The state government has engaged former minister Cheryl Edwardes and former Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive John Langoulant to lead a review of the 11 state training providers.
The training sector reform project follows an independent review of the vocational education and training (VET) sector led by former academic Margaret Seares, but is much narrower in its focus.
Professor Seares’ review was wide-ranging, and called for changes to the role of government departments and the State Training Board.
Speaking to Business News earlier this year, Professor Seares said the government needed to provide clarity around the design of the VET system and articulate an overall strategy for the sector, including the respective roles of state training providers and the hundreds of private training companies.
“We’ve got this very large system but there isn’t a clear strategy to guide its development,” she said.
Training and Workforce Development Minister Liza Harvey said the training sector reform project would focus on the network of state training providers (STPs), to enhance their function and ensure the training being delivered aligned to meet the needs of industry.
“This will ultimately benefit students throughout WA while also increasing the long-term viability of STPs,” she said.
The reform project steering committee will be chaired by former minister Cheryl Edwardes, whose current roles include chairing iron ore miner Atlas Iron.
Mr Langoulant, whose past roles also include being chief executive of Australian Capital Equity and Oakajee Port & Rail, will lead the project work in a consulting capacity.
Other members of the steering committee include: Department of Training and Workforce Development director general Ruth Shean; Central Institute of Technology governing council chair Bill Louden; State Training Board chair Jim Walker; industry representative Peter Tuck, who was formerly executive director of the National Electrical Contractors' Association; Training Accreditation Council chair Ian Hill, and WA Police executive director Anthony Kannis.
The project steering committee is expected to present its initial report to Mrs Harvey in December.
A spokesman for the minister said work regarding private providers was ongoing through other mechanisms.
The state government funds 11 STPs, which operate from more than 50 campuses across Western Australia.
In addition, WA has 2,530 registered training organisations, including 300 that are contracted by the government to deliver more than 600 heavily subsidised priority courses.
WA had 40,100 people in training in December 2014, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
