Royal Life Saving seeks input on industry training packages

A nationwide review of what is required to be trained and assessed for aquatic industry qualifications is underway with Royal Life Saving Society - Australia asking for industry feedback.

For those who work in the aquatic, fitness, recreation and sport industry; provide swim lessons or manage people in the sport and recreation facilities, this is the opportunity to make sure the draft includes the skills the industry needs now and into the future.

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) approved SkillsIQ, under the direction of the Sport and Recreation Industry Reference Committee (IRC), to review all nationally recognised Sport, Aquatic and Recreation Training Package Products included in the SIS Sport, Fitness and Recreation Training Package.

Royal Life Saving is working with industry stakeholders and SkillsIQ to support industry in developing standard training products. These products (qualifications, skill sets and units) define what is required to be trained and assessed for industry qualifications to be awarded including Swim Teacher and Pool Lifeguard.

According to SkillsIQ, key changes across the sector’s operating and regulatory environment, as well as job role requirements, has meant that the Sport, Aquatic and Recreation qualifications within the SIS Training Package are no longer fit for purpose for the sector.

Click here to view a Validation Guide summarising the proposed changes.

Draft two of the Sport, Aquatic and Recreation Qualifications, Skill Sets, Units of Competency and their associated assessment requirements is now open for public validation until to Friday 17th June 2022.

Draft two material is available for comment on the SkillsIQ Online Feedback Forum.

Click here to access the Feedback Forum and provide feedback.

In addition to written feedback via the Forum, SkillsIQ are also leading a series of webinars and stakeholder discussions.

• Tuesday 7th June 2022 - 1 to 3pm AEST

• Friday 10th June 2022 - 1 to 3pm AEST

• Tuesday 14th June 2022, 10am to midday AEST

Click here to register.

Royal Life Saving and SkillsIQ will also run a session at the upcoming National Aquatic Industry Committee (NAIC) meeting on 6th and 7th June.

For more information or to speak to someone regarding the updates, contact Shaun Jackson, Royal Life Saving’s National Manager - Training and Workforce Development via email at sjackson@rlssa.org.au

Who are the various committees and what do they do?
The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) is responsible for sign off on national training package product development in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. It draws on advice from Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), with the help of Skills Service Organisations, to ensure training packages meet the needs of employers, employees, training providers and people seeking training qualifications.

SkillsIQ is a Skill Service Organisation funded by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment to support the Sport and Recreation Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) responsible for the development and maintenance of the Sport, Fitness and Recreation Training Package.

Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) drive the process of Training Package development and are made up of people with experience, skills and knowledge of their industry sector. IRCs are responsible for the provision of strategic input and advice that represents the needs of industry organisations and their workforce, and for ensuring Training Package Products reflect these needs.

Royal Life Saving works with the National Aquatic Industry Committee (NAIC) and various state and territory networks to inform the information that goes to Sport and Recreation IRC and facilitate broader industry consultation and voice in industry training packages.

To provide job specific technical expertise for this update, SkillsIQ formed a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which looks closely at the content and requirements in each unit of competency and how they feed into the skill sets and qualifications.