Keep up to date with the Emerald and Longreach Ag College developments
1 September, 2019
12 AUGUST 2019 UPDATE
The communiques keep our readers informed of progress in the transition of students, staff and assets of the Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges (QATC).
Previous updates and background information are available at the QATC web page https://www.qatc.edu.au/2019-transition/project-management-office/
Student transition
Students remain on track to complete their studies with Queensland Agricultural Training College (QATC) in 2019, with a small number of students transferring to another training entity to complete their studies. Any students with concerns about completion of their scheduled training plans are urged to contact QATC as soon as possible.
QATC are developing a plan to transfer, store and preserve physical and digital student records to ensure ongoing access to the records is available.
Staff transition
An Employee Assistance Package is being rolled out to QATC staff, and 144 individual career coaching sessions have been conducted so far. Group workshops in Toowoomba, Townsville, Emerald and Longreach have also helped to smooth the process and have resulted in positive feedback from staff. We are continuing to receive and process applications for staff to access funding from the Employee Assistance Package for training.
The staff consultative committee meets regularly to table issues needing a response from QATC and/or the PMO.
TAFE Queensland’s expressions-of-interest process for admission to their staff talent pool closed on 31 July 2019.
Longreach and Emerald colleges
The fourth meetings of the Local Community Stakeholder Committees (LCSCs) were held in Longreach on 30 July 2019 and Emerald on 31 July 2019.
Proposals had been previously invited from businesses, organisations and individuals.
All proposal summaries received by the PMO were shared in the strictest confidence to the meeting attendees and collected again at the end. Each proposal was discussed and evaluated by the LCSC against their self-developed five guiding principles, agreed at previous meetings.
A shortlist of six proposals was prepared for each campus, consisting of primary stakeholders who have the capability to coordinate a partnership model, and secondary stakeholders who can complement the proposed activities. Other proposals that had the potential for collaboration, or were suitable to be discussed with the potential future tenants were noted.
The committee chairs explained the next steps of the process would be for the PMO to meet with each of the shortlisted proponents and later in group workshops at each location to negotiate and develop options for an operating model. This model would be the basis for economic feasibility and due diligence processes to inform development of the transition plan.
A draft potential future operating plan will be presented to the next meetings of the LCSCs, scheduled for Tuesday 10 September 2019 in Longreach and Wednesday 11 September 2019 in Emerald.
Statewide satellite hubs engagement and transition
A Rural Skills and Jobs Alliance (RJSA) meeting was held on Monday 29 July 2019 with representation from QATC and the PMO.
Following an update from the PMO and discussion of feedback received from the Queensland Agriculture Workers Network, the RJSA agreed that in order for industry to offer advice on possible solutions, they should wait until the release of the draft plan to allow a better assessment of the training market landscape.
RJSA members will continue to consider emergent issues with the satellite locations and keep RJSA staff informed.
Discussions between the PMO, QATC and other RTOs are ongoing.
Archives and memorabilia
QATC has formed a network of staff to assist with archiving education, human resources and corporate records and preserve any memorabilia—including photographs, documents and trophies. The Longreach Past Students and Staff Association has offered to assist with the memorabilia.
For more information
Please contact us at qatc_pmo@daf.qld.gov.au.
For further information on the QATC transition process, please contact Alison Mobbs, Director, QATC Transition Project Management Office (PMO), Longreach on 0436 808 827 or alison.mobbs@daf.qld.gov.au.
For more background to the QATC transition processes to date, please visit qatc.edu.au/2019-transition/project-management-office/
