According to James Tinslay, the national chief executive officer of The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA), the Association fully supports the Institute of Trade Skills Excellence (ITSE) and considers its work is important to the electrotechnology industry in raising perceptions of the trade as a viable career.
“NECA is working to provide advice and assistance to ITSE on three levels, with a view to developing positive perceptions and awareness of trade skills excellence,” Mr Tinslay said.
“We are working with ITSE to develop and maintain a Provider Excellence Scheme, which involves industry rating of related schools or faculties within Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), on a voluntary basis, against transparent criteria.
“Our input will involve undertaking evaluations of those participating RTOs over the next two months, with a focus on electrical and communications skills.
“This will help to provide benchmarking standards for the industry and is an important step in elevating perceptions of the trade and the qualification outcomes,” Mr Tinslay said.
“We are also very supportive of the SkillsOne initiative recently announced, which is for an integrated communication platform involving pay television, Internet and other media to promote skills development, particularly in the trades-related occupations and industries.
“We will be working to provide best case scenarios and some good models to the Institute so it can promote electrical and communications-related training, to ensure young people and their families have a better understanding of the industry and available career paths.
“Finally, NECA will make two electrical industry awards under the Trade Teacher of the Year Awards 2007, as part of a number of Trade Teacher awards being run by ITSE across industry classifications. These awards will link in with our National Excellence Awards which are held each year, and which will this year be announced in November.”
ITSE is managed by an industry nominated Board of employers from at least eight key industry trade-related areas. NECA, which represents the interests of electrical and communications contractors nationally, chairs the ITSE Electrical Reference Group.