Management Skill Development in the Livestock Industry (Staff)

Project commencement date:

Project completion date:

A project for Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovations and the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre, to analyse vocational education and training (VET) activity for the livestock industries and to assess perceptions of VET’s role and effectiveness in achieving improved management skills of producers.

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and other stakeholders across Australia were interviewed about issues that enhance and inhibit effective delivery to primary producers in the beef cattle and sheep meat and wool industries. Case studies of four examples of good practice in RTOs were written. Because of the nature of these industries, the case-studied RTOs are all regional/rural. The research was completed at the end of 2005. Findings suggest that although research and state policies identify a need for training at Australian Qualifications Framework level IV and beyond, delivery has actually declined in some areas.

Relevance of the project to rural health matters is not a component of the research, but it has obvious linkages and implications for UDRH’s core business. Rural economies and employment outcomes are important contextual elements of rural health.