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2024 National VET Conference
The VET Equation:
Quality Inputs = Remarkable Outcomes
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Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities
Category
Student SupportLocation
M4 (First Floor)Invisible disabilities and barriers to education can significantly impact a person’s ability to learn, yet they often go unnoticed or misunderstood.
This presentation will assist participants in gaining an understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with invisible disabilities in educational settings.
This will include a discussion of practical strategies and accommodations to support students with invisible disabilities and strategies to foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment so that every learner can succeed.
Ultimately, this presentation aims to enhance learning outcomes, promote diversity, equality and inclusion, and empower students to overcome challenges and thrive.
Natalie Oostergo and Siân Tooker
Associate Director, Student Success Advising, USQ and Human Service Professional
About Natalie:
Natalie Oostergo (she/her/hers) is the Associate Director of Student Success at the University of Southern Queensland where she leads the implementation of strategies to support the diverse learning needs of domestic and international students. Natalie is an innovative and strategic thinker with over twenty years of experience in tertiary and vocational education.
Her career highlights include presenting at various conferences, receiving an Australian Award for University Teaching, becoming an IEAA Associate Fellow, and making lasting connections with students. Natalie lives and works on Jagera and Turrbal Country in Meanjin Brisbane and Giabal and Jarowair Country in Toowoomba.
About Siân:
Siân Tooker (she/her/hers) is a human service professional based on Jagera and Turrbal Country in Magandjin Meanjin Brisbane.
Siân has worked in social and community services for nearly twenty years in frontline and leadership roles in intersecting fields of practice including family and domestic violence and reproductive justice.
Siân has a Lived and Living Experience (LLE) of working and studying with invisible disability, and she is looking forward to graduating with a Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) in June 2024 following the completion of 500 hours of workplace learning in the social work department of a major tertiary hospital in Queensland.
Siân hopes that providing an insight into her individual experience of invisible disability will encourage authentic and collaborative conversations within educational settings about accessibility and inclusion. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs
GenAI: Shaping tomorrow's workforce – opportunities and challenges for the VET sector
Category
Regulator / GovernmentLocation
Great Hall 1 & 2Alison Wall and Lisa Bale
Chief of Staff and Director VET + Innovation, Future Skills Orgnanisation (FSO)
About Alison:
Alison has over twenty years of experience in the VET sector. Through her work with numerous training institutions and government agencies, she has gained significant expertise in training and assessment, program implementation, and qualification packaging. Committed to building skills within industry she has also led state and national initiatives to increase capability and address workforce shortages, at both NBN Co and Major Road Projects Victoria.
Alison served as a member and Deputy Chair of the ICT Industry Reference Committee, responsible for advising the Australian Industry Skills Committee on the skill requirements for various sectors of the ICT industry and ensuring the incorporation of industry skill into national training packages. As Chief of Staff at Future Skills Organisation (FSO), Alison has led the FSO's transition to become one of ten national Jobs and Skills Councils and integrates the work of the FSO to advance transferable and industry-specific skills in the finance, technology and business sectors.
About Lisa:
Lisa is the Director VET + Innovation at Future Skills Organisation (FSO). She is a VET professional who has held executive and senior roles in the Australian and International VET sector. Making significant contributions in her roles as a teacher, head teacher, and director of learning, teaching, and quality at TAFE NSW and Federation University Australia.
Additionally, Lisa worked for the Human Services Skills Organisation, at a national level as a leading VET specialist, and now leads the VET + Innovation team at the FSO, one of ten national Jobs and Skills Council.
Meet and Play with Jane, Your Immersive AI Simulated Client
Category
Digital / Tech / AILocation
M4 (First Floor)This session will explore the use of AI in the development and delivery of immersive simulations. Using custom-built GPTs we will explore how AI can be used to design simulations. We will examine and exploit its versatility as a platform for experiencing simulations and formatively assessing student responses.
Through a step-by-step process, we will explain the components of configuring a custom GPT and how to create a persona that students can engage with, reducing the need for traditional conversational role plays. We will provide a demonstration of how this works and allow participants to directly engage with a fully developed custom persona as a student would whilst undertaking skill development.
We will also demonstrate a range of innovative, AI-enhanced applications currently in use globally and discuss what is on the horizon. Participants are encouraged to join in the process of a live build, creating their own personas to take away.
Sarah Phillips, Melissa Palmer & Kerri Neven
Pop Education
About Sarah:
Sarah is the founder and Managing Director of Pop Education. Since 2005, she developed VET resources in the online and blended space. Sarah has developed assessments for over 300 unique units of competency and began her assessment career developing assessments for 12 months under the guidance of an ASQA auditor. Sarah’s previous background in e-learning has allowed her to combine her skills to be a thought leader in the niche space of online assessment and has designed models for validating online assessments and assessment methodology. She is highly regarded in the sector for her management of large projects and her personable approach to client needs, and delivers high quality materials and training, leading her team by example. With a Bachelor of Adult Learning and Development, coupled with a Diploma of e-learning and qualifications in Auditing, Visual Arts and Project Management, Sarah knows all facets of resource development. More recently Sarah has embarked on a journey into the world of AI, working specifically with small language models and persona development.
About Melissa:
Melissa joined Pop Education and become a Director alongside Sarah and Alex Phillips in 2019. Pre-Pop Melissa has 15 + years’ experience in the VET sector across a wide range of roles and training organisations both in the public and private sectors. Melissa’s career has seen her become a leading assessment specialist. With the past seven years specifically working in roles providing assessment specialist services in assessment development, assessment validation and training and mentoring. Melissa has worked in lead roles on many significant projects with Pop, including developing the simulated RTO for Pop Education’s and Blackwater Projects TAE suite of resources for online and blended delivery. Melissa loves working creatively and collaboratively, especially when exploring new avenues for education solutions.
About Kerri:
Kerri Neven is a digital developer, education designer, UX/UI and graphic designer at Pop Education. She has amassed 27 years of experience as a multi-award-winning educator, leading both teachers and students through evolving digital landscapes. Coming from a family of coders her first post grad study in 1998 focussed on computers in education and concreted the foundations for her interest in the relationship between humans and technology. Since OpenAI hit the world she has supported numerous teams and organisations in the adoption and exploitation of ChatGPT, encouraging the construction of critical and creative mindsets. Always an explorer and early adopter, she is fascinated with the philosophies both behind and in front of AI, and focuses on best practice in utilising technology, keeping humans at the heart of education.
Pathways to Success - Engaging students in Learning Support and bespoke approaches to the LLN journey.
Category
Research / Case StudiesLocation
P1 & 2 (Second Floor)The qualified staff in the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) at Central Queensland University (CQU) delivers contextualised learning support to rural, remote, and regional students from Certificates I to IV.
This session will detail the learning support journey and engagement of targeted students, including First Nations cohorts at the enrolment stage and outline quality approaches used to engage students via face-to-face, online, team teaching, themed LLN workshops and embedded content.
With this quality mindset and the objective of improving student retention and completion rates, this comprehensive approach to LLN has increased student satisfaction ratings and delivered positive outcomes.
During this presentation, you will also hear stories of success and testimonials from a sample of students.
Leonie Webster & Leonie Keating
Head of Course Academic Learning Centre and Leading Vocational Teacher in the Academic Learning Centre, Central Queensland University.
About Leonie Webster:
Leonie is a dedicated and experienced language, literacy, numeracy teacher with a passion for empowering individuals through education.
In 2015, she joined CQUniversity (CQU), a reputable dual sector university, as a teacher within the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program where she was able to hone my skills in supporting diverse learners with language literacy and numeracy needs.
She holds the position of Head of Course within the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) at CQU, leading a strong team of language, literacy and numeracy educators who provide essential support to apprentices, trainees, specialised cohorts, and mainstream VET students.
In this role, she is committed to developing tailored learning plans, implementing differentiated instruction strategies, and fostering a collaborative learning environment that meets the unique needs of each student. Through her work, she not only strives to create inclusive and engaging learning experiences that enable individuals to reach their full potential and potentially exceed in their academic and professional endeavor, but also encourage and support the team to do the same.
Her team values the ‘VET Equation; Quality Inputs equals Remarkable Outcomes’.
About Leonie Keating:
Leonie Keating is a Leading Vocational Teacher in the Academic Learning Centre at Central Queensland University.
With 25 years’ teaching experience in Language, Literacy and Numeracy in the Adult Migrant English and SEE Programme, Leonie is dedicated to the delivery of quality contextualised learning support to engage the learner across blended delivery modes, including face to face sessions and online support.
Leonie assists rural and regional students across Certificate levels I to IV in the VET sector, with a focus on trainees, apprentices, and First Nations students across specialist cohorts, including BHP and Yuwi Corporation.
Factors contributing to the adoption of AI as a learning tool in the VET Sector: An exploratory study.
Category
Research / Case StudiesLocation
M1 & 2 (First Floor)The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational practices has witnessed a significant paradigm shift in recent years. This exploratory study delves into the factors influencing the adoption of ChatGPT, an AI-powered conversational model, as a learning tool within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. By leveraging qualitative research methods, including interviews and surveys, this study aims to identify the key drivers and barriers shaping educators' and learners' perceptions and behaviours toward incorporating ChatGPT and other AI tools into vocational learning environments.
As a part of this research, we intend to conduct a small exploratory study to ascertain the major factors that may contribute to the adoption of ChatGPT for learning purposes in VET. The target audience for this study will be employees from the NSW local government training sector and teachers of CQUniversity. The research will investigate various dimensions, including technological readiness, perceived usefulness, ease of use, pedagogical alignment, institutional support, and individual motivations. Through a comprehensive analysis of the collected data, the study seeks to unveil insights into the multifaceted dynamics surrounding the adoption of AI tools in VET settings.
The findings of this study are anticipated to contribute to the existing literature on AI in VET and provide valuable implications for VET stakeholders, including educators, management teams and practitioners. Understanding the factors influencing the adoption of ChatGPT and other AI tools as a learning mechanism can facilitate the design of effective strategies to promote its integration into vocational training programs, thereby enhancing the quality and accessibility of education in the VET sector.
Dr. Shweta Singh & Niv Roy
Director of Teaching and Learning (VET), Central Queensland University | Head of Training, NSW Local Government Procurement
About Dr. Shetwa
Dr. Shweta Singh is a distinguished professional in the field of tertiary education, possessing a wealth of knowledge and experience that bridges the realms of Higher Education and vocational education
Her unique array of qualifications has created a portfolio of success in the Tertiary education sector. She has over 20 years of experience in the education sector in a diverse range of educational roles from a Teacher to a National leader. She is a published author of several academic books, papers, and has numerous professional development accolades. This scholarly background provides a unique lens through which Shweta brings a nuanced perspective to vocational education projects globally. The academic journey has been marked by a commitment to research and innovation, contributing to vitals of learning and teaching, and specializing in Agribusiness.
As a Director of Teaching and Learning (VET) at Central Queensland University, she has championed the integration of theory and practice. She was invited to represent TAFE Director’s Australia at the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) to develop their Global Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Professional and Technical Education and Training (PTET). Her leadership in Vocational education has been characterized by a commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and a tireless pursuit of excellence for which she has been recognized at the national level.
About Niv
Niv Roy has proven expertise in a wide array of management functions, She has a keen desire to excel further as a Learning and Development professional. In an extensive career spanning more than twenty years as an educator, corporate trainer, consultant and senior manager, she has managed diverse functions around training activities. For more than ten years in a higher middle management position, she has utilized planning and organizational skills to successfully set up and lead several new initiatives and business units.
Jobs & Skills Council Collaboration Panel
Category
Regulator / GovernmentLocation
M1 & 2 (First Floor)This panel session of Jobs and Skill Council (JSC) representatives is designed to share the role and function of JSCs and allow for Q&A.
Explore:
- How JSCs connect with Industry
- How they connect and support with RTOs
- The Workforce Planning Process
- How RTOs can be involved with JSCs
Helen Tinney, Alison Wall, Anthea Middleton & Natalie Turmine
About Helen:
| Executive Director Training Products & Implementation, AUSMASA |
Helen is an experienced executive and has extensive knowledge and understanding of the vocational education and training sector having worked in TAFE NSW and within the TAFE sector in Victoria.
She is driven to create innovative, student-centred learning that delivers high-quality education and training programs and products that make a difference to learners and an empowered workforce.
Helen is accountable for driving the execution of, and leading the development of innovative, contemporary fit for purpose VET training products, supporting collaboration between industry and training providers to improve training and assessment practice.
Her team aligns efforts across the mining and automotive industries to improve system responsiveness, build stakeholder confidence and drive high-quality outcomes for the VET sector, learners and business.
About Alison:
| Chief of Staff and Director VET, Future Skills Organisation |
Alison has over twenty years of experience in the VET sector. Through her work with numerous training institutions and government agencies, she has gained significant expertise in training and assessment, program implementation, and qualification packaging. Committed to building skills within industry she has also led state and national initiatives to increase capability and address workforce shortages, at both NBN Co and Major Road Projects Victoria.
Alison served as a member and Deputy Chair of the ICT Industry Reference Committee, responsible for advising the Australian Industry Skills Committee on the skill requirements for various sectors of the ICT industry and ensuring the incorporation of industry skill into national training packages. As Chief of Staff at Future Skills Organisation (FSO), Alison has led the FSO's transition to become one of ten national Jobs and Skills Councils and integrates the work of the FSO to advance transferable and industry-specific skills in the finance, technology and business sectors.
About Anthea:
| CEO, Powering Skills Organisation |
Anthea Middleton is an Energy industry leader in workforce planning and development.
After completing her Bachelor of International Business and Human Resources, Anthea honed her leadership capabilities working across various industries, including tech, finance, mining, energy, gas, utilities, electro-technology, telecommunications, government and rail.
Anthea has grown and refined her skills in a range of challenging work environments, from relatively new start-ups, to small not-for-profits, all the way to world leading multinationals like Facebook.
Anthea is the CEO for the newly formed Powering Skills Organisation, one of ten industry jobs and skills councils, focused on industry workforce planning, engagement, and training sector enhancement. Anthea brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, with recent achievements including contributing future workforce skilling research for Australia’s electricity networks, electrotechnology contractors, and the Coal Seam Gas industry.
About Natalie:
| CEO, Service and Creative Skills Australia |
Natalie has over 28 years’ experience leading employment, disability, Indigenous, community, apprenticeship, workforce development, philanthropic, social enterprise, labour hire and training services across Australia for both not-for-profit and for-profit organisations.
Natalie has been the CEO of Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) for 8 months. SaCSA is one of the newly formed and Federally funded Jobs and Skills Councils. SaCSA is responsible for working with Industry, Unions, Federal and State Governments to identify skills and workforce planning nationally for the Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality Industries.
Previously, Natalie was the CEO of Campbell Page for 6 years, COO of VERTO for 4 years and the Executive General Manager with Angus Knight/Jobfind for 15 years.
Natalie is also currently:
- State Councilor – Business NSW playing an active and important role in the governance of the company and supporting the promotion of policy positions.
- Chair of the Board - Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) which manages Sydney Motorsport Park and the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct (Centre of Excellence for STEM workforce development and Motorsport workforce technology)
- Non-Executive Director - Hydrogen House Australia, promoting hydrogen for the production and storage of renewable energy Natalie also currently plays a workforce development advisory role on committees including:
- Business NSW, NSW Workforce Skills Policy Committee, to develop/promote the policy positions of Business NSW on workforce skills issues to government, industry.
- Global Advisory Panel for Institute on Science for Global Policy “Pathways to a Hydrogen Energy Future” program advising on workforce development needs of the emerging industry globally and nationally.