e-News Edition #2

Date: 29-Nov-2022

Hot Topics

1. New Business Administration Manager/Company Secretary joins the Irrigation Australia Team

2. New Draft Standards for Registered Training Organisations

3. Waterwise Garden Workshops (WA)

4. 2023 Waterwise Irrigation Expo (WA)

5. Call for Articles and Advertisers - Autumn Edition of the Journal

Other News

6. Media Release - Finalising the Murray Darling Basin Plan

7. Irrigation Australia Big Bash League Tipping Competition

8. Melbourne Breakfast with Dermy

9. Non Urban Water Meter Installers and Validators (CMI's / DQP's) are in demand

1. New Business Administration Manager/Company Secretary joins the Irrigation Australia Team

We are very pleased to welcome Naomi Carragher to the team who started on 14 November and has now completed a couple of weeks’ handover with Chris Delphin.

Naomi joins us with over 13 years’ experience in customer service roles in travel and accommodation, event management, project support, marketing, including the last two years with the Queensland Water Directorate managing members and industry suppliers.

Naomi’s husband Byron is a Civil Engineer together they have three boys Owen (6), Austin (4) and Dylan (3). Any free time Naomi can get is spent swimming or reading a book in a nice quiet place.

2. New Draft Standards for Registered Training Organisations

The Australian Government has released draft revised ‘Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ (RTOs) for public consultation.

The draft revised Standards and a supporting consultation paper are now available on the Skills Reform website - https://www.skillsreform.gov.au/reforms/quality-reforms/. Below is a high-level summary of the intent of the standards.

Training and assessment
- A stronger focus on the quality of training.
- Reframing of the principles of assessment and rules of evidence in plain English to support greater clarity and consistency.
- Greater clarity in relation to validation, with a stronger focus on the intended outcome of ensuring assessment tools and practices are fit-for-purpose. A new requirement has been introduced in relation to pre-validation of assessment tools, which was raised through consultation feedback as being an important practice to ensure high-quality assessment.
- Clarity around recognition of prior learning (RPL) requirements to reinforce that RPL is an assessment process, and that learners should be able to access RPL where they have shown relevant pre-existing skills, knowledge, and experience.
Learner support
- Strengthened requirements around learner wellbeing.
- A stronger focus on equitable policies and practices that recognise learner diversity, including ensuring culturally safe training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners, and safety for minors and other vulnerable cohorts.
- A requirement in relation to reasonable adjustments to align with existing requirements of RTOs under the Disability for Standards for Education 2005.
- A stronger focus on RTOs considering learners’ capabilities, including language, literacy, numeracy, and digital proficiency, prior to enrolment in providing advice on whether training is appropriate for their needs.
- Additional requirements to ensure learners have reasonable access to trainers and assessors and receive support where their personal circumstances adversely impact their progression through training.
- A stronger focus on supporting learners through transition of training products, to minimise disadvantage.
Workforce
- Change of language from ‘working under supervision’ to ‘working under the direction of’ to better encapsulate that one-on-one supervision is not always required.
- Inclusion of the ability for people ‘working towards’ the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or a diploma from the Training and Education (TAE) training package, or a relevant higher qualification, to work under the direction of a fully qualified trainer and assessor.
- Improved capacity to engage industry experts to deliver training and assessment under direction.
- Changes to requirements around workforce competencies to provide greater certainty about what is expected of trainers and assessors in terms of industry skills and knowledge relevant to what they are delivering.
- Increased focus on professional development and ensuring training and assessment skills are current.
Engagement
- A new requirement for RTOs to form relevant linkages with others in the community. Depending on the learner cohort, and training being delivered, this could include linkages with educational institutions, community groups, job networks and wellbeing support services to help support learner progression and facilitate pathways into, through and from training. This is consistent with sector feedback that effective community partnerships and resulting pathways support learner success and lifelong learning.
Governance

A stronger focus on good governance, culture, and accountability. These are key indicators of success and support excellence in training delivery. There is a clearer focus on management leading the organisation well, being accountable for compliance with the Standards and leading a culture within the organisation that reflects integrity, quality training, safety, and wellbeing. This is designed to promote learning and work environments that are supportive, inclusive, and free from discrimination and harassment.
Strengthened requirements relating to continuous improvement. Quality outcomes and sustained compliance with the Standards are achieved when RTOs systematically monitor and evaluate their performance and continuously improve. This is also aligned to moving the sector towards self-assurance.

Irrigation Australia will be making a submission – while there are strengths to the proposed approach there are a number of concerns to raise as we focus on continuous improvement of our training services and student experience.

3. Waterwise Garden Workshops (WA)

The Waterwise Garden Workshops sponsored by Water Corporation were held on 28 – 30 October at the Perth Garden & Outdoor Living Festival. A total of 179 keen gardeners participated in the workshops over the 3 days, which covered the topics including the impacts of climate change in Perth, lawn care, lawn alternatives, soil improvements, mulches, efficient irrigation, and controllers. The workshops were delivered by the very knowledgeable Paul Wilmott with a mixture of videos and practical demonstrations and plenty of opportunities for interaction.

Thanks to Rainbird Australia for offering a substantial giveaway which included a smart controller and an array of irrigation equipment for the installation of a domestic irrigation system.

To view the photo gallery of the latest Waterwise Garden Workshops, click here.

4. 2023 Waterwise Irrigation Expo (WA)

This premier Western Australian event for the irrigation industry will be held in August 2023. This event provides educational workshops with field demonstrations as well as a trade show exhibiting the latest technologies and products for the irrigation market. Planning is underway and the Exhibitor Prospectus will be launched early in the new year. Be sure to secure you exhibition space as soon as it is available to do so.

Keep an eye out for promotions/invitation to a member event near you. These are organised when sites of interest are accessible and provide knowledge transfer and networking opportunities.

5. Call for Articles and Advertisers - Autumn Edition of the Journal

With our summer release just around the corner, our wonderful editor, Eve White, is starting to compile the next Journal edition, due for publication towards the end of February. If you have an idea for a case study or technical article you'd like to share with the industry, please get in touch with Eve to discuss. The features for autumn are 'training and professional development' and 'digital technology in irrigation' but we welcome articles focussing on all aspects of the industry. The deadline for all material is 10 Feb 2023.

For all potential content providers and advertisers, check out the draft media kit available here. Eve’s contact details are on the last page, along with our advertising manager, Brian Rault’s. The kit will be updated in the new year as we finalise some topics and rates.

6. Media Release - Finalising the Murray Darling Basin Plan

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has released its new position statement on finalising the Murray-Darling Basin Plan with a renewed commitment to implementing the Plan in the best interests of regional communities.

To view the media release, click here.

To view the NIC Position Statement, click here.

7. Irrigation Australia Big Bash League Tipping Competition

This season Irrigation Australia will be hosting a Big Bash League Tipping Competition for all of our financial Irrigation Australia Members – if there’s interest you can expect NRL and AFL over winter where the real action is!

The first game commences on 13th December 2022 and the Grand Final on 4th February.

All registrations must be in by COB 12th December 2022 – assuming you want to take advantage of the first round.

To register for the competition, please click here. You’ll need your member credentials and to register for the ESPN tipping site – for this trial event there are $500 in cash prizes on offer. Please bear with us if there are a few bumps while we are getting set up.

8. Melbourne Breakfast with Dermy

Around 80 Irrigation Australia members, sponsors and stakeholders attended the annual Melbourne Region Irrigation Professionals Christmas Breakfast on 21 November – a great networking event and a lot of fun. Guests were treated to many football anecdotes from the legendary Dermott Brereton. Thanks to all the sponsors and to the Rain Bird connections for sourcing the speaker.

9. Non Urban Water Meter Installers & Validators (CMIs / DQPs) are in high demand

The installation & validation of Non Urban Water Meters are increasing with NSW, SA & QLD Governments requiring Water Licence holders to have their meters validated or replaced by the relevant deadlines with their jurisdictions.

Don't miss out on these opportunities with the growing demand by getting your team trained and certified to be a Certified Meter Installer and Validator.

To view the photo gallery from the recent Irrigation System Auditor Training Course, click here.

Till next time, best wishes....

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