In this month's newsletter, we bring you the most recent industry news, insights and updates for the Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism, and Hospitality sectors. Jump in to stay informed or connect with us on LinkedIn for real-time updates.
From the CEO
Hello and welcome to the first newsletter under our official brand Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA). As you may have seen, on 31 January 2024 SkillsEQuipped launched our official brand and trading name, SaCSA. Whilst we may look and sound a little different, everything we do remains the same.
To find out what we have achieved in our first 6 months and learn more about our brand launch, check out my CEO Video Update here.
In other news, work is well underway on our next Workforce Plan due for submission to DEWR in April. February and March will see us immersed in stakeholder consultations as we test and seek feedback for the issues identified in our Initial Workforce Plan late last year. Our teams will be meeting with stakeholders across a range of in person and virtual roundtables and meetings, some of which are contained in this newsletter.
I am delighted to announce that membership of our first two Strategic Workforce Advisory Groups (SWAGs) was approved and endorsed at our recent Board Meeting. The Arts and Tourism SWAGs (details below) will meet for the first time next month, and will provide advice on our Workforce Plan priorities. I would like to extend my warmest welcome and sincerest gratitude to the SWAG members for dedicating their time and efforts to support SaCSA in our workforce planning activities.
If you have any questions or would like to consult with us, visit our website.
Natalie Turmine, GAICD
Chief Executive Officer, SaCSA
SaCSA is delighted to announce the establishment of our first two Strategic Workforce Advisory Groups (SWAGs) for the Arts and Tourism Industries. SWAGs bring together a dedicated group of experts and stakeholders to provide advice and industry insights on workforce related matters, as well as recommendations on project priorities for SaCSA.
We warmly welcome the following SWAG members, appointed at our February Board Meeting.
Arts SWAG Members:
Penelope Benton - Executive Director / National Association for the Visual Arts
Julie Baird - Vice President / Australian Museums & Galleries Association
Nathaniel Andrew - Education and Special Projects Manager / National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office
Ros Abercrombie - CEO / Regional Arts Australia
Nicholas Pickard - Executive Director, Public Affairs / APRA AMCOS
Katherine Connor - Executive Director / PAC Australia
Justyna Jochym - CEO / Festival City ADL
Kingston Anderson - Executive Director / Australian Guild of Screen Composers
Lisa Cahill - CEO / Australian Design Centre
Simon Collins - Federal President / Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance
Kate Eltham - Co-CEO / BlakDance
Kate Marks - CEO / Ausfilm
Kim Tran - Director, Policy and Governance / Live Performance Australia
Sally Basser GAICD - Consultant and Non-Executive Director
Tourism SWAG Members:
John Hart OAM - Executive Chair / Australian Chamber - Tourism
Ingrid Fraser - Director, Public Policy and Advocacy / Australian Travel Industry Association
Jenny Lambert - Policy Advisor / Accommodation Australia
Lori Modde - CEO / Outdoors NSW
John Hughes - CEO/Luna Park Sydney
Apply now to join a SWAG
We are seeking applications from individuals with substantial knowledge, networks and experience in the Personal Services, Retail or Hospitality industry to join one of our upcoming SWAGs and provide strategic guidance, industry insights and recommendations on workforce-related matters helping us tackle the industry's most pressing workforce issues.
Let's shape our workforce of tomorrow. Find out more, or submit your expression of interest by clicking on the relevant industry below:
In collaboration with the Industry Skills Advisory Council NT (ISACNT), SaCSA is hosting two in-person roundtable consultations in Darwin, for the Arts and Tourism & Hospitality industries. These will inform workforce planning priorities to strengthen these sectors.
Stakeholders from these two industries are invited to a two-hour, face-to-face roundtable to discuss critical workforce challenges including regional and remote areas, attraction and retention into the industry as well as training needs and career pathways to build a stronger workforce.
Arts Industry Roundtable
Have your say on the things that matter most to the Cultural and Creative Arts sector and hear about the Arts Scoping Study being delivered as part of the National Cultural Policy ‘Revive’.
Have your say on the things that matter most to the Tourism and Hospitality sectors. Contribute to the drivers towards a future skilled workforce and hear about our focus priorities for the industry.
SaCSA will be hosting two virtual roundtables, for stakeholders from the Hospitality Industry, to deep dive into sector priorities identified in our Initial Workforce Plan. Following a scan of the sector and significant stakeholder engagement late last year, we're now ready to refine and test our priorities to help inform our next Workforce Plan.
We will use this workshop-style consultation to:
Provide an update from SaCSA on the initial Hospitality Industry Workforce Plan
Validate key information and data that will inform the development of the next Workforce Plan.
SaCSA congratulates Professor Barney Glover AO, the current Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University, on his appointment as the new Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA).
We look forward to working closely with Professor Glover and his team at JSA as we seek to address Australia’s current and future skills needs, research workforce trends, skills, and workforce needs.
Be part of a driven and purpose-led team, where the impact of your work will make a difference to the quality of life for learners, for industry and the Australian workforce as a whole.
As the Retail and Personal Services Stakeholder Liaison Manager, you will lead, manage, and proactively drive industry liaison through consultative committees, technical advisory groups, workshops, webinars, conferences, surveys and other stakeholder forums. Accountable to the Director, Stakeholder Engagement, you'll be implementing the Retail and Personal Services Stakeholder Engagement Plan, ongoing development of the Workforce Development Plan and the Activity Schedule, and be an industry expert for Retail and Personal Services.
The role will also work closely with the Product and Projects team to provide feedback towards the development of training products and will further develop strong networks across the Retail, Personal Services, Hospitality, Tourism and the Arts sectors to leverage work already undertaken.
We’re looking for a self-starter who can work autonomously. You’ll apply your initiative and strength in managing multiple products in a fast-paced environment. Your advanced communication skills and an eye for detail will be put to good use, as well as your ability to build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Your strength is in your already strong industry networks and contacts.
This survey offers you an initial opportunity to provide insights for your sector on the occupations in shortage across the Australian labour market. The information you provide will be used to inform the annual Skills Priority List. The SPL findings are a key input to a range of Australian Government policy initiatives – including migration and visa settings for skilled migration, apprenticeship incentives, and training funding.
In submitting your input, please include as much evidence as you can – so that the SPL can be based on the best and most comprehensive information available. We expect that the draft SPL findings will be shared later in the year for additional feedback.
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In a 2019 report,Australia’s automation opportunity: Reigniting productivity and inclusive income growth, McKinsey examined the possible impact of automation on the future of work. Australia’s economy was at the tail end of a three-decade boom and losing momentum fast - yet the automation wave was on the horizon, bringing the possibility of inclusive economic growth and...
SaCSA recently visited HOTA, Home of the Arts Gallery to discuss workforce challenges for regional cultural organisations across Queensland and the need for staff members to have a wide range of skills when working in smaller museums and galleries.
While on the Gold Coast the team also attended events and awards at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts festival where they met with stakeholders from across the industry and learnt about initiatives and programs to support sustainable screen careers and encourage more school leavers to consider a career in screen.
French Beauty Academy
SaCSA recently had the privilege of touring the French Beauty Academy's state-of-the-art Gold Coast campus and met academy team members and students.
Australia’s largest and most prestigious registered training provider for services in the beauty therapy industry, they deliver training programs throughout the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide in a range of personal and beauty services, including dermal therapy, laser, make-up, style, massage, and medi-spa therapies, with over 90% employment outcomes for diploma students.
Pharmacy Guild
SaCSA recently met with representatives from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to discuss the changing role of retail pharmacy assistants, the suitability of current training products and the work required to ensure retail assistants in community pharmacies have the right skills and education for the role.
Our discussions are ongoing, and will be extended to pharmacy operators, owners and employees to inform future workforce planning.
If you are a pharmacy owner, employer or employee, and wish to chat to us about this issue - please reach out to Tanya Raffoul, GM - Policy and Government Relations, on email or mobile 0423 302 030.
TAFE NSW
SaCSA attended TAFE NSW’s annual Industry Collaboration Reference Group and roundtable meeting, where industry experts across the hospitality, cookery, events, tourism and travel sectors provided advice on a framework that will support the collaboration between industry, government agencies and NSW Department of Education to encourage career pathways for school leavers, long-term careers and life-long learning.
The workshops provided valuable input into the framework to better align to the workforce development and skilling needs of employers.
TAFE QLD
SaCSA met with TAFE Queensland to discuss vocational training and targeted higher education programs that are critical to strengthening the Queensland economy and supporting local communities with a particular focus on the Services Industries including Events Management, Travel & Tourism, Hair & Beauty, Hospitality & Cookery and Retail and the Creative Industries such as Digital and interactive media, Fashion, Performing arts, Visual arts & design, Floristry and Cultural arts.
TAFE Queensland were recently honoured as the Large Training Provider of the Year at the 2023 Australian Training Awards.
Tourism & Transport Forum
SaCSA CEO, Natalie Turmine, attended the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Industry Luncheon. Hosted by SaCSA Board Member and CEO of TTF, Margy Osmond, as well as Chairperson of TTF Board of Directors, Bruce Baird AM, the event welcomed NSW Premier, the Hon. Chris Minns as he discussed the New South Wales Government's future priorities for both the tourism and transport sectors, their importance to the State's economy and how our industries can work collaboratively with the Government to ensure our future prosperity.
Skills
SaCSA CEO, Natalie Turmine, and General Manager for Policy and Government Relations, Tanya Raffoul, met with the NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan MP (pictured), to discuss the skills shortages and VET issues facing employers and employees across our five industries.
In particular, they took the opportunity to share with the Minister the feedback received directly from industry through our extensive stakeholder engagement.
UPCOMING EVENTS
ARA Leaders Forum, ICC Sydney
Australian Retailers Association's Leaders Forum at the ICC in Sydney on 21 - 22 February 2024
SaCSA CEO Natalie Turmine will be a panel member at Business Sydney's "Unlocking Hidden Talent in Australia's Evolving Labour Market" lunch on 14 March 2024
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