Printing Industries will establish a new nationwide registered training organisation (RTO) for the printing industry, with Joan Grace, currently CEO of Print NZ, appointed as head of the organisation.
Printing Industries is fast-tracking the RTO establishment. Bill Healey, CEO, Printing Industries says Printing Industries are in the final stages of negotiations to purchase an existing organisation allowing them to fast-track the project. He says, "It is about the printing industry taking control of its own future. This isn't a Printing Industries story, it is a print industry story. We have been in consultations with GAMAA and the AMWU, and we all see the need to make this move.
"Te decision by RMIT to close its print school is a precursor to what will be happening around the country, and third party training organisations will just cherry pick, whereas we will service the needs of the whole industry."
Susan Heaney, president, Printing Industries says, “The board saw the move as essential for the provision of key skills in the industry and had also endorsed the appointment of a person of the highest calibre to manage its establishment. We cannot allow the future of printing industry training to remain in peril and subject to the changing policies of various governments.”
New Zealand’s Joan Grace has been appointed to head the RTO as general manager of education, employment and training. Grace is currently the chief executive of PrintNZ the peak industry association for the New Zealand printing industry. She is also chief executive of the Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation (CMITO).
Heaney says, “She revolutionised training for the New Zealand industry and created a model that is the envy of organisations locally and internationally.”
She says “After the recent decision by RMIT in Victoria (to close and outsource its print training school) the industry wants certainty, vision, greater co-ordination and the ability to provide the kind of training required for its ongoing development. This is particularly the case in an increasingly multi-channel communication world where opportunities are being created but new skills demanded.”
Healey says the appointment of Grace is a major coup for Australian industry training and for Printing Industries’ current campaign to ensure Victorian and Tasmanian printing companies were not disadvantaged by the RMIT’s decision to exit from print training.
He says, “Joan has accepted a contract with us and will be relocating to Victoria where she will be based in our Melbourne office. Her initial role will be to establish the national RTO on behalf of the printing industry, and to ensure that industry training in Victoria is maintained.”
Grace will also manage the establishment of the Victorian operation and provide leadership in the development of a national training function as well as working with the broader industry to provide better co-ordination and consolidation of education and training issues.“This is a critical need of our Victorian and Tasmanian members who find themselves in a situation today that may possibly be repeated in other states across the country tomorrow. We are continuing to have discussions with the Victorian Government on achieving our objective to fill gaps in apprentice training brought about by RMITs departure from its printing industry training role.”
Healey also says Grace has established relationships with a large number of key industry partners operating on both sides of the Tasman and an outstanding track record in industry training.
“This RTO project is one of the most important and far reaching decisions of Printing Industries in recent times and will help redefine our industry’s future.” Healey concluded.
Andrew Tribute
