From transactional to transformative: the key elements of thriving RTO-employer partnerships
Authors:
Daniella Trimboli
NCVER
Theme: Industry
Presentation:
Effective partnerships between registered training organisations (RTOs) and employers are important in ensuring a robust vocational education and training (VET) sector. RTO-employer partnerships act as channels through which industry skill needs are met, with the provision of relevant training, and which simultaneously build the capacity and resilience of providers and employers.
The aim of this research was to investigate the drivers for RTO-employer partnerships, and the benefits and challenges related to building and sustaining them in the contemporary VET environment. Using a qualitative, case study approach, the project also sought to identify practical strategies that could help foster high quality RTO-employer partnerships. Interviews were undertaken with individuals who were directly involved in partnerships at both management and operations levels, as well as with current learners wherever possible.
Drawing on the case studies, which included partnerships from a range of industry areas, geographical locations, and employer sizes, this presentation will outline the four key elements that emerged as being vital in the creation of thriving partnerships. These four elements built upon previous, formative research (Callan & Ashworh 2004; Smith et al 2017), which identified several characteristics common to effective RTO-employer partnerships. The presentation provides examples of what the four elements look like in practice, offering learnings that are particularly useful for RTOs seeking to strengthen their relationships with industry.