More than 80 people attended the 2007 NSW Utilities and Electrotechnology ITAB Annual conference over two days in July at Fairmont Resort Leura. With the topical theme ‘Building Sustainability in Industry’ the conference delegates participated in fiery debates and workshops about how industry can ensure the sustainability of its workforce – and how a sustainable workforce will help the environment.

The conference was well attended by industry, TAFE teachers and managers and training package developers, with the ITAB’s Deputy Chair, Joe Calabrese, taking on the MC duties. The most popular sessions included a feisty interactive forum on Apprentice Profiling in NSW, and a session ‘Industry partnerships- how RTOs and Employers can work together. As well as Training Package workshops presented by EE-Oz Training Standards and Government Skills Australia, there were separate workshops to discuss priorities for Gas, Water, Electrotechnology and Electricity Supply Industry sectors.

Les Dallas from Sydney Water shared his first hand experience about ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ and what having formal qualifications has meant to him. Bob Lowe, the retiring Technical Training Manager for Country Energy, talked about what the best-practice employer is doing to train and retain staff (Download Presentation).

Other presentations covered Sustainability & Skills (Lynnette Dorn, Director, Industry Programs, NSW Department of Education and Training - Download Presentation), Accreditation (Mike Russell, Business Council of Sustainable Energy), Licencing (Craig Simmons ACT Planning and Land Authority), Vocational Education & Training in Schools (Ian Balcomb Inspector Vocational Education, NSW Board Of Studies), and Group Training (Ben Bardon, General Manager Central West Group Training), Flexible Learning (Naomi Dinnen, Executive Officer, NSW U&E ITAB) as well as the launch of E-Profiling by Brad Flanagan, the National Manager of E-Profiling.

Sponsors were the ETU, EE-OZ Training Standards, ElectroGroup Training, Electro Skills, Energy Australia, NECA NSW Group Training, Government Skills Australia, Country Energy and the Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme.

Photos from the Conference