Productivity Places Program

Between 2010 and 2012 the Skills Alliance brokered over $3m in training dollars for industry under the Productivity Places Program (PPP) This money supported over 1300 training places, upskilling workers and volunteers across many qualifications delivered by over 25 registered training organisations.

PPP was a Federal and State Government initiative which provided training that was more responsive to the needs of enterprises within the industry. The Queensland Fitness, Sport and Recreation Skills Alliance was contracted by the state Government to implement training under PPP across the Fitness, Sport and Recreation industry in Queensland.

The PPP was a major success for the Skills Alliance and for industry. The original PPP contract was added too numerous times and the final completions were 194% of the target required under the contract. The increased levels of knowledge across industry from PPP can only help its professionalism in the future.

Major achievements of PPP

Registered Training Organisations

The Skills Alliance implemented an application and selection process for RTO’s to receive funding for training delivery under PPP. A large number of providers were used, providing choice for learners but also assisting the Skills Alliance with their engagement. The RTO’s and the funded qualifications were:

  • Human Performance Centre (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Fitnation(Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Above and Below Adventure Company (Cert IV and Diploma of Outdoor Rec)
  • Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE (Diploma of Outdoor Rec, Cert IV TAA and Cert IV TAE)
  • Binnacle Training College (Cert IV Fitness and Cert IV TAA)
  • Australian College of Sport Development (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE (Cert IV Fitness)
  • Fit College (Cert III and IV in Fitness and Cert IV TAA)
  • Fitness Industry Training (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Asset Training Australia (Cert IV Outdoor Rec)
  • PT Train (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • The College of Health and Fitness (Cert III and IV in Fitness and Cert IV TAE)
  • Competency Based Learning (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Upskilled(Cert IV Business, Business (Sales)and Frontline Management, Diploma of Business)
  • HR Coach Academy (Cert IV in Frontline Management)
  • Connect Training Group (Cert IV Business, Cert IV TAE, Cert IV TAA)
  • Fitlink(Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Australian Institute of Fitness (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Onfit Training College (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Training Sense (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Australian Sports Academy (Cert III and IV Fitness, Cert IV TAA)
  • Fitness Institute( Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Queensland Academy of Fitness ( Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Smart Connection Company (Cert IV in Community Recreation)
  • Synergy Central (Cert III and IV in Fitness)
  • Productivity Partners(Cert IV in Information Technology – Websites)
  • The Learning Collaborative (Cert IV in TAE)

Participation data

Over the course of the project the Queensland Fitness, Sport and Recreation Skills Alliance made offers to 395[1] organisations from the following sectors:

Sector / Number of Organisations / % of Total
Sport / 86 / 21.77
Fitness / 195 / 49.36
Outdoor Recreation / 75 / 18.98
Community Recreation / 39 / 9.87
Total / 395 / 100%

The table below depicts the breakdown of places allocated across the relevant qualifications:

Qualification / Number of Places Offered / % Total Places Allocated
Cert III in Fitness / 457 / 34.64
Cert IV in Fitness / 537 / 40.71
Cert IV in Community Recreation / 12 / 0.90
Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation / 139 / 10.53
Diploma of Outdoor Recreation / 26 / 1.97
Cert IV in Training and Assessment / 95 / 7.20
Cert IV in Business / 9 / 0.68
Cert IV in Business (Sales) / 7 / 0.53
Diploma of Business / 24 / 1.81
Cert IV in Frontline Management / 12 / 0.90
Cert IV in Information Technology / 1 / 0.07
Total Training Places Offered / 1319 / 100%

Regional Coverage

Access by regional workers was an important aspect of the PPP delivery and the following table shows the breakdown:

Region / Number of Reported Enrolments / % Total Places Allocated
Brisbane / 692 / 52.46
Central / 57 / 4.32
South -East / 315 / 23.88
South-West / 74 / 5.61
North / 157 / 11.9
Far North / 24 / 1.81
TOTAL / 1,319 / 100%

Summary

The success of the PPP within the Fitness, Sport and Recreation Industry was indicative of the industry’s need for training. The Skills Alliance believes a significant percentage of employees who accessed places would have otherwise been unable to seek out and pay for training via usual supply-driven arrangements. Interest levels remained high until the closure of the last round of applications, and in fact a number of small projects were approved at the last minute to maximise the value of the funding available and support valuable industry training.

It is safe to say that significantly more places could have been filled had additional time been available and that there is a definite demand for subsidised training across industry. The take up of the limited number of places available through Service Skills Australia and the National Workforce Development fundalso supports this. More flexibility in relation to the funding of skills sets and gap training would also have increased the numbers and benefits for industry.

The PPP funding made a significant difference to the industry. The amount of PPP funding compared with many other industries was insignificant, but the outcomes achieved substantial. If government wishes to have effective delivery of sport and recreation, from a largely non-profit sector it needs to continue to invest in training its workers. Failure to do so will result in far greater costs to the community through ill health, social dis-engagement, financial loss and heaven forbid, a lack of infrastructure to support our sporting idols!

[1]Although only 395 individual employers are identified, some individuals were auspiced by Peak Bodies e.g.: QORF and Duke of Edinburgh.