1. Project Manager Literacy and Learning Industry Training Federation
Nicky Murray
Project Manager Literacy and Learning
Industry Training Federation

2. What is industry training?
The industry training system evolved from the previous trades apprenticeship system, and was established by the Industry Training Act 1992.
Industry training is coordinated by 39 ‘industry-owned’ Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), who work with employers and employees on the basis of tripartite training agreements.
Industry training uses unit standards and qualifications developed by the ITO and registered on the National Qualifications Framework.
In 2008 over 190,000 trainees took part in industry training, $71 million in cash (plus more ‘in-kind’ support) was invested by industry and firms, and the Government invested $198 million.

3. What do ITOs do? Industry Training Organisations:
provide skills leadership for their industry (or industries), including identifying current and likely future skill needs
provide information and advice to trainees and their employers
set national skill standards and develop qualifications for their industry
develop education and training arrangements for their industry
arrange for the assessment of trainees
monitor education and training quality

4. ITOs do not provide training.
What do ITOs NOT do?
ITOs do not provide training.
Most ITOs utilise a mixture of ‘on-job’ (workplace based) and ‘off-job’ (institution-based) learning.

5. So what’s the issue in New Zealand?
The 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) survey showed:
1.1 million New Zealanders (43% of the adults aged 16 to 65) have literacy skills below those needed to participate fully in a knowledge society (over 80% of these people are in work).

6. What are ITOs doing about literacy and numeracy issues?
ITO’s Investment Plan key performance indicator is to:
increase the number of trainees with literacy and/or numeracy learning needs who are receiving quality education focused on lifting these skills.

7. Literacy
Literacy is the written and oral language people use in everyday life and work. It includes:
reading
writing
speaking
listening
Skills in these areas are essential for good communication, critical thinking and problem-solving in the workplace.

8. Numeracy Numeracy is the bridge between mathematics and real life.
It includes the knowledge and skills needed to apply mathematics to everyday family and financial matters, and work and community tasks.
So what do you think of these definitions? Are they different from what you first think of when you hear ‘literacy and numeracy’?

9. How are ITOs doing this?
By contextualising or ‘embedding’ literacy and numeracy learning
This means using topics, tasks or situations from the contexts learners are in (for example, a vocational course, a workplace) as the basis for literacy or numeracy instruction.
Literacy is best learnt in a context that is meaningful for the individual which, for many adults, is the workplace.

10. literacy skills of trainee
literacy demands of training
literacy demands of job
Now I’d like to talk about your role with trainees. I think this diagram is a useful way to think about literacy, because it places the literacy skills that the trainee brings into the context of the literacy demands of the training and the job.
Doig, H (2007) Presentation to the Food Service Committee (Workbase)

11. Sylvia Heywood ETITO Industry Training Manager Operations
ETITO presentation is a case study showing how we are working across tertiary education providers (including employers) to specifically develop opportunities for literacy, language and numeracy gain alongside vocational education and training. The aim is to develop systemic measures to assist employers to identify the link between improved work efficiencies and literacy, language and numeracy levels of their workforce. As part of this, a 360 degree evaluation tool is being developed to inform research and support future sustainability for skill enhancement within ETITO’s industries.

12. ETITO Embedding Literacy
Literacy projects
- Security guards training delivery on-job
- Electrotechnology and telecommunications
occupations training delivery off-job
- Evaluation consists of qualitative and
quantitative outcomes
Two Literacy projects with different approaches.
1. Security – ‘on job training’ approach. Commenced January 2008
2. Electrotechnology & Telecommunications – ‘off job training’ Provider approach. Commenced May 2009
Building into both projects methods of evaluation to satisfy our funders (TEC – quantitative) and our employers (qualitative)
TEC Quantitative Employer Qualitative
Trainee volumes Identification of workplace literacy barriers
Tutor take up of Professional Development Reviewed training programme materials
ETITO staff take up of Professional Development Trainee raised levels of self esteem
Increased literacy levels Better quality outcomes
Increased credit achievement

13. Funding and Timelines Tertiary Education Commission
- Investment plan – agreement
- Key performance indicator
“Workplace initiatives in place that lift the
literacy, language and numeracy levels of
trainees.”
- Reporting
ETITO is 70% funded by TEC with remainder coming from industries (Ambulance, Contact Centre, Electrotechnology, Financial Services, Security and Telecommunications)
3 yrs Investment Plan – agreement with TEC for funding. Receipt of the funding is associated with our statutory role as qualifications developer, organiser of ‘off-job training’ provision with Training Providers and the leadership. In the Investment Plan we agree a set of Key Performance Indicators by which we will measure ourselves as will TEC. Back in 2007 when we wrote the current Investment Plan we identified that one of the KPIs should relate to enhancing workplace literacy levels.
There was not and still is not a lot of research in NZ on specific industries:
The International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) conducted in New Zealand in the late 1990s gave some indication as to the percentage of security trainees needing support.  The survey classified people by industry sector and by occupation.  Security officers were not classified by industry sector it is probable they were within Transport/Communications. In this classification 33% were at levels 1 and 2 i.e. below the level of literacy competence deemed necessary.  By occupation the closest classification is probably Service Workers.  In this classification 38% where at levels 1 & 2.  not too much of a stretch to say that security officers were therefore at the lower end of these classifications and therefore an estimated 40-50% would need support. 
KPIs discussed quarterly with TEC but Embedded Literacy projects is monitored 6 monthly - reports to TEC about progress on agreed milestones. In these reports we mainly report on quantitative measures. However the next Investment Plan will include both quantitative and qualitative measurements.

14. Security Project - Employers
Security guards
- Building capability of managers
- Strategy and resource materials
- Pre & post assessment of trainee
literacy levels [streaming tool]
- Analysis to identify gaps
- Deliberate acts of teaching
- Report to employers
In 2007 ETITO gained feedback from the Security Advisory Group that they believed that low levels of literacy existed amongst Security Officers.  The literacy difficulties appeared to be constraining take-up and completion of qualifications. Poor literacy skills are also inhibiting trainee workplace performance.  For example, one company visited showed that the Security Supervisor spent unnecessary time reworking Security Officers’ incident reports. 
The security project was organised in four phases that would run concurrently (runs in parallel at the same time):
Phase 1 – Build ETITO Capability (limited knowledge of developments in raising literacy levels)
Phase 2 – Build Security Employers capability (Employers worked around the problem)
Phase 3 – Create Resources to assist Employers to delivery systematic teaching opportunities
Phase 4 – Deliver deliberate acts of teaching to 275 trainees (pre & post assessment – streaming not diagnostic)
Major Challenge getting buy-in from employers and ETITO staff. The Professional Development available is the National Certificate Adult Literacy Education 40 Credits Level 5 on NQF. The NCALE incorporates a new tool/framework called the Learning Progressions and it this tool that enables the benchmarking of materials and ability levels in order to identify where the gaps lay. I will discuss the Learning Progressions in the next few slides.
Out of 250 pre assessments 29% have indicated a literacy needs. A “tool box” set of resources have been developed based on the training requirements contained in the training resources available. Trainers can select resource with clear teaching points and a “Guards handout” with clear notes, important tips and some practice activities that guards can do in their own time or at work. Early feedback indicates very valuable tool for supervisors.  

15. Workbase Literacy partnership - Knowledge bank of experience - Library
- Project team member
- Knowledge bank of experience
- Library
- Information source
- Building capability within ETITO [literacy skills profiles]
The New Zealand Centre for Workforce Literacy Development is a not-for-profit organisation specialising in improving workforce literacy.
Workbase works with business, unions, industry training and tertiary education organisations, Workbase develops tailored literacy solutions that support government and company initiatives, delivering on its vision of a literate New Zealand workforce. A literacy expert from Workbase is a member of ETITO’s project team.
We are able to tap into a knowledge bank of experience that Workbase own from working with over 100 companies in New Zealand.
Workbase library has over 7,000 resources including; workplace education, literacy in vocational training, communication skills & Health & Safety. Also documents on research, reports and case studies. Representing a vast supply of information and advice free of charge.
Workbase provides nationwide professional development for literacy and vocational tutors, and industry and workplace trainers and develops resources. One of the resources they have worked with ETITO on is the Literacy Skills Profiles. Workbase are training our staff whilst developing Literacy Skills Profiles.

16. Literacy Skills Profile
Literacy Skills Profiles describe the literacy tasks within a job and literacy skills needed to complete the tasks (Copies - Hand out/placed on chair)
Literacy Demands of the Job include: Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, numeracy, Critical thinking & Information and Communications Technology.
These have been split into three categories of likelyhood/occurance:
1st Every day feature
2nd Fairly regular
3rd Occasionally
Very useful document enables ETITO to match both the demands of the job with the training. Literacy demands of training include ‘on the job’ week orientation and training programme. Given to trainees to read and understand role with instruction from Manager. ETITO and Workbase reviewed the training programme focussing on “plain English” text, readability and ease of comprehension.
Other uses of Literacy Skills Profile when discussing literacy demands of Job with employers, tutors and trainers.

17. Learning Progressions
Knowing the demands
Knowing the learner
Identifying the demands of texts against the progressions
Using diagnostic processes based on the progressions
Knowing what
to do
Writing literacy – focused learning goals based on the progressions
Selecting teaching activities that are literacy-focused, to support learning
Available on the TEC website at
Learning Progressions - The Learning Progressions for adult Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening and Numeracy have been developed as a national resource for the adult literacy, language and numeracy sector. The progressions are designed to assist in planning foundation programmes where improved outcomes for learners in literacy, language and numeracy are desired. The progressions help to identify next steps or gaps for learners as people develop expertise in these important areas. 
There are 4 Literacy strands: Listen with understanding, Read with understanding, Speak to Communicate and Write to Communicate
There are 3 Numeracy strands: Make Sense of Numbers to Solve Problems, Measure and Interpret Shape and Space and
Reason Statistically
The Flow chart illustrates the three main sections of the Learning Progressions:
• Knowing the demands (of the texts that learners want or need to read).
• Knowing the learner (what they can do already, in order to determine the next learning steps).
• Knowing what to do (to help learners move on to the next steps).
Planning targeted lessons, using activities that support the progressions
Teaching Adults to Read with Understanding Using the Learning Progressions

18. Industry Training Federation
ITO Member organisation
- Lobby government
- Conduct research
- Support network for ITOs
- Collaborative relationship with TEC
The ITF is a voluntary membership-based organisation, representing all of New Zealand's 39 Industry Training Organisations to government. The ITF also works with agencies and sector groups to improve the policy for and delivery of industry skill development and workplace learning.
The ITF Board is responsible for the governance of the organisation on behalf of the ITO members.
Working with the ITF has been extremely valuable:
Update information on Literacy
Conducting research into best practice (employer approach, assessment, evaluation,)
ITF formulate key messages from ITOs to TEC ??? Organise networking events and presentations, key to this enables all ITOs involved in projects to come together and tell our stories, enables reflection, visibility, ideas.

19. Electrotechnology & Telecommunications - Training Providers
- 12 providers in project pilot
- Building capability of tutors
- Pre & post assessment [Diagnostic]
- Analysis to identify gaps
- Deliberate acts of teaching
The latest project similar to Security project - four phases:
Phase 1 – Continue to build ETITO Capability (different set of staff)
Phase 2 - Build Training Provider Capability (not employer capability – off job provision)
Phase 3 - Training Provider’s build own resources with Literacy expertise from ETITO
Phase 4 - Deliver deliberate acts of teaching to 600 trainees (Pre & post assessment (Diagnostic) not streaming)
Professional Development same National Certificate in Adult Literacy Education.
Same issue challenges to get buy in from Training Providers and ETITO staff.

20. ETITO Capability Building
Security, electrotechnology and telecommunications projects
- Embedding literacy part of organisational
strategy
- Qualification design
- Training management
- Leadership
I talked earlier about our statutory role (three main statutory responsibilities). The main focus of the literacy projects initially were based around the trainee delivery (Training management) aspect of our work. However, our work also involves leadership and qualification development.
Integrating literacy into these core activities is also a challenge (Buy-in seen as Sylvia’s project in the minds of managers & funding)
The Qualification development entails:
Audit workplace practices
Develop user-friendly standards & qualifications
The Leadership role entails:
identifying industry needs
influencing government funding and securing alternative funding
Communicating priorities/progress with employers & providers
It is now part of ETITO’s strategic plan to embed literacy into our core business. Which includes using literacy profiles when developing qualifications. Developing a set of questions for research when identifying industry needs, promoting achievements of literacy results and incorporate literacy development in Training Management contracts.

21. Trainees Funding criteria
Employed undertaking training in the industry
National Qualification Level 2 to 3 on the
NQF
With at least 30 credits remaining
Undertake suitable literacy provision
Part of embedded literacy project
As part of the TEC funding arrangements trainees involved in the projects had to be:
employed in the industry undertaking training (training agreement with ITO)
studying a National Qualification at level 2 or level 3
had to have at least 30 credits remaining to complete
ETITO had to agree to:
undertake suitable literacy provision
be part of embedded literacy project
We are still in the process of collecting and evaluating feedback from trainees who have participated in the projects. Post assessments are due to take place later this year.

22. Implementing Measures
Enhanced literacy levels of trainees
- Post literacy assessment analysis
- Anecdotal feedback of progress or enhanced job
performance
- Measure rate of credit achievement
- Increased completions
Once we have analysed the post assessments for the learning gain we will be in a position to establish literacy gains of trainees against the Learning Progression. Also collect feedback from employers/supervisors. Albeit anecdotal
Through our data base of trainee stock check the credit achievement of trainees during the period – rather more difficult to pin point to literacy or numeracy gain. Monitor future completions identifying which trainees were involved in the literacy projects.
Collect feedback from ETITO field staff working with industry sectors also in evaluation process

23. 360º Evaluation
In summary I have presented ETITO’s work place literacy projects showing how it is possible to work across tertiary education providers and employers to specifically develop opportunities for literacy, language and numeracy gain alongside vocational education and training.
We consider that all these dimensions provide purposeful feedback that will inform research and support future sustainability for skill enhancement within ETITO’s industries by:
obtaining future funding from TEC
continued support and relationship with Workbase
stronger collaborative relationships with other ITOs including the ITF
building and maintain literacy professional development for ‘off-job’ tutors with Training Providers
enhancing ETITO’s literacy research, qualification development and leadership capabilities
building and maintain literacy professional development for ‘on-job’ supervisors/trainers
supporting trainee credit and qualification achievement
Thank you – Any questions??