tourism Industry Council, Service Skills Victoria and Tourism Council WA who acted as lead agents supporting their industry sectors.

The SA Tourism Industry Council project supports 89 places including activity in Regional Development Australia Barossa and Regional Development Australia, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island.

The project sponsored by Service Skills Victoria supports in excess of 200 candidates across the following enterprises: QBT, NSW Chefs Association, LS Travel and Retail, Shoalhaven Council, Elanora Country Club, Tourism Transport Forum, Norfolk Island, Comiskey Group, Enterprise Whitsundays Regional Tourism Association, The Travel Studio, Port Arthur Historic Site, Travellers Aid Australia and Federation Square.

Tourism Council WA’s project supports 96 learners across the following enterprises: Exmouth Visitor Centre, Geographe Bay Tourism Association, Dolphin Discovery Centre, Out of Sights Tours, Cowaramup Brewing Company, Kimberley Accommodation and Kimberley Training Institute.

Congratulations and thank you.

Further information:

Enquires to Bernard Moore e: bmoore@serviceskills.com.au   t: 02 8243 1200 m: 0433 244 638

or Melinda Blakeley e: mblakeley@serviceskills.com.au  t: 02 8243 1200 

Update: 7th May, 2012 – Round Two approvals

Service Skills is pleased to advise 11 projects were recently approved by the Minister, including nine accessing the dedicated tourism structural adjustment fund:
- Accor
- Australian Turf Club
- East Gippsland Business and Tourism Association Inc
- Manning Valley Business Chamber Association Inc.
- Oaks Hotels and Resorts
- Pure Tasmania
- South Australian Tourism Industry Council
- Service Skills Victoria
- Tourism Council Western Australia Ltd

These projects, valued at $2.545m, provide 682 training places supported by 181 small, 4 medium and 3 large enterprises.

Two additional projects from a general structural adjustment funding pool were also approved:
- MRAEL Limited
- Terry White Management Pty Ltd

These two projects, valued at $286,000, provides 189 training places supported by 9 small businesses and one large enterprise.

Update: 15th March – Electronic EOI

The following electronic Expression of Interest is available for use for businesses seeking to access the dedicated tourism national workforce fund.

The focus is on assisting tourism and related enterprises and regions that are facing structural adjustment challenges due to changes in the economy.

Tourism encompasses those industries in which visitors consume 25 percent or more of its output. As a result, tourism industries include travel agencies and tour operator services; accommodation; cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services; pubs, clubs, bars and taverns; casinos and other gambling services; cultural services; retail; sport and recreation; transport, and education and training.
http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?7F5B372D773A2F2F7B

Update: 7th February 2012 - Round 2 Applications

Individual or business collectives, professional associations, industry bodies, chambers of commerce etc  are invited to lodge applications through Service Skills Australia to access a pool of up to $5m National Workforce funding dedicated to the sectors of tourism undergoing structural adjustment and reform.

Applications to Service Skills are required to address the following key points:

• What is the identified business / enterprise / sector need?
• How will the proposed training response address the identified need?
• How will the enterprise measure the effectiveness / impact in their business?

Definitions of (a) Tourism and (b) structural adjustment and reform are listed in the update posted 23rd January below. (Under these definitions, it should be understood that not all ‘tourism’ related businesses will be eligible to access these funds).

Per existing national workforce guidelines, employers are required to co-contribute to the agreed cost of training as follows:  Enterprises engaging 1-99 staff contribute 33%; Enterprises engaging 100-199 employees contribute 50%; Enterprises engaging >200 staff are required to contribute 67%.

Whilst applications require a price be nominated for the provision of services, it should be noted all applications will also be reviewed against ‘Value for Money’ considerations.      

Whilst applications will generally request full qualifications, candidates with an existing Certificate 3 qualification may access a ‘skill set’. Skill sets are not available in the Tourism, Hospitality or Retail training packages. However skill sets are available in a range of business qualifications that may be applicable (Refer to Attachment 1 for sample listing).

Through the active support of training providers, enterprise specific workforce plans are required to be completed as an outcome of the training and assessment engagement. Attachment 2 provides a sample Workforce Plan courtesy of the SA Department of Trade and Economic Development 2009.

Enquires: It is recommended for parties considering accessing this opportunity to contact Service Skills to discuss proposals in advance of lodgement. Enquires can be directed to Bernard Moore at bmoore@serviceskills.com.au or M: 0433 244 638 / S: 02 8243 1200.

Key dates: As there is no provision for rollover of uncommitted funds into the next financial year, projects are required to enrol and commence training prior to the end of April wherever possible and no later than May 2012. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to prepare applications for lodgement in the coming weeks.

Applications / Guidelines: Interested parties can access guidelines or apply online through the department’s site: NWDF guideliness and TED online application Link . Alternately, parties are strongly encouraged to request an application by emailing mblakeley@serviceskills.com.au  listing the trading name, ABN and contact person.
Attachment 3 provides a sample application for reference.

Download    attachment 1      attachment 2       attachment 3

Map - Link to Project Descriptions 

Update 23 January 2012 Round 2 - National Workforce Development Funding

Prior to Christmas, a further $50m was made available under the NWDF.

The Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE), formally DEEWR, advised 3 priorities for these funds.

Details announced by the department can be accessed at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Programs/SkillTraining/nwdf/Pages/HowToApply.aspx#programguidelines

Essentially, the primary NWDF funds available through Service Skills Australia is $5m dedicated to sectors of Tourism undergoing structural adjustment.

Definitions of “structural adjustment and reform”  as applied to the tourism sector as follows:"

The focus is on assisting enterprises and regions that are facing structural adjustment challenges due to changes in the economy. This will enable enterprises to improve their financial sustainability, respond to regional skills needs". Service Skills agrees with DEEWR this definition embraces enterprises / regions 'not experiencing growth'.

Whilst the following is subject to approval by the Minister’s office,   the definition of  'tourism' follows: “ Tourism is defined by the industries it draws upon to create the ‘visitor experience’.

Subsequently, ABS defines tourism as encompassing the industries in which visitors consume 25 percent or more of its output . As a result, tourism industries include travel agencies and tour operator services; accommodation; cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services; pubs, clubs, bars and taverns; casinos and other gambling services; cultural services; retail; sport and recreation; transport, and education and training."

In addition to the dedicated tourism funds, there is another $5m for  'structural adjustment and reform' available to all industries across all ISCs, including Wholesale, Retail and Personal

Services; and Sport and Recreation businesses.

Additional details and links will be added in the coming days.

Enquiries can be directed to Bernard Moore at (M) 0433 244 638  (S) 02 8243 1200 or (E) bmoore@serviceskills.com.au

Update - 20 December 2011

As of 20 December 2011, the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills had announced approval of 37 of 43 applications lodged by Service Skills Australia under the first round of the National Workforce Development Fund, attracting $1.7m funding. 

Distribution of places x industry sector x state:

Update - 2 December 2011

Ministerial announcement of successful projects is expected shortly.

In addition to the first round of NWDF project announcements, it is expected the allocation of an additional $50m recently transferred to the fund will be advised.

Regardless of how the $50m is allocated, three challenges present themselves:

a) December/January is clearly not an opportune time for business to respond to opportunities provided by the national workforce fund.

b) DEEWR advise these additional funds will be subject to a "rolling" application process - ie: potentially first in, best dressed; and

c) DEEWR expects candidates to have commenced in training by March/April/May as any uncommitted funds will not rollover into the next financial year.

SSA's approach to future proposals includes the following:

• What is identified business/enterprise/sector/region need?
• How will the "qualification" and/or "skill set" address the identified need?
• How will the business measure the effectiveness/impact in the business?

Enquiries to Bernard Moore, e: bmoore@serviceskills.com.au t: 02 8243 1200

National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF) – Update

Click here to watch a short video of Bernard Moore, Workforce Development, introducing Service Skills Australia's new Workforce Development programme.

To 30 September, Service Skills Australia received 43 applications for the NWDF, representing 1425 places and in excess of 200 employers (98% identified as small / micro enterprises).

Applications lodged by industry sector as follows: Tourism / Hospitality -17; Wholesale, Retail, Personal Services -16; Sport and Recreation - 10.  

The majority of applications requested qualifications at Certificate 4 or above, with three requesting skills sets. Four applications involved recruitment / training / placement of new workers.

DEEWR has advised recommendations will be forwarded to the Minister within weeks and announcements of successful projects expected shortly thereafter.

Service Skills Australia NWDF targets

Program Guidelines

Department Guidelines are available at National Workforce Development Fund - Guidelines

Note: In late September, additional funds were transferred to the NWDF with amended guidelines expected to be released shortly.

For projects related to the Service Industries, you are encouraged to continue investigation / preparation of proposals referring to sample NWDF application as a guide.

Goal of NWDF: To support workforce development and planning at the enterprise and regional level.

SSA's approach to current and future proposals includes the following:

• What is the identified business/enterprise/sector/region need?
• How will the "qualification" and/or "skill set" address the identified need?
• How will the business measure the effectiveness/impact in the business?

(*skill sets are those units of competence within training packages clustered and  identified as dedicated skills sets. Dedicated skill sets exist in the Sport and Recreation training packages and Business training packages, but not in the Retail or Hospitality / Tourism training packages. Where an application is for a skills set, candidates must have a pre-existing qualification at the Certificate III level or above).

Further information

Enquires to Bernard Moore, e: bmoore@serviceskills.com.au; t: 02 8243 1200 m: 0433 244 638