National Water Skills Audit - Australian Water Association

1.2 Terms of ReferenceAppendix B. This attempt at an optimum combinationof a relatively small expert implementation team withexternal advisory and reference groups was basedon considerations of the extremely short timeframe,especially for the first phase activities, and ICE WaRM’ssignificant previous experience in collaborative activities.The Terms of Reference (ToR) are provided as AppendixA. An earlier version of these ToR formed the basis ofthe request for proposals, were somewhat qualifiedin the proposal and review process, and subsequentlyamended to accommodate timetable changes andrelated details. This section is a paraphrased summary ofthe final version, including agreed items of clarificationand amendments arising from the need to complete theassignment in a shortened timeframe.Phase 1:• The focus is on immediate skills needs and gaps inthe immediate (now and up to three years) and in themedium term (up to 10 years). Longer-term projections(beyond 10 years) were not addressed directly in thesurvey, initial consultation and analysis, though they maybe inferred or commented upon.• The needs of the wider water industry are considered,including urban and rural issues, the needs of theindustry and on-ground water managers, includingenvironmental water managers.• The water industry is defined to include government,majority-government-owned and private organisations.The needs for skills and competencies are addressedthrough primary data based on surrogate measures suchas position descriptions and related typical qualifications.• Opportunities to use current commitments toincrease water-specific places in tertiary and vocationaleducation are considered, as are opportunities forIndigenous people and use of skilled migrants.• Other issues of relevance to improving the skills basespecific to the water sector are considered.• The report should inform DEEWR identification ofpriority gaps in vocational training, potentially to informallocation of some 450,000 new apprenticeships to beallocated over the next four years.• Priority gaps in courses in the university sector, andways to promote closer engagement between theuniversities and the water sector are addressed.Phase 2:• Building on the audit, develop a national strategy foraddressing the needs and gaps identified in the auditincluding options to provide additional water-relatededucation and training.• Phase 2 ToR may be further refined in discussionsfollowing the audit phase, and will include extendedconsultation not feasible in the Phase 1 timeframe.1.3 Setting of This StudyThis Audit builds on previous research and reportsincluding those referred to in the TOR, particularly:• ICE WaRM 2005, Gaps in skills, training and educationin water management, a preliminary report.• WSAA 2008, An assessment of the skills shortages inthe urban water industry.ICE WaRM has been active in the area of waterindustry skills development since 2005. The ICE WaRMReport Gaps in Skills Training and Education in WaterManagement, for the NWC, was a catalyst for raisingthe attention of government and industry on this issue.Following this report, in January 2006, ICE WaRMbecame a founding member of the WICD initiativeSteering Committee and undertook the first investmentsto establish an industry ‘skills supermarket’ for educationand training providers and those seeking such services.ICE WaRM was an early supporter for the establishmentand continuing operations of the Water EducationNetwork (WEN) of the AWA, and has contributed activelyin most national events in the area of water industryskills.The WSAA work is very recent and covers the urbanwater segment of the water industry as part of this audit.This work included a survey of the WSAA members andthese members were not surveyed again. However,the May 2008 survey of other segments of the waterindustry did include alignment of questions to the WSAAsurvey such that meaningful results could be determinedfor the industry as a whole.Additional research providing input to this Audit includes:• Australian Council of Deans of Science (ACDS)2007, Sustaining science: university science in the 21stcentury.• Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED)2008a, Engineers for the future – addressing the supplyand quality of Australian engineering graduates for the21st century.• Government Skills Australia (GSA) 2008,Environmental scan.• Government Skills Australia (GSA) 2007a and 2007b,NWP07 Water training package Vol I and Vol II.• Murray A 2008b, Selling industry’s need to higherICE WaRM • National Skills Audit (Phase One) Report