Victorian Training Initiative of the Year
Swinburne Employability Skills Passport
Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE)
Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE Division) won the 2008 Victorian Training Initiative Award for its Employability Skills Passport initiative.
The Swinburne Employability Skills Passport initiative provides students with a range of general skills vital for securing employment. The Passport is built on a partnership approach between learners, teachers, support staff and workplaces. This innovative tool encourages students, with their teachers’ assistance, to develop a tangible product which can be used when applying for work or in identifying further education.
The passport links the mainstream aspects of vocational learning with employability and generic skills, providing a framework to integrate all aspects into teaching and learning. Through this innovative program, students learn valuable life skills ranging from communication and teamwork, through to problem solving and self-management.
The recognition of the Victorian Training Awards has provided validation on how Swinburne has adapted new technologies and worked together with industry and employers to expand education and training possibilities.
“Winning the Award has reinforced our vision of ‘building a skilled workforce’ and the strategic goals of our organisation,” said Teaching and Learning Advisor, Julie Hurrell.
“At Swinburne we are very much aware of the importance of employability skills and we are working to integrate these skills into all our courses.”
Swinburne’s initiative went on to be one of the three finalists selected for the Training Initiative category in the 2008 Australian Training Awards.
Swinburne won the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s Innovative Business Award, which was presented at the 2008 Australian Training Awards.