08 Dec Foundation Skills in Australian Apprenticeships
October’s blog from the Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships Information Service (AATIS) highlights the important role of Foundation Skills in Australian apprenticeships. It points out that foundation skills are fundamental to successfully completing an Australian apprenticeship and to participating and thriving in the workforce.
AATIS followed up the blog with an engaging panel discussion on Why Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Skills are so important to Australian Apprenticeships. Panel members were Peta Skujins, AATIS Director, Jo Fuller, Manager VET innovation at Digital Skills Organisation, Jo Medlin, President Australian Council of Adult Literacy and Vanessa Iles, Manager of the Reading Writing Hotline. View the panel discussion here
Panellists emphasised:
- The challenges around understanding the foundation skill levels needed including digital skills, to successfully complete an Australian apprenticeship.
- The importance of pre-assessment to see if an apprenticeship is the right option and whether any additional LND support is required.
- Apprenticeships now require higher level foundation skills especially in some vocational areas where ACSF level four/five numeracy level and level three/four are required.
- That educational institutions need to provide reader friendly material and resources to assist learning (to find out more about reader friendly communication see the Reading Writing Hotline resource here).