Examining learning partnerships in northern Australia

Partnerships between formal and informal training providers are often concerned with addressing skills shortages and local labour market needs. For this reason, the focus of partnerships is usually on skills acquisition and employment. However, forming partnerships can also result in other socioeconomic benefits that may be incidental, but are also valuable. These merit greater attention.

This report investigates the characteristics of partnerships between formal and informal training providers and how they can be focused to improve the socioeconomic wellbeing of communities and individuals. Interviews with key stakeholder groups at three northern Australian regional sites were used to gain an insight into the characteristics of successful partnerships. While education and employment outcomes still rated heavily, other identified outcomes were related to health, access to and use of resources, social activities, and family and community life.

The three locations investigated are diverse in terms of their economic bases and demographic characteristics; however, the authors found successful partnerships had common traits. These commonalities suggest that the findings of this report will be valid beyond the northern Australian case studies.

This report will be relevant to practitioners and policy-makers wanting to better understand the intersections between informal learning and training and the contribution that learning partnerships can make to strengthening communities.

Key messages

• Providers of formal and informal training do not 'naturally' come together to form partnerships. Rather, industry, community and government stakeholders instigate these partnerships for specific purposes.
• Employment-related outcomes are usually the primary goal of partnerships; however, they can also deliver other socioeconomic benefits. These include education and learning, health, social, leisure and financial outcomes. These additional benefits deserve the attention of funding bodies.
• Productive partnerships between training providers are realised when: the training supports the goals of industry, communities and government stakeholders; there is trust between partners; and there is a combination of formal, non-formal and informal learning offered.

Tom Karmel
Managing Director, NCVER

Introduction

Partnerships between providers of formal and informal training can help to achieve positive outcomes for industry, communities and individuals. This report examines the impact of partnerships between training providers in regional areas of northern Australia. It also outlines the social, economic and education benefits that can result from well-defined collaborative partnerships.

The primary aim of this research was to develop an understanding of the context, extent and nature of partnerships between training providers; to identify what makes them effective in achieving positive socioeconomic outcomes; and to identify what individuals, communities and industry stakeholders can do to increase the likelihood of partnerships achieving positive outcomes.

In order to gain a better understanding of training partnerships, the researchers examined 16 training partnerships in northern Australia. The areas studied were: the Bowen Basin area in central Queensland; the Central Australian region in the Northern Territory; and the Kakadu region in west Arnhem Land. The researchers carried out semi-structured interviews with key stakeholder groups involved in partnerships. These include local employers, Indigenous associations, and government and private agencies. A minimum of 12 interviews were conducted at each site. Other data, including publicly available statistical data, research literature, and locally relevant documents, were used to provide contextual information. The socioeconomic outcomes of partnerships were assessed using a social indicators framework from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED).

Findings

Partnerships between training providers are primarily formed to meet the skill and employment needs of industry, community groups and government stakeholders. These groups usually take the lead in establishing effective partnerships.

All of the sites examined in this research are currently experiencing skills shortages. As a consequence, the majority of the partnerships studied focused on achieving employment outcomes. The employment outcomes reported in the interviews included: an increase in the number of local employment opportunities, particularly for women returning to work and young people who have been disengaged from work or study; an increase in employability skills; and the integration of local Indigenous young people into the workforce.

While local employment needs generally provide the basis of training partnerships, there are other socioeconomic benefits that result from partnerships, including improvements in health; use of community resources and access to external financial resources; English language, literacy and numeracy; acquisition of vocational education and training (VET) qualifications and life skills; and social connectedness and improved activities for youth.

Effective partnerships between training providers had five key elements. These are: leadership (brokering); leadership (local 'shakers and movers'); relationships and trust; local resource-sharing; and access to external resources.

Leadership 'brokers' are usually from industry or community groups and have a broad vision and plan for the needs of the area. These leaders bring together industry, community and provider groups to respond to the needs of the region. Leadership 'movers and shakers' are usually those who foster local networks and organise access to local resources. This leadership role could be undertaken by training providers or community groups.

Partnerships that have sound relationships and build trust between partnership members and local stakeholders, such as community groups, tend to be effective in achieving their goals and in promoting greater sharing of local resources between these groups. Nevertheless, successful ongoing partnerships rely on access to external funding. The leadership 'broker' usually arranges access to these external resources.

To achieve an effective partnership, it is important for those involved to communicate well, establish sound protocols and have regular contact. Good publicity also helps, as does recognising the mutual benefits of the partnerships and the needs of other partners and the broader community.

Partnerships are also likely to achieve positive socioeconomic outcomes when they provide training that is supportive of community needs, supports the goals and aims of stakeholders, builds relationships and trust, and provides a mix of both formal and informal learning.

Implications

Although training providers often play a secondary role in directing the purpose of partnerships, they play an instrumental role in finding ways to meet the training needs of industry and communities. Training providers could be proactive in anticipating the kinds of skills that may be required in partnerships - such as leadership - and planning for, and developing, these skills.

Non-formal training is an important factor in achieving positive learning outcomes. This research shows that using a mix of formal and informal training methods can be a very effective strategy for achieving social outcomes and enhancing formal learning.

Most of the funding for partnerships in this study focuses on industry's employment needs; however, this research suggests that partnerships would benefit from funding models which support the needs of communities more broadly. Partnerships that have access to a mix of funding from both local and government sources also have a greater ability to deliver training that meets local needs.