Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to establish collaborative partnerships and relationships with business and industry stakeholders to promote and advance learning programs.

The unit also covers communicating to influence others, cultivating new and existing partnerships, establishing positive collaborative relationships, leading the establishment of a partnership program and establishing reporting mechanisms.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to leaders or managers working in either an educational organisation or a non educational enterprise where learning is used to build capabilities. It includes forming partnerships or other collaborative arrangements to achieve improved learner, community, career, or work outcomes.

Educational leaders gain the respect of colleagues, contacts, clients and the community through demonstrating professionalism in all aspects of their work; this professionalism is underpinned by their educational expertise and effective interpersonal and communication skills. In the vocational education and training sector, learning leaders and managers must build partnerships and lead in a collaborative manner to ensure learning has a strategic role in the ever changing context, and in the face of complex influences that affect learning.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Communicate to influence relevant individuals and stakeholders

1.1. Generate trust, confidence and support from relevant individuals , other stakeholders  and potential learners  by demonstrating a high standard of personal performance and conduct

1.2. Implement communication strategies  to represent the organisation positively to media, local community and stakeholders

1.3. Make decisions in consultation with relevant stakeholders and relevant individuals where appropriate

1.4. Use a range of influencing strategies  to increase commitment from staff and stakeholders to achieve organisational requirements and to contribute to desired culture

1.5. Undertake selected community and/or professional engagements that project a positive image of the organisation to the broader community and stakeholders

2. Cultivate new and existing partnerships with stakeholders

2.1. Establish outcomes to be achieved from a learning partnership 

2.2. Analyse models for effective consultation and collaboration within a partnership

2.3. Cultivate collaborative communities  and partnerships through application of a range of learning and communication solutions

2.4. Forge relationships, collaborative communities or partnerships between a training and assessment organisation  and a public or private sector enterprise 

2.5. Consult stakeholders to establish vocational education and training partnership learning programs 

3. Establish positive collaborative relationships

3.1. Establish processes that contribute to the creation and maintenance of a positive culture that embraces collaboration

3.2. Establish processes to resolve conflict in a fair , equitable and collaborative manner 

3.3. Organise and allocate work activities in a cost effective and equitable manner with clear, quantifiable and agreed performance standards 

3.4. Encourage staff to embrace a learning culture and to undertake activities that develop their personal competence and performance

3.5. Empower individuals to develop their own ways of working within agreed boundaries of competence, cultural, diversity  and organisational and legal requirements 

3.6. Establish indicators  and feedback processes  that can be used to evaluate the health of the work environment

4. Lead establishment of a partnership program

4.1. Identify and address relevant organisational policies and procedures  in partnership learning program plans

4.2. Identify and incorporate relevant legal requirements into planning of learning programs established in a community or partnership setting

4.3. Form partnership learning programs in collaborative and consultative processes involving public or private sector enterprises

4.4. Plan and allocate resource requirements  to accomplish a partnership learning program

4.5. Establish relevant organisational policies and procedures relating to partnerships, and training and assessment services

5. Establish reporting mechanisms for partnership program

5.1. Establish reporting systems  for reporting results , that meet reporting requirements , against planned partnership outcomes

5.2. Implement reporting systems  to map learner progress against partnership outcomes

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• analysis and interpretation skills to:

• evaluate organisational information management systems, policies and procedures
• select relevant evaluation information and documentation
• identify any potential and current non-compliance
• access and interpret organisation's standards and values
• analyse records or notes of the evaluation process

• initiative and enterprise skills to establish collaborative partnerships and relationships
• interpersonal and communication skills to negotiate, to question, to listen and investigate, to network and clarify issues
• planning and organising skills to:

• research and evaluate validation processes, and to determine and implement improvements to these processes
• develop and establish agreement to plans

• problem-solving skills to review feedback and to plan improvements
• teamwork skills to lead and motivate a team in establishing productive networks, partnerships and other relationships.

Required knowledge 

• relevant legislation that affects the business operation, especially in regard to OHS and environmental issues, equal opportunity and anti-discrimination, industrial relations
• organisation mission, purpose and values
• organisation objectives, plans and strategies
• leadership styles
• personal development planning methodologies
• data collection methods
• external environment scanning relating to social, political, economic and technological developments
• emotional intelligence and its relationship to individual and team effectiveness
• organisational transformation and the management of the stages of change
• organisational design and building in responsiveness of operations to change in customer or market conditions.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• demonstrated capacity to foster learning partnerships, conduct stakeholder consultation and use strategic and personally enhancing communication skills
• developing collaborative approaches to enhance individual, team and organisational outcomes
• initiating and implementing learning program partnerships in line with relevant regulatory, employment and organisational requirements
• knowledge of relevant policy, legislation, codes of practice and national standards.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• competence is consistently demonstrated over time, and over a range and variety of situations
• access to required assessment facilities and resources.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
• review of applied projects or learning activities, especially relating to formation of professional networks and stakeholder consultation in relation to forming partnerships for vocational education and training programs
• direct observation of contextual application of skills
• submission of a portfolio of evidence including previous work forging partnerships
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of development of industry learning partnerships.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBLED702A Lead learning strategy implementation
• BSBLED707A Establish career development services
• BSBLED709A Identify and communicate trends in career development
• PSPMNGT614A Facilitate knowledge management.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant individuals  may include:

• employees
• employers
• government agencies and departments
• learners/students
• industry associations, employer bodies, professional associations
• industry representatives
• national Industry Skills Councils
• people working in the roles targeted by training
• regulatory and licensing authorities
• research agencies
• state/territory industry training advisory bodies
• subject or technical specialists or experts
• unions
• universities

Stakeholders  may include:

• administrative and regulatory bodies
• coordinators, teachers, assessors, coaches, mentors and support staff
• employees
• industry, employee, employer, professional and peak bodies or associations
• learners/students
• other training and assessment organisations
• public or private sector enterprise

Potential learners  may include:

• apprentices and trainees
• current or ongoing learners and clients
• existing industry and enterprise employees
• individuals changing careers
• individuals learning new skills and knowledge
• individuals or groups meeting licensing or other regulatory requirements
• individuals seeking to upgrade competencies
• individuals who are unemployed
• individuals who have a disability
• members of target groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• overseas learners and international students
• potential learners and clients
• recent migrants and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• school leavers, new entrants to the workforce

Communication strategies  may include:

• conducting presentations
• developing and applying interview and interpersonal communication protocols
• developing and circulating marketing materials
• developing promotional materials and course outlines
• initiating and conducting a public communication strategy

Influencing strategies  may include:

• debate
• dialogue
• discussion
• formal and informal techniques
• levels of participation
• moderated negotiations
• networking
• strategies applied face-to-face or collectively (e.g. in a learning community or community of practice)

Partnerships  may:

• be informal
• be physical or virtual (e.g. online)
• involve a formal agreement
• involve one or more enterprises, and training and assessment organisations
• involve one or more learning programs

Collaborative communities  may include:

• communities of practice
• formal or informal relationships
• informal and formal groups in collaborative relationships
• knowledge communities
• knowledge networks
• learning communities
• physical or virtual relationships
• supply chain communities
• virtual circles

Training and assessment organisation  may include:

• organisation that delivers non-recognised vocational education and training
• organisation working in a partnership arrangement with an RTO to deliver recognised vocational education and training
• RTO delivering recognised vocational education and training services such as TAFE institutes, private commercial colleges and organisations, enterprises, community organisations, group training companies and secondary schools

Public or private sector enterprises  may include:

• community bodies
• government agencies
• privately owned companies

Partnership learning program  may include:

• accredited course which includes Training Package outcomes
• community education program
• nationally endorsed qualification from a Training Package or accredited course
• part of a VET in Schools program
• part of an apprenticeship or traineeship
• professional development program
• short course or non-recognised vocational program
• short-term development plan
• short-term induction program
• subset of a learning strategy
• traineeship or apprenticeship
• workplace learning program

Resolving conflict in a fair , equitable and collaborative manner  may include:

• adherence to relevant legislative, legal, workplace requirements
• application of organisational complaints procedures
• internal or external specialists

Performance standards  may be based on:

• personal or task outcomes
• span short- or long-term outcomes
• strategic, operational outcomes

Diversity  includes difference in:

• age
• belief systems and values
• culture
• expertise, experience and working styles
• gender
• interpersonal style
• interests
• language, literacy and numeracy
• physical differences
• politics
• race
• religion
• sexual orientation
• thinking and learning styles

Organisational and legal requirements  may include:

• collaborative and partnership arrangement agreements such as memoranda of understanding
• confidentiality and privacy requirements
• licensing requirements
• requirements for initial and continuing registration as defined in the AQTF Standards for Registered Training Organisations and state/territory legislation and regulations governing provider registration and course accreditation
• requirements of awards and enterprise bargaining agreements
• requirements of endorsed Training Packages
• requirements of other relevant commonwealth and state/territory legislation, for example relating to matters such as OHS, anti-discrimination, workplace and industrial relations, workers compensation, apprenticeships and traineeships
• requirements set by professional associations
• requirements set by quality systems

Indicators  may include:

• formal human resources and related indicators to provide benchmark, comparative measures on:

• average hours in relation to output per employee
• down-time
• related operational and planning indicators
• revenue per employee/team
• staff absenteeism
• staff satisfaction
• staff turnover
• training hours

Feedback processes  include:

• formal complaints or suggestions procedures
• formal-informal
• independent audits
• management audits/workplace checks
• surveys
• virtual or physical
• whistleblower policy

Relevant organisational policies and procedures  may include:

• access and equity
• assessment procedures and options
• client services
• confidentiality requirements
• ethical standards
• fees and payment schedule
• grievance and appeals processes
• learner selection, enrolment, induction and orientation procedures
• mutual recognition obligations
• policies and procedures being available to all personnel, learners, clients and candidates
• staff recruitment, induction and ongoing development and monitoring
• support services available
• human resources policies and procedures and legal requirements including anti-discrimination, equal employment, OHS
• administrative and records management systems, for example that relating to:

• contract manager
• document version control
• maintenance, retention, archiving, retrieval, storage and security of training and assessment information and records
• personnel responsible for analysing statistics and data to ensure organisation complies with relevant standards across all of its operations and training and assessment activities
• privacy and access to training and assessment information and records
• reporting and recording requirements and arrangements
• supervisors and managers
• union and employee representatives
• users of training information such as finance personnel, human resources personnel, employers

Resource requirements  may include:

• additional staff
• distribution costs
• equipment
• production costs
• promotional costs
• research and development
• re-tooling
• staff training

Reporting systems  for reporting results may include:

• arrangements for the issuing of Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications and Statements of Attainment
• arrangements for recognising and recording current competencies
• electronic student management system which complies with AVETMISS or other reporting or statistical collection requirements
• internal organisational recording and reporting systems
• record keeping policies and procedures

Reporting results  may include:

• Australian Apprenticeship Centre forms and letters such as for incentives and completions
• availability of all reports and records for audit and monitoring purposes
• enrolment forms
• financial reporting for funding and payments from funding body
• OHS incident reporting systems
• performance agreements
• reporting for apprenticeship and traineeship program delivery
• reporting for in-house or internal program delivery
• Training Contract and RTO notifications

Reporting requirements  may include those specified in:

• AQTF Standards for Registered Training Organisations
• AVETMISS process documentation
• organisational documentation

Reporting systems  to map learner progress against partnership outcomes may include:

• electronic systems including those using business technology such as:

• computers
• hardware
• software
• telephone networks

• physical systems such as face-to-face and print communications

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Stakeholder Relations - Relationship Management

Co-requisite units