- REMINDER NSW GOV REVIEW OF ITABs UNDERWAY – ITAB MUST SUBMIT SUPPORT LETTERS
- ELECTRICAL WORKER LOSES LICENCE FOR 10 YEARS
- SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE – NO. 116
- SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE – NO. 115
- PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION – SKILLS & WORKFORCE AGREEMENT REPORT DELAYED JAN 2021
- MAKING A RISKY PROPOSITION SAFE (Flammable Refrigerants)
- ENA ANNOUNCES WINNER OF INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION AWARD
- GOVERNMENT TO MANDATE AEB EMERGENCY BRAKING TECHNOLOGY IN LIGHT VEHICLES
- SOLAR REPORT: THIRD QUARTER 2020
- DRIVING GREEN RECOVERY – TAX INCENTIVES FOR SOLAR-STORAGE
1. REMINDER NSW GOV REVIEW OF ITABs UNDERWAY – ITAB MUST SUBMIT SUPPORT LETTERS
Readers may recall last week’s News Service 32 reported that Training Services NSW is undertaking a review of the current NSW ITAB arrangements that closes on 31st October 2020. Existing ITABs and other bodies have been invited to submit proposals to cover the 11 industry sectors in a manner suited to their operations. An applicant can bid for all, part or specific industry sectors as covered by Training Packages.
Readers were invited to consider supporting the NSW UE ITAB in relation to its recognised coverage of the Utilities and Electrotechnology Industry and Training Packages, by demonstrating their support via a formal letter of support that confirms also the Training Package interest for organisations and for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) an email that confirms their support in their capacity and role of a SME practitioner in the industry.
The NSW UE ITAB thanks the organisations and SMEs that have demonstrated their support for the ITAB. As with these forms of submissions, we require a few more letters of support.
A sample letter that can be used as the basis of drafting a letter is attached.
Letters of support are an essential part of the submission process for which Training Services NSW will consider, as part of the Grant evaluation process. If you have not already done so and you are considering providing support to the NSW UE ITAB, could you please forward your support as soon as practicable to help in the submission process and lend support to the application.
Submissions to Training Services NSW close on 31 October 2020, and in order to prepare the NSW UE ITAB submission we need the letters/emails of support prior to that date. It would be appreciated if the letter/email of support was provided by no later than COB Wednesday, 28 October 2020.
To help you gain an appreciation of the Grant process that will be followed by Training Services NSW and the criteria that it will use to select organisation(s)/individual(s), background information is provided on the Grant arrangements at the following link: (Summary of the Grant Opportunity).
2. ELECTRICAL WORKER LOSES LICENCE FOR 10 YEARS
Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office has reported in its latest eSafe Electrical of an electrical worker who has been disqualified from holding an electrical work license for 10 years. The articles states, “The worker advertised his services online to perform unlicensed electrical contracting work while his licence was suspended due to negligent and unsafe work on a previous occasion.
The worker was fixing a safety switch which had tripped and would not reset, cutting power to the house socket outlets. He misled the homeowner and put people and property at risk when he installed a new safety switch and deliberately disconnected the safety switch from the socket outlet circuits.
As well as the immediate cancellation of his electrical work licence and the disqualification from holding a licence and qualified technical person (QTP) status for 10 years, he was fined $4,000.
The disqualification also applies to any electrical work licence issued by another Australian state or territory, or New Zealand.”
Other incidents included disciplinary action against other license holders covering the following:
- “An electrical worker and QTP failed to adequately supervise electrical workers while installing three switchboards at a unit complex. …
- An electrical contractor failed to have adequate inspection and testing procedures in place when electrical workers failed to install MEN links during the installation of three switchboards. There was a lack of audit systems to ensure safe systems of work and to demonstrate workers and QTPs were competent to perform the project tasks.
- An electrical worker and QTP failed to adequately supervise an electrical apprentice when conducting non-compliant grid connect solar installations at several locations.
- An electrical contractor failed to ensure an electrical installation complied with the Wiring Rules, resulting in property damage and electric shock when conducting multiple grid connect solar installations. He failed to demonstrate competency of workers and did not ensure adequate supervision of electrical apprentices.”
These incidents highlight the need to continue to pursue actions in NSW that will highlight the need for improved action on monitoring the quality and competency of electrical workers and work to ensure electrical installations are safe and compliant. More importantly, that electrical workers are appropriately qualified as competent in safe systems of work and such workers are currently competent in the latest Wiring Rules.
For more detailed information of the incidents referred to above visit: eSafe Electrical – Incidents
3. SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE – NO. 116
Please find attached Smart and Skilled Update No. 116, which covers the following:
- New webinar series for Smart and Skilled Providers
- First webinar 11am Thursday 29 October 2020 – Registration required
Message includes statement on $25m for COVID-19 training support and Skilling for Recovery program that aims for 100,000 places for unemployed people, people at risk of unemployment, and for young people up to the age of 35.
From November, David will host regular webinars for Skilled Providers on topics as the new training initiatives, quality assurance, working relationships to improve quality of outcomes, mechanisms to improve feedback from providers, work to identify common areas of concern and more.
For more information visit: https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/smartandskilled/index.html
Or, for technical support in relation to this update, contact Training Market Customer Support at Training.Market@det.nsw.edu.au.
4. SMART AND SKILLED UPDATE – NO. 115
Please find attached Smart and Skilled Update No. 115, which covers the following:
- Variation to the Smart and Skilled Contract Terms and Conditions and Release of the Smart and Skilled Skilling for Recovery Policy
- Enrolling eligible students in Skilling for Recovery fee-free full qualification training places
- Skilling for Recovery Student Eligibility backdated to 16 September 2020
- What is the process for accessing a fee-free training place for a Skilling for Recovery eligible student?
- Prices available for the non-NSW Skills List qualifications
- Skilling for Recovery Initiative: additional Part qualification training places
- Overview
- Eligibility for Skilling for Recovery fee-free part qualification training
- Skilling for Recovery Priority part qualifications
- TNI Applications and Notification of Enrolment process for Skilling for Recovery Part Qualification training
- Part Qualifications decision matrix
- Skilling for Recovery – Redeployment & Youth
- Skilling for Recovery – Construction
- Part qualifications for 2020 Year 12 school leavers
- Smart and Skilled Targeted Priorities Prevocational and Part Qualifications (TPPPQ) Program Target Group Update
- Smart and Skilled User Guides updated
- The updated Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy will be released soon
- Correction to a qualification deleted on the NSW Skills List Update Version 11.1 release
Version 11.1 of the NSW Skills List is now available at www.training.nsw.gov.au/smartandskilled/nsw_skills_list.html.
The Smart and Skilled Prices and Fees Schedule at https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/smartandskilled/prices_fees.html has also been updated to Version 11.1 to incorporate changes to the Skills List.
For more information visit: https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/smartandskilled/index.html
Or, for technical support in relation to this update, contact Training Market Customer Support at Training.Market@det.nsw.edu.au.
5. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION – SKILLS & WORKFORCE AGREEMENT REPORT DELAYED JAN 2021
The Productivity Commission has advised submission stakeholders that the anticipated Final Report on the Commission’s National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development is now due to be released in January 2021. The Commission states in its advisories, “will complete the final report and provide it to Government in December 2020.”
For more information on the matter is available on the Commission’s website including submission that were made: PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION – FINAL REPORT TO GOVERNMENT.
6. MAKING A RISKY PROPOSITION SAFE (Flammable Refrigerants)
Editor Sandra Rossie at Climate Control News (CCN) reports on the, “Disruptive change is underway in the HVACR industry as end users transition to new refrigerants with a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP).”
The article explores in some detail the issues around flammable refrigerants as well as the risks, stating that, “Kylie Farrelley, General Manager at Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), said “We, as an industry, need to re-think the way used and unwanted refrigerant is handled, stored, and transported to ensure a safe transition to low GWP refrigerants,” she said.
“You may be surprised to learn how easily traditional non-flammable refrigerants can become potentially flammable mixtures when mixing refrigerants at end of life.”
CCN will hold a Live 2020 webinar that will include this matter as one of a key range of important topics that will be covered. The event will be held on Thursday 12th November 2020 and will discuss the industry’s biggest transformation in decades. It will be followed by the HVAC&R Leadership Awards.
In addition to Kylie Farrelly, she will be joined by Refrigerant Australia executive director, Greg Picker, and the managing director of Weir Legal and Consulting Pty Ltd, Bronwyn Weir.
Training in this new transformative agenda will be at the core of the discussions that will ensue and likely to be discussed.
For more information and to join and register for the event, visit the CCN webpage and specific article: HVAC&R LEADERSHIP AWARDS
7. ENA ANNOUNCES WINNER OF INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION AWARD
Energy Networks Australia (ENA) announced the 2020 winner of the Industry Contribution Award. The winner was Endeavour Energy Deputy Chief Executive Officer and industry veteran Rod Howard.
The article stated, “Mr Howard was recognised for his extraordinary 47 years’ service at Endeavour Energy and his significant contribution to the industry and its transformation.
Well-known and highly regarded in the electricity sector at home and overseas, Mr Howard has also served as Chairman of the Electricity and Water Ombudsman Network in NSW and worked with the Malaysian Government and World Bank in India on energy projects.
His long and successful career has also been recognised with a prestigious NSW Government Public Service Medal for service to the electricity industry.
…
ENA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon said the Industry Contribution Award was an opportunity to recognise an individual for exceptional contribution to the networks sector”
The NSW UE ITAB congratulations Mr Rod Howard on winning the Award and for his service to the industry over many years. It is so wonderful to see people with such tenure, expertise and experience recognised in the industry. A remarkable achievement and deserved. Congratulations to ENA too, for recognising such achievement.
For more details on Rod’s award wining announcement: ENDEAVOUR ENERGY DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE WINS ENA AWARD
8. GOVERNMENT TO MANDATE AEB EMERGENCY BRAKING TECHNOLOGY IN LIGHT VEHICLES
The Australian Mine Safety Journal reports on the Government’s move to introduce autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology as a mechanism to reduce trauma caused by light vehicles. The article states that, “Australasia’s independent vehicle safety consumer advocate, ANCAP SAFETY has welcomed the release of the Australian Government’s Regulation Impact Statement (RIS)” in this regard.
Stating further, “The RIS proposes the introduction of a new Australian Design Rule (ADR) specifying the regulatory need for car-to-car and pedestrian-detecting autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems on new vehicle models from July 2022, and all models from July 2024 – in a similar timeframe to European regulation.” …
“The proposal released today by the Australian Government to mandate AEB is a welcome announcement,” said ANCAP Director – Communications & Advocacy, Rhianne Robson.
“Our latest analysis of new light vehicle sales shows voluntary fitment of AEB has increased to 66%, with 186 new light vehicle models equipped with this life-saving technology as standard,” Mrs Robson said. …
AEB has been found to reduce police-reported crashes by 55%, rear-end crashes by 40%, and vehicle occupant trauma by 28%.
Current generation AEB systems have the ability to prevent or reduce the severity of vehicle-to-vehicle crashes (forward and reverse) and crashes with pedestrians and cyclists.”
For more information visit: MANDATING AEB EMERGENCY BRAKING TECHNOLOGY
9. SOLAR REPORT: THIRD QUARTER 2020
Energy Networks Australia (ENA) and the Australian Energy Council report in their latest joint newsletter, EnergyInsider, of the, latest data from the Clean Energy Regulator which, “shows Australia’s total installed rooftop solar capacity reached 12.2 GW at the end of the third quarter. Our latest Solar Report looks at the state of solar across the nation, how COVID-19 has impacted solar installation rates, and WA’s recent Whole of System plan.”
The report covers the sate of Solar PVs in Australia, whole of system planning and payback (detailed model). A copy of the report can be obtained at the following link: SOLAR REPORT QUARTER 3 2020
For more, contact Carol Tran, Australian Energy Council.
10. DRIVING GREEN RECOVERY – TAX INCENTIVES FOR SOLAR-STORAGE
Smart Energy Council discusses the recent Federal Government tax initiatives that will slash power bills for businesses and drive investment in solar, battery storage and electric vehicles. The article reports about the two key initiatives of expending and asset write off. The two initiatives are:
- “Temporary full expensing allows businesses with turnover less than $5 billion to deduct the full cost of depreciable assets acquired from 6 October 2020 and first used or installed by 30 June 2022.
- Instant Asset Write Office allows businesses with a turnover of up to $500 million to claim immediate 100% deduction of depreciable asset up to $150,000 by 30 December 2020.
The Smart Energy Council stated that it had “urged the Morrison Government to extend the Instant Asset Write Off because it helps businesses save money and is a critical program for the commercial solar and storage industry. We congratulate the Government on this initiative.”
For more information visit the following link: GREEN RECOVERY INITIATIVE.