acpet meets tra in canberra
Last Wednesday, ACPET visited Canberra to participate in the second of what we expect will be a series of regular meetings with executives of Trades Recognition Australia (TRA).
The purpose of the meetings is to enable a dialogue between the parties and encourage a greater appreciation of the respective roles and responsibilities of TRA and ACPET and its members.
TRA is part of the Workplace Services Group in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). TRA is designated by the Minister for Immigration as the assessing authority for 170 trades and associated professional occupations on the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) and Employer Nomination Scheme Occupations List (ENSOL).
TRA assesses the skills qualifications equivalents of applicants for permanent residence, both off-shore and from applicants already in the country.
Our discussions were cordial and positive. The main consideration was given to papers tabled by ACPET and the TRA respectively.
It is fair to say there are some significant differences of view. This applies especially to TRA’s application of its 900 hour work experience requirement in relation to AQF III holders for the purposes of a pre-migration skills assessment under the General Skilled Migration programme. The difference applies particularly to the issue of recognition of work experience as an integral component of an institutionally based AQF pathway. The TRA has a fixed view that work experience, for recognition purposes, needs to be outside of, and additional to, an AQF training package program. It follows that ACPET sees a fundamental challenge arising from the TRA position to the AQTF standards framework and to the integrity of the training package regime generally.
There is at least a perception on ACPET’s part that the TRA considers work experience and skills equivalence for applicants for permanent residency, has to in fact be of a higher standard than for Australians. If this is the case, then we will have two sets of standards which in turn could undermine the AQTF and training packages. All this remains to be seen. What is important is that ACPET and the TRA are in dialogue and are keen to keep talking.
In the course of discussions, TRA made it clear that unsuccessful applicants for skills assessment were able to, by right, seek feedback from the TRA as to reasons for decisions. Readers involved in advising applicants on any aspect of TRA skills assessment, are advised to take note of this important entitlement.
An interesting statistic which emerged from our meeting was that the trades of cookery and hairdressing (two out of 170 occupations) account for one in three of the applications received by TRA for assessment in a year. TRA has in excess of 30,000 applications annually, a massive challenge for the organisation. ACPET acknowledges the magnitude and the importance of the TRA’s mission.
It was agreed to meet again in August. The TRA has also kindly agreed to present a session at the ACPET National Conference in Perth on August 23-25, which will aim to inform conference delegates about TRA and its policies. A great opportunity for ACPET members to find out more about the TRA.
Present at the meeting for ACPET were Tim Smith (NEO), Ruth Browne ( Pivot Point Design College ), Glenn Pereira (Culinary Institute of Australia ) and Frank Sette (ACPET ACT Executive Officer).
TRA was represented by Stewart Thomas (Assistant Secretary, Workplace Programmes Branch, DEWR), along with Andy Jamonts (Director, Operations), Anni Chilton (Director, Policy and Strategy), Karen White (A/D, Policy and Strategy) and Tony Spencer (Assistant Director, Operations). |
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