PA/18/13 16 April 2013
Australia and India to partner on telecommunications standards
Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Mr Patrick Suckling, today welcomed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between India’s Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC) and Australian industry skills councils Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) and E-Oz Energy Skills Australia (E-Oz).
Mr Suckling said “collaboration between these councils will help to build skilled and productive workforces for our growing economies. With India projected to add 12 to 15 million workers to its labour force every year over the coming decades, quality training delivery and standards will be essential. These MOUs underpin partnerships that will help India to achieve this”.
The MoUs result from the Australia India Education Council’s (AIEC) work to expand cooperation in skills and workforce development in the telecommunications sector. The role of skills councils is critical to developing industry-led, work appropriate standards in vocational education and training.
The CEOs of the two Australian industry skills councils, Ms Patricia Neden (IBSA) and Mr Bob Taylor (E-Oz), signed MoUs with their Indian counterpart Commodore J Jena CEO of TSSC. The MoUs will promote cooperation on the creation of occupational standards, processes for affiliation of training partners, assessment, certification and stakeholder engagement.
In October 2012, Prime Minister Gillard and Prime Minister Singh agreed to build partnerships between skills councils in key industry areas under the AIEC, including telecommunications, retail, mining, agriculture and media/entertainment. The Prime Ministers noted the expanding bilateral education and training relationship and its vital role in helping to achieve national goals for innovation, productivity and growth.
Australia has a well developed system of industry skills councils, which work with industry and training institutions to ensure skills training meets industry needs and supports high quality employment and productivity growth. India’s sector skill councils share these goals as they embark on setting national occupation, certification and information standards.