Verve – knowledge & skills is the industry training advisory board (ITAB) for the arts and culture and sport and recreation sectors in Victoria, Australia.
Verve's role is to be a key source of knowledge and skill development for these sectors and to act as a facilitator between government, industry and training providers.

Verve Happenings

SpArtA 2009 – Making Waves

Annual Awards Night presented by Verve – knowledge & skills, The Victorian Industry Training Advisory Body (ITAB) for the culture and recreation sectors

SpArtA 2009 will be held at the Champions Room at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre from 6pm on Thursday 4 June and will come with a suitable theme - Making Waves!

Guests will be entertained by elite athletes and performers including Westside Circus’ Christy Flaws in “Paddlepop”, a special aqua performance by past and current members of the National Synchronised Swimming Team and a musical feast by talented NMIT students. 

Don’t miss this special event.

To register click here.

Register as a “Friend” and get tickets to the event plus the opportunity to promote your organisations programs and activities. For more information click here.

Nominate for the State Training Award and a Sparta Award – Deadline COB Friday 15 May

Nominating for a SpArtA Award is easy and we are on hand to help out if you have any questions. All we ask for is a 300 word summary of the individual or organisation being nominated and dot point answers in response to the selection criteria (based on the State Training Awards). We will call you if we require additional information.

Please click here to access the nomination forms.

In the past SpArtA finalists have gone on to be represented at the State Training Awards held in August. The deadline for the State Training is also on Friday 15 May. To nominate for the State Training Awards go to:
www.skills.vic.gov.au/awards

SpArta Wiki

Visit our new wiki for updates on the Sparta road trip and for other information about the SpArta awards. If you are interested in becoming a “friend” of Sparta to attend the awards and access special network benefits please contact Brooke Attrill or Pip Losper at Verve – 9614-5566 or admin@verve.org.au.

Skills for Growth Program

The Victorian Government's $52 million Skills for Growth: Workforce Development initiative has commenced with 87 businesses now registered to receive assistance under the program.

On the 7 April 2009 the Minister for Skills & Workplace Participation released a statement:

"The Brumby Government is taking action to secure more jobs for Victorians by investing in a skills system capable of delivering the skills our businesses need to boost productivity and innovation and drive economic growth".

Verve - knowledge & skills is one of 17 organisations contracted under the Skills for Growth program to provide direct tailored assistance to small to medium businesses in Victoria. Verve will work alongside experts in our industries to deliver strategic advice on skills development to businesses from the culture and recreation sectors across Victoria.

For a copy of Minister Allan's statement and a full list of the Service Panel please go to www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-skills

Sport and Recreation Workforce Development Workshop

Service Skills Australia and Verve - knowledge & skills will be holding a Workforce Development Strategy Workshop on Friday 8 May for the Sports and Recreation industry. The workshop will lead on from the 2009 Environmental Scan conducted by Service Skills Australia recommending:

'All sectors of the sport, fitness, outdoor and community recreation work together to develop a workforce development strategy', and that the ISC work with industry to strengthen workforce development activity and drive improvements in training quality and flexibility'.

A workforce development strategy will assist people working across the industry gain appropriate skills and contribute to the growth and development of a sustainable, productive and profitable sports and recreation industry.

The strategy will cover the next three to five years and, based on the findings of the Environmental Scan and will focus effort on six main areas of improvement:

For more information on the session please contact Genevieve Wearne, Verve CEO on 96145566 or email: genevieve.wearne@verve.org.au

Apprenticeships in the Screen Industries

Verve will shortly complete a document commissioned by Film Victoria that outlines ways in which the screen industry (film, television and games) can engage with the vocational education and training (VET) system to help provide entrants to the screen industry with the relevant skills and knowledge requirements. The Screen Traineeships (New Apprenticeships) Framework will include case studies and will focus on critical skill shortage areas.
The screen industry has lacked models for the delivery of training on the job since the demise of training by the major film and television studios in the 1980’s. Current research suggests that there is a need for people with relevant technical skills and an understanding of the idiosyncratic nature of the industry. In many cases such skills and knowledge requirements are better gleaned on the job. In the course of completing the document, Verve has talked with many employees in the industry in an attempt to raise awareness of New Apprenticeships and ways in which employers may structure on the job training. The document will be released to Film Victoria in early February 2009.