Welcome to the January 2010 VISTA Newsletter
The VISTA president and committee welcome you to the first newsletter for 2010. This year will be exciting for a range of reasons. Firstly, being an election year, there will be some terrific focus on education and training in both state and federal spheres. Secondly, VISTA will be bringing in new event products.
In 2009 more than 26 events were conducted in support of the VISTA focus, which is to connect individual VET/ACE professionals with the latest developments in VET policy and strategy.
This year VISTA will continue to develop the Fireside Chat series (with CEOs of the Industry Skills Councils and broadening to include industry associations), the MCG breakfast and dinner events, career development seminars, emerging-issue forums and the flagship conferences. The VISTA newsletter continues to expand its influence, already reaching 6500 recipients.
In addition to the flagship residential conference and the annual VISTA VALA post-compulsory conference in August, VISTA will be introducing a new conference (incorporating a new format) for June 22 - 23. This conference will look at emerging technology and innovation research within the materials area (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites etc), examine the application to SMEs and explore the role of VET in helping to bring “New Ideas into Action : Connecting the Dots".
VISTA will work with Materials Australia and Minds at Work to bring together VET professionals, research and innovation in materials (metals, polymers, composites, etc) and the enterprises in the manufacturing sector which will benefit from the application of emerging technology and research.
We anticipate access to this knowledge and these networks will enhance the capacity and capability of VET professionals and VET organisations to support the broader manufacturing industry in Australia.
The annual VISTA residential conference, scheduled for May 23–25, plans to raise the question about the perception of VET in the public eye. Is VET the silent sector? When the daily state and national press do not reference VET in its reporting on the Rudd Education Revolution scorecard (see VISTA December 2009 newsletter); when the public reporting of planning for the Tertiary Education sector at both federal and state sectors appears to pay scant regard to the role of VET other than a pathway to the Higher Education sector or as the vehicle for entry level trade training, it appears that the extensive and critical work undertaken by the VET sector remains "silent" in the public's and (VISTA asserts) industry's eyes. The VISTA conference intends to explore the role of the broad ACE / VET sector within the emerging tertiary education sector (State and Federal) as well as reflecting on what has been learned from the contestable funding experience. STOP PRESS: Tim Costello (CEO World Vision) has been confirmed as the conference dinner speaker.
This year’s VISTA program kicks off with the first Fireside Chat on January 28 when Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) CEO Patricia Neden (represented by General Manager Cherry Cole) will talk about the challenges facing the innovation, business and education (and training) sectors. Don't miss out the opportunity to network with colleagues, make new contacts and hear first hand on the key issues facing the industry and the VET sector in 2010.
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