• Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives
• Section 2 - Scope / Application
• Section 3 - Definitions
• Section 4 - Policy Statement
• Section 5 - Procedures
• Part A - Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Industry Consultation for the Polytechnic On-Campus Programs
• Part C - Industry Consultation for Programs offered in conjunction with Industry or Industry Peak Bodies
• Part D - General, Ongoing Contact with Industry
• Part E - Annual Employer Satisfaction Quality Indicator Survey
• Section 6 - References

Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives

(1) Victoria University Polytechnic is committed to providing training that is responsive and relevant to industry, conducted by teachers who have current industry knowledge and skills and helps to prepare students for the world of work. This Procedure details the expectations on the Polytechnic Managers and teachers to ensure that they and the programs offered meet this commitment.

Section 2 - Scope / Application

(2) This Procedure is relevant to all nationally recognised courses on Victoria University's Scope of Registration.

Section 3 - Definitions

(3) Industry is the generic term to describe the external bodies and organisations that have a stake in the services provided by Victoria University Polytechnic. Included are:

1. Enterprise/industry clients, e.g. employers;
2. Group training organisations
3. Industry organisations / peak bodies;
4. Industry skills councils;
5. Industry training advisory bodies;
6. Industry regulators;
7. Unions; and
8. Job Service Agencies / Recruitment organisations.

Section 4 - Policy Statement

(4) Nil

Section 5 - Procedures

Part A - Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Industry Consultation for the Polytechnic On-Campus Programs

(5) Managers are encouraged to hold frequent formal consultations with industry representative. As a minimum, they must ensure that for each program area, at least one formal industry consultation meeting is scheduled annually.

(6) Appropriate representatives from the industry must be identified and invited. The list must include current employers and representatives from other industry bodies where appropriate.

(7) Polytechnic participants in the consultations should include Director, Manager and at key members of teaching staff. Where the consultation includes a less formal networking opportunity, all teachers should be invited to participate in that component.

(8) Agenda for the consultation meeting must be made available to all participants ahead of the meeting. The agenda must include the following items, taken from the VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record:

1. Relevance of Qualifications to Employers and Industry
2. Training and assessment strategies and resources
3. The Polytechnic facilities and equipment
4. Industry trends
5. Qualifications and Competency of Teachers
6. General Feedback on the Polytechnic Programs

(9) Where key representatives from industry are unable to attend, effort should be made to meet with them following the consultation to gain their input and feedback as appropriate.

(10) Prior to the meeting, the VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record should be prepared, filling in details of qualifications and preparing sufficient copies of the the additional documentation as required:

1. List of all core and elective units available for the qualification, indicating which electives are included in the standard on-campus program. The printout of the qualification from http://www.training.gov.au should be adequate for this purpose, with the chosen electives highlighted for ease of reference.
2. Details of the qualification structure and sequence. The relevant table from the TAS documents should suffice for this purpose.

(11) A note-taker must be appointed to keep comprehensive and accurate records of the discussion and recommendations under each heading.

(12) At the start of the meeting, all participants should enter their details onto the first page of the VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record. This includes Polytechnic participants.

(13) The remainder of the VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record is for internal use only so there is no need to provide a copy to each participant. The meeting flow will be dictated by the agenda.

(14) At some point in the meeting, take industry representatives on a tour of the facilities used to deliver the program. This must occur before facilities and equipment are discussed in more depth.

(15) Where possible, include an informal networking opportunity after the main meeting and encourage all teachers to participate.

(16) Following the meeting, key recommendations need to be transferred to the program area's Continuous Improvement Register for further analysis, action and review.

(17) No later than one month following the industry consultation meeting, a letter must be sent to each industry representative, thanking them for their participation, summarising the outcomes from the meeting and confirming actions taken.

(18) Teachers involved in industry consultation meetings are to record detail of the engagement with industry on their VET Teacher Vocational, Industry and Training and Assessment Currency Record and a copy of the completed VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record is to be placed on their Teacher File as evidence.

Part C - Industry Consultation for Programs offered in conjunction with Industry or Industry Peak Bodies

(19) Regular meetings with the industry partner to be scheduled prior to and during the program delivery.

(20) Minutes of meetings to be recorded accurately and provided to all parties in a timely manner following each meeting.

(21) Program structure, training and assessment strategies and teaching resources must be agreed before the commencement of the program. Additionally:

1. If the program involves the industry organisation undertaking training and assessment on behalf of the Polytechnic, the requirements of the Third Party Arrangements - VET Third Party Arrangements Procedure must be followed. Agreed program structure, training and assessment strategies and resources can be documented in the Responsibilities Matrix that forms part of the Third Party Agreement;
2. Where the Polytechnic is undertaking all training and assessment, agreement on the above must be clearly documented in meeting minutes.

(22) Feedback from the industry partner must be sought regularly at each scheduled meeting, on the following items in particular:

1. Feedback on the quality of training and assessment, and competency outcomes of participants;
2. Recommendations on equipment, facilities and resources available to participants in the program; and
3. Recommendations relating to the competency and qualifications of teachers and assessors, based on the current and future needs of the industry.

(23) After each meeting, the Manager must analyse the feedback provided, and transfer relevant items to the program area's Continuous Improvement Register.

(24) Copies of meeting minutes to be signed by both parties and stored on the relevant file.

(25) Teachers involved in meetings with industry partners are to record detail of the meeting on their VET Teacher Vocational, Industry and Training and Assessment Currency Record and a copy of the meeting minutes is to be placed on their Teacher File as evidence.

Part D - General, Ongoing Contact with Industry

(26) It is incumbent on every teacher involved with VET programs to seek contact with industry representatives at every opportunity. Feedback should be sought whenever informal contact occurs, such as:

1. visiting an apprentice or trainee in their workplace;
2. visiting students undertaking structured work placement.

(27) Informal contact with industry should be recorded on the VET Industry Feedback Record.

(28) Teachers are to provide completed VET Industry Feedback Records to their Managers for inclusion onto the program area's Continuous Improvement Register.

(29) Teachers are to document details of the engagement with industry on their VET Teacher Vocational, Industry and Training and Assessment Currency Record and a copy of the completed VET Industry Feedback Record is to be placed on their Teacher File as evidence.

(30) Other informal contact with industry may occur through:

1. Participation in networks of VET teachers for particular program areas where industry is represented at the meetings;
2. Attendance at conferences, or at industry suppliers / retailers events, where new technology and industry related products are often showcased;
3. The regular reading of industry newsletters or other publications that provides information that may impact on future training and delivery; or
4. Undertaking paid or volunteer work outside the Polytechnic in the relevant industry area.

(31) All such contact should be recorded in the teacher's file (with supporting evidence wherever possible) and any information coming from such an engagement with industry must be passed onto the Manager for inclusion in the program area's Continuous Improvement Register.

(32) Managers are to monitor the items on the Program Area's Continuous Improvement Register to ensure analysis of recommendations and that appropriate actions are determined and carried out.

Part E - Annual Employer Satisfaction Quality Indicator Survey

(33) Managers are responsible for assisting in the provision of names and contact information for employers of students within their programs.

(34) The Surveys, Evaluations and Academic Workloads Team are responsible for the administration of the annual Employer Satisfaction Quality Indicator Survey, including the following:

1. Issuing the survey;
2. Analysing the data from completed surveys;
3. Providing the collated data to the Polytechnic Leadership team for analysis; and
4. Providing the data customised to each Program Area and Qualification to relevant Managers.

(35) Where the Polytechnic Leadership Team identifies issues that appear to be common across the Polytechnic, they will consult with Managers and develop an appropriate action strategy.

(36) Issues at the program area level that come to light through the Employer Satisfaction survey responses must be added to the program area's Continuous Improvement Register. For each, appropriate actions, timelines and responsibilities need to be identified. Where the program area issue has also been identified by the Leadership Team, actions identified must be consistent with the action strategy communicated by the Leadership Team.

Section 6 - References

(37) User's Guide to the Standards for RTOs 2015 - ASQA

(38) VET Program Area Industry Consultation Record https://kit.vu.edu.au/service/vefequality/PlanningSystemsAndDirections/default.aspx

(39) VET Industry Feedback Record https://kit.vu.edu.au/service/vefequality/PlanningSystemsAndDirections/default.aspx