1800 345 458 info@mskills.org.au www.mskills.org.au Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry March 2015 Contents Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry ................................................................................ 1 Foundation skills ............................................................................................................................ 1 Language, literacy and numeracy ............................................................................................... 2 Employment skills ...................................................................................................................... 2 Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework ............................................................................ 4 Skill Areas .................................................................................................................................. 4 Influencing Factors .................................................................................................................... 4 The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults ......................................................................... 5 PIAAC ............................................................................................................................................ 5 The impact of low language, literacy and numeracy skills in the workplace .................................... 7 Impact on the worker ................................................................................................................ 8 Impact on the enterprise ........................................................................................................... 8 Return on investment on foundation skills ................................................................................. 9 Foundation skills in the manufacturing industry ........................................................................... 10 Factors that impact on language, literacy and numeracy .......................................................... 12 Government initiatives ................................................................................................................ 17 Australian Government initiatives ............................................................................................ 17 State and territory programs ................................................................................................... 17 Research and resources ............................................................................................................... 20 Australian research .................................................................................................................. 20 International research ............................................................................................................. 22 Resources ................................................................................................................................ 24 MSA’s strategies and activities ..................................................................................................... 26 MSA is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education and Training. Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry On 13 April 2012, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a revised National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development. The Agreement identifies the long-term objectives of the Commonwealth and the States in the areas of skills and workforce development, and recognises the interest of all Governments in ensuring the skills of the Australian people are developed and utilised in the economy. The Agreement seeks to deliver a vocational education and training (VET) system with improved quality and greater transparency for students, employers and governments; greater access to training opportunities and improved outcomes for disadvantaged students; and greater efficiency. The reforms needed to achieve the objectives and outcomes of this Agreement include reforming training to achieve a more demand-driven and client-focused system, and to help drive the next wave of innovation and productivity. While the Agreement does not contain outcomes directly related to addressing gaps in foundation skills levels so as to enable effective educational, labour market and social participation, the importance of the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults is identified as one of the underpinning documents of the Agreement: In addition, the Parties acknowledge the role of the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults in assisting people to attain the foundations skills needed to participate in a modern economy and to progress to higher level qualifications. To support the Strategy, the Australian Government has included funding for foundation skills in the Industry Skills Fund. Foundation skills Foundation skills are required at all stages of a person’s working life. Basic foundation skills are necessary when a person first enters the workforce or undertakes a qualification that leads to employment. They are also required as the person’s job becomes more complex and/or when upskilling or reskilling. The foundation skills required over a person’s career will be broader and deeper than the basic skills required at the beginning of that person’s working life. Public awareness and attitudes towards the importance of foundation skills is an area where further attention is required. In its submission to the National Foundation Skills Strategy, the Australian Industry Group pointed out that “[t]here are significant sections of the Australian population who are not fully aware of the extent of the national problem regarding foundation skills”1. This lack of awareness also influences how individuals perceive their own foundation skills gaps. The Industry Skills Council (ISC) 2011 report, No More Excuses, discusses this theme by pointing out that people can often develop personal strategies to overcome their individual LLN barriers. The ISC report also 1 Australian Industry Group Submission National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults Consultation Paper May 2011 p.4 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 1 of 29 points out that the use of these coping strategies in the workplace can mask LLN problems until a change in workplace requirements or job role makes the strategies ineffective. Language, literacy and numeracy The main tool used in Australia to measure an individual’s language, literacy and numeracy levels is the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The tool assists both specialist LLN specialists and nonspecialists describe a person’s LLN levels across five domains – learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy. It provides a consistent national approach to identifying and developing the core skills in three diverse contexts; personal and community; workplace and employment; and education and training. In particular, it offers: shared concepts and language for identifying, describing and discussing the core skills a systematic approach to benchmarking, monitoring and reporting on core skills performance The framework has broad application and can be used to: assess and benchmark an individual’s core skills performance describe core skills relevant to the workplace and employment map curricula tailor approaches to teaching and learning inform decisions regarding funding and referrals Employment skills Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) comprise only part of foundation skills. Employability Skills are also an integral part of Foundation Skills. Employability Skills describe the non-technical skills that a person needs to have to be able to undertake productive employment. They are also referred to as ‘generic skills; enabling skills; or key skills’. Employability Skills are embedded within qualifications in Training Packages. Employability Skills focus on eight skill domains: 2 communication skills that contribute to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers teamwork skills that contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes problem-solving skills that contribute to productive outcomes initiative and enterprise skills that contribute to innovative outcomes planning and organising skills that contribute to long-term and short-term strategic planning self-management skills that contribute to employee satisfaction and growth learning skills that contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes technology skills that contribute to effective execution of tasks 2 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2002 Employability Skills – An Employer’s Perspective MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 2 of 29 These skills do not stand in isolation, they very often overlap. For example, communication is very important in teamwork – without good communication a team may not work together well and therefore when problems arise, will be unable to problem solve. Language, literacy and numeracy also play an integral part in the development of Employability Skills at all levels of the workforce. Employability Skills are embedded within Training Package qualifications, and are assessed with the technical components of vocational skills. In 2011, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) funded a project to review the Employability Skills. The result is the Core Skills for Work Framework (CSfW). The CSfW describes performance in ten Skill Areas, grouped under three Skill Clusters. It is important to note that CSfW is a framework for thinking about and discussing the skills, knowledge and understandings that underpin work performance over time. Unlike the Employability Skills which do not recognise that a person’s skills, knowledge and understandings change over time and according to the environment and role the person is in, CSfW provides a framework in which to take account of worklife changes. A brief overview of the CsFW can be found on the next page. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 3 of 29 Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework The Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) describes a set of non-technical skills, knowledge and understandings that underpin successful participation in work. Participation in work could be as an employee, as someone who is self-employed, or as a volunteer. Skill Areas Cluster 1 - Navigate the world of work a. Manage career and work life b. Work with roles, rights and protocols Cluster 2 - Interact with others a. Communicate for work b. Connect and work with others c. Recognise and utilise diverse perspectives Cluster 3 - Get the work done a. Plan and organise b. Make decisions c. Identify and solve problems d. Create and innovate e. Work in a digital world Each Skill Area describes a combination of knowledge, skills and understandings and their application to work. The CSfW recognises that these Skill Areas are relevant to all those undertaking work, not just those entering the workforce for the first time, and that they can continue to be developed across the span of an individual’s working life. The CSfW describes performance in each of the Skill Areas across five stages (see page 9). It also recognises that: ■ the particular skills and stages of performance required by individuals will vary according to the context in which they are operating ■ there is no expectation that individuals will necessarily need all of these skills, or will need to develop them to the expert stage of performance ■ an individual is likely to be operating at different stages of performance across different Skill Areas ■ an individual’s ability to demonstrate and develop these skills will be influenced by the context in which they are operating. Influencing Factors Performance in a work situation is not only dependent on the skills and knowledge that an individual brings to it, but on a range of factors that may affect how well they can apply these to different tasks. Contextual factors also affect an individual’s capacity to demonstrate certain skills or to develop them further. For example, someone may have highly developed decision-making skills, but if they are not given the autonomy or their job role does not require them to exercise these skills, their demonstrable performance in this Skill Area may reflect a lower stage performance. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 4 of 29 The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adult (the National Strategy) was launched in September 2012. It provides a definition of foundation skills. Foundation skills are defined as a combination of: English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) – listening, speaking, reading, writing, digital literacy and use of mathematical ideas; and employability skills, such as collaboration, problem solving, self-management, learning and information and communication technology (ICT) skills required for participation in modern workplaces and contemporary life. (page 2) The National Strategy is focused on improving outcomes for working aged Australians (aged 15-64) so that, by 2022, two thirds of working aged Australians will have literacy and numeracy skills at Level 3 or above. The results from the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), released late 2013, are to be the benchmark for this target. Four priority action areas have been identified – Raising awareness and commitment to action Adult learners have high quality learning opportunities and outcomes Strengthening foundation skills in the workplace Building the capacity of the education and training workforces to deliver foundation skills PIAAC As part of its Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) collects and analyses data that assist governments in assessing, monitoring and analysing the level and distribution of skills among their adult populations as well as the utilisation of skills in different contexts. The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) provides a picture of adults’ proficiency in three key informationprocessing skills: literacy – the ability to understand and respond appropriately to written texts; numeracy – the ability to use numerical and mathematical concepts; and problem solving in technology-rich environments – the capacity to access, interpret and analyse information found, transformed and communicated in digital environments. Results are released for each participating country in the form of a “country note”. In literacy and PSITRE, Australian adults scored above average (fifth highest in literacy and sixth highest in PSITRE. However in numeracy, Australian adults scored at below average, coming in 19th among the countries undertaking the assessment. In all domains, Australia consistently had a high proportion of people who could not participate (“missing” category) because they “were not able to MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 5 of 29 provide enough background information to impute proficiency scores because of language difficulties, or learning or mental disabilities”. PIAAC assessed people in three domains – literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in a technology-rich environment (PSITRE). The last domain was new and was conducted using a notebook computer. Problem solving in technology-rich environments is defined as using digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks. PIAAC focuses on abilities to solve problems for personal, work and civic purposes by setting up appropriate goals and plans, accessing and making use of information through computers and computer networks. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013) 25% of working aged Australians did not take the assessment in this domain either because they lacked the digital literacy skills to do so or opted out of computer based assessment. Literacy and numeracy proficiency was grouped into six skill levels with Below Level 1 being the lowest level and Level 5 the highest. For PSTRE scores have been grouped into four skill levels with Below Level 1 being the lowest level and Level 3 the highest. For literacy and numeracy, Level 3 is regarded as the ‘functional level’ for effective participation in work, education and social participation. PIAAC found that almost 44% of working aged Australians had literacy levels below Level 3. This was a slight improvement from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills survey (ALLS, 2006) results which found that approximately 46% of adult Australians had literacy levels below Level 3. However the results for numeracy showed that Australia’s numeracy levels had decreased with more than 53% of adult Australians having numeracy levels below Level 3 in the PIAAC, an increase of 1% on the ALLS. In the new domain of “Problem solving in a technology-rich world”, only about 28% of the working aged population were at Level 2 or 3. This has many implications for Australia as we move into a knowledge-based society and operate as part of the global economy. The specific implications for manufacturing which is transitioning to a technology-rich, value add, specialist industry are concerning. Modern manufacturing in Australia is in need of skilled workers who are able to problemsolve in an increasingly technology embedded industry. On all domains, employed people were more likely to score more highly. In 2011, only 38.3% of employed Australians were below Level 3 for literacy, 48.4% for numeracy and in the domain of PSITRE, 48% of employed Australians were below Level2/3. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 6 of 29 The impact of low language, literacy and numeracy skills in the workplace …21st century literacy is about reading to learn and developing the capacity and motivation to identify, understand, interpret, create and communicate knowledge. (Andreas Schleincher, OECD Education Directorate)3 In 2008, the National Skills Policy Collaboration released a short paper which examined the need for increased quality of skills and increased number of skilled workers. It found that “Currently 87 percent of available jobs require post-school qualifications, but 50 percent of the workforce lacks these qualifications.”4 In Australia, our manufacturing industry is transforming itself from a low skills, mass production model to a high skilled, advanced manufacturing industry with a focus on high technology driven, customer orientation and product innovation. As such it is demanding a high skilled, adaptable workforce that produces high quality products and services with minimal wastage. According to the Australian Industry Group, “…the opportunity for potential productivity improvement by boosting foundation skills is probably greater in the manufacturing sector than any other sector”. Research undertaken by the Australian Industry Group in 2013 found that 93% of employers identified that low levels of literacy and numeracy had some impact on their business. The most common report impacts were: poor completion of workplace documents time wasting through reworks ineffective work teams materials wastage, and ineffective training outcomes When faced with LLN issues, only 8 % of employers indicated that they had the resources to lift the LLN levels of their workers. Foundation skills issues are not confined to low-skilled sections of the workforce. Foundation skills are required though out a person’s working life and at all levels of manufacturing. One area of significant concern expressed by manufacturers in MSA’s Environmental Scans over several years has been in the area of upskilling and reskilling of existing workers. Manufacturers have told MSA that when workers are promoted or required to upskill for higher level roles, many lack the required foundation skills to successfully undertake the transition. As a result they may be reluctant to undertake the new role, learn the skills required to use new technology or fail within the new role. This is impacting on enterprises in many ways, including the loss of good employees, costing the enterprise significantly through wasted training outputs and productivity and impacting on the sustainability of the enterprise. 3 OECD, n.d. The case for 21st- century learning, http://www.oecd.org/general/thecasefor21st-centurylearning.htm accessed February 2015 4 National Skills Policy Collaboration, 2008, Facing up to Australia’s Skills Challenge: Setting Priorities and Delivering Results, pg 1 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 7 of 29 Impact on the worker The Australian Industry Group in 2010 identified a number of impacts on workers as a result of inadequate foundation skills. These include issues such as: inability to o read Standard Operating Procedures o perform manual calculations o select correct parts mistakes in ordering using inappropriate email language with external customers using inappropriate language in written material for websites and publications using inappropriate communication methods for team based approaches to problem solving difficulty translating technical documentation into commercial language consistent with business needs One area of particular concern is apprentices. Approximately 25% of employers reported that apprentices were affected by low levels of literacy and numeracy especially in the engineering industry. Numeracy is reported as being the main area of difficulty with employers reporting that apprentices and other school leavers struggle with the numeracy requirements of both training and the workplace and display a very limited ability to problem- solve without the aid of a calculator 5. Anecdotal feedback gather by MSA as part of its consultations into support resources for the Foundation Skills Training Package supported these findings. There is no statistical data available from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) on the literacy and numeracy skill level of apprentices and trainees. Information is available on the participation in vocational education and training (VET) of various equity groups, such as Indigenous Australians, students from non-English speaking backgrounds and students with disabilities. While these groups are under-represented in VET, there may be factors other than LLN which impacts on their participation. Impact on the enterprise According to the Australian Industry Group’s research, the impact of low level literacy skills on enterprises can be seen in a variety of ways. Some of the impacts reported were: 5 poor completion rates of workplace documents time wasting through work needing to be repeated materials wastage due to incorrect calculations or misinterpreted instructions recruitment difficulties injuries poor workplace relationships due to poor communication skills reluctance to undertake training resistance to workplace change inability to benefit from workforce development opportunities Australian Industry Group 2010 National Workforce Literacy Project p.8 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 8 of 29 inability to participate in quality circles or team-type approaches used in lean manufacturing One example cited in the report reflects the impact that low language, literacy and numeracy skills have in the manufacturing industry – “We ran a competitive manufacturing course for eight people where they had to come up with solutions to present to the GM but there was too much fear of presenting due to their communication skills. The whole task was seen as too big and overwhelming for them – it was abandoned and so was the idea of introducing competitive manufacturing principles into that part of the workplace.” Source: Ai Group 2010 National Workforce Literacy Project p.10 Return on investment on foundation skills According to the Productivity Commission, higher foundation skills in the workforce are associated with higher levels of employment and wages. Their modelling showed that: an increase in literacy and numeracy by one skill level is associated with an increased likelihood of employment of 2.4 percentage points for men for women, this was an increased likelihood of employment of 4.3 percentage points an increase in literacy and numeracy by one skill level is associated with about a 10 percent increase in wages for both men and women up to 40 per cent of the association between education and employment is attributable to literacy and numeracy skills The Productivity Commission estimated that by improving literacy and numeracy skills from level 1 to level 3, there would be a corresponding increase in workforce participation and hourly wage rates. For women, this would result in a 15% increase in participation and 25% increase in hourly wages, while for men, there would be a 5% increase in participation and a 30% increase in wages. In its 2011 report, Skills for Prosperity – a roadmap for vocational education and training, Skills Australia argued that foundation skills need to be developed in conjunction with work-based experience, not just at preparatory levels of learning. Skills Australia commented that: As people move through their working lives they may experience varying and challenging communication pressures. They will need the adaptability to deal with changing workplaces, new technology, environmental sustainability and career transitions. (Skills Australia, 2011 p. 25) MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 9 of 29 Foundation skills in the manufacturing industry Like many other developed countries, Australia is facing a shortage of skilled labour. While literacy represents only a part of an individual’s overall skills and abilities, the growing share of skilled and knowledge-based jobs in the economy has increased the importance. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008 Australian Social Trends)6 Skills in English language, literacy and numeracy are vital for the ongoing economic growth of Australia. The 2006 ALLS Survey7 found that many Australians (over 40%) had language, literacy and numeracy skills at a level lower than the level required to effectively function in today’s society. In the 2011 PIAAC results the situation remained largely unchanged. Functional literacy is defined as ...the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community – to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. (OECD 2000, in Productivity Commission 2010 p.9) Furthermore, in a 2010 survey of Australian employers, 75% believed that their businesses were affected by low levels of numeracy and literacy. Issues cited were poor completion of workplace documents and time lost due to the need to repeat work. For employers, having the confidence that their staff have the necessary English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills to carry out their duties is highly important. Quite often employers have to bear the costs of providing additional training and assistance to employees who do not meet basic workplace standards in English language, literacy and numeracy. Poor language, literacy and numeracy skills may contribute to the devaluing of an employee’s qualifications8. Information relating to the language, literacy and numeracy skills of workers, apprentices and trainees in the manufacturing industry is not readily available. The 2011 PIAAC provides the most up-to-date information regarding the skill levels of workers in the manufacturing industry. Data from the PIAAC showed that in 2011-12 over 50% of the manufacturing workforce had literacy skills at a level that was below the level required to function effectively (i.e. skill level 3). In the area of numeracy skills, almost 60% of workers in manufacturing had inadequate numeracy skills. These results are significantly worse than from the ALLS in 2006 where the percentage of manufacturing workers with below level 3 literacy skills was under 45%. The percentage of workers with low numeracy levels has jumped by nearly 10 percentage points since 2006. These results may reflect the demographics of the manufacturing workforce, which has one of the oldest median age and is largely male. In the domain of PSITRE, nearly 55% of the manufacturing workforce at or below Level 1 and a further 23.5% of the manufacturing workforce either chose not take the assessment or did not have the skills to undertake the assessment. This is particularly concerning for manufacturing enterprises as they transform their business models to a high technology, high value-add, service focussed model. 6 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Australian Social Trends, p.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006, Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Summary Results, p.5 8 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2008, Policy Review no.9, p. 4 7 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 10 of 29 According to MSA’s annual survey of enterprises, manufacturers need a flexible and highly skilled workforce. The three major skill needs areas identified were: higher level technical skills innovation/design skills multi-skilled, broad-based capabilities and IT/digital skills In particular, enterprises need access to problem solving and ‘boundary-crossing’ skills to give workers an ability to apply their skill and knowledge to a range of contexts and applications. High technical skills in robotics, advanced technologies such as additive manufacturing, CAD, CNC machining and programming are high on the list. All of these areas require workers with high level PSITRE skills. PIAAC 2011 Comparison of percentage of the manufacturing workforce results with all industries 45.0 40.0 Percentage 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 Domain Below Level 1 / Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 All industries Manufacturing PROBLEM SOLVING IN TECHNOLOGY-RICH ENVIRONMENTS All industries Manufacturing NUMERACY All industries Manufacturing LITERACY 0.0 Level 4/5 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 11 of 29 Factors that impact on language, literacy and numeracy The PIAAC survey found that there was a strong link between educational attainment and domain levels achieved. Completing a qualification generally led to a higher score with nearly 65% of people who had completed a qualification achieving level 3 or higher. By contrast under 45% of people without a qualification achieved level 3 or higher. It was also found that the greater the number of years of formal education undertaken (i.e. the higher the qualification), the more likely a person was to achieve level 4/5. For example nearly 39% of employed people who had completed a postgraduate degree achieved level 4/5 literacy while less than 7% of people with a Certificate I or II had achieved the same level. In 2014, 39% of the manufacturing workforce did not hold a post-school qualification. 27.5% held a Certificate III or IV, reflecting manufacturing’s strong trade orientation. Manufacturing 2014 Highest level of non-school qualification Without non-school qualification Certificate n.f.d. Certificate I/II Certificate III/IV Advanced Diploma/Diploma Bachelor Degree Graduate Diploma/Graduate Certificate Postgraduate Degree 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Thousands Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014 62270DO001_201405 Education and Work, Australia, May 2014, Table 10 Language, literacy and numeracy levels were found to be lower for people who were not in the workforce. People who were not in the labour force (that is not working and not looking for work) were more likely to have low levels of literacy and numeracy with only 40% of people not in the labour workforce achieving level 3 or higher (compared with 61% of employed people) in literacy. The results were even lower for numeracy – 29% at level 3 or higher compared with 51% of employed people. Unemployed people scored higher than those not in the labour force but not as high as employed people. It has been recognised that low levels of language, literacy and numeracy contribute significantly to increased risk of non-participation in the labour force and unemployment. Coming from a non-English speaking background has also been found to impact on a person’s language, literacy and numeracy skills. For example people whose first language was not English were twice as likely to be assessed at Level 1 or below compared to native English speakers (25% to 12 % MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 12 of 29 respectively). The difference was not as large in relation to numeracy, however a third of people for whom English was not their first language attained a score of Level 1 or below for numeracy. For native English speakers, only 20% attained a score of Level 1 or below. While indigenous Australians were not specifically excluded from the survey, people living in very remote areas of Australia and people living in Census Collection Districts (CDs) which contained Discrete Indigenous Communities were not surveyed. Age and gender are other factors that impact on language, literacy and numeracy skills, with skills increasing for the population until the late 20s at which they plateau before declining for those aged in their 40s or older. It is suggested that the age pattern may be influenced by both education and work. Generally people between the age of 15 and 25 are either still studying or are just entering the workforce, therefore just gaining education and experience, while people over the age of 65 may have lower levels of educational attainment. It is interesting to note that women under the age of about 30 have higher levels of literacy than men (see diagrams below). However numeracy levels showed a different pattern, with more men consistently scoring higher than women through the life span. Given that manufacturing requires workers with high level skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), this makes attracting women to this industry difficult. Proportion at literacy Level 3 or above, by sex and age group—2011–12 Age group (years) Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013, 4228.0 – Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-12, Background characteristics MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 13 of 29 Proportion at numeracy Level 3 or above, by sex and age group—2011–12 Age group (years) Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013, 4228.0 – Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-12, Background characteristics MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 14 of 29 Manufacturing employs a predominately male workforce which is ageing. According to data released in 2014 by the Department of Employment, men made up over 73% of the manufacturing workforce. The median age of the industry in 2013 was 42 years with 39.7% of manufacturing workers aged between 45-64 years. Male employment share by industry November 2014 Construction 88.7 Mining 85.7 Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services 78.9 Transport, Postal and Warehousing 77.3 Manufacturing 73.1 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 70.0 Wholesale Trade 67.0 Information Media and Telecommunications 61.7 Other Services 57.1 Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 56.9 ALL INDUSTRIES 54.2 Arts and Recreation Services 53.4 Public Administration and Safety 51.4 Financial and Insurance Services 49.8 Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services 49.5 Administrative and Support Services 47.5 Accommodation and Food Services 44.5 Retail Trade 44.0 Education and Training 30.2 Health Care and Social Assistance 100.0 90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 22.3 Employment share (%) Source: Labour Market Information Portal, Industry Characteristics data tool (accessed March 2015) MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 15 of 29 Examination of the gender profile for manufacturing shows that the highest proportion of women are employed in the textiles, clothing and footwear industries (61.2%) in roles that are considered ‘unskilled’. Female employment share by sector - Manufacturing November 2014 Textile, Leather, Clothing and Footwear… Basic Chemical and Chemical Product Manufacturing Food Product Manufacturing Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing Pulp, Paper and Converted Paper Product… Manufacturing, nfd Printing (including the Reproduction of Recorded… Manufacturing Polymer Product and Rubber Product Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing Petroleum and Coal Product Manufacturing Furniture and Other Manufacturing Non-Metallic Mineral Product Manufacturing Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing Wood Product Manufacturing Primary Metal and Metal Product Manufacturing Transport Equipment Manufacturing 61.2 41.4 40.8 36.7 30.3 28.3 28.0 26.9 23.4 22.8 20.4 17.7 16.3 14.5 13.7 12.5 12.4 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 Employment share (%) 80.0 Source: Labour Market Information Portal, Industry Characteristics data tool (accessed March 2015) They are less likely to have a post-school qualification than their male counterparts, and are also more likely to come from a non-English speaking background. Below year 10 Years 10 and 11 Year 12 Certificate I and II Certificate III and IV Advanced Diploma and Diploma Bahelor degree 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Post-graduate Percentage Survey of Education and Work 2013 - Level of Educational Attainment by Industry of Employment Educational level Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Indsutry All industries Source: Labour Market Information Portal, Industry Characteristics data tool (accessed March 2015) MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 16 of 29 Government initiatives Australian Government initiatives Australian Government programs targeting literacy and numeracy: The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults - The Strategy has a target to increase the foundation skills (defined in the Strategy as language, literacy and numeracy and employability skills) of persons aged 15–64. The initial emphasis of the Strategy is on people with lower level skills, as the greatest economic impact on labour productivity can be gained from improving skills at lower levels. The Skills for Education and Employment Program - This program ‘provides language, literacy and numeracy training to eligible job seekers, with the expectation that such improvements will enable them to participate more effectively in training or in the labour force’. Closing the Gap — Expansion of intensive literacy and numeracy programs - This initiative builds upon existing teaching and learning practices of literacy and numeracy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Practitioner Scholarships Program - This program seeks to address skill shortages in the adult LLN field in Australia by providing financial incentives to increase the number of qualified LLN practitioners, particularly in regional areas. The National Assessment Program –– Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) - This is an annual assessment of reading, writing, language and numeracy for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. NAPLAN started in 2008 and tests skills that are essential for children to progress through school. NAPLAN results are used to determine student and school performance. (Source: Productivity Commission, 2014, Literacy and Numeracy Skills and Labour Market Outcomes in Australia, p. 3) The $476 million Industry Skills Fund is a key element in the Australian Government’s National Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda and will provide up to 200,000 training places and support services over four years. Eligible enterprises are able to apply for funding for training that is accredited through state and territory systems, including language, literacy and numeracy training. Another Commonwealth funded program is the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). This program provides up 510 hours of free English language training for migrants with English language skills below the functional level. It is administered by the Department of Industry and Science. In 2008-09, AMEP provided English language tuition to 52,720 clients. The Reading Writing Hotline is another Commonwealth funded resource available to assist workers with foundation skills requirements. It provides English language, literacy and numeracy information, advice and support. State and territory programs Each state and territory in Australia has developed strategies to improve the skills of both existing workers and people not currently in the workforce. These strategies address a number of issues such as pre-apprenticeship training, up-skilling existing workers and addressing language, literacy and numeracy deficits. Within each state and territory’s strategic plans are identified “priority groups”. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 17 of 29 These groups vary for each state and territory and reflect the perceived needs of the government of the respective state or territory. New South Wales Information relating to priority skill areas in New South Wales can be found on the Smart and Skilled website under NSW Skills List. This list is updated annually and also as needed to reflect the changing economy. Further information about the funded courses can be found on the 2015 NSW Skills List Entitlements and targeted priorities fact sheet. TAFE NSW and the New South Wales Adult and Community Education (ACE) colleges are the largest suppliers of language, literacy and numeracy training in the state. Victoria In 2013, the Victorian government released ‘Refocusing Vocational Training in Victoria’ which set out the priorities for vocational education and training, including foundation skills in that state. The Victorian Training Entitlement has been expanded to include the provision of subsidised training to people ‘undertaking a Foundation Skills course’ (p. 5). Queensland On June 8 2013, the Queensland government released a five year action plan to reform the state's further education and training sector. Great skills. Real opportunities outlines an ambitious program of reform that will support Queenslanders to access and complete the skills training they need to get a job. To ensure training funding yields the most effective return on investment, Government will create a new era for training characterised by: contestable training funding targeted investment based on industry advice closer alignment between training and the skills required for employment increased student choice and access to training greater certainty for training providers. The Queensland government introduced the Certificate 3 Guarantee which provides a government subsidy to support eligible individuals to complete their first post-school certificate III qualification. Foundation skills may also be funded based on the learning needs of the individual. NB: these three states have either just had or about to have a state election. These policy documents may change as a result of the election outcomes. South Australia In South Australia, Skills for All initiative encourages people to enter training, complete that training and gain employment. The Funded Training List provided information on what training, including foundation skills training, is available. This list is updated regularly. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 18 of 29 Western Australia In Western Australia, the Department of Training and Workforce Development has responsibility for both training initiatives and workforce development initiatives. As outlined in its Strategic Plan 2014 – 2018, one of the key outcomes is “Language, literacy and numeracy and employability skills training helps individuals achieve vocational qualifications, participate in the workforce and improve opportunities”. Further detail on how Western Australia is planning to achieve this is outlined in Training WA: Planning for the Future 2009-2018. This document sets a target that “33,000 Western Australians will be enrolled in Certificate I foundation training during 2009 and 2010”. In 2014, the Department of Training and Workforce Development released the second edition of Skilling WA- A workforce development plan for Western Australia. Under goal 4 of the report, Area of strategic focus 4.1 is language, literacy and numeracy. Tasmania Tasmania has the highest percentage of people with below functional literacy in Australia at 49% (compared with 44% for Australia)9. The Tasmanian Skills Strategy outlines the Tasmanian Government’s strategic direction for public investment in training and workforce development for 2008 - 2015. Under Priority 6 of the Ministerial Priorities for Training and Workforce Development 2014-15, the government is undertaking to ‘develop a targeted approach to ‘foundations’ learning that will enable those who most need support to take valuable vocational steps, including planning for future literacy and numeracy skills development’. A key component to this approach is the Adult Literacy Plan (20102015) which aims ‘For young people and adults to have the literacy skills they need to fully participate in their family life, the community, learning and employment’. Northern Territory In the Northern Territory, the Department of Business has responsibility for vocational education and training funding, including for foundation skills. The Learner Support initiative provides specific information on the support that is available for learners with ‘deficits in underpinning knowledge (in addition to language, literacy and numeracy shortfalls)’. Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory has the lowest percentage of people with literacy skills below Level 3 (31%)10. The Skilled Capital initiative provides $21 million over three years to improve access to high quality training in areas of skills need and maximise improved employment outcomes for students. The initiative also provides a comprehensive range of support services to ensure students accessing training receive the help they need to successfully complete their chosen qualification. It is underpinned by a comprehensive research base, including research into foundation skills. In relation 9 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013, 4228.0 - Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-12, Skill levels of persons by state or territory of usual residence, 2011-12 10 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013, 4228.0 - Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-12, Skill levels of persons by state or territory of usual residence, 2011-12 MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 19 of 29 to foundation skills, the goal of Skilled Capital is to ensure that students have access to foundation skills and the support needed to complete skills qualifications. Research and resources There is quite a significant body of research into adult language, literacy and numeracy and generic/employability skills both in Australia and overseas. The reports below are a few examples of the work that has been undertaken and include examples of strategies and best practice in use in Australia. Australian research The Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) conducts research into all aspects of education including foundation skills. They have been funded by the Australian government to develop the Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT). This is a free online tool to identify and assess an individual’s foundation skill levels. The tool is expected to be delivered to the Department of Education and Training mid-2015. Some examples of ACER’s work are listed below: Horses for courses: Choice in adult LLN assessments (2014) investigated pre-training assessment tools and how to choose the most appropriate one. Buried or not? What’s happened to numeracy? (2014) investigated the worrying decline in numeracy development in the PIAAC. Don’t subtract numeracy (2014) investigated the delivery of numeracy within the vocational education and training system. Adult literacy and numeracy – what’s the story? (2014) looked at the importance of adult literacy and numeracy to Australia’s economic and social health. The value of international assessments of adults’ foundation skills (2013) explored what can be learned from international assessments of adult literacy and numeracy skills. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) also undertakes extensive research within the foundation skills area. Recently released reports in the area of language, literacy and numeracy include: Older Australians and the take-up of new technologies (2013) which examines the ability of older Australians to use digital technologies to take advantage of the National Broadband Network (NBN). Does 1 = 1? Mapping measures of adult literacy and numeracy (2013) which explores the correlation between the ACSF and the Australian Literacy and Life Skills (ALLS) survey. The research found that, while it was broadly possible to translate the five ACSF performance levels to the ALLS scales, there is not an exact match between the two, especially at the higher levels. (The ALLS survey preceded the PIAAC.) MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 20 of 29 The returns to literacy skills in Australia (2013) which investigated the relationship between literacy skills and the incomes of workers in the Australian labour market and whether this varies with level of education. The research found that both educational qualifications and literacy skills are positively associated with income. Seeking the N in LLN (2013) investigated the qualifications, experience, and numeracy skills of language, literacy and numeracy specialists and vocational specialists—referred to collectively in this study as vocational education and training (VET) practitioners—working in the process manufacturing industry. Building the foundations: outcomes from the adult language, literacy and numeracy search conference (2011) presents a summary of discussions and recommendations for future action from an NCVER hosted forum on behalf of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations on 13 September 2010 to explore a range of issues relating to LLN in Australia. Whose responsibility? Employers' views on developing their workers' literacy, numeracy and employability skills (2008) examined how a group of employers understood the provision of literacy, numeracy and employability skills and the continuing development of these skills in their workplaces. In 2014, the Productivity Commission produced ‘Literacy and Numeracy Skills and Labour Market Outcomes in Australia’ which profiled the literacy and numeracy skills of Australia's adult population and assesses how important they are for two labour market outcomes – employment and wages. This research quantified the benefits to the benefits to the Australian Economy from raising the foundation skills levels of the Australian workforce. The Australian Industry Group, 2013, produced ‘Getting it Right: Foundation Skills for the Workforce’ which examined the impacts of low foundation skills on Australian enterprises and the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program. It was the third and final report of their National Workforce Literacy Project. The first report was When Words Fail – Report on Employers Views on Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Skills, 2010. It found that three quarters of enterprises surveyed were impacted by low LLN levels in their workforces. When Words Fail – National Workforce Literacy Project 2012 was the second report. it examined ways in which employers addressed LLN issues and the conditions required for success. Black, S, Yasukawa, K. (2011) Working Together: Integrated language, literacy and numeracy support in vocational education and training investigated language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) teachers and vocational teachers ‘working together’ to deliver LLN support to students that is ‘integrated’ with the students’ vocational courses. They found the current picture of integrated LLN in Australian VET to be inconsistent, patchy and ad hoc. Let’s get serious about adult literacy and numeracy (2011) was produced as a response to the outcomes from the ALLS and examined policy and approaches to adult literacy and numeracy in Australia. Incorporating LLN into VET practice (2013) is a paper presented at the 2013 Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference. It advances the notion that incorporating LLN into VET practice is not one single activity, but rather a range of activities. These range along a continuum commencing with raising awareness, seeking information, increasing MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 21 of 29 collaboration between VET educators and LLN specialists, formalising collaboration through team teaching activities, finally culminating in influencing policy and resource allocation. Language, literacy and numeracy – the foundations of Australia’s future (2012) investigated to what extent current pedagogy and teaching practices in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Adult Community Education (ACE) sectors influence the outcomes of language, literacy and numeracy programs, either as stand-alone or shared delivery. What’s happening with language, literacy and numeracy in vocational education and training (VET)? (2011) is a report on the outcomes from symposia held in Queensland in 2010-11. Symposium participants also spent time discussing ways in which the sector might better address the LLN needs of learners. These discussions centred on: integrating LLN into VET training and resources practitioner capability and the new TAE qualifications LLN issues in regional and remote areas LLN issues for Indigenous Australians using the Australian Core Skills Framework. International research A good source for international research on LLN is the VOCED database. A search of the database found over 12,000 research articles. A selection are included below. The impact of adult literacy and numeracy research based on the 1970 British Cohort Study (United Kingdom. 2014) found that research conducted by the University of London has had a significant impact on the thinking of UK policy makers, educationalists and health officials. Why are literacy and numeracy skills in England so unequal?: evidence from the OECD’s Survey of Adult Skills and other international surveys (United Kingdom, 2014) investigated why numeracy and literacy skills in England’s adult population are especially widely dispersed. Literacy matters: unlocking the literacy potential of aboriginal peoples in Canada (Canada, 2013) explored the literacy outcomes of Aboriginal people. Literacy matters: dollars and sense: the urgent need for lifelong financial literacy (Canada, 2010) argued that literacy is a foundational skill set. It is the basis upon which other skills and capabilities are mastered. This is true of literacy in languages, numeracy, and its other forms. Financial literacy is no different. It is the basis upon which sound financial decisions are made and then implemented. The impact of ABS program participation on long-term literacy growth (United States of America, 2014) addresses the following research questions: What is the impact of participating in an ABS program on subsequent literacy proficiency? What is the temporal course of that impact? To what extent does [general educational development] GED attainment mediate the impact of participation on proficiency? Literacy and numeracy difficulties in the Irish workplace: impact on earnings and training expenditures (Ireland, 2012) examines the impact that literacy and numeracy skill gaps have on employees’ earnings, along with their effect on firms’ training expenditures. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 22 of 29 New Zealand is one nation that has successfully raised the LLN levels of its people in the last 10 years. A selection of research papers and articles from New Zealand are below. Practitioners' perspectives on the value of a national adult literacy and numeracy qualification (2014) studied 217 enrolees in two national adult literacy and numeracy certificates reviews their experiences undertaking these qualifications and explores the impact their participation has had on their practice. Overall, it shows that the respondents rate their involvement in the certificates very positively and that they believe it has had a beneficial effect on their work. Adult Literacy and Numeracy: An Overview of the Evidence (2013) draws on adult literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) research literature from New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the USA. It looks at policy and practice in these countries, the impact of these and implications for work in New Zealand. Going it alone: New Zealand company-sponsored language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) training in an era of government funding (2013) examines the nature of and reasons for employer-funded literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) workplace training in New Zealand, during a period where government funding has been available. Developing vocational skills with embedded literacy and numeracy in second-chance adult learners (2013) outlines the experience of an Open Polytechnic team in developing this program as well as describing the learner support model which offers a blend of self-paced distance learning and individual coaching. Raising numeracy and literacy to improve vocational opportunities (2012) examined interviews with 34 stakeholders including tutors, administrators and adult education policy analysts who were working in the area of adult numeracy and/or literacy education. This provided opportunities to build up a clearer picture of the current status, plans, benefits and barriers related to improving adult numeracy and literacy with a particular emphasis on new technologies such as e-learning. The Transfer of Literacy, Language, and Numeracy Skills from Learning Programmes into the Workplace (2011) sought to understand more about how literacy, language, and numeracy (LLN) skills gained in workplace literacy and numeracy courses are developed, utilised, and transferred within workplaces. Literacy, Language and Numeracy - Connecting research to practice in the tertiary sector (2011) is a summary of nine literacy, language and numeracy research reports published by the Ministry of Education between July 2009 and July 2010. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 23 of 29 Resources Industry Skills Councils No More Excuses was developed by the Industry Skills Councils as response to the LLN challenge being faced by Australia. The Skills Councils believe that responsibility for building the LLN skills of Australians should be shared by industry and all education sectors. Five Good Reasons (2010) is another resource developed by the Industry Skills Councils to assist enterprises to develop a business case for investment in foundation skills training. As the title implies, it outlines ‘five good reasons’ that would sit behind the business case. What It Takes (2011) on what can be done in training programs to make sure they help Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander learners with language, literacy and numeracy issues succeed in their learning experience and achieve their educational and employment potential. It is based on the advice of members of the Industry Skills Council Foundation Skills Network and findings from a review of relevant research literature. Following the release of the ALLS 2006, the Australian Government funded several projects to develop resources to support initiatives to improve the foundation skills of Australian adults. Primary amongst these was the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package. The FSK Foundation Skills Training Package makes foundation skills units of competency available for vocational training programs. It is designed to work in combination with other industry training packages to support the achievement of vocational outcomes. It has 91 units of competency with related Assessment requirements and three qualifications. To support the implementation of the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package, industry skills councils (ISCs) were funded to develop support materials for their industries. MSA developed two resources: Making the Connections: Integrating foundation skills into vocational training – this resource is designed to build the capability of vocational practitioners to effectively address the foundation skills embedded in vocational training. In 2014, MSA updated this resource to incorporate the latest information on the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults, the Core Skills for Work Framework and the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package. Putting the Jigsaw together – Numeracy Resources for VET Trainers, Version 2 - are resources that are designed as a series of tool kits to support VET trainers with practical strategies to assist apprentices to develop their numeracy skills. Other resources that are available from the ISCs include: Building Strong Foundations (Innovation and Business Skills Australia) which provides implementation guidance for FSK users: tips, templates and exampled for vocational trainers and assessors video segments and professional development advice answers to frequently asked questions links to related resources MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 24 of 29 AgriFood Skills Australia has developed Foundation Skills Guides which cover four job functions shared by a wide range of roles throughout the agrifood industries. They include activities, resources and support strategies that can be adapted and customised to suit the context in which training or assessment occurs. They are accompanied by an Overview Guide containing background information on foundation skills and how to use the resources. Autostart Learning Series (Foundation Skills) (Auto Skills Australia) which is designed as an alternative medium to the traditional instructor-led approach to improve literacy and numeracy, and provides a suite of online learning and assessment resources to support reading, communicating, using numbers and solving routine problem skills in the automotive workplace. Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council developed three Foundation Skills videos explaining how to find the Foundation Skills in a unit and how to address them. The videos are: How to locate foundation skills in a unit of competency Making the link between the foundation skills requirements of a unit and a learner’s skill level Strategies for trainers to use to develop foundation skills in a vocational training program Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council has developed Foundation Skills Resources for CPC08 & CPP07 which give trainers and assessors in the construction and property services industries access to a range of implementation resources which focus on key vocational areas or ‘skills clusters’. For each cluster, there are three main resources plus attachments: Delivery & Assessment Guide (resource for trainers and assessors which gives a suggested delivery strategy and assessment instrument for the units) Case Study (resource for trainers and assessors which demonstrates a simple way to identify foundation skill development needs) Participant Guide (resource for learners and workers which covers basic knowledge requirements for the units). They also have developed Trash Talk! which is for teachers, trainers and assessors who deliver core units from the CPP30711 Certificate III in Waste Management, from the CPP07 Construction and Property Services Training Package. Government Skills Australia developed a series of industry brochures and a suite of videos to support the foundation skills of workers in industries under their coverage. Services Skills Australia has a dedicated Foundation Skills resources page which provides access to a range of free downloadable resources. The Transport & Logistics Industry Skills Council also has a Foundation Skills page which provides access to free downloadable resources including a transport and logistics industry contextualised version of Making the Connections. ISCs were also funded by the Australian government to map units of competency from their Training Packages to the ACSF. MSA mapped the units of competency in the high use qualifications, resulting in the mapping of approximately 430 units from 18 qualifications from MSA’s suite of Training Packages and four Skill Sets from the MEA11 Aerospace Training Package. The products from the project as available for download from the MSA online store. MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 25 of 29 Other resources National Foundation Skills Strategy Project is a joint initiative by Australian governments to support priority action areas from the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults. MSA has been involved with this project, successfully nominating a Foundation Skills Champion for the manufacturing industry. This person has been an active participant in the Foundation Skills Community of Practice and in 2014 obtained funding through the Project to develop and facilitate a Professional development workshop for members of the Hydrocarbons Assessors Network (HAN). The Australian Workplace Practitioners Network (AWPN) has an extensive database of foundation skills resources (including many of the ones already listed above). It also is responsible for the development of several excellent resources, especially in relation to numeracy in the workplace. Adult and Community Education (ACE) NSW (2010) produced a good practice guide which provides advice on the management and delivery of LLN programs and links to professional reading on LLN issues. It also has a very good bibliography. Safework.com.au provides a free online language, literacy and numeracy indicator tool. This tool is an evaluation test that has been developed in line with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The purpose of the tool is to provide an indication of the level of a learner across the five core skills as a starting point for training. Precision Consultancy has produced a bank of validated assessment tasks that align to various industries. These tasks are designed to be used by assessors who are experienced LLN practitioners with a sound working knowledge of the ACSF. Workplace trainers who are not experienced LLN practitioners may use the tasks, but should seek advice about their judgements from an experienced practitioner. This bank of assessment tasks offers assessors a range of tasks that have been validated by both ACSF and industry experts. The tasks are also regularly moderated by experienced assessors. MSA’s strategies and activities MSA continues to be active in promoting and supporting our stakeholders to address the foundation skills issues confronting the manufacturing industry. In 2012 we released MSA’s Foundation Skills Strategic Framework. The Framework has been developed to provide a focus for our efforts around language, literacy and numeracy improvement for the manufacturing workforce. In line with the priorities set out in the framework, MSA continues to provide advice and guidance for all our stakeholders on the foundation skills issues within the manufacturing issues. This research paper forms part of our work in this area. We are working with industry associations and individual enterprises to support the identification of the foundation skills needs within current and emerging industries. This includes developing manufacturing specific foundation skills support resources such as Making the Connections and Putting the Jigsaw Together as well as supporting research projects such as the Australian Industry Group’s ‘Getting it Right: Foundation Skills for the Workforce’. MSA has also supported targeted projects such as the National Foundation Skills Strategy project by successfully MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 26 of 29 nominating a Foundation Skills Champion for manufacturing and involvement through the HAN project. We have also been proactive in championing foundation skills for the manufacturing industry through the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program (now discontinued). MSA is a member of the reference group for the House With No Steps (HWNS) innovative National Workforce Development Fund/WELL project. MSA staff have and continue to present on foundation skills in the manufacturing industry at national conferences such as the Australian Workplace Practitioners Network (AWPN) and the Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL). MSA has also partnered with Federation University, Service Skills Australia and United Voice in an Australian Research Council funded linkage project investigating the skills in occupational roles traditionally considered ‘unskilled’11. The research found that the roles examined required high levels of skills, including foundation skills such as language, literacy and numeracy and skills in areas such as problem solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. -END- 11 RAVE, Recognising the skill in jobs traditionally considered unskilled, http://federation.edu.au/faculties-andschools/faculty-of-education-and-arts/research/fea-research-groups/rave-researching-adult-and-vocationaleducation/folder2/recognising-skills (accessed March 2015) MSA Background Research – Foundation Skills in the manufacturing industry as at March 2015 v1 Page 27 of 29