The Taskforce comprises CEO-level representation from the water industry and related education and government sectors. Current members of the Water Industry Skills Taskforce are: 

•  Tom Mollenkopf (Australian Water Association)   
•  Grant Leslie (Water Services Association of Australia)   
•  Trevor LeBreton  (Irrigation Australia)   
•  Jon Black (Unitywater)   
•  Eamonn Kelly (Thiess Services)    
•  Private company  (TBC) 
•  James Cameron (National Water Commission)  
•  Paul Beerworth (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations)   
•  Peter Bernich (Government Skills Australia)     
•  Chris Davis (University of Technology Sydney)  

National Water Skills Strategy: Business Plan  

Following results of a COAG initiated National Water Skills Audit in 2008, which quantified skill gaps in the water sector over the next ten years, a National Water Skills Strategy, designed to address skills gaps, was endorsed by COAG in December 2009. The Strategy outlines specific items to be undertaken which will enable better utilisation of existing Government programs to assist the water sector in bridging projected skills gaps.     

AWA was engaged by the National Water Commission to develop the Business Plan to operationalise the National Water Skills Strategy. The Business Plan outlined the framework for implementation , including governance, funding, and timetables, and included details on specific actions to be undertaken to achieve each item identified in the Strategy. The Draft Business Plan was then developed with preliminary stakeholder input by July, incorporated further industry feedback during August and September with the Final Business Plan being completed and endorsed by the Taskforce in October 2010.      

DOCUMENTS FOR DOWNLOAD 

COAG National Water Skills Strategy  

National Water Skills Audit    

National Water Skills Business Plan   

REVIEW OF NATIONAL WATER SKILLS BUSINESS PLAN  

In late 2011, on behalf of WIST, AWA undertook a review of the activities that had been defined in the Business Plan. The Plan had identified over 50 projects across all states and territories, some had been already underway and some were newly identified as useful projects to be undertaken. A wide range of project owners were also identified however all relied on funding from their respective owners. Although AWA itself has been pursuing many projects listed in the Business Plan, it has had limited capacity to drive full implementation of the Strategy. The review demonstrated that if there was to be effective deployment of the Strategy going forward, a combination of efforts at the jurisdictional level, as well as financially resourcing those projects identified as national priorities, would be necessary. To this end, the review recommended that the Strategy be streamlined to reflect only the highest priority issues and that a clearer funding model should be established. 

A copy of the Business Plan review can be found here: Review of WIST Business Plan Feb 2012  

NEXT STEPS   

Following discussions based on the Business Plan Review at their Feb 2012 meeting WIST is planning to streamline their activities with the review recommendations. A full review of the WIST Charter will also be undertaken. This is planned for the next meeting, which is scheduled to be held in June 2012.