Queensland Seafood Industry Training Needs Analysis

Craig Winkel

Brief2

In 2005/6 the Department of Employment and Training provided funds for a training needs analysis of the Queensland seafood industry.

The objective was to review the success of the uptake of the Seafood Industry Training Package and to better understand the enablers and the inhibitors that impact on the uptake of training in the industry.

Background3

The IndustryThe Queensland seafood industry comprises predominantly of small to medium operators.85% employ less than 50 staff 72 % of the industry’s employees are classified as process workers and/or general hands, the majority of whom are itinerant workers hired on a seasonal basis.

Given this make up, the industry has lacked the ability to bring about a training culture.

Background4

In 2000, the Seafood Industry Training Package was introduced four different streams:

Fishing operations; Seafood processing, sale and distribution; Fisheries compliance and Aquaculture.The ultimate aim of this package is to encourage a more professional approach to the industry; however, the adoption of the training has not matched expectations.

Methodology5

To capture industry views a survey was produced

The survey consisting of 104 questions divided into 5 sections

1.General questions on business structure2.Present uptake of either ‘in-house’ or

externally provided training3.Familiarity with the seafood training package4.Future interest in training5.Perception of needed training topics

The survey6

The survey was initially trailed with members of the QLD Seafood Marketers Association to allow revisions to be made.

All surveys were conducted face to face.

This allowed higher response rate and rigorous quality control over the interviews and data collection

Participants7

The survey was targeted at senior staff of seafood / aquaculture businesses having 10 or more employees

84 business in Queensland fell within this criteria of these 56 businesses were surveyed.

Of the participants surveyed60% were owner operators24% were senior managers16% were technical or HR managers

Participants by location8

Gulf - 6 Cairns - 16

Townsville - 10

Bowen / Mackay - 5

Rockhampton / Gladstone – 1

Bundy / Hervey Bay - 8

Sunshine Coast - 9

Brisbane - 13

Gold Coast - 4

Sectors surveyed where areas of main fishing / aquaculture

19%

16%

65%

Post Harvest Operations Fishing Aquaculture

Industry Sub Sections Surveyed9

Questionnaire10

All questions were given a ranking of 1 to 10 1 being unfamiliar or poor response10 being very familiar or good response

This allowed quantitative measurements and statistical analysis to be completed.

Results11

Familiarity with the seafood industry training package

12

70.4% of respondents had heard of the packageWhen questioned about their knowledge of the contents of the package - Ranking of 3.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unfamiliar Familiar Very familiar

Percen

tag

e

Externally provided training13

35.2% of businesses had conducted some external training in the last 12 months

60% of external training was through RTO’sThe average training per participant <10 hours<12% employees within those businesses

undertook training

This equates to 4.2% of staff within the industry undertook some form of external training.

Areas where external training was conducted

14Food safety 46.3OH&S 20.4processing Techniques 14.8Emergency systems 11.1Staff supervision 5.6Organisational skills 3.7Communication skills 7.4Fisheries management 0.0Product analysis 3.7Record keeping 5.6Regulations 7.4Dispute management 1.9Problem solving 1.9Waste management 1.9Environmental management 5.6

Marketing 1.9

Main areas of trainingFood safety OH&SProcessing techniques

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0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0

Promotion of staff

Retention of staff

Regulatory requirements

Job safety

Production throughput

Product safety

Specific productionrequirements

Product quality

Drivers of training

Factors influencing the purchasing of training

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The top 5 responses were:1.Subsidised training2.Training conducted In-house3.Expert trainers4.Manuals provided 5.Certification

Factors preventing take up of training17

Top 5 responses were1.The cost of training2.No time / too busy3.Training not held in a convenient

location4.Unaware of what training was

available 5.Training offered to their business not

relevant to their needs.

Delivery Strategies18

•For process workers / general hand - field based training and one-on-one instruction was the most preferred

•Distance learning’ and web based training were identified as the least effective delivery method.

Training Needs19

Respondents were asked to rank what training would be considered essential for seafood workers

The top 5 are:1.QA /Food safety2.Growing & processing techniques3.OH&S 4.Emergency systems5.Environmental management

Impediments20

Impediments which need to be overcome for the seafood industry to embrace training.1.Convince the industry of the benefits of training their work force. (future cost benefits rather than the immediate costs)2.Change the industries perception of the nature of training. (it does not have to be class room)3.Be able to conduct training within the operational restrictions of the industry (seasonality & diversity of operations)

Conclusion 21

The seafood industry is now coming to grips with the reality that if it is to survive and prosper it must begin to recruit new people into the industry while retaining present employees.

How do we do this

Suggestions Increasing community awareness of the

opportunities within the seafood industry (Market the industry)

Implement school based training programs Offer sustainable positions (traineeships) Upgrading existing employees skills to

cope with the changes occurring within this sector (Casuals and permanents)

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FYI - Post this survey23

DET allocated funding for an RPL project for seafood supervisors where 36 certificate 3’s in Seafood Processing were awarded

DET allocated funds for 30 traineeships for pre-existing workers in certificate 3 seafood processing traineeships

DET has made training funding available for specific modules within the seafood training package for casual employees (179 participants have undergone training in seafood processing since 2006 through CSIT / SFD initiative)

There are now 16 new employees trainees in certificate 3 seafood processing

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