This project will review qualifications, skill set and units of competency from the SFI11 Seafood Industry Training Package to reflect changing industry skills requirements. This project will focus on skills for managing biosecurity risk in both prevention and management of outbreaks of exotic pathogens or the emergence of endemic pathogens.

Aquaculture is of growing importance to the industry, with both the AQUAPLAN 2014-2019 and the National Aquaculture Strategy 2017 identifying specific objectives dedicated to ensuring there is appropriate training to the sector.

Biosecurity has been identified by the Federal Government in the AQUAPLAN 2017-2019 and National Aquaculture Strategy 2017 as a critical factor to manage in protecting the aquaculture and wild catch sectors.

This project is carried out at the same time as the Seafood Post Harvest Project.

The Industry Skills Committee (AISC) approved Cases for Change and issued an Activity Order for this project. The Cases for Change can be downloaded via the links below. Skills Impact and the Aquaculture and Wild Catch Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will manage this project, consistent with the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.

Download the Case for Change for Aquaculture and Fishing Operations

Download the Case for Change for Biosecurity

Project Scope

This project will review 12 qualifications, 13 skill sets and approximately 104 units of competency within the SFI Seafood Industry Training Package, so that all job functions are accurately described, with appropriate current knowledge and skill needs. A focus of this project will be to incorporate skills to address changes in technology, legislative and regulatory requirements and environmental sustainability and management. To address the increasing and imperative importance of biosecurity within the industry, the project will also include a review of qualifications and units of competency directly related to biosecurity, in areas such as infection control, imports, exports, diseases and management. This will ensure an appropriate response to support expanding sectors of the industry as identified in the 2017-2020 Aquaculture and Wild Catch IRC Skills Forecast.

Scroll down to view the qualifications, skill sets and units that will be reviewed in this project, and the various job roles and skilled activities they cover.

As part of the review process, documents will be updated to meet 2012 Standards for Training Packages and to address the Council of Australian Governments’ reforms. Qualifications and units with low enrolments now need to be checked if they are meeting industry needs. These items will initially appear under the heading of low use units/qualifications that may be subject to deletion. If there is a need for these units, please provide comment explaining why and also any views you may have as to why there are so few enrolments (see below). Where gaps are identified, additional units may be developed.

This project is being carried out at the same time as the Seafood Post Harvest Project.

Relevant Occupations

• Aquaculture Specialist/Manager
• Fish Farmer
• Hatchery Manager (Fish)
• Mussel or Oyster Farmer
• Commercial Diver
• Deck Hand
• Senior Deck Hand
• Fisher
• Boat Captain
• General Hand or Field Hand
• Leading Hand

Key deliverables

• Functional analysis of occupations relevant to aquaculture, fishing operations, diving, biosecurity and environmental management.
• Review and improvement of 12 qualifications, 104 units of competency and 13 skill sets
• Where gaps are identified up to 10 new units and 5 new skills sets may be developed
• Review and possible deletion of identified qualifications, units of competency and skill sets

Timeline

Please register you interest to be informed at each project stage and receive details of workshops and consultations.

January – February 2018
Initial scoping

March – April 2018
Workforce Functional Analysis Meetings (to identify job roles and functions within the Seafood Industry)

May – June 2018
Subject Matter Expert Consultations
Development of draft qualifications, skill sets and units

July – August 2018
National public consultation of draft qualifications, skill sets and units
(Including workshops around Australia)

October 2018
National public validation of final draft qualifications, skill sets and units

November 2018
Finalisation of Training Package components
AISC submission

Stakeholder Consultation Process

On behalf of the IRC we have identified a list of key stakeholder organisations in this project. Skills Impact will ensure contact is made with each of these organisations during the development of this project to seek their involvement and their views on the draft qualifications, skill sets and units.

If you are aware of an organisation that you think should be involved, please contact the project team to ensure they are contacted by us.

Of course, all and any interested industry participants are encouraged to engage in the consultation of this project, when the draft qualifications, skill sets and units are available for feedback via this webpage and workshops that take place around Australia. Consultation is not limited to the organisations on this list. This list simply helps us to identify those organisations that, because of their industry role, size or specialty, are likely to have a key interest in the development and outcomes of this project.

Project Team

Documents We Are Seeking Feedback On

Below is a list of the current and existing qualifications, skill sets and units that will be reviewed as part of this project. Use the links below to view the components on Training.gov.au.

In preparation for the review of the Aquaculture, Fishing Operations and Biosecurity components, we invite you to provide your input on the current qualifications, skill sets and units. We would like to know what changes or updates should be made to the components so that they meet the skills needs of the industry.  In particular, we are seeking feedback about the units that are subject to deletion. If there is a need for these units, please provide comment explaining why and also any views you may have as to why there are so few enrolments.

Your feedback will help us in drafting the revised qualifications, skill sets and units.

To provide feedback, please use our feedback form. Alternatively, you can email Rebecca Ford [email protected].

Subject Matter Experts

Subject Matter Experts will be drawn on throughout this project to help review and draft the revised units, skill sets and qualifications.

If you are interested in applying to be a subject matter expert and are able to volunteer your time to this project, please email details of your expertise to [email protected]

Subject Matter Experts are currently being consulted to draft the revised qualifications, skill sets and units of competency. Meetings with these experts are taking place to address feedback that was received during the Workforce Functional Analysis workshops, as well as other feedback that was received in the early ‘Project Plan‘ stage of this project.

The Workforce Functional Analysis workshops were held during March and April, with people who work directly in the Seafood Industry. These hands on workshops consisted of Q&A sessions and activities to help identify the various job roles and tasks that exist within the seafood industry. Site visits were also undertaken to observe these job roles in workplaces.

Please feel welcome to continue to provide feedback about the current and existing qualifications, skill set and units that will be revised in this project. Scroll down to view the qualifications, skill set and units that will be reviewed in this project, and the various job roles and skilled activities they cover.

Public consultation workshops – Registrations open!

Thank you to those stakeholders that have been involved and provided feedback and advice so far. The revised draft qualifications, skill sets and units will be made available on this webpage for public consideration and feedback from July – August 2018 (under the ‘Drafts Available’ menu above). Face-to-face consultation workshops will also take place, across states and territories, with six webinars planned for those unable to attend in person. Registrations for these workshops are now open. Please feel free to register for a workshop near you or a webinar by clicking the corresponding link.

Face-to-Face Consultation Workshops

18 Jul 18, 9:30 – 12:30 – Melbourne, VIC – register here

20 Jul 18, 10:30 – 13:30 – Adelaide, SA – register here

24 Jul 18, 10:00 – 13:00 – Darwin, NT – register here

26 Jul 18, 9:00 – 12:00 – Perth, WA – register here

2 Aug 18, 10:00 – 13:00 – Sydney, NSW – register here

3 Aug 18, 10:00 – 13:00 – Coffs Harbour, NSW – register here

7 Aug 18, 9:00 – 12:00 – Brisbane, QLD – register here

8 Aug 18, 9:00 – 12:00 – Townsville, QLD – register here

10 Aug 18, 10:30 – 13:30 – Hobart, TAS – register here

Consultation Webinars

27 Jul 18, 11:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

27 Jul 18, 14:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

9 Aug 18, 11:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

9 Aug 18, 14:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

13 Aug 18, 11:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

13 Aug 18, 14:00 AEST – Webinar – register here

Thank you to all those who provided feedback on the revised qualifications, skill sets and units of competency. The drafts were made available on the Skills Impact website for broad stakeholder review from 20 July – 19 August 2018.

Feedback was sought on whether the draft documents reflect current industry skills standards, knowledge and practices and whether all job functions are accurately described. Feedback will inform the work on the final drafts which will be available for industry validation in September 2018.

They have been reviewed and updated to incorporate skills to address changes in technology, legislative and regulatory requirements and environmental sustainability and management. They have also been reviewed to address the increasing and imperative importance of biosecurity within the industry.

Thank you to those who participated in the validation process for the final draft qualifications, skill sets and units of competency. The final drafts were made available on the Skills Impact website from 27 September – 30 November 2018, after the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) granted an extension to the initial 10 October deadline. The final drafts will shortly progress through to the Finalisation stage of the project which includes quality assurance of the documents and review and feedback from the State/Territory Training Authorities. They will then be forwarded to the Aquaculture & Wild Catch Industry Reference Committee (IRC) for consideration and sign off, before being submitted to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) to consider and approve for publication on training.gov.au.

Validation  means checking and confirming that the documents are logical and factually accurate. They have been improved so that the final draft qualifications, skill sets and units accurately reflect the current industry skills standards and practices and so that all job functions are accurately described.

Download Summary of Feedback, Responses and Actions