Training update

This year is shaping up as a full year for Seafood Training. All courses, from Coxswain Restricted to Master 5, are filling fast and based on this trend, numbers trained should be as good as last year. So please do not wait until the last minute to enrol in a course.

Course funding cut

State funding for training in seafood and maritime courses has been considerably reduced for 2010. We still have no confirmed funding for Master 5, Machinery or Wader Safety courses. We have applied for Master 5 funds but have no news yet. STT met with Skills Tasmania in late January and, while a robust discussion took place, the State Government’s position was clear in that there is insufficient money to fund demand for training from all industries. Our argument was that the current funding did not take into account:

• Industry growth – Tasmania now leads the States in seafood production and our maritime tourism sector is likewise growing. Demand for training is increasing while funding is decreasing;
• The need for equitable distribution of funds for training between all industries in Tasmania and clarifying of the criteria for allocating funds; and
• concerns about the level of funding in Tasmania, proportionate to that of other states, in particular whether or not more of these courses are funded in other states and at a higher level than Tasmania.

What we want to know is whether or not the seafood and maritime industries are getting their fair share of funding. Also, we need reasonable notice of any cuts to argue our case in advance and notify industry. We are waiting on a response from Skills Tasmania. Despite these issues, we remain hopeful that access to essential training will continue to be subsidised this year.

Productivity places

STT just lodged three tenders for:
• Certificate III in the Transport & Distribution (Master 5);
• Certificate III in the Seafood Industry (Aquaculture); and
• Certificate IV in the Seafood (Aquaculture).
We should hear if we have been successful or not by the end of April or early May and will advise you accordingly in the next issue of Fishing Today. The program is funded by the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments.

Pre-employment training

STT has started an Australian Apprenticeship Access Programme for Northern Group Training and the Huon Aquaculture Group. The program will provide five weeks of pre-employment training for prospective employees of Huon Aquaculture Group’s new processing plant at Parramatta Creek, near Devonport. Thirty-five candidates recently completed their first week. The program will cover basic food safety, temperature control, quality systems, packing, occupational health and safety matters, and involve both on and off the job training at Devonport and Port Huon. We hope to see many from this group start work at the new Huon factory just after Easter.

Single national maritime safety system

AMSA recently met with RTOs and industry representatives to discuss the Tinny to Tanker proposal. As discussed in the last issue of Fishing Today, we all had significant concerns with the proposal and thought it unworkable and likely to incur huge costs to industry for no gains. It was refreshing to see a new approach from AMSA in going back to the drawing board. We eagerly await the new version but there will be no cracking open the champagne just yet as there is still a long way to go.

New 2010 courses

If you are interested in training in Data Management (for those who collect data on fish farms), Bio-Sampling (for those who collect samples and identify diseases on fish farms), Live Transport and Live Holding (relevant to holding or transporting live fish or shellfish), call Matt Jones immediately on 03 6233 6442.


Fish health sampling with Matt Jones

Traineeships

Many of you will have employed a trainee or know of someone who has had a trainee in the past. In Tasmania, traineeships are available for careers in wild catch, aquaculture and seafood processing. They are available to new entrants, existing employees or even in some circumstances, to school students. Most are subsidised and some offer incentives to the employer.
They work, as evidenced by our employers, who vote with their feet. They keep coming back for more trainees as their businesses grow or staff move on. Employees and trainees get a say in the species focus, units and licences covered, as well as the timing of training.

For more information call James on
03 6233 2177 or Matt on 03 6233 6442.


Certificate III Aquaculture trainee, Cody Roberts, at work. Cody was a school-based trainee who moved on to a traineeship and is now a full-time employee of AQA Oysters at St Helens.