TDA National Conference - TAFE Directors Australia

TDA National Conference
13 – 14 September 2010
SPEAKERS’ ABSTRACT INFORMATION

PRE CONFERENCE SESSIONS - MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
CHAIR
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
ABSTRACT
TAFE rural and regional discussion: ‘The Tiger as collaborator rather than competitor:
Strengthening the connections between employment service providers and TAFE’
Sally Sinclair
Denise Janek
60 minutes
9:30am – 10:30am
In the past year Australian employment services have been completely reformed including the
establishment of Job Services Australia, Disability Employment Services and changes to the
Indigenous Employment Programme.
The unemployment services industry has a diversity of providers with significant depth and
breadth of skills and experience. Notwithstanding the strong competitive drivers an important
characteristic of the employment services industry is the ability of providers to put aside self
interest to work together to improve practice and achieve outcomes. It’s critical that this approach
is shared across the sectors and that connections between TAFE and employment service providers
are strengthened for the benefit of jobseekers and employers.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
SALLY SINCLAIR – CEO, National Employment Services Association
Australian employment and related services industry. Sally has extensive expertise in the design,
development and delivery of employment and related services and has been instrumental in
informing key stakeholders on addressing Australia’s employment and inclusion challenges
including strengthening the integration of employment, education and training.
Sally is a representative on the Minister’s Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation, the
Business Leaders Forum – Indigenous Employment and Enterprise Action Group, the Workforce
Development Supply and Demand Committee and the Employment Services Industry Reference
Group. She also participated in the Prime Minister’s 2020 Summit. Sally is a Board member of the
OECD LEED Program’s Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance.
(Chair) DENISE JANEK – Managing Director, TAFE SA Regional; Chair, Regional Advisory Group to
TDA Board
Denise Janek has had 33 years experience as a teacher and a manager of TAFE programs in South
Australia. She started her career as a high school teacher with the NSW Department of Education
then joined TAFE in South Australia in 1975 at the then Language and Migrant Education Centre.
From 1991 to 1998 she was State Program Manager for Human Services programs, and she
coordinated work on the State Training Profile in 1996. She has managed several national projects
for the Commonwealth Government, the most recent being Access and Equity in Online Learning.
She was the Director of Adelaide Institute of TAFE from March to August 2004. Denise has served
on numerous State and National Vocational Education and Training Committees.
Denise was appointed Managing Director, TAFE SA Regional, in September 2004. She currently
chairs the TAFE Directors Australia Board’s Regional Reference Group.

PRE CONFERENCE SESSIONS - MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE Australian TAFE International Network: ‘Spotlight on China in the Year of the Tiger’
SPEAKER
DISCUSSANT
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Mr Liu Jiantong
Colin Walters
60 minutes
9:30am – 10:30am
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
MR LIU JIANTONG – Deputy-Director, Department of Vocational and Adult Education,
Ministry of Education, Peoples Republic of China
From August 1984 to November 1987 Mr Jiantong held a post graduate in the Department of
History, Beijing University and then from November 1987 to September 1998, Program Official for
Department of vocational-technical education sector of China. From this time Mr Jiantong then
became Division Chief for the Department of Vocational and Adult Education.
Mr Jiantong became Deputy Director for the Department of vocational and Adult Education in
December 2007.
COLIN WALTERS - Group Manager, International Group, Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations, DEEWR
Colin has been Group Manager, International and CEO Australian Education International in
the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, since January 2009.
For varying periods between 1997 and 2008 Colin was responsible, as Group Manager, for
Student Assistance, Youth Affairs, Vocational Education and Training, Science and Higher
Education. He was also a Board Member of the Australian Universities Quality Agency.
From 1992 to 1994 he managed the preparation and passage of Australia’s first native title
(land rights) legislation in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Prior to 1992 and in
1995-96 Colin held a number of senior appointments in the UK.

OFFICAL CONFERENCE OPENING - MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKERS
SESSION MC
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Official Conference Opening
Welcome to Country: Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy, The Senior Elder of the Wurunjderi People
Welcome by TDA: Bruce MacKenzie, TDA Chair
Jo Pearson
Introduction by MC
10 minutes
11:00am – 11:10am
MC’S BIOGRAPHY
JO PEARSON – Media Strategies Pty Ltd
Jo’s experience as a speaker, live television interviewer, media trainer and presentation skills
specialist brings credibility, professionalism and humour to conferences and events. She has
facilitated countless corporate events, written and produced corporate films for leading firms, and
empowered thousands of clients through entertaining and dynamic media and communication
skills presentations and workshops.
Jo’s specialty is providing valuable insights into the importance of ‘getting your thinking right and
putting your heart in your mouth.’ Her years of experience as a journalist, television newsreader,
communicator and trainer combined to provide entertaining and interactive insights into the
emotional, psychological and strategic imperatives of good message management and
communication skills. Jo adds a distinctive, polished and entertaining edge to the role of M.C.,
debate facilitator, trainer or keynote speaker.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSRACT
TAFE in the Year of the Tiger
in T Robin Shreeve; Professor Leesa Wheelahan; Angela Hutson; Dr Tom Karmel
Panel Session
8 minute presentations
11:50am – 12:40pm
Presentation designed to be raw, open, provocative and challenge the status quo.
SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY
ROBIN SHREEVE – CEO, Skills Australia
TOPIC: The ferocious tiger: What should quality mean for a 21st Century TAFE Institute
Robin Shreeve has worked in the skills sector for more than 30 years in Australia and England. He is
currently the Chief Executive of Skills Australia. Skills Australia is an independent advisory body
advising the Australian Government on workforce development and workforce skill needs.
Prior to this appointment Robin was Principal of a Central London College of Further and Higher
Education. From 1989 to 2005 Robin worked for the Department of Education and Training in New
South Wales Australia. There he was Deputy Director-General for Technical, Further and Community
Education (TAFE). From 1995 to 2000 he was Director (Principal) of the North Coast Institute of
Technical and Further Education in northern New South Wales. Robin was foundation Chair of the
Board of TAFE Global Pty Ltd an international project management company set up following TAFE
NSW’s success in as the official training partner for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LEESA WHEELAHAN – L H Martin Institute, Melbourne University
TOPIC: The toothless tiger: Are competency based qualifications relevant in a 21st century knowledge
society
Leesa Wheelahan is an associate professor at the LH Martin Institute, University of Melbourne. Her
research interests include tertiary education policy and practice and student equity. She is particularly
interested in the development of ‘mixed-sector’ tertiary education institutions, and led an NCVER
project on higher education in TAFE. Leesa is also interested in the nature of VET qualifications and has
been a vocal critique of competency-based training and training packages in VET. Her PhD was on the
role of knowledge in vocational qualifications and this led to the topic of her book, Why knowledge
matters in curriculum: A social realist argument, which is published by Routledge. As well as teaching
VET teachers in different universities, Leesa has been a TAFE teacher and worked in academic
development and policy in a dual-sector university. She is currently leading a project on the quality of
VET teaching, teacher education qualifications and continuing professional development.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
ANGELA HUTSON – Chief Executive Officer, East Gippsland Institute of TAFE
TOPIC: Tiger or Pussycat: What’s in a name TAFE by any other name
Angela has been CEO of East Gippsland TAFE for 6 years. She has a passion for people, places, new
ways of working, community and industry engagement and polygamous partnerships. She is also
Vice-President of the Regional Hospital Board, Vice-Chair of the Regional Development Australia-
Gippsland Committee, a member of the East Gippsland Economic Development Advisory Board
and a Ministerial appointee to the TAFE Development Centre Board. Her last qualification was a
Master in Organisational Leadership - Her next one will be in Commercial Cookery, through TAFE of
course.
DR TOM KARMEL – Managing Director, National Centre for Vocational Education
Research
TOPIC:
Tiger stripes: What should performance benchmarks look like
Dr Karmel took up the position of Managing Director, National Centre for Vocational Education
Research in August 2002. Prior to this position he held senior appointments in the Federal
government areas of education, employment, labour market research and the Bureau of
Statistics.His research interests have centred on the labour market and the economics of
education, focussing on empirical modelling, and he has a particular interest in performance
indicators both in higher education and vocational education and training.
He has an honours degree in mathematical statistics (Flinders), and a Masters of Economics and
doctorate from the Australian National University (The impact of increasing education levels on the
Australian workforce).

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE Hot Spot 1
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Andrew Templer
Presentation
5 minutes
12:40am – 12:45pm
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
ANDREW TEMPLER – Vice President, Asia Pacific, SunGuard Higher Education
Andrew is responsible for SunGard Higher Education in Asia Pacific and has over 25 years
experience within the ICT and education industry, holding international Director and Vice President
roles with leading global software companies.
Andrew has a Bachelor Degree in Business: Accountancy from the University of South Australia. He
is involved as a keynote speaker at industry conferences and a contributor to leading business &
ICT journals.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
The hybrid tiger: One tertiary; a connected sector
Bruce Mackenzie & Professor Greg Craven
Jo Pearson
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSTRACT
Conversation
30 minutes
12:45pm – 1:10pm
- How would students benefit from a new, connected ‘tertiary education sector
- How do universities and TAFE institutes best meet students’ needs
- Would industry and the community be satisfied
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
BRUCE MACKENZIE PMS – Chief Executive, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE and Chair, TAFE
Directors Australia
With over 25 years in the field of vocational education, Bruce Mackenzie PSM has played a leading
role in the successful development and implementation of the TAFE system in Victoria. His
contribution to the vocational education and training (VET) sector was formally recognised in his
selection for the 1994 National AUSTAFE Award for Educational Leadership. In the 2005 Australia
Day Honours List, Bruce Mackenzie was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding services
to vocational education. He was a founding member of TAFE Directors Australia and is currently its
Chair. Holmesglen Institute enrols over 50,000 students each year, trades locally, nationally and
internationally with substantial international contracts in the Middle East. It offers courses over 3
educational sectors, upper secondary, vocational and higher education.
PROFESSOR GREG CRAVEN – Vice Chancellor, Australian Catholic University
Professor Greg Craven, lawyer and academic, commenced as Vice-Chancellor of Australian Catholic
University in February 2008. An expert in public law, Professor Craven has published numerous
journal articles and four books, including Conversations with the Constitution (University of New
South Wales Press, 2004). A regular contributor to public debate, he is a columnist for the
Australian Financial Review.
Prior to his appointment at Australian Catholic University, Professor Craven served as Deputy Vice-
Chancellor (Strategy & Planning) at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia, where he
also held the position of Professor of Government and Constitutional Law, having previously
served as Executive Director of the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy. Professor Craven was
Foundation Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia, and Reader in
Law at the University of Melbourne. He also served as Crown Counsel to the Victorian Government
from 1992-95.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
TOPIC
SPEAKER
SESSION MC
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSTRACT
Riding the tiger: Education and skilled migration
The impact of changing migration scenarios on TAFE international students recruitment
Professor Lesleyanne Hawthorne & Dr Mark Cully
Jo Pearson
Keynote Address
50 minutes
2:10pm – 3:00pm
The past 10 years have coincided with extraordinary growth in international student mobility, with
Asia confirmed as the major source of supply. This process is driven by demographic contraction
across OECD countries, resulting in increased opportunity for students to convert to permanent
resident status through ‘two-step migration’. The paper examines this phenomenon in relation to
international student flows to the European Union, Australia, the USA and Canada. Growth in
export education demand is described by sector and discipline, with particular focus on the
dominant student markets (China and India). Australia’s experience with international students as
migrants is next defined, in particular the extent to which they gain employment (assessing the
influence of English ability, discipline, and study sector). Within this context, the paper describes
the skilled migration paradigm shift now underway, and its likely impact on students. The
implications for the TAFE sector are defined, as well as Australia’s in the global student market.
The paper argues that international students have become highly discerning education and
migration consumers – researching global options in order to select the optimal study, migration
and future employment outcomes.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
PROFESSOR LESLEYANNE HAWTHORNE – Associate Dean International, University of
Melbourne
As Associate Dean International at the University of Melbourne, Lesleyanne plays a central role in
strategising and implementing Faculty international initiatives, in addition to developing
international student flows (in a context where 11,000 international students were enrolled at the
University by 2009). In the period of her engagement the University has rapidly expanded its
international operations, spanning South East Asia, East Asia, North America, Africa, Europe and
the Middle East.
Lesleyanne’s work in this position is informed by 20 years research on global workforce demand,
international student flows, foreign credential recognition, and skilled migration. Most recently
this has included commissioned studies for the Australian, Canadian and New Zealand
governments, UNESCO, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council/APEC, the Migration Policy
Institute (US), and the Global Forum of Federations. Professor Hawthorne is also Chair of the
University of Melbourne Teaching and Learning Quality Assurance Committee. Within this context
she is responsible for a wide range of university-wide quality assurance processes.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TOPIC
SPEAKER
SESSION ABSTRACT
International students and skilled migration: re-appraising the relationship
Dr Mark Cully
During 2009, there were close to half a million international students in Australia, up more than
three-fold from ten years earlier. The Australian experience between 1998 and 2008 can be
characterised as a pioneer phase, one where the national interest coalesced with the self-interest
of education providers in favouring growing numbers of students. We are now moving into a
maturing phase, where the state is re-appraising the national interest against these dimensions, as
the consequences of untrammelled growth have become apparent.
A re-appraisal might also be warranted on the part of education providers. The primary role of
public education providers is to educate and train Australians. Servicing international students,
while valuable, is subsidiary to this role. Public education providers need to demonstrate
that their primary role is not compromised by a rising share of international students in their
overall student load.
The onshore share of international students in TAFE is growing, but relatively modest at 6.5 per
cent (in full-time equivalents). Students must be adequately equipped to transition to permanent
residents as skilled migrants. TAFE has a good track record on improving employment outcomes
for Australian students. The evidence is not so good for international VET students.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
DR MARK CULLY – Chief Economist, Department of Immigration and Citizenship
After graduating with an Honours degree in Economics from Adelaide University, Mark spent
twelve years living and working away from Adelaide. He has been a public servant in Canberra, a
Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Warwick and a civil servant in Whitehall. While head of
research on industrial relations for the UK Government in the late 1990s, he ran what was the
world's largest survey of working life, which was the basis for his second book, ‘Britain at Work’.
Mark returned to Adelaide in 1999 to join the National Institute of Labour Studies at Flinders
University, and was then General Manager at the National Centre for Vocational Education
Research for six years, running its statistical then research operations. He was a speaker at the
inaugural Adelaide Festival of Ideas in 1999 and chaired the advisory committee which prepares
the Festival program from 2003 to 2007. He joined the Department in January 2009 as its inaugural
Chief Economist.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
FACILITATOR
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSTRACT
Success and Quality for a 21 st Century TAFE
World Café session: conference participants
Ian Colley
Facilitated Discussion Session: Students video interviews with participants (NMIT) – Emerging
Leaders
60 minutes
3:30 – 4:40pm
This session involves a structured discussion, using a ‘World Café’ process with a series of prompt
questions at each table.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
World Café is a highly structured from of table group discussion. Each table has a specific question
to address. Participants choose to join a table group to discuss the question. After a period, a bell
is rung, and all participants are encouraged to move on to another table (and another question).
The method encourages high energy, high interaction and gives a lot of choice to participants.
After three or four rounds of discussion, the results are reported to the whole room.
IAN COLLEY – Make Stuff Happen
Ian Colley is Partner and Director with make stuff happen, a consulting practice specialising in
project leadership. Ian developed his facilitation skills through extensive experience with the
design and facilitation of hundreds of events in business, government and community settings.
His confidence comes from a rich background in senior public policy roles in education and
training, along with hands-on experience in ambitious practical reforms. He was a senior
ministerial advisor in vocational education and then Project Director with the Dusseldorp Skills
Forum and his work has garnered a high reputation, including a Global Best Practice Industry
Education Partnership Award, and a NSW Premier’s Public Service Award.
Ian currently teaches management and facilitation skills at the University of Technology, Sydney

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Opposition Address
Senator Matthias Cormann
20 minutes
4:40pm – 5:00pm
SESSION ABSTRACT
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
SENATOR MATTHIAS CORMANN – Shadow Minister for Employment Participation,
Apprenticeships and Training
Mathias is the Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training as
well as the Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Fuel and Energy. He was appointed to the
Senate to represent the State of Western Australia in June 2007. Mathias was born in Belgium and
decided to migrate to Australia permanently after first visiting Perth in 1994, attracted by the great
lifestyle and opportunities on offer in Western Australia.
Before migrating to Perth, Mathias had graduated in law at the Flemish University of Louvain
(Leuven). He has worked as a Ministerial Chief of Staff to WA State Government Ministers, as
Senior Adviser to then Western Australian Premier Richard Court and as an Adviser to then Justice
and Customs Minister Chris Ellison. Between 2003 and 2007 Mathias worked for major Western
Australian Health Insurer HBF in a range of senior management roles, including as General
Manager HealthGuard and as General Manager of HBF Health Insurance.
Having joined the Liberal party in Western Australian in 1996, Mathias was elected Senior Vice
President of the Perth Division in 2000, State Vice President in 2003 and State Senior Vice
President in 2004, a responsibility he fulfilled until March 2008. Mathias is married to Hayley a
lawyer with the Perth office of Clayton Utz.

MONDAY 13th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION MC
SESSION TYPE
‘Tigers and Sacred Cows’
Don Watson
Jo Pearson
Dinner Speaker
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
DON WATSON – Author of ‘Weasel Words’
Don Watson is one of Australia's most distinguished writers and public speakers. After completing
a Ph.D at Monash University he was an academic historian for ten years. He wrote three books on
Australian history and then spent several years writing political satire for the actor Max Gillies and
political speeches for the then Victorian Premier John Cain.
In 1992 Don became Prime Minister Paul Keating's speech-writer and adviser and Don’s bestselling
account of those years, Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: Paul Keating Prime Minister, won several
awards including the Age Book of the Year and Non-Fiction Prizes, the Brisbane Courier Mail Book
of the Year and the National Biography Award.
DEATH SENTENCE, his best-selling book about the decay of public language won the Australian
Booksellers Association Book of the Year 2003. WATSON'S DICTIONARY OF WEASEL WORDS,
another best-seller, was published in 2004. His 2008 book AMERICAN JOURNEYS won the Age Non-
Fiction and Book of the Year Awards in 2008. It also won the inaugural Indie Award for Non-Fiction
and the Walkley Award for Non-Fiction. Don’s most recent publication is BENDABLE LEARNINGS, an
assortment of noxious management drive and financial market blather. Don is also a screen writer
of several feature films, including ‘The Man who Suite God’, starring Billy Connolly and Judy Davis.
THE BEN HUISMAN QUARTET
The Ben Huisman Quartet (formerly trio) has recently taken on board a new musician, the talented
Raph Hammond on Trumpet and Flugelhor. On Bass is Julio Castillo, Drums features Sam Leskovec
and on Piano, founding member, Ben Huisman. The quartet has already had numerous exciting
gigs, including events at Crown Casino’s Palladium Room and on Channel Nine’s ‘Today’ show as
well as other corporate events. The musicians in this quartet play in other projects in which they
all have successful original EP’s and albums. The quartet is currently working on original material
to release their own EP early next year.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION MC
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSRACT
Early Prey: The technology tiger - 21st Century technology for VET
Robin T Leslie Moore; Paul Houghton
Discussion session
Kevin Harris
30 minutes
8:30am – 9:00am
- What is happening, how we are dealing with it, and what can still shock us…
- What goes wrong when TAFE is on facebook
- How can TAFE access ‘the cloud’ via eg. gTracker
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
KEVIN HARRIS – Institute Director TAFE NSW
As leader of a dynamic government institution with a strong commercial focus, Kevin is responsible for
all elements including the development and future directions of TAFE NSW – Northern Sydney
Institute.
Kevin is very active at the national and state level in ICT and e-learning. He chairs TAFE NSW Business
Systems Strategies and Knowledge Management peak bodies and represents TAFE NSW on numerous
Department of Education and Training peak ICT committees and programs. He is also a member of
national industry advisory committees. Kevin’s other commitments include board membership of TAFE
Directors Australia and WorldSkills Australia. He has a degree in Mathematics & Physics from
Macquarie University followed an Electronics Trade Certificate.
With a diverse career that has included roles at Honeywell Australia as a Supervising Project Engineer,
Assistant Director (TAFE NSW – Southern Sydney Institute), Program Manager –Engineering Education
Services (TAFE NSW), Senior Head Teacher – Electronics (TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute), Kevin
understands the importance of self development and the essentiality of ongoing education and
training.
LESLIE MOORE – Partner, Deloitte
Leslie Moore is the General Counsel of the professional service firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in
Australia. Leslie and her team of 15 lawyers and other professionals provide legal advice on a broad
range of issues for Deloitte’s businesses, which include assurance and advisory, tax, consulting, risk
services, Forensic and Deloitte Online.
Leslie began her career as an English professor at Yale University. One of her areas of specialty was
collaborative learning – an early version of social networking. After attending Yale Law School, Leslie
joined the New York office of the US law firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, where she worked as a litigator
and trial lawyer. Leslie chairs Deloitte’s Social Media Steering Committee. She played an instrumental
role in developing Deloitte’s social media policy.

PAUL HOUGHTON – Director, KT Studio, Polytechnic West
TUESDAY 14th September 2010
Paul is the Director of KT Studio, an applied research group in Polytechnic West (Western Australia),
where he is applying new approaches to the design of systems and use of emerging technologies to
support complex cognitive tasks. The core of this work is in supporting the fields of training,
sustainable management, policy, interdisciplinary decision-making and innovation systems. Complex,
adaptive environments are designed and implemented to connect networks of people, information
and interactions. A total redevelopment of the Polytechnic West web sites in 2009, now run in the
cloud, led to new tools to track on-the-job learning, personal portfolios and targeted gap training being
developed by KT Studio.
Paul has spent 35 years in a career in information and knowledge management to bring him to the
point where many underlying philosophies and principles are now being applied to new environments,
business models, expectations and possibilities.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Welcome to Victoria
The Hon Bronwyn Pike MP
Presentation
10 minutes
9:00am – 9:10am
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
THE HON BRONWYN PIKE MP – Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development
Bronwyn Pike was first elected to the Victorian Parliament in September 1999 to the seat of
Melbourne. Upon entering Parliament, Bronwyn joined the Cabinet and has held a range of
portfolios, including Housing, Aged Care, Community Services, Health and Minister Assisting the
Premier on Community Building.
As Minister for Education since August 2007, Bronwyn is delivering the Victorian Schools Plan which
will rebuild and modernise all Victorian schools using environmentally sustainable design features.
She is spearheading the Blueprint school reform agenda to drive excellence and equitable outcomes
for all young Victorians. In January 2010 the portfolio areas of Skills and Workforce Participation were
added to Bronwyn’s Ministerial responsibility, recognising the importance of providing pathways to
lifelong learning in order to maintain Victoria’s competitive standing in the global economy.
Bronwyn is the longest serving female minister in Victoria's history.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION TOPIC
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION MC
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSTRACT
The roar of the tiger: International Speaker (UK)
‘Entrepreneurship and organisational growth’
Dame Jackie Fisher DBE
Robin Schreeve
International UK
40 minutes
9:10am – 9:50am
Dame Jackie Fisher has managed impressive growth and aware-winning quality provision in a
highly competitive training sector, in areas of high disadvantage. Dame Jackie will give insight into
the critical success factors and approaches of the Newcastle College Group.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
DAME JACKIE FISHER DBE – Chief Executive, Newcastle College Group, UK
Dame Jackie Fisher is Chief Executive of NCG. NCG comprises of two colleges, Newcastle College,
in the North East of England, Skelmersdale and Ormskirk College, in the North West and The
Intraining Group, which is a national organisation meeting the training and employability needs of
employers and employees across the UK.
Jackie is also a Director of Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, a tourism and conferencing
organisation; a Director of Business and Enterprise North East, which delivers business support
services; a regional council member of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and a trustee of
two charitable trusts; the Northern Rock Foundation and the Centre for Life.
For her services to education Jackie was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June
2005 and in June 2010 was made a Dame in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Further
Education and Training across the UK.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
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ABSTRACT
Vocational Education and Training beyond 2010: Next steps in VET reform
The Hon John Dawkins
Keynote address
30 minutes
9:50am – 10:20am
The National Quality Council, together with Industry Skills Councils and all governments, are
working to put in place the design architecture to give effect to COAG’s agenda for reform. This
agenda aims to make nationally recognized training products ready for changing industry, business
and individual needs, workforce practices, and greater social inclusion.
The policy purposes of these reforms are multiple and ambitious. So the details of the design work
is also multifaceted and complex. It includes work on improving the design of units of competency,
Training Packages, VET qualifications, credit systems and accredited courses to support reforms in
relation to competition and contestability within the VET sector, an increased focus on
preparatory, enabling qualifications, LLN and equity needs.
Mr Dawkins will outline the progress on this work and the issues arising in implementation. He will
indicate NQC’s determination to see this work embedded across VET and to bring all industry
stakeholders along. Mr Dawkins will also suggest how he believes the further development of the
architecture in fulfillment of COAG’s VET reform agenda will be taken up by the National Standards
Council.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
THE HON JOHN DAWKINS AO – Chair, TVET Australia Board; National Quality Council
John Dawkins served for 18 years in the Australian Federal Government House of Representatives
for the Australian Labor Party. From 1983 to 1994, he served under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating as
Finance Minister, Trade Minister, Employment, Education and Training Minister and finally as
Treasurer.
John is also chair of the Australian Qualifications Framework Council and Integrated Legal Holdings.
He is a Director of MGM Wireless Limited, Archer Exploration and Government Relations Australia.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION MC
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
SESSION ABSTRACT
The Year of the Tiger: Leaders’ perspectives
Pam Christie; Kym Peake; Ged Kearney
Panel Discussion
Jo Pearson
40 minutes
10:20am – 1:10am
- What are the implications of the government priority drive towards higher qualifications for the
broader workforce
- How are the NSW and Victorian TAFE sectors currently responding in moves towards higher
qualifications
SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY
MS PAM CHRISTIE – Sydney Institute, TDA Board
BA, DipEd, DipSpEd, GAICD
Pam Christie was appointed Deputy Director-General, TAFE and Community Education in March
2010. Her key responsibilities include driving strategic directions across TAFE NSW, working with
industry to enable community capacity building and increased productivity, and developing a
highly skilled workforce for our state.
Pam has worked in education and training for over 30 years. She began her career as a secondary
school teacher, worked overseas as an Australian volunteer and for the Adult Migrant English
Service. Pam went on to work in the vocational education and training sector, conducting major
Commonwealth-State negotiations, managing regulation and funding of training providers in NSW
and leading reforms related to apprenticeships. More recently, Pam led TAFE NSW - South
Western Sydney Institute and TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute and implemented significant initiatives
across the tertiary sector.
Pam is a member of the NSW TAFE Commission Board, the NSW Vocational Education and Training
Accreditation Board, the Board of Studies NSW and the LH Martin Institute for Higher Education
Leadership and Management Advisory Board.
KYM PEAKE – Deputy Secretary, Skills Victoria, Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional
Development
Kym Peake joined the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, as the
Deputy Secretary of Skills Victoria in early 2010. Before moving back to Victoria, Kym worked in the
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office for 18 months as the
Executive Co-ordinator, Productivity and Inclusion and Senior Advisor, Policy Liaison.
Kym has extensive experience working at a State and Commonwealth level, leading complex policy,
legislation and service delivery reforms. In Victoria, Kym led reforms for at risk children and
families, with a focus on valuing the strengths of every family, ensuring services meet the needs of
vulnerable groups and addressing barriers to social and economic participation.
Prior to returning to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Kym headed up a public sector
governance practice at KPMG. In this role, Kym advised governments in Australia and Dubai on
range of governance and strategy issues relating to urban development, affordable housing,
emergency services, approaches to social regulation and the integration of health research,
education and clinical service delivery.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
GED KEARNEY – President, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
Gerardine (Ged) Kearney commenced as ACTU president on 1 July 2010, and is the third
woman to hold the position. She was elected the Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing
Federation in April 2008, representing more than 175,000 nurses and midwives, and during
her tenure saw substantial membership growth, including the first national combined strategic
growth campaign in the private sector aged care industry. Ged had been an elected official
with the ANF since 2003, also serving as Assistant Federal Secretary, Federal President and
Victorian Branch President. She is a director of the HESTA Super Fund.
Ged became a registered nurse in 1985, and has worked in many settings across the public and
private acute sectors, predominantly in Melbourne, and has also been a nursing educator,
including manager of the Clinical Nursing Education Department at Austin Health. She has a
Bachelor in Education. Ged is a mother of four children aged from 16 to 23, and lives in
Melbourne.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION MC
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Prowling the jungle in a post-Bradley world
David Williams; Neil Edwards; Jeanette Allen
Panel discussion
Jo Pearson
40 minutes
11:40am – 12:20pm
SESSION ABSTRACT • Does the new landscape (eg competitive funding, student entitlements) enable more
efficient/effective TAFE institute operations
• What does industry see as the defining characteristics of innovative and high performing
TAFE Institutes
• Will the new regulatory arrangements raise the quality of VET
• Will the new regulatory arrangements be ‘game changing’ for VET in the 21st century
What would be the benchmarks for TAFE institutes
SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY
DAVID WILLIAMS – Executive Director, Victorian TAFE Association
TOPIC: Competitive VET, a case study
David Williams was appointed to the position of VTA Executive Director in June 2001. He joined
the association as Manager, Workforce Development & Employment Relations in 1996. David has
a strong background in industrial relations, human resources and government issues.
NEIL EDWARDS – CEO, TVET Australia
TOPIC: Measuring success
Neil Edwards was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TVET Australia in May
2010. Immediately prior this appointment, Neil was CEO, Chifley Business School, a position he
held since July 2005. Neil has over 30 years’ experience in the private and public sectors, having
held senior executive positions in both State and Federal government departments. Neil is
Chairman of the Victorian Regional Channels Authority (VRCA) and a Member of the Advisory
Board for the Defence Science.
JEANETTE ALLEN – CEO, Service Skills Australia (& Chair WorldSkills Australia)
TOPIC: What does industry see as the defining characteristics of innovative and high performing
TAFE Institutes
Jeanette Allen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Service Industry Skills Council (SSA), a not-forprofit,
independent organisation, which is one of 10 national Industry Skills Councils set up in 2004.
Under the Rudd Labour Government she has the new mandate to oversee a “strengthened
Industry Skills Council” covering Workforce Development, Advocacy on Quality Training Provision,
Productivity Places Program and the Continuous Improvement of the service industries training
packages.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Hot Spot 2: It’s a jungle out there: How technology can help you avoid becoming Tiger prey!
Brad Smith
Sponsor Presentation
10 minutes
9:50am 12:20am – 12:30pm
SESSION ABSTRACT
Ti
There are new rules in the jungle. The rains are not plentiful and sustenance is becoming scarcer.
Tigers are circling, seeking to claim your territory.
Brad Smith will provide a brief introduction to how one vendor is evolving its technology solutions
to help you protect and maintain your kingdom
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
BRAD SMITH – Solutions Manager - Education, TechnologyOne
In his role as Solutions Manager for Education, Brad Smith oversees the development of
TehnologyOne’s enterprise business management solutions for the tertiary education sector.
Brad’s involvement with technology solutions for private and public enterprises began just prior to
the PC revolution, and since then he has worked with both hardware and software solutions across
a range of sectors. Since joining TechnologyOne six years ago Brad has spent considerable time
presenting TechnologyOne’s Financials, Student Management and Business Intelligence solutions
to both Higher Education and VET Institutions.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SESSION SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION MC
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
Panel: Post-Election analysis: Education and Training, a Number 1 priority
Andrew Trounson; John Ross; Peter Mares
Panel discussion
Jo Pearson
45 minutes
2:00pm – 2:45pm
SESSION ABSTRACT • How important is/was VET in the education debate
• What do politicians want from it How are they handling it
• Where are we travelling with the politics around skilled migration
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
ANDREW TROUNSON – Education Journalist, The Australian
Andrew has been a journalist for 15 years, first as a business reporter with Dow Jones, the
publishers of the Wall Street Journal, in London, Sydney, and Melbourne. In 2003 he joined The
Australian in Melbourne, mainly covering the resources industry. He joined the newspaper’s Higher
Education section in 2008, and has twice won Universities Australia’s media award for coverage of
equity and access issues.
JOHN ROSS – Campus Review
John Ross is a journalist with Campus Review, Australia’s independent national weekly newspaper
about tertiary education, and was named by the National Press Club and Universities Australia as
the 2010 Higher Education Journalist of the Year. Prior to joining Campus he worked for many
years as a media officer with NSW government agencies including the Department of Education
and Training, TAFE NSW, the Adult Migrant English Service and the National Parks and Wildlife
Service. He has also freelance for publications including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Good
Weekend, and as a casual scriptwriter for educational and promotional videos and TV magazine
series. He has also worked at various times as a musician, English teacher, kitchen hand, landscape
labourer and sugar cane chipper. He drinks too much coffee and plays Galician bagpipes quite
badly.
PETER MARES – Presenter ‘The National Interest’ ABC Radio National
Peter Mares has been a journalist and broadcaster with the ABC for more than twenty years and
currently presents the weekly public policy discussion program The National Interest on ABC Radio
National. He was formerly presenter of the daily regional current affairs program Asia Pacific, and
also worked for two years as an ABC foreign correspondent based in Vietnam in the mid 1990s.
Peter is an adjunct fellow at the Institute of Social Research at Swinburne University of Technology
and a regular contributor to the online journal Inside Story. He has published numerous articles,
essays, book chapters and journal articles on migration related topics and his book Borderline
(UNSW Press 2001,2002), analysing Australia's policies towards refugees and asylum seekers, won
prizes in the Queensland and NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

STREAM 1
TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION MC
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
A tale of the domestic tiger: Skills for the resources sector – a challenge for VET
The Hon Gary Gray OA MP
Perspectives from: Chris Fraser; Ray Barker; Jim Barron
Keynote / Perspectives
Jo Pearson
60 minutes
2:45pm – 3:45pm
SESSION ABSRACT • Is there a sustainable skills strategy for the resources sector for the 21st century
• How do you train existing workers at remote fly in fly out sites
• How are we ensure that the training offered to people living in remote and regional Australia
leads to real sustainable jobs in the resources sector
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
CHRIS FRASER – Executive Director, Victoria and Director, Education and Training, Minerals
Council of Australia
Chris has extensive public affairs, technical and operational experience in the minerals industry and is
currently the Executive Director of the Victorian Division of the Minerals Council of Australia. In that
role he is responsible for the development of public policy on minerals industry matters in Victoria and
advocacy on behalf of member companies with interest in Victoria. He is also the MCA’s national
Director, Education and Training where he is responsible for policy development and advocacy of the
industry’s strategic response to skills shortages.
Prior to taking up his current position he was the Executive Director of the Victorian Minerals & Energy
Council. The MCA merged with VMEC in June 2004 to form the Victorian Division of the MCA. He has
a Bachelor of Engineering Degree, a Diploma of Applied Science and he is a Fellow of the Australasian
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
RAY BARKER – Chair, Skills DMC
Chair of Skills DMC, the Skills Council for the Resources and Infrastructure Industries since inception in
2004 and Chair of it’s predecessor the National Mining ITAB from it’s inception in 1994. Also hold the
day job of National Training Manager for the CFMEU Mining and Energy Division. Worked in the
Mining Industry since commencing in 1966 as an Electrical Apprentice at Mount Morgan Gold, then at
Mount Isa followed by 13 years at Moura Coal Mine as an Electrical Fitter and Mechanic. Became a
full time Union Official with the ETU in 1984 and moved to the CFMEU in 1990 where I was the senior
Vice – President of the Queensland District until moving to the National role in 2005.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
JIM BARRON – CEO, Group Training Australia
Before taking on the role of CEO for Group Training Australia in November 2001, Jim spent 14 years in
federal politics, including positions as Chief-of-Staff to three different federal Cabinet Ministers and
senior adviser for four years to Dr John Hewson, Leader of the Opposition.
Jim brings to GTA a wealth of knowledge and experience in the political and social policy areas and
feels privileged to have been on both sides of the fence. Jim’s major focus is to continue to advocate
to government and stakeholders alike, the need to lock in future skills development, solve skills
shortages and build a genuine training culture in Australia.

STREAM 2
TUESDAY 14th September 2010
SESSION TITLE
SPEAKER
SESSION TYPE
SESSION DURATION
SESSION TIME
What do we mean by a sustainable international education sector
Keynote: Colin Walters
Perspectives from: Professor Stephen Connelly; David Riordan; Mike Moignard
Keynote / Perspectives
50 minutes
2:45pm – 3:45pm
SESSION ABSRACT • Future trends: What would be a sustainable number of international students
• What is necessary to support a sustainable market
• How do bi-lateral and multilateral relationships play their part in internationalizing TAFE
• Where does engagement with industry fit into our model of international education
• What kind of coordination is necessary between the key players to manage this area more
effectively
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY
Synopsis: The rapid rise in the number of international students in Australia has created challenges
with regard to quality, regulation and social infrastructure capacity. Mr Colin Walters, Group Manager,
Australian Education International, will outline a range of measures which have been introduced to
address these issues.
COLIN WALTERS - Group Manager International Group, Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations, DEEWR
Colin has been Group Manager, International and CEO Australian Education International in the
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, since January 2009.
For varying periods between 1997 and 2008 Colin was responsible, as Group Manager, for Student
Assistance, Youth Affairs, Vocational Education and Training, Science and Higher Education. He was
also a Board Member of the Australian Universities Quality Agency.
From 1992 to1994 he managed the preparation and passage of Australia’s first native title (land rights)
legislation in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Prior to 1992 and in 1995-96 Colin held a
number of senior appointments in the UK.

TUESDAY 14th September 2010
PROFESSOR STEPHEN CONNELLY – Deputy Vice-Chancellor, International & Development; Vice
President RMIT University
Stephen Connelly was appointed to the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor International &
Development & Vice-President at RMIT University in February 2010. Prior to that, he spent five years at
Swinburne University of Technology as Pro Vice Chancellor (International) and later Deputy Vice
Chancellor (Development and Engagement). He spent seven years at La Trobe University as Director of
International Marketing and then Director of the International Programs Office. Stephen was Chair of
the Victorian International Directors Committee from 2000 to 2002, and foundation Chair of the
Australian Universities International Directors Forum from 2002 to 2004. Stephen is currently President
of the International Education Association Australia (IEAA) and is a graduate of Monash and Melbourne
Universities. He has lived and worked overseas in Germany and Malaysia, and has more than twenty
years’ experience in international education.
DAVID RIORDAN – Director, TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute
David has over 26 years’ experience working in the vocational education and training (VET), higher
education, schools and corporate sectors commencing as a teacher at Sydney Institute in the 1980s,
teaching and managing a range of language and literacy programs. In 1996 David moved to the Middle
East where he worked at the Kuwait Naval School on an Australian higher education project. On return
to Australia, he headed up the bid and later managed the training of the workforce for the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000 on behalf of TAFE NSW.
In 2001 David was appointed as Director Business, at Sydney Institute. David then moved to Europe to
pursue his international career managing large projects associated with the Olympic Games in Athens,
then in Italy as a consultant for the Winter Games in Turin. After five years away David returned to
Sydney to head up the TAFE NSW National Business Office and in 2007 was appointed CEO of
Department of Education & Training (DET) International.
MIKE MOIGNARD – GM Industry Group, Export and Investment Services, Austrade
Michael Moignard has a long background in trade and resources with Government. In 1978 he joined
the Department of Trade and Resources in Canberra working on trade policy including a posting in
Washington DC in 1980 and the Gold Tax Inquiry in 1985. He joined the Australian Trade Commission
(Austrade) in 1987. He has held positions in Washington, New York, Santiago de Chile, Manilla,
Singapore and New Delhi.
He returned to Australia in 2008 to the position of General Manager, Government and Communications
with Austrade in Canberra. Michael was appointed in 2009 to the position of General Manager,
Industry Group with Export and Investment Services, Austrade in Melbourne. He has a MSc in
Chemistry from Melbourne University and a BA Honours from ANU.

EXECUTIVE
CAVEN – Director Policy & Stakeholder Engagement TAFE Directors Australia
Pam Caven took up the position of Director Policy & Stakeholder Engagement TAFE Directors
Australia in May 2007. Pam’s career has been in education and training as a teacher in secondary
schools, a lecturer in a teacher’s college, a teacher in TAFE, a senior manager in State and Federal
Government departments and an author.
Pam was a project Director in the Victorian Department of Education and Training prior to moving
to the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) as Project Director. Post ANTA Pam managed
a variety of projects and was engaged as an audit for the Victorian Auditor General.
During her time at TDA Pam has drawn on input from members to develop formal TDA submissions
to a range of Government and department inquiries and consultations. Pam has managed
significant national projects and organized a range of seminars and the annual TDA National
conferences.
MARTIN RIORDAN – CEO, TAFE Directors Australia
Martin Riordan is Chief Executive Officer of TAFE Directors Australia, the peak incorporated
body representing Australian TAFE and technology institutes. Martin Riordan was appointed to
head up “TDA” in December 2005, having previously worked at executive levels in vocational
education, and communications, in Australia and through Asia-Pacific. Immediately prior to his
appointment, Martin was an executive with Federal Education (DEST), and was a guest
lecturer in communications at Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW.
Martin was awarded an Australian American Fulbright Professional Scholarship in 2009, to
review leadership skill sets, and innovation in the American Community College system. His BA
(Hons) undergraduate qualification was gained at Macquarie University, and MBA from the
University of Technology Sydney.