Introduction

For managers and employees who need extra training or new skills but are concerned about cost, the Skills Alliance partnership with the Productivity Places Program (PPP) can help.

The Productivity Places Program is a joint initiative of the federal and state governments. It provides additional training places in areas where there are skills shortages so that workers develop the skills they need to stay employed and be more productive.

Under PPP an existing employee can gain a new qualification or upgrade to a higher qualification.

Forms for download:

• INFO - Download our PPP info sheet (PDF file)
• FLYER - Call For Expressions Of Interest, industry version (PDF file)
• FLYER - Call For Expressions of Interest, RTO version (PDF File)
• FORM - Expression Of Interest form for employers (Word doc)
• FORM - Application Form for RTO's (Word doc)
• FORM - Enterprise Based PPP form (online form)

PPP and the Skills Alliance

PPP training is heavily subsidised by the Skills Alliance, making it a very affordable option for employers and employees alike. Training is currently linked to qualifications in Fitness, Outdoor Recreation and Community Recreation and is provided by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).

The Skills Alliance is playing a leading role in rolling PPP out across our industry and serving as the principal contact and driver for the program. We serve as a broker; promoting the program, establishing pools of interested employees, and negotiating and contracting RTOs to deliver the training.

In Queensland, the program aims to offer more than 46,000 additional training places for job seekers and more than 102,000 additional training places for existing workers over four years to 2012.

For our industry, 1,000 training places have been allocated. These training places have been initially allocated to Fitness (Cert III and Cert IV), Outdoor Recreation (Cert III, Cert IV and Diploma) and Community Recreation (Cert III and Cert IV).

At this stage PPP only covers full qualifications; individual competencies relating to specific skill sets are not eligible at this time. However the Skills Alliance continues to liaise with the Department of Education and Training to broaden the scope of the program to include skill sets.

PPP and Registered Training Organisations

If you are an RTO delivering qualifications in Fitness, Outdoor Recreation, Community Recreation and Training and Assessment, you may be eligible to deliver this training under the PPP. Training places will be allocated to RTO's via a process involving:

1. Selection as an industry preferred supplier. The Skills Alliance will convene an industry panel that will establish criteria for selecting and appointing RTOs as preferred suppliers. This committee will also have a role in recommending individuals as mentors to further support PPP learners in implementing their developing knowledge and skills as they undertake their training.
2. Negotiations with the Skills Alliance concerning delivery arrangements and pricing.
3. Signing a delivery agreement with the Skills Alliance and meeting delivery targets.

RTO's are strongly encouraged to meet with the Skills Alliance to discuss and confirm their interest in participating.
 

PPP and Employers

If you are an employer and you apply for training via PPP, you will be asked to complete a Training Needs Analysis in order to identify the requirements specific to your business or organisation. This is not as difficult as it might sound and the Skills Alliance is happy to help with this task.

A training needs analysis is the first critical stage in the training cycle and comprises of:

• Determining what is required to complete the work activity
• Determining the existing levels of the staff completing the work
• Determining the training gap and how the gap aligns with the qualifications under PPP.

If your application is successful, the Skills Alliance will work with you to determine the most effective training and mode of delivery. We strongly encourage you to meet with us to learn more about how PPP works and to gain a greater understanding of the Training Needs Analysis process.
 

PPP and Industry Bodies

State sporting organisations and state recreation organisations can benefit from the Productivity Places Program in three ways:

• As an employer
• As an industry group which provides support and leadership to affiliated bodies
• By recommending mentors to the Skills Alliance.

As an employer, SSOs and SROs can do the Training Needs Analysis and apply for Productivity Places funding to up-skill their own current staff.

As an industry group, SSOs and SROs can provide direction and leadership to affiliated bodies to promote PPP and encourage employers across their sport or recreational activity to apply.

Regarding mentors, these will be drawn directly from the industry and will provide real-world experience and advice to students as they learn on-the-job. The Skills Alliance will rely heavily on advice from SSOs and SROs as to the suitability of potential mentors.
 

Enterprise-based PPP

The Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP) is an expansion of the successful National Enterprise PPP trial conducted through 2008 and 2009.

Up to $25 million will be provided by government to increase skill levels of existing workers from a range of industries, which is consistent with the long term policy intent of PPP.

In the new program, eligibility will be extended to include:

• small and medium enterprises
• national professional associations and industry bodies
• enterprises and businesses that operate across a number of states.

EBPPP is designed to increase the skills of existing workers in occupations on the "priority occupations" list. Qualifications will be part-funded from Certificate III to Advanced Diploma level. The contribution of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relation's (DEEWR) will depend on the size of the business.

The objectives of the program are to provide opportunities for employees in participating enterprises to increase their skill levels and gain further qualifications. This will assist enterprises to increase productivity and meet the demand for higher skills that is a feature of today's economy.

This program is administered directly by Service Skills Australia (SSA) with input from the Skills Alliance. At this stage SSA is asking for Expressions of Interest from businesses, enterprises, national professional associations and industry bodies. You will need to detail the aims and outcomes of your project and the proposed qualifications and numbers of people involved.

Following the receipt of your expression of interest, SSA will contact you to discuss the development of a project to be submitted to DEEWR for funding.

Please note: EBPPP does not replace the Qld Productivity Places Program. If you are in doubt about which program is best for you, contact us at the Skills Alliance.
 

Further information about PPP

• Contact Bradley Low at the Skills Alliance.

• Visit the government's Productivity Places Program website.