Common use of THE WORKERS IN TRANSITION PROGRAM Clause in Contracts

THE WORKERS IN TRANSITION PROGRAM. The Victorian Government supports retrenched workers by providing individuals with the opportunity to build on their current skills or retrain through the Workers in Transition program (WiTP). The program aims to efficiently transition workers facing retrenchment to alternative employment with minimal disruption to economic participation through the application of appropriate training strategies. WiTP provides retrenched individuals with access to government subsidised training if they do not meet the ‘up-skilling’ requirement of the Victorian Training Guarantee. Retrenched individuals taking part in the program are provided with a WiTP letter from the Department which refers them to the RTO. Individuals can obtain this letter from a DEECD Regional Market Facilitation Manager. Details of the Department’s Regional Market Facilitation Managers can be found at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx/xxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxx/Xxxxx/xxxx.xxxx 18.1 To set out the RTO’s roles and responsibilities with respect to administering assistance to retrenched individuals who have been referred to the RTO as part of the Workers in Transition program. 18.2 The RTO will work with individuals or groups of retrenched workers referred to them under the Workers in Transition program to ensure their current skills are assessed/recognised in order to access appropriate government subsidised training in recognised qualifications. 18.3 Individuals referred under this program should be encouraged to undertake training in a skills shortage occupation or for jobs where there are demonstrated local or regional employment opportunities. 18.4 The RTO must: a) Screen referred individuals to determine the vocational interests of the student; b) Provide career advice to referred individuals; c) Assess referred individuals’ eligibility for a government subsidised training place under the Victorian Training Guarantee; and d) Enrol referred individuals in accordance with the requirements set out in the 18.5 Where the RTO (Approved RPL Provider List RTOs only) delivers government subsidised recognition of prior learning (RPL) to referred individuals, the RTO agrees to: a) facilitate new skills acquisition by using RPL in conjunction with training. For example, where a referred individual is provided with some transferable skills to enter new industry/job and requires some training to complete a new qualification. RPL of 100% of the qualification is not supported in this case. b) make every reasonable effort to help improve the skill levels of retrenched Victorians to transition to new employment through the provision of relevant training advice, including that RPL should: i) contribute to a job outcome for unemployed/underemployed individuals; and/or ii) support the referred individual to transfer to a new occupation/area of labour market demand with overlapping skill needs. For example, a worker retrenched due to an individual business closing (but not linked to a declining industry) requiring a qualification through RPL to stay in the same industry. In some instances, this may mean the RTO works with referring agencies or agents, such as Job Services Australia providers, industry associations or using other resources in the relevant region to ensure retrenched individuals are provided advice on training in an area linked to job opportunities. c) support job retention through RPL where accredited skills are required. For example, RPL may be used to respond to regulatory or legislative changes where a certain qualification is now required (i.e. childcare) that will help the worker to be re-employed/employed in a certain industry. RPL of 100% of the qualification is supported in this case. Evidence used to determine this requirement should be retained by the RTO. d) ensure that up to date information is available on course availability and prerequisite requirements, which may require RPL assessment. Associated costs should be identified, which will assist in the understanding of costs incurred by the individual at the local level without further escalation. 18.6 Individuals referred under this initiative that do not meet the ‘upskilling’ requirement must be reported to the Department through the use of the Eligibility Exemption Indicator field in the monthly Student Statistical Reports to be provided under the VET Funding Contract. 18.7 The RTO must report to the Department all Training Services delivered to individuals, under the Workers in Transition program in accordance with the reporting requirements outlined in the Victorian VET Student Statistical Collection Guidelines as issued by the Department from time to time. 18.8 Technical queries about reporting should be submitted through the Enquires function of the Skills Victoria Training System under the category Skills for Victoria/Funding Source Codes.