2013 AnnuAl RepoRt C.Y. o’Connor Institute...parliament, the Annual Report of C.Y. O’Connor Institute for the year ending 31st December 2013. the Annual Report has been prepared

| C.Y. O’Connor Institute 2013 Annual Report | 1

20 13 AnnuAl RepoRt

C.Y. o’Connor Inst i tute

http://www.wa.gov.auhttp://www.trainingwa.wa.gov.auhttp://www.cyoc.wa.edu.au


ContentsCOntents 3

stAtement Of COmplIAnCe 4

OveRvIew 6

Chairperson’s Report ..................................................................................................... 6

managing Director’s Report ........................................................................................ 9

executive summary ....................................................................................................... 12

Organisational Overview ............................................................................................. 13

Organisation vision, mission & values ...................................................................... 15

Governing Council ........................................................................................................ 16

Organisational structure .............................................................................................. 16

performance management framework .................................................................. 18

AGenCY peRfORmAnCe 25

2013 snapshot ................................................................................................................. 25

Institute Award winners ................................................................................................ 26

2013 Achievements ........................................................................................................ 27

KeY peRfORmAnCe InDICAtORs 32

Certification .................................................................................................................... 32

Desired Outcome .......................................................................................................... 33

effectiveness Indicators ............................................................................................... 34

efficiency Indicator ....................................................................................................... 40

sIGnIfICAnt Issues & tRenDs 41

stRAteGIC pRIORItIes fOR 2014 43

2014 BusIness plAn 44

DIsClOsuRes & COmplIAnCe 45

legislation Impacting on the Institute ...................................................................... 45

ministerial Directives ...................................................................................................... 46

staffing Overview .......................................................................................................... 46

Governance Disclosures .............................................................................................. 47

Advertising ....................................................................................................................... 48

Disability Access & Inclusion plan Outcomes ......................................................... 49

standards & ethics ......................................................................................................... 51

Record Keeping plan .................................................................................................... 51

Occupational Health, safety & Injury management ........................................... 52

Risk management ......................................................................................................... 52

fInAnCIAl stAtements 53

Certification ..................................................................................................................... 54

Independent Audit Opinion ........................................................................................ 55

financial statements ..................................................................................................... 58

notes to the financial statements ............................................................................. 62

section 40 estimates for 2014 ....................................................................................... 96

InstItute COntACt DetAIls 98


Hon Dr Kim D Hames mB Bs Jp mlA

minister for training and workforce Development; Health

13th floor, Dumas House

2 Havelock street

west peRtH wA 6005

Dear minister,

In accordance with section 54 of the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 and section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, we have pleasure in submitting for your information and presentation to parliament, the Annual Report of C.Y. O’Connor Institute for the year ending 31st December 2013.

the Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006 and the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996.

eileen O’Connell

Chair, Governing Council

C.Y. O’Connor Institute 14 march 2014

John scott

Managing Director


stAtement of ComplIAnCe


C.Y. o’Connor Institute 2013 open Day - northam

Students from St Joseph’s School, Northam attend a wool classing display.


It is with a considerable degree of satisfaction that I reflect on the broad range of achievements of the Institute during what has been a year of stellar performances. vocational education and training has a key contribution to the economic and social development of the central wheatbelt region and I believe that the Institute continues to have a leadership role in this regard.

the key directions contained within the Institute’s strategic plan are consistent with the mission and vision of the Institute, exemplified by the release of the Access and Equity Investment Plan 2013-2015 in second semester. I was particularly appreciative of the diligent approach to implementing the strategic and Business plans, with regular reporting to Council of progress achieved against the key performance indicators.

During the course of 2013, the Governing Council held alternate, scheduled meetings in narrogin, merredin and northam, as part of a deliberate strategy to engage with sub-regional communities. this was a successful initiative as it provided the opportunity for Council members to receive direct feedback on how the Institute was meeting the needs of local communities.

ChAIRpeRson’s RepoRtoveRvIew

the Governing Council firmly believes in the power of education and training to make a profound difference to the lives of individuals and to the broader society. for these reasons, the Council signed an agreement with Charles sturt university to collaborate in the delivery of a three-year Bachelor of Agricultural Business management degree program at the muresk Institute, commencing in 2014. I acknowledge the leadership of managing Director, John scott, in working with multiple stakeholders over the past four years in order to achieve this outcome.

turning now to the Institute, the re-structuring of the organization undertaken in the previous year, to assign to each Regional Director an academic leadership role involving a portfolio of courses, is now fully operational and positions us well for the implementation of the new demand-driven, student entitlement system in 2014. not surprisingly, the Institute has recorded its highest ever enrolments this year - now over 814,815 student curriculum hours including commercial delivery - and is edging closer to the aspirational target of 1,000,000 hours. It is pleasing to note that 2013 has been the best year in the history of the Institute insofar as profile and commercial delivery is concerned.

while maintaining its strong focus on vocational training, the Institute has continued to explore with, initially, perth-based universities the delivery of higher education programs, other than Agriculture, from the muresk Institute as commercial activity. By the end of the year, it became apparent that more time would be needed to negotiate a mutually satisfactory arrangement that would underpin the delivery of a Bachelor of education program; and formative discussions had begun with Charles Darwin university in relation to making a Bachelor of nursing program available to people living in regional western Australia. In parallel, the Institute delivered via flexible learning, a tertiary pathway program in the form of a Certificate Iv in Agribusiness, with the intent for graduates of this program to articulate directly into the Bachelor of Agricultural Business management.

It is with a considerable degree of satisfaction that I reflect on the broad range of achievements of

the Institute during what has been a year of stellar performances.

Eileen O’Connell | Chair, Governing Council


It was pleasing to note the progress achieved during the year in relation to the new, single-site campus for servicing the southern wheatbelt region, centred on narrogin. working in collaboration with the town of narrogin, a number of surveys have been conducted on the preferred site to ensure that it is ready to be built on when the funding is allocated by the state Government. Detailed discussions occurred very late in the year to determine the scope and cost of the new facility, however, the initiative still remains to be funded.

unfortunately, late in the year I received advice that our application via the Regional priorities Round of the education Investment fund for funding to establish a multi-purpose trade training centre for the merredin campus, had been declined. Almost immediately, consultation commenced with key stakeholders to determine what options exist to provide a more enduring solution to the provision of trade-level training workshops in merredin than the current leased premises. furthermore, the Institute has been working throughout the year with several government agencies to address the issue of asbestos contamination at the northam campus. fortunately, the level of contamination has been assessed to be at the very low end of the spectrum, and thus not impacting upon the health of the staff and training delivery at the campus. nevertheless the situation will be subject to ongoing monitoring.

the Institute undertook a re-registration audit during second semester. I would like to acknowledge the hard work put in by Delia pascua-mcGlew and the teaching and learning team in preparing the Institute for this important audit. Although there were some delivery areas where there are opportunities for improvement, there was an abundance of evidence to suggest that we have many areas of best practice training and assessment; and I would like to thank those lecturers concerned.

the Institute continued to score very highly in the independent assessment of the level of student satisfaction, once again, well above the state average. this is attributed to the professionalism of our staff who are passionate about teaching and learning, and creating a highly supportive student experience.

Examples of where the Institute staff particularly excelled are:• 2013 was the best year in the history of the

Institute insofar as enrolments under profile were concerned, with achievement of 727,357 student curriculum hours, plus an additional 87,458 hours of commercial delivery. this was 11.85 per cent above the level achieved in 2012, which was in itself a record year for the Institute at that time;

• the delivery of the Certificate Iv in Agribusiness in flexible study mode, thus ensuring a tertiary pathway for students studying in this discipline;

• the conduct of the pig Industry Recognition of prior learning project, led by lecturer Judi forsyth;

• the fee-for-service delivery of the Certificate Iv in small Business management and the Certificate III in financial services programs by husband and wife team Dr sak sarangapani and mrs Karpagam sakthivelpathi for students incarcerated in Acacia prison;

• the very strong delivery in nursing, Aged Care, education, Community services, wool and local Government, achieved by their respective lecturing teams;

• the delivery of a highly successful Recognition of prior learning project in second semester, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and food wA (DAfwA) and other state training providers, co-ordinated by Acting Business Development manager, maria Girak. this project achieved over 90,000 student curriculum hours and was a major contributor to the strong end-of-year profile performance;

Rob Carter | winner of the 2014 staff excellence Awards


• the conduct of a new activity entitled the migrant-friendly TAFE initiative which targeted students from a culturally and linguistically diverse background in the wheatbelt, was very successful and provided an excellent platform upon which to further develop this initiative in 2014;

• the commencement in semester One of electrical trade training at the northam campus with a very strong pre-apprentice program founded on the Certificate II in electrotechnology;

• the expansion of delivery of Hairdressing training within the Institute, with the Certificate II in Hairdressing now being delivered in Bindoon, northam and in the state prison system;

• the continued expansion of the Civil Construction training program, delivered at the muresk Institute;

• the continued strong delivery of high risk licence training by a small team of lecturers delivering over 28,000 student curriculum hours of profile and commercial training; and

• Congratulations are extended to Robert Carter who received the Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award at the 2013 Regional Achievement and Community Awards in October; and to Hayley Holland and Jessica landers, in particular, and all of the team at the moora campus who contributed to the leadership program at the moora campus, which was judged as a finalist in the 2013 premier’s Awards in the category of Improving Aboriginal Outcomes.

the Governing Council was saddened to receive a letter of resignation from mr Grant Arthur during the year. may I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Institute community, to thank Grant for his contribution to Council over his period of appointment. the Council has three vacancies and the Institute is working with the minister’s Office to have well qualified and experienced appointments to these vacancies.

In summary, the Council is well-justified to remain pleased with the growth and direction of the Institute during 2013, under the very capable leadership of the managing Director, John scott and his executive team. the investment made in building the performance culture of the Institute has placed it in a strong position and ready for the introduction of the demand-driven, student entitlement system in 2014.

I thank my fellow members of Council for their contribution to the effective governance of the Institute during the year.

eileen O’Connell


C.Y. O’Connor Institute

The Institute continued to score very highly in the independent

assessment of the level of student satisfaction, once again, well above

the State average.


It continues to be a privilege to lead a team of such highly dedicated professionals who have, once again, been independently assessed as having student satisfaction levels well above the state average. this reassures me that the environmental factors within the Institute are conducive to providing a very positive teaching and learning experience for our students. this creates a competitive advantage which is important as the Institute prepares for the introduction of the demand-driven, student entitlement system in 2014.

I am pleased to report, that through innovation and application of staff effort, the Institute experienced its best year ever in terms of profile enrolments - 727,357 student curriculum hours (sCH) - complemented by 87,458 sCH of non-profile enrolments and record levels of external funding - in the order of $1,400,000. Importantly, the Institute exceeded its employment Based training target (for apprenticeships and traineeships) by 40 per cent, thus making an important contribution to the regional and state economies.

the Stronger Rural Communities Program ”Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Skills Passport” project was initially conducted in 2012 in collaboration with DAfwA and other state training providers. this project was repeated in the second semester of 2013 and attracted external revenue of $145,000 and delivered over 90,000 student curriculum hours.

Based on some early successes with engaging sections of the migrant community from within the shire of Dalwallinu, the Institute conducted a pilot program in the second semester of 2013 to more broadly engage with the migrant population throughout the entire wheatbelt. this was a highly successful initiative, enrolling 78 students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, within a three month period, and will form the basis of a migrant-friendly TAFE initiative in 2014.

the Institute undertook its re-registration audit during the period september to December, highlighting some exemplary practices in delivery, but also some opportunities for improvement. these are being addressed expeditiously so that the core business of the Institute can further benefit.

The Institute was successful in achieving all priorities listed in the 2013 Business Plan. the provision of vocational education and training programs to sustain a skilled regional workforce was the overriding priority for the Institute. the profile performance demonstrates that the training delivery services aligned with this priority. Of particular note, was the enrolment of over 137,500sCH in the last two months of the year, compared to an annual average of 50,000sCH for this period, which was largely attributable to the Recognition of prior learning project.

In accordance with the strategic direction to position the Institute as an open learning institution, the Open Learning and Development and Investment Plan 2013-2015 commenced implementation during the year, having been released late in 2012. the plan addresses a key strategy in the Institute Strategic Plan 2014-2016, and will play an important role in developing an accessible learning environment underpinned by the application of innovative technologies and practices to support individual participation in education, training and workforce development. this was exemplified by a decision taken late in the year to invest in a set of 50 tablets to enable students to access learning materials in electronic form.

mAnAGInG DIReCtoR’s RepoRtoveRvIew

John Scott | managing Director

The Institute exceeded its Employment Based Training target

(for apprenticeships and traineeships) by 40 per cent, thus making an

important contribution to the regional and State economies.


One of the strategic drivers for the Institute is to expand pathways to tertiary education and employment by providing learning and educational outcomes as a tertiary institution. A major component of this activity is to develop articulation pathways from vocational training to higher education programs by establishing partnerships with universities. excellent progress was made in 2013 in this priority area with a formal agreement being signed with Charles sturt university to deliver the Bachelor of Agricultural Business management at the muresk Institute, commencing in semester One, 2014. this was the catalyst for much activity in the second semester, with a Higher education project team being established to oversee the preparations for the degree program. A decision was taken to focus on this activity as the vehicle for introducing international students to the Institute.

Critical to successful outcomes in vocational training is the Institute’s relationship with industry and the community. this was enhanced during 2013 by the decision to establish the local Government Industry Advisory Committee. together with the Health services and Agribusiness Industry Advisory Committees, this committee, comprised of industry and community leaders, will assist the Institute to ensure that its training delivery in these three important study areas is appropriately targeted.

partnerships are very important in regional areas to ensure successful training and employment outcomes. One initiative that exemplifies this is the partnership with Directions, the northam-based group training organization, to promote school-based traineeships across the wheatbelt. this important work, which is strongly supported by the wheatbelt Development Commission, originated from the Wheatbelt Workforce Development Plan, and is vital to retaining young people in many of the smaller communities that comprise the central wheatbelt region.

I am pleased to report that the new (replacement) campus for narrogin is listed as the top priority for future infrastructure funding for regional state training providers in the state - albeit that it remains an unfunded initiative. substantial progress was made late in the year in defining the overall cost and footprint size for the new campus, and work commenced on developing a list of priority equipment. Indications are that a Business Case will be prepared during 2014, in time for submission into the fY15/16 budget cycle.

the People Development Framework 2012-2014, launched within the Institute in 2012, provides the framework which promotes staff engagement in the benefits of a learning culture which will enable the Institute to further strengthen its position as a learning organisation. A decision was taken to develop an Employee Perception Survey, which was also a Key performance Indicator within the strategic plan. this survey will be deployed in January, 2014 and will enable the Institute to gain valuable baseline data which will further assist the Institute’s commitment to continuous improvement.

enhancing the workforce participation rate for access and equity groups by adopting innovative and supportive training delivery strategies was an important strategic objective for the Institute in 2013. During the year the Institute launched the Access and Equity Investment Plan 2013-2015 in response to an identified need to assist learners who experience disadvantage achieve improved outcomes in vocational education and training. the plan was aligned with a number of state and national policy directions, including the national vet equity Advisory Council (nveAC) equity Blueprint; Training WA: Planning for the Future; the national workforce Development strategy; and the approach by COAG to reform and targets. this reinforces the commitment by the Governing Council to an inclusive and equitable education and training environment which reflects fair opportunities for all.

A number of innovative approaches have been developed within the Institute to address disadvantaged learners who include people with disability; people from low socio-economic backgrounds; members of the Aboriginal community; people from non-english speaking backgrounds; and second-chance learners. A flagship initiative within the plan was a Certificate II in leadership program, delivered at the moora campus, which gained recognition during the year as a finalist in the Improving Aboriginal Outcomes category of the 2013 premier’s Awards.


the remaining priority area in the 2013 Business Plan related to the requirement for compliance with government legislation, policy and procedures. I am pleased to report that there were no breaches. In addition, the Institute made further progress in the implementation of the Governance framework by conducting a second maturity assessment.

the Institute continues to achieve very solid outcomes in relation to Aboriginal education and training. In terms of achievement of student curriculum hours, training involving Aboriginal people amounted to seven per cent of the total business of the Institute. Aboriginal people in the wheatbelt comprise just under five per cent of the total population.

During 2013 the Aboriginal Skills Development Plan 2012-2014 was updated with a continuing focus on increasing participation and completion rates for Aboriginal students. In addition, the Aboriginal education, employment and training Committee, under the leadership of ms Claire mcGuire held regular meetings to monitor the implementation of the plan. enrolments continue to be very strong, with 346 Aboriginal people enrolling in 2013. Importantly, the number of Aboriginal people enrolling in Certificate III level programs and above in 2013 was 135. the leadership program in moora continues to have very strong enrolments, with 11 Aboriginal people enrolled in a Certificate II in leadership - many of whom went on to enrol in other courses at the moora campus. Congratulations are extended to both the lecturers involved and the Aboriginal students’ support team.

In summary, it is again very satisfying to see the Institute moving forward on so many fronts. 2013 was another very busy year, with the Institute’s staff demonstrating great flexibility and agility in responding to the various professional challenges. the Institute is now well prepared to address the implementation of the demand-driven, student entitlement system. furthermore, we are able to offer a differentiated service through a focus on open learning and tertiary pathways; and we understand that our consistently high levels of student satisfaction offer us a competitive advantage. from a business perspective, the Institute is well placed to benefit from a more competitive training market.

finally, I would like to acknowledge the Governing Council’s leadership in ensuring the ongoing relevance of C.Y. O’Connor Institute’s contribution to the region’s workforce needs and its overall contribution to the social and economic development of the central wheatbelt region.

John scott

Managing Director

C.Y. O’Connor Institute

excellent progress was made in 2013 in the priority area of expanding pathways to tertiary education and employment, with a formal agreement being signed with Charles sturt university to deliver the Bachelor of Agricultural Business management at the muresk Institute, commencing in semester one, 2014.


exeCutIve summARYoveRvIew

2013 was, in many respects, another year of consolidation in which the focus was very much on implementing the strategic directions that were initially set in 2010: that is, to maintain the principal focus on the delivery of vocational education and training services; position the Institute to develop tertiary pathways, including the delivery of higher education where commercially viable; and to make the Institute more competitive in an increasingly contestable training market.

The last two academic years have been the most successful two years in the history of the Institute in terms of Profile enrolments and commercial revenue, with 2013 surpassing the records set in 2012.

Operationally, training targets were met or exceeded, with enrolments in government-funded training at their highest level in the history of the Institute - even surpassing the record level set in 2012 - (682,754 student curriculum hours), made possible by the conduct of two significant programs: the migrant-friendly TAFE initiative and the Stronger Rural Communities Program ”Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Skills Passport” project. together, these programs attracted over 112,363 student curriculum hours and contributed to the achievement of a record level of external revenue of $1,400,000 - again, surpassing the previous record level set in 2012.

the re-structuring of the Institute was further enhanced late in the year by a re-alignment of the responsibilities of two training Directors in order to bring about a stronger focus on business development and, where necessary, the hard decisions were taken to close several courses that were non-viable. In combination, these measures will strengthen the Institute for the forthcoming implementation of the demand-driven, student entitlement system in 2014.

Consistent with the emphasis the Training WA plan placed on supporting regional communities by expanding the range of publicly funded qualifications in regional areas, a number of new courses commenced in 2013: Certificate II in electrotechnology (Career start); and the Certificate III in electrotechnology. In addition, the Institute undertook its re-registration audit during the period september to December, highlighting some exemplary practices in delivery, but also identifying some opportunities for improvement.

enhancing the workforce participation rate for access and equity groups by adopting innovative and supportive training delivery strategies was an important strategic objective for the Institute in 2013. During the year, the Institute launched the Access and Equity Investment Plan 2013-2015 in response to an identified need to ensure that learners who experience disadvantage achieve improved outcomes in vocational education and training. the plan was aligned with a number of state and national policy directions, including the national vet equity Advisory Council (nveAC) equity Blueprint; Training WA: Planning for the Future; the national workforce Development strategy; and the approach by COAG to reform and targets. this reinforces the commitment by the Governing Council to an inclusive and equitable education and training environment which reflects fair opportunities for all.

further progress was made through the year in relation to expanding tertiary pathways, with a formal agreement being signed with Charles sturt university to deliver the Bachelor of Agricultural Business management at the muresk Institute, commencing in semester One, 2014. this was the catalyst for much activity in the second semester, with a Higher education project team being established to oversee the preparations for the degree program.

two important organizational development projects were completed in 2013. the first involved the commissioning of an online Staff Perceptions Survey; and the second involved a commitment to further develop the People Development Framework 2012-2014 to include the dimensions of Innovation and Sustainability. In respect to the latter, a decision was taken to conduct a Sustainability Forum during 2014 to bring more focus on this important practice.

Against this background of innovation, the Institute continued to be at the forefront of state training providers (stps) with respect to student satisfaction. Having been independently assessed as having the highest levels of student satisfaction of all stps for four of the last five years, the Institute managed to maintain a high overall satisfaction rate of 89.1 per cent in 2013 - some 3.2 percentage points above the state average - a remarkable achievement.

Overall, the work done on many fronts in 2013 will position the Institute well as it prepares for the implementation of a demand-driven training market in 2014.


oRGAnIsAtIonAl oveRvIewoveRvIew

C.Y. O’Connor Institute has been providing vocational education and training services for the wheatbelt region of western Australia for nearly three decades. to enable service delivery across the 155,000 square kilometres of the region, the Institute has four major campuses strategically located at northam, narrogin, merredin and moora.

the Institute currently consists of four directorates which provide training services and support across the four campuses. the directorates are:

• Office of the managing Director;

• Academic and Business Development;

• Academic Governance and Innovation; and

• Business services.

Individually and collectively these directorates apply themselves to the development, implementation and support of a range of programs to meet the education and training needs of the region. these programs are delivered through engaging and partnering with the community, industry and individual business enterprises. the Institute offers multiple delivery modes to attract students from across the region, the state and the nation.

Office of the Managing Director

the Office of the managing Director is responsible for providing administrative support to the managing Director, Governing Council and the executive management team. It also has responsibility for the marketing and promotion of the current and future activities of the Institute at the local, regional and state level. these and other services are delivered from the following business units:

• Community Relations;

• executive support; and

• tertiary pathway projects.

Of particular note was the establishment of a small project team in the second semester, 2013 to prepare for the implementation of a Bachelor of Agricultural Business management degree, in collaboration with Charles sturt university, to be delivered at the muresk Institute commencing in 2014. the degree

will be delivered by staff who are employed by C.Y. O’Connor Institute and have current industry and higher education experience.

the school of Agribusiness was established late in the year, with Dr Christine storer appointed as the inaugural Head, school of Agribusiness. the school has responsibility for developing the agribusiness tertiary pathway, from Certificate II in Agriculture to the bachelor degree, with strong linkages to industry.

Academic and Business Development Directorate

the Academic and Business Development Directorate is responsible for the delivery of government funded training and the identification, development and maintenance of commercial training to clients of C.Y. O’Connor Institute located within Australia. It undertakes the development and delivery of vocational education and training programs, including those that target and support the training and employment needs and aspirations of industry, business and the community across the region. staff with a diverse range of professional expertise deliver services and programs from the following regional business units:

• Avon (centred in northam);

• northern (centred in moora);

• southern (centred in narrogin);

• eastern (centred in merredin); and

• trade skills Delivery and support.

the four campuses and the Directorate of C.Y. O’Connor Institute provide a diversity of services including:

• Career counselling and job readiness skills;

• Corporate training;

• Delivery of vet-in-schools;

• Consultancy services for work-based training;

• Holistic skills recognition using Recognition of prior learning (Rpl);

• new and existing worker traineeships and apprenticeships;


• short course programs and just-in-time training;

• vocational education and competency-based training aligned with the Australian Quality training framework (AQtf); and

• work-based delivery and assessment.

Academic Governance and Innovation Directorate

the Academic Governance and Innovation Directorate is responsible for the development and implementation of effective processes across the Institute’s academic planning and policy formulation. It provides a leadership role in the delivery of education and training initiatives; whole of Institute approach to delivery; adherence to quality frameworks; and support to the business development function. the Directorate also has the primary responsibility for whole of Institute quality teaching and open learning programs; and supervises the vocational delivery in specified disciplines. It is also responsible for the quality assurance of training delivery within the Institute and compliance with the Australian Quality training framework (AQtf). the services provided by the Directorate include the following:

• Quality and planning;

• provision of curriculum and learning materials, including electronic access;

• International on-shore delivery;

• training and Assessment training;

• professional Development of the Institute’s staff;

• Customer service;

• Client management Information systems (CmIs); and

• Bookshop.

Business Services Directorate

the corporate services which support the operations of the Institute are delivered by the Business services Directorate. In addition, the Directorate coordinates the strategic and operational planning and research activities across the Institute, including monitoring and reporting on the Institute’s key performance indicators and managing the continuous improvement programs. this Directorate is also responsible for ensuring that the Institute complies with relevant legislation and external standards. the Directorate has a key role in encouraging and engaging access and equity groups to participate in education and training. the following business units provide these services:

• Aboriginal services;

• finance;

• Human Resources;

• Information technology;

• library;

• Records;

• Research and planning;

• Data Administration; and

• Access and equity.

In 2013, the Institute had 123.41 full-time equivalent staff and 4,685 full-time and part-time students, including 571 apprentices and trainees. the Institute delivered 814,815 student curriculum hours of profile and non-profile training across the 119 qualifications, courses and units of competency on scope.


oRGAnIsAtIon vIs Ion, mIssIon & vAluesoveRvIew

Vision

C.Y. O’Connor Institute is recognised as a high performing, innovative provider of education and training services that contribute to regional and state workforce development.

Mission

Our mission is to provide quality education and training services to enable our students in the wheatbelt and beyond to achieve their potential.

Values• Integrity

• Honesty

• Respect

• ethical Behaviour

• Responsiveness

• Quality

John scott, managing Director of C.Y. o’Connor Institute, together with Karen Dickinson, managing Director Kimberley training Institute signing an mou for the Regional Business Development network.


oRGAnIsAtIonAl stRuCtuReoveRvIew

GoveRnInG CounCIloveRvIew

the Governing Council of C.Y. O’Connor Institute comprises a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and eleven members, who are appointed by the minister for training and workforce Development. As representatives of industry and the community, the members of the Governing Council are appointed for their expertise in education and training, industry or community affairs and for their ability to contribute to the strategic directions of the Institute. the Institute’s managing Director is an ex-officio member of the Council.

Council Members in 2013 were:

ms eileen O’Connell Chair

ms Jan Court Deputy Chair

mr steven pollard

ms Helen Bennett

mr Grant Arthur Resigned October 2013

ms Debra franks

ms sandra Randell

mr paul tomlinson

Dr Christine storer

mr Greg Humphries

mr John scott managing Director

Enabling Legislation

C.Y. O’Connor Institute is a statutory Authority established under section 35 of the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996.

Responsible Minister

Hon Dr Kim D Hames mlA mBBs, Jp Deputy premier; minister for training and workforce Development; Health

Accountable Authorities

the Accountable Authority for C.Y. O’Connor Institute is the Governing Council. the managing Director is the Chief executive Officer and is supported by an executive comprising three General managers.

the key strategic committees comprise: performance monitoring and Audit sub Committee of Governing Council; planning and Development sub Committee of Governing Council; and the executive management team.


school of Agribusiness

managing Director

marketing

Business services

Access & equity

Human Resources

finance

Canteen

Academic Governance & Innovation

International Delivery

Quality

student services

Delivery

Academic & Business Development

Avon

eastern

northern

southern

trades

Higher education

Governing Council

executive management team

Records

Research & Data

Information technology

library

teaching & learning

performance monitoring & Audit sub Committee

planning & Development sub Committee


peRfoRmAnCe mAnAGement fRAmewoRKoveRvIew

Government Goals

the state Government has developed five government goals to guide and assist western Australian public sector agencies in developing their programs, polices and services. However, due to the range and diversity of government agencies, not all the goals apply equally to all the agencies. within the context of the five government goals, C.Y. O’Connor Institute has developed and implemented a strategic plan and a business plan aimed at increasing its capacity to provide quality services to its customers.

the state Government goals are:

Goal 1: State Building - Major Projects

Building strategic infrastructure that will create jobs and underpin western Australia’s long-term economic development.

Goal 2: Financial and Economic Responsibility

Responsibly managing the state’s finances through the efficient and effective delivery of services, encouraging economic activity and reducing regulatory burdens on the private sector.

Goal 3: Results Based Service Delivery

Greater focus on achieving results in key service delivery areas for the benefit of all western Australians.

Goal 4: Stronger Focus on the Regions

Greater focus on service delivery, infrastructure investment and economic development to improve the overall quality of life in remote and regional areas.

Goal 5: Social and Environmental Responsibility

ensuring that economic activity is managed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for the long-term benefit of the state.

the Institute monitors and reviews its progress against these goals and its strategic priorities utilising a number of mechanisms:

• the managing Director’s performance Agreement;

• monthly performance Reports;

• Bi-monthly Reports to the Governing Council;

• Key performance Indicators; and

• monthly meetings of the executive management team.

the main contribution C.Y. O’Connor Institute makes to the state Government goals is with respect to Goal 4: Strong Focus on the Regions - Greater focus on service delivery, infrastructure investment and economic development to improve the overall quality of life in remote and regional areas.

In 2013, the Institute’s activities contributed, in particular, to Goals 3 and 4. the strategic objectives of the Institute are set out in the Strategic Plan 2013-2015 and are reflective of these goals.

Dr Sharon Ross and students participating in the migrant-friendly TAFE initiative


Achievement Against the State Government Goals

Goal 1:

State Building - Major Projects

Building strategic infrastructure that will create jobs and underpin western Australia’s long-term economic development.

C.Y. O’Connor Institute had no capital works either under construction or finished construction in 2013.

Narrogin Campus

the proposal to establish a replacement narrogin campus has been included in the State Asset Management Plan (STAMP 2012 - 2022) of the Department of training and workforce Development, as a short term infrastructure priority.

the Department of training and workforce Development and C.Y. O’Connor Institute are currently in discussion regarding the establishment of this new campus.

Merredin Campus

the Institute’s proposal, submitted in 2012 via the education Investment fund (eIf) Regional priorities Round - stage 2 Applications, administered by the Department of Industry, Innovation & science, was deemed unsuccessful.

the Institute and the shire of merredin are currently discussing options for the establishment of a suitable trade training facility within the community.

Goal 3:

Results Based Service Delivery

Greater focus on achieving results in key service delivery areas for the benefit of all western Australians.

the strategic priorities for C.Y. O’Connor Institute in 2013 were focused on supporting the development of sustainable regional communities. By providing education and training services that contribute to regional workforce development, the Institute was delivering results-based services that would directly and indirectly benefit all western Australians.

During 2013, the following work was undertaken to contribute to Government Goal 3:

• the 2013 profile-funded training targets were achieved (overall achievement was 102.77 per cent of target), with achievement in employment Based training some 40 per cent above target - an outstanding result for the wheatbelt economy and the state in general. Overall, enrolments were at their highest levels in the history of the Institute.

• In 2013, the Institute launched the migrant-friendly TAFE initiative to meet the growing training requirements of migrants who seek access to education opportunities and employment pathways. A total of 78 migrants enrolled in different qualifications throughout the Institute under this initiative.

• the Academic Governance and Innovation team provided strategic and operational learning support to all academic areas, and was also responsible for a number of successful tender submissions that assisted key service delivery across western Australia.


Goal 4:

Stronger Focus on the Regions

Greater focus on service delivery, infrastructure investment and economic development to improve the overall quality of life in remote and regional areas.

C.Y. O’Connor Institute is the major public provider of vocational education and training in the wheatbelt, delivering services across an area of approximately 155,000 square kilometres. these services are provided from the four main campuses located in northam, narrogin, moora and merredin.

examples of achievements within each of the four sub regions, and the trades portfolio, are highlighted below.

Avon

the Avon sub region is serviced by the northam campus, which is the primary training facility supporting the shires of northam, toodyay, York, Goomalling and Dowerin. this campus also serves as the administrative centre for the Institute. some of the achievements within the Avon region for 2013 include:

• the ongoing commercial delivery from the small Business management team at Acacia prison was again successful, culminating in a graduation ceremony held at Acacia attended by the Hon minister Joseph francis mlA, minister for Corrective services.

• In consultation with other regional institutes and with the cooperation of tAfe nsw, C.Y. O’Connor Institute is one of the first training providers in wA to deliver new Ranger training relating to cat and dog legislation and micro-chipping. this has already proven to be in high demand and growth in further related commercial work is under development.

• the education support staff members have continued their success in assisting regional education workers to meet their qualification requirements through Recognition of prior learning (Rpl) and gap training, as well as flexible on-the-job training and assessment strategies. Delivery in this area more than doubled in 2013 due to the proactive approach

of managers and lecturers. the lecturing team has been invited to be part of a project to integrate noongar language across the school curriculum.

• the local Government lecturing team enjoys state-wide recognition for their quality of training to the sector. past student and northam shire employee, Alysha maxwell, was a finalist and runner up in the WA Trainee of the Year category at the 2013 wA training Awards.

• strengthened relationships with Juniper (uniting Church Homes) and wA Country Health services (wACHs) are demonstrated by a notable increase in Aged Care students.

• the Children’s services team members have very effectively extended their market share to almost double the 2012 delivery. this has been the result of a number of strategies involving manager and lecturer initiatives in marketing, incorporating multiple personal visits by lecturers and information sessions to interested parties.

• security Operations graduates have enjoyed employment resulting from direct requests for access to Institute graduates. training delivery in this study area is set to increase into the future, based on strong linkages with industry.

Northern

the northern sub region is serviced by the moora campus, supporting seven local government areas in the northern wheatbelt. Regional training is delivered through established centres at Dalwallinu, wongan Hills, Dandaragan, Jurien Bay, Gingin, Bindoon, lancelin and via Community Resource Centres. some of the achievements include:

• the Diploma of enrolled nursing program was once again successfully re-accredited.

• the delivery of two pilot programs in the Certificate III in Health services Assistant with their planned continuation in 2014.

• the creation of a new online product for the teaching of first Aid which provides for improved student access and more cost effective delivery.

• An agreement with westOne to create new Health training resources which will be marketed across Australia.


• A 3,000sCH increase in trainees in the Business study area.

• the leadership program had a number of successes in 2013, including:

o winning a $50,000 equity Development and Innovation project tender for ”Building Capacity and Empowering Youth”;

o being a finalist in the 2013 premier’s Awards in the category of Improving Aboriginal Outcomes;

o increasing its delivery by 10,000sCH; and

o transitioning increased numbers of graduates from the leadership program into vocational courses.

• Discussions relating to the delivery of access programs to migrants culminated in several groups commencing in semester two. Graduates from this program (leadership) are expected to undertake vocational studies in 2014 in a range of study areas including Health and Aged Care. It is anticipated this level of success will be repeated across campuses in 2014.

• the delivery of an additional Automotive qualification at moora introduced a new staff member in this study area, sourced from local industry. the expansion of this delivery contributed, in part, to an increase in the number of plant mechanic apprentices during the year.

Southern

the southern sub region is serviced by the narrogin campus, supporting the twelve shires of Brookton, Cuballing, Dumbleyung, Kondinin, Kulin, lake Grace, narrogin, pingelly, wagin, wandering, west Arthur and williams. Courses are also delivered through the Community Resource Centres within this region. some achievements within the southern region for 2013 include:

• narrogin based, Certificate Iv Community services student, shane malek, won the 2013 C.Y. O’Connor Institute Regional Services and Lifestyle Student of the Year award and the 2013 C.Y. O’Connor Institute Student of the Year. whilst completing his Certificate Iv, shane was

employed by Avon Youth on a part-time basis which was upgraded to full-time employment upon graduation.

• narrogin based wool Classing coordinator Robert Carter was recognised in the 2013 Regional Achievement and Community Awards, receiving the Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award for the wool Classing training program he developed.

• the shearing lecturing team has successfully completed another year of the Australian wool Innovation (AwI) contract. training and assessment of skill-set programs were also run for workers in the shearing Industry to gain skills to teach and assess others in the job, which has ultimately enabled them to gain further employment. training was delivered across the state to job seekers, industry employees and agricultural college students.

• Due to the level of success of the Stronger Rural Communities Program ”Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Skills Passport” project in 2012, DAfwA collaborated with the Institute in 2013 to undertake a further significant recognition of prior learning program within the agricultural supply chain.

• the narrogin campus secured funds for the education training participation program for disengaged youth between 15 and 17 years and the program was delivered in semester One.

• A highlight of the Art program in narrogin was the opening of an art exhibition in november showcasing students’ work from throughout the year.

• the introduction of the underpinning skills for Industry Qualifications (usIQ) course into the trades automotive area enabled students to increase their numeracy and literacy levels in a trade specific context.

• strong education partnerships were maintained and strengthened with the ongoing vet in schools (vetis) delivery to students from narrogin senior High school, with successful delivery in nursing, education support, Children’s services, Business, Automotive and Community services.


Eastern

merredin Campus provides training opportunities for people in the eastern wheatbelt sub region. this region covers east of Quairading, narembeen to southern Cross and wyalkatchem. It also encompasses the shires of merredin, Kellerberrin, mukinbudin, Bruce Rock, nungarin, Bencubbin, Koorda and westonia. Courses are delivered over sixteen local government areas, utilising the local Community Resource Centres who assist with marketing and training delivery.

some achievements within the eastern sub region for 2013 include:

• Delivery continued (with increased demand) of the sector-wide Recognition of prior learning (Rpl) project involving the pork Industry, although it is expected that the bulk of this market has now been serviced. the project was funded through the national workforce Development fund (nwDf) and customised to meet client and Industry needs.

• Another funding opportunity from DAfwA for the Stronger Rural Communities Program ”Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Skills Passport” project commenced enrolments in late 2013 with a large number of candidates enrolling into higher level qualifications.

• the Heavy Duty Automotive Apprenticeship program continues with strong support from local industry and the farm machinery and Industry Association, despite the rural economic downturn. facilities for this delivery have been retained for a further two years.

• funding was secured through the national vet e-learning strategy to establish and develop four units from the Diploma of Agriculture to be delivered online, providing for approximately 2,500sCH delivery into this higher level qualification.

• engagement with migrants within the region has proven beneficial with the first group commencing Certificate I in leadership in second semester, and is expected to continue in 2014. It is anticipated that further activities involving this student cohort will occur.

• there was further development of the partnerships with max employment and the merredin shire to deliver skill sets in Rural

Operations providing live works with the establishment of the town community garden and walk trails.

• An increase in senior first Aid delivery was experienced due to further customisation of training to suit client needs and the associated marketing. Client groups included CBH, wA College of Agriculture Cunderdin (students and staff), merredin College, numerous community groups as well as the general public.

• Chemical handling/AusChem training was very successful. this profile training is in demand and delivered throughout the central, southern and northern wheatbelt areas. Other delivery locations included wooroloo prison farm, wA College of Agriculture Cunderdin and narrogin.

• A number of agriculture-based short courses have been delivered including skid steer; Operating a tractor; Quad Bike; Chainsaw; front end loader; and forklift. these courses are organised and delivered in response to industry and community demand.

• Ongoing engagement with Community Resource Centres has enabled the introduction of It short courses in the region.

• Due to the availability of the trade training Centre at the merredin College, the focus of vetis has begun to shift from Automotive to Building and Construction and engineering.

• Retail industry training has increased with an additional part-time Retail lecturer required to meet the anticipated 2014 demand.

Trades

the Institute recognises the economic importance of the trades portfolio to the wheatbelt region and the state as a whole. the trades portfolio was established to provide a stronger focus on the delivery of employment based training across all sub-regions within the wheatbelt. some highlights from 2013 include the following:

• As a team, the trades portfolio performed well with enrolments up 20 per cent from the previous record set in 2012.

• At the recent training Accreditation Council (tAC) audit it was noted that the live works program built into some areas of trade delivery


is documented as best practice. examples of this include Automotive where repairs and services are performed in the Institute’s accredited workshops, and Civil Construction which includes the construction and maintenance of a major farm road and small works around the muresk Institute.

• engagement with local industry was in evidence through an increase in apprenticeships amounting to almost 5,000sCH above 2012 levels, and the introduction of electrical pre-apprenticeship training, while trainee numbers dropped a little (approximately 1,000sCH). Ongoing discussions with regional enterprises promise some moderate growth in traineeships within the coming year. the perth-based school-Based traineeship program continues to grow with some delivery and assessment adjustments made to meet student and school needs.

• Apprentices in Carpentry and Joinery maintained similar student numbers which was excellent in the context of a state-wide downturn in apprentice commencements.

• with employers now often employing 457 visa holders in the fabrication industry, there has been a large downturn in apprentice numbers in fabrication. In previous years the Institute had over 60 apprentices in training, but currently numbers are down to 25. the automotive apprentice numbers continue to climb with lecturers delivering across the wheatbelt as well as parts of metropolitan perth. the introduction of the pre-apprenticeship Certificate II in electrotechnology was highly successful with an initial 6,500sCH for apprentices and trainees undertaken during the year.

• Recognition of prior learning (Rpl) is in much higher demand with over 49,000sCH enrolments across the region. this strong interest reflects the high level of skills within the trades area in the wheatbelt but the comparatively low level of formal qualifications held, demonstrating unmet demand for skills recognition in this region. During the year there was a steady stream of Rpl applicants in fabrication and Automotive. most of these had successful outcomes, although the language barrier with some students created complications. Continuous improvement of processes have assisted in an improved design for future groups of similar background.

• Despite an ongoing lull in the Building and Construction industry, some growth in this industry training was recorded in 2013. A program was established at the muresk Institute in 2013, with a mainly indigenous cohort of students, many of whom have achieved employment outcomes. short courses and skill sets continued to be in high demand, however, some unmet demand resulted due to staff and resource shortages in this area. strategies are being introduced in 2014 to minimise the shortfall. short courses continued successfully in 2013, with courses being delivered in forklift, elevated work platform, Dogging, skipper’s ticket, Gardening Awareness, Chemical Handling, small motors and white Card.

• Outcare and the Construction Industry training fund continued to support training with try-a-trade short courses being delivered in schools and a Construction pathways course being delivered in wooroloo prison.

• monitoring and access to training resources through the internal asset management system continued to improve efficiency allowing teaching resources to be available to lecturers across the four campuses.

• the Institute’s flexible approach to delivery continues to be valued by and contributes to successful student learning outcomes. further flexibility is being developed and online delivery strategies are progressing in metal fabrication.

• A new structure to support the inclusion of the Course in Applied vocational study skills (CAvss) and the underpinning skills for Industry Qualifications (usIQ) course in Avon classes of Construction, Automotive and Civil Construction, and student induction days across the three disciplines, were extremely successful with the student attrition rate significantly reduced. It is intended to repeat the program in 2014.

• prison delivery continued with strong student numbers in both qualifications and skill sets. trainee numbers declined this year but are expected to rebound in 2014.


Goal 5:

Social and Environmental Responsibility

ensuring that economic activity is managed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for the long-term benefit of the state.

Asbestos Remediation at Northam campus.

In late 2012 the northam campus site was classified by the Department of environment and Conservation as ”possibly contaminated - investigation required”. As a consequence of the classification, substantial investigation and analysis of the soil has been undertaken.

the Institute is currently working with the Department of training and workforce Development and Building management and works (Department of finance) to develop and implement an asbestos remediation program. It is anticipated remediation works will commence in the latter half of 2014.

Changes to Outcome Based Management Framework

no changes were made to the Institute’s Outcome Based management framework in 2013.

Shared Responsibilities with Other Agencies

C.Y. O’Connor Institute receives its annual funding allocation from the state Government through a resource agreement (Delivery and performance Agreement) with the Department of training and workforce Development. under that agreement, the Institute reports, via the Governing Council, to the Department on its outcomes.

Northam Campus | C.Y. o’Connor Institute


2013 snApshotAGenCY peRfoRmAnCe

Overall Student Satisfaction

C.Y. O’Connor w.A. Average

89.1% 85.9%

2013 Training Delivery Indicators

Achievement of training Delivery profile (publicly funded delivery), counted as student Curriculum Hours (sCH).

Original planned Actual % Achieved

608,346 625,187 102.77%

non-profile, counted as sCH and expressed as a percentage of total Institute delivery.

non-profile 78,849

% of total Institute sCH 11.20%

Notes: Non-Profile training activity incorporates Fee for Service training, Special Projects (State/DEEWR funded), Auspicing in Schools and tendered industry specific programs.

Cost of Student Curriculum Hours

this indicator measures the average cost of delivery per sCH for all delivery including profile and non-profile activity.

Cost per sCH $24.78

Notes: Cost per SCH is calculated using the following formula:

Cost Per SCH = Total Cost of Services

Total SCH


InstItute AwARD wInneRsAGenCY peRfoRmAnCe

2012 Student Graduation Awards (held on 12th April 2013)

Nick Wheatley

Regional Business student of the Year - sponsored by toodyay and Districts Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank

Shane Malek

Regional services and lifestyle student of the Year - sponsored by Avon valley Advocate

Amy Corsini

primary Industries student of the Year - sponsored by CBH Group

Gemma Ugle

Aboriginal and torres strait Islander student of the Year - sponsored by the shire of northam

Garang Kutin Duop

Culturally and linguistically Diverse student of the Year - sponsored by C.Y. O’Connor Institute

Corey Hebbermann

Apprentice of the Year - sponsored by (Hon) paul Brown mlC

Jessica Maree Wallace

trainee of the Year - sponsored by the shire of northam

Shane Malek

student of the Year - sponsored by CBH Group

Jacob Allison

James Dawson memorial Award - sponsored by essential personnel

Robert Carter

trainer of the Year - sponsored by ms mia Davies mlA

2013 Staff Awards for Exceptional Performance

Dr Sharon Rossprincipal lecturer

Hayley Hollandlecturer & Course Coordinator - leadership Development

Shona Andrewslecturer/Health Coordinator

Teresa O’Brienprincipal lecturer

Peter McFarlaneData Administrator

Robert Carterlecturer - wool Classing

Maria GirakA/Business Development manager

Bernadette Garnierlecturer - Diploma of nursing

2013 WA Training Awards

Robert Carter - lecturersemi-finalist in the wA trainer of the Year Award Category

Alicia Maxwell - trainee (employed by the shire of northam)finalist in the wA trainee of the Year Category

2013 Australian Training Awards

Jo Hart - lecturerfinalist in the excellence in language, literacy, numeracy practice Award Category

2013 Regional Achievement and Community Awards

Robert Carter - lecturerwinner of the Curtin university teaching excellence Award

2013 Premier’s Awards

C.Y. O’Connor Institute Aboriginal leadership program (Hayley Holland and Jessica Landers - Lecturers)

finalist in the Improving Aboriginal Outcomes Category


2013 AChIevementsAGenCY peRfoRmAnCe

Achievements Against the Institute Strategic Plan 2013-2015

the following examples highlight the achievements of the Institute in accordance with its strategic priorities.

Strategic Priority 1 Workforce Development

provide education and training services that contribute to regional and state workforce development outcomes.

During 2013 C.Y. O’Connor Institute has worked closely with regional organisations to support skills training across the wheatbelt. specific examples of regional support programs provided by the Institute include the following:

• the wheatbelt-based Group training Organisation (GtO), Directions, was assisted by the Institute to provide a full range of its services to clients in the metropolitan area and the wheatbelt region following a re-registration audit. In support of both the organisation and its enterprise clients, C.Y. O’Connor Institute agreed to take over regionally-based trainees and apprentices who would have otherwise been unable to complete their 2013 skills training requirements.

• new muresk-based training and trades skills development in the area of Civil Construction. this mutually advantageous strategy has enabled joint provision of skilled graduates of a standard commensurate with industry-entry opportunities in the mining industry. this series of pre-employment training opportunities has provided Aboriginal students with genuine employment prospects in the mining and related industry areas.

In line with state priorities to raise the skills standards in industry, the Institute has continued to offer Certificate III qualifications and above to all its pre-existing and new clients. some of the 2013 increase in demand of approximately 140,000sCH for these higher level qualifications may be attributed to the provision of improved pathways for existing C.Y. O’Connor Institute students moving from access and equity or base-level qualifications. these pathways have been effectively

employed by managers and lecturers alike through a range of approaches including informal professional development activities for lecturing staff, strategic employment of suitably experienced and qualified staff, targeted marketing to existing students and continuous improvement of delivery and assessment methodologies for students.

Strategic Priority 2 Open Learning

Increase access to education and training services by providing open learning delivery models for regional clients and beyond.

In 2013 the Institute continued with the implementation of the Open-learning Development and Investment Plan 2013-2015. the intention is to broaden the Institute’s capability to reach beyond its traditional student cohort within our region and enable the trial of some innovative strategies in teaching and learning. the Institute was able to access funding to investigate and develop learning materials that can be accessed by the students online and also supporting their language, literacy and numeracy need. examples include E-learning needs in Agriculture (WA) funded by national vet e-learning strategy and Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALaN) - wA mini-projects funded by DtwD.

the Institute also encouraged lecturers to use Blackboard Collaborate, online quizzes, learner’s analytics and mobile devices to support students. this has improved the engagement of the students in education and training particularly those students who are from remote locations within the wheatbelt region.

Strategic Priority 3 Tertiary Pathways

Increase access to tertiary education and employment by providing flexible, educational pathways.

One of the strategic drivers for the Institute is to expand pathways to tertiary education and employment by providing learning and educational outcomes as a tertiary institution. A major component of this activity is to develop articulation pathways from vocational training to higher education programs by establishing partnerships with universities.


excellent progress was made in 2013 in this priority area with a formal agreement being signed with Charles sturt university to deliver the Bachelor of Agricultural Business management at the muresk Institute, commencing in semester One, 2014. this was the catalyst for much activity in the second semester, with a Higher education project team being established to oversee the preparations for the degree program. A decision was taken to focus on this activity as the vehicle for introducing international students to the Institute, and work will commence in 2014, in collaboration with Charles sturt university and the Department of training and workforce Development, to have the muresk Institute CRICOs-accredited as a delivery site.

In parallel with this work, negotiations continued with a number of higher education providers to explore the possibility of delivering a Bachelor of education degree in the wheatbelt as soon as possible.

Strategic Priority 4 Access and Equity

enhance the workforce participation rate for access and equity groups by adopting innovative and supportive engagement and training delivery strategies.

Access and Equity Investment Plan

the Institute launched the Access and Equity Investment Plan 2013-2015 in late 2013 as a means of improving the language, literacy and numeracy levels of all students, and to also meet the education, training and employment needs of equity groups such as Aboriginal people, youth at risk, students with disability and students from non-english speaking backgrounds.

Aboriginal Services

As part of the Institute’s strategy to continue to provide greater training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people, the Aboriginal services section was restructured and a position of Aboriginal Coordinator was established to oversee this activity. this position will take effect in early 2014.

2013 saw a decline in the number of Aboriginal enrolments, but a higher completion rate, with 346 enrolments and 70 per cent completions, compared with 372 enrolments and 66 per cent completions in

2012. the restructuring of the Aboriginal services area and a greater emphasis on training which includes partnerships with agencies and organisations such as Directions, who will link students with employment; and a greater involvement with the Aboriginal education, employment and training Committee (AeetC) will ensure the Institute is well positioned to improve upon these results in 2014.

the moora campus conducted a highly successful nAIDOC Celebration in 2013, with a high number of the Aboriginal community and staff participating in the celebration. with the help of the Aboriginal programs Assistant, the leadership staff and students prepared and coordinated an enjoyable day, with guest speakers; traditional foods and dancing; and Aboriginal activities for students from surrounding schools.

Disability

with the assistance of expert lecturing and support staff, the Institute was able to offer a group of students with disabilities participation in Certificate I in leadership. the program was customised to suit their individual needs, engaging and retaining students who would otherwise not be able to study. the program culminated in the students selling a variety of goods made during lessons to the Institute staff, at a stall attended by the students.

the C.Y. O’Connor Institute website has undergone significant upgrades throughout the year to ensure that accessibility requirements are met. Key staff attended professional development to understand what the requirements were and how changes could be made to enable students with disability better access. these changes include providing documents in a variety of formats and keeping fonts and formatting the same throughout documents and web pages. the work to meet accessibility requirements will continue into 2014.

Migrants

In recent years the wheatbelt has seen an increase in the migrant population. In 2013 the Institute positioned itself as a migrant-friendly TAFE to increase the attraction and retention of migrant students. A number of programs were established to build the leadership and life skills of migrants in order to move them into further education, training and ultimately employment. students attended regular classes on campus and participated in work placements to meet the course requirements.


there were 13 migrants in Dalwallinu; six in northam; and four in Kellerberrin who enrolled in leadership courses. these migrants have completed the course and progressed to higher level vet courses such as Aged Care, local Government and Business courses.

the Institute promoted the online Cultural Awareness and Diversity training programs that have been developed for public sector staff, to ensure a more culturally aware and diverse workforce. the programs were available to all Institute staff.

Strategic Priority 5 Demand Driven System

Adopt a ‘demand driven’ business model to enhance our competitiveness and sustainability into the future.

Commercial work undertaken in 2013 generated revenue in the order of $1,000,000. this growth in commercial revenue was an outcome of increased demand from existing clients; direct and personal marketing to business and government enterprises within the region; an expansion in the area of short courses in demand by local industry; and the implementation of staffing policies and processes to support flexible and responsive delivery within workable timeframes. this additional 2013 delivery was provided within the budgeted staffing parameters.

Although the level of commercial delivery in 2013 was greater than previously achieved, there was still some unmet demand identified during the year. However, due to skills shortages across the lecturing staff, and limited staff time available to develop additional resources for this delivery, some requests remained unmet. In 2014, the intention is to continue to increase regional commercial delivery through further improvement of staffing policies, delivery efficiencies, skills currency and response times.

work commenced late in the year on the development of sub-regional marketing plans to promote training delivery services.

the initiative taken by the team of local Government lecturers to place the unit ACMMIC401A Implant microchip in cats and dogs on the Institute scope was a good example of staff enterprise in the identification and delivery of competitive and responsive training designed to satisfy immediate and future market

needs of the wheatbelt and beyond. C.Y. O’Connor Institute is the only state training provider in wA that is registered to deliver this training.

the Institute is currently working on producing a digital marketing strategy with one of the key objectives being to increase the volume of traffic accessing the website. A project to refresh the website commenced late in the year to make it more user friendly and to adhere to accessibility compliance.

An increase of 24 per cent was seen in web hits on the C.Y. O’Connor Institute website (www.cyoc.wa.edu.au) from 2012 to 2013 as indicated in the table below.

Institute website activity May 2012 to December to 2013(1)

period visits(2) unique visitors(3)

1 may 2012 - 31 Dec 2012

23,381 10,425

1 may 2013 - 31 Dec 2013

24,906 12,894

percentage difference

7% increase 24% increase

Notes: (1) Due to an error within the analytics script on the Institute website, analytics information is not available prior to May, 2012.

(2) Visits - Number of ”hits” on the website

(3) Unique visitors - Number of different people utilising the website

Strategic Priority 6 People Development

Invest in staff to ensure the delivery of quality services that lead to a high level of customer satisfaction.

In early 2012, the Institute implemented the People Development Framework 2012-2014. the primary focus of the framework is to promote engagement in the benefits of a learning culture which will enable the Institute to further strengthen its position as a learning organisation.

During 2013, the Institute reviewed this framework and is currently in the process of adding three new initiatives, namely; Innovation, sustainability and Occupational safety and Health (OsH). the revised framework will be implemented during 2014.

http://www.cyoc.wa.edu.au


the Institute also established a working group, including representatives from management, to develop a staff perception survey to be commenced at the staff Orientation Day in 2014.

A new training and Development plan and training Calendar were implemented in 2013. some of the new training activities that were undertaken by staff included:

• leadership; working together and internal audit strategies.

• Return to Industry program for staff that involved lecturers in the trades; Health and Community Care; and Agriculture.

• e-learning workshops that resulted in two successful externally funded projects.

Strategic Priority 7 Governance

Demonstrate good governance and compliance.

In late 2013, the Institute commenced a self-assessment of the nine principles of Good Governance to assist the agency in maintaining minimum governance requirements (the initial self-assessment was conducted in 2012).

the Institute’s Occupational Safety and Health Management Plan 2013-2015 was introduced during 2013. the plan sets the direction of OsH development for the next three years.

Re-registration TAC audit 2013

C.Y. O’Connor Institute underwent a re-registration audit in september 2013. eleven industry groups were selected as the representative sample for the audit. A number of best practices were highlighted, particularly in relation to live works. However, there were some non-compliances that require attention with changes both at the system and individual qualification levels.

the experience has provided the opportunity to further improve the Institute’s training products and services as part of its on-going commitment to the delivery of high quality education and training.

Quality and Scope

As part of meeting the ongoing Quality Indicator requirements of the Australian Quality training framework (AQtf), the Institute provided the training Accreditation Council (tAC) with Competency Completion Data in July 2013. learner satisfaction and employer satisfaction Quality Indicator surveys were also conducted in 2013 with satisfaction results of 78.8 per cent and 76.7 per cent respectively.

In preparation for the re-registration audit, the teaching and learning Directorate completed a number of Internal Audits which assessed the compliance levels of delivery and assessment activities within the Institute. the Internal Audits were conducted by qualified staff across 34 delivery areas within the Institute.

On-going maintenance of the Institute quality system policies procedures and forms continued with some 160 additions and amendments occurring during 2013.

Customer feedback for 2013 comprised a total of five formal complaints concerning Institute processes associated with the training delivery and enrolment.

maintenance of the Institute’s scope of Delivery continued throughout the year with a total of 42 qualifications / units of competency being added to scope and 81 qualifications / units of competency being removed. At the end of 2013 there were 119 qualifications and units of competency on the Institute’s registered scope of delivery.

the training Accreditation Council conducted an Aged Care strategic Industry Audit monitoring visit in August with the audit being successfully completed in november. the re-registration audit was undertaken by the training Accreditation Council in the september/October period, with the exit meeting being conducted in early December. Issues arising from this audit will be addressed in early 2014.


Commercial Operations

C.Y. O’Connor Institute maintained a focus on local Government training; wool Harvesting training under contract to the Australian wool Industry; the delivery of small Business management training to students incarcerated in Acacia prison; and pursued external grants and tenders, particularly in the equity and access area.

the total predicted income from commercial operations listed in the 2013 Business plan was $425,918. Commercial delivery in 2013 generated $1,006,000. examples of commercial activity include:

• local Government ($110,000) - the Institute has worked with wheatbelt shires to identify areas of current and future training needs. In partnership with the shires, the Institute focussed on delivery in the areas of Business, local Government and Civil Construction.

• Australian wool Industry ($256,000) - through ongoing arrangements with AwI this training is designed to promote the shearing and wool Handling industry throughout the central wheatbelt. training was delivered to new industry entrants at Rylington park and in Agriculture Colleges; as short courses to increase skills; as try-a-trade workshops in schools; and to current industry workers on-the-job. while promoting the industry through short courses and taster workshops, the students were also given information on further training pathways, including traineeships.

• Ranger training ($50,000) - the local Government lecturing team delivered training throughout wA to stakeholders within the industry and local community. the team delivered ranger training, incorporating OHs, safety standards and legislation. new fee-for-service (ffs) training in micro-chipping of animals was introduced in late 2013 and future demand is promising.

• Acacia prison ($180,000) - training is delivered in the area of small Business management and financial services to prisoners incarcerated in Acacia prison. the program continues to run successfully with the students receiving the requisite knowledge and skills to make them work-ready upon release.

• Grants and tenders ($95,000) - Grants and tenders for 2013 addressed the access and equity groups such as Aboriginal people, Youth at Risk; language, literacy and numeracy; and students with disabilities.

• sale of goods ($72,000) - net income from cafeteria and bookshop sales.

Local Government interactive display | C.Y. o’Connor Institute 2013 open Day


CeRtIf ICAtIonKeY peRfoRmAnCe InDICAtoRs

for the year ended 31 December, 2013

we hereby certify that the Key performance Indicators are based on proper records; are relevant and appropriate for assisting users to assess the performance of C.Y. O’Connor Institute; and fairly represent the performance of the Institute for the financial year ended 31 December, 2013.

eileen O’Connell



John scott

Managing Director



DesIReD outComeKeY peRfoRmAnCe InDICAtoRs

the provision of vocational education and training services to meet community and industry training needs.

the Key performance Indicators measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the Institute. there are four effectiveness Indicators and one efficiency Indicator. the indicators show the extent to which C.Y. O’Connor Institute has achieved vocational education and training services to meet c

Documents

2013 AnnuAl RepoRt C.Y. o’Connor Institute...parliament, the Annual Report of C.Y. O’Connor Institute for the year ending 31st December 2013. the Annual Report has been prepared