Project Title: Career Progression Analysis - Prawn Farming Sector

Project Plan

Project Purpose

The aim of this project is to provide the evidence base required to position the Australian prawn farming industry to implement processes and procedures to ensure the industry attracts and retains sufficient appropriately qualified people to fulfil on-farm higher level technical and managerial roles.

Background and Strategic Context Over the next five years, the Australian prawn farm industry is anticipating significant growth. A relaxing of regulatory hurdles and increased productivity due to new techniques and feed regimes has made the investment in expanded production worthwhile. Extensions to (and evolution of) existing commercial farms, and the establishment of new farms, are planned for Queensland and the Ord/East Kimberley region of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. In some cases the scale of growth planned for individual companies is very large and may require more than 1,400 new employees at full operation.

The Australia Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) has approached AgriFood for assistance in identifying some of the major workforce implications of the rapid expansion to the commercial prawn farming industry. APFA and AgriFood have agreed to work with the industry stakeholders to identify strategies to address challenges in recruitment, retention and skilling of the expanded workforce.

AgriFood commissioned a scoping study to refine the focus for this labour analysis project. In early May 2015, discussions were held with a number of key industry members including senior executives from APFA, Seafarms Group Ltd, Pacific Reef Fisheries, Ridley Agri Products and Pacific Reef Technologies. Additionally, the views of several training providers active in the north Australia aquaculture sector were sought in shaping the scope of this project.

Other Related Projects This project will draw on previous relevant work by reviewing existing information and data on the current and future skilling needs and contextual business framework for prawn farming, aquaculture and selected agriculture industries. This will include the reports for the Skills Needs Analyses (SNAs) of the Hatchery Sector- Aquaculture Industry, and recent SNAs commissioned by AgriFood covering the Tasmanian Fruit Industry, the Northern Territory Seafood Industry and the Northern Australia farming, cattle and forestry industries; as well as the AgriFood Environmental Scan 2014, 2015 and other ABARE, ABS, NCVER and industry reports as appropriate.

Project Objective The key objective of the much broader Career Development Project is to increase the attractiveness of the prawn farm sector to graduates of university and higher level VET programs. This is to be achieved by offering a clear career progression within the prawn farming sector, with skills transferable across the broader aquaculture industry and other agriculture industries. A related objective is to offer encouragement for professionals, para professional and technicians to remain employed in the sector recognising that there are limited opportunities to advance to the position of manager of a prawn farm. This career progression analysis project will provide the evidence base to support the successful future implementation of the Career Development Project.

The focus of the Career Progression Analysis project is twofold:  Confirm the skills, licenses (if any) and other attributes and knowledge required by the range of senior supervisor and manager roles on prawn farms. The expectation is these roles require the incumbent to possess skills and knowledge normally gained through completing a tertiary level qualification, and/or a diploma/advanced diploma from the VET sector, and/or long term on farm experience.

 Identify the key skills required in similar roles in the broader aquaculture and agriculture industries.

This will enable a mapping of the common areas of responsibility and the core skills required by those positions/functions.

Scope and key deliverables In Scope The boundaries of the project include:  A prawn farm’s hatchery, growout, processing and managerial/administrative functions. For most farms, the majority of tasks will be those associated with the growout of prawns. On larger farms, the more pure administration/managerial roles will be prominent.  Mapping of similar roles (knowledge and experience) across other aquaculture sectors (not just tropical aquaculture)  Identification of commonalties with selected broader agribusiness sectors (primarily in the regions in which prawn farmers operate)  Consideration of future roles and scenarios that the prawn industry (and where relevant, other agricultural sectors) is likely to need the skills to address, as it grows over the next three years.

The project outcomes will:  Directly provide the evidence base to enable the prawn farming industry to plan appropriate workforce recruiting, pathway development and retention strategies for managers and broaden their recruitment base to other agribusiness sectors because there is clear commonality across roles and functions;  Provide a road map to encourage all training providers (VET sector, schools and universities) to work more effectively and collaboratively with each other, and with non-teaching research institutions, government and industry to deliver flexible, customised courses and programs that are best suited to meet the higher level technical and management needs of prawn farmers and other regional agribusiness sectors and ensure that new R&D and technology is incorporated quickly into training programs to build competitive advantage and support industry growth; and  Result in a significant and coordinated contribution to support future place-based workforce development in northern Australia that will foster the attraction and retention of highly skilled, innovative people who can see a long term career pathway within a region, based on interesting, diverse cross-sectoral opportunities.

Out of Scope The project will not specifically consider:  Tasks roles based on Certificate II or III level skill sets (i.e. roles classified as the responsibility of farmhands, skilled workers or leading hands).

Assumptions  That a significant proportion of the Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) stakeholders will see the value of the project and be willing to participate in surveys, focus groups, one-to-one interviews and general discussions, within the timelines for the project.  That the wider aquaculture industry and agribusiness sectors will also see the merits of the project and the opportunity that integrated high level cross-industry skilling would bring to workforce capacity at a regional scale and also be willing to participate, within the timelines for the project.

Constraints Time is the greatest constraint for the project as the final report must be completed by September 30 th 2015.

Deliverables and Budget The proposed project timeline is provided at Appendix 1. The budget is $55,000 (GST incl.) and the project will deliver the following milestones:  Milestone 1 (due 29 June 2015) – Project plan ($22,000)  Milestone 2 (due 15 August 2015) – Final desktop research review and progress report ($16,500)  Milestone 3 (due 30 September 2015) – Final report ($16,500)

Governance Project Client/Owner Agrifood skills Australia

Project Sponsor Mr Ross Ord, Agrifood skills Australia

JCU Project Manager Ms Margie Atkinson

Personnel JCU & Industry Project Team Members Core Project Team  Ms Margie Atkinson (MA)  Dr Connar McShane (CM)

JCU and Industry Advisory Team  Prof Dean Jerry (Head of Discipline, Aquaculture, JCU)  Prof Allan Dale (Professor of Tropical Regional Development, JCU)  Ms Helen Jenkins (Executive Officer of the APFA)  Mr Mark Oliver (Registered Training Organisation for aquaculture for Queensland)  Prof Marcus Lane (Dean, College of Marine & Environmental Sciences, JCU)  Senior staff member tbc (College of Business, JCU)

External Project Reference Group  Mr Ross Ord (Agrifood Skills Australia)  Ms Jo-Anne Ruscoe (FRDC)  Mr John Maloney (GM, Pacific Reef Fisheries)  Mr Tony Charles (R&D Chair, APFA)

Governance roles and responsibilities  The core project team will do the desktop study (MA), data gathering (CM & MA), data analysis (CM) and report writing (MA & CM) with reference to the JCU/Industry Advisory team and the External Project Reference Group. Noting that, wherever possible, the online survey will provide the first tranche of data that can then be confirmed and explored in more detail in subsequent one- to-one interviews or focus groups.  The core team will present an over view of the project to the APFA annual conference on the 30-31 July.  This project is seen by many as providing a strategic foundational base for future projects that may seek to strengthen the relationships across the industry, training and research community and provide effective support for workforce development to underpin the anticipated growth of the aquaculture (particularly prawn) industry. Such projects could be incorporated into the newly announced CRC for Developing Northern Australia. Consequently, the JCU/Industry Advisory Group will, in addition, provide high level advice to the project team about the institutional and operational feasibility of any potential ‘road map’ recommendations for developing a future ‘integrated, end-to-end’ approach to training that may arise from the consultations undertaken during the scoping study.  The External Project Reference Group will provide industry contacts, review and comment on draft reports and provide advice consistent with their area of expertise. Terms of reference for this group will be developed by Mr Ross Ord from Agrifood Skills Australia.

Key Project Stakeholders  External Project Reference Group  JCU/Industry Advisory Team  APFA members (including employers, employees) – including as much of the supply chain as possible  Other aquaculture sector employers and employees (links to be sought via FRDC)  Ex Seafood CRC members (via Emily Mantilla) – noting the CRC finishes 30 June 2015  Agribusiness sector employers and employees – targeting the Bowen/Burdekin; Hinchinbrook and Tablelands regions via JCU team networks  RTOs and other providers such as C-Aid, RLP and Rural Training Initiatives  High schools interested in better understanding career pathways and in preparing students for jobs in growth areas (Career advisors, teachers delivering vocational training in aquaculture or business)  Government departments (e.g. Queensland DETE and DAF) – re their role in understanding and promoting career pathways for regional workforce development for agriculture/aquaculture and in being positioned to prepare for future growth industries.  CSIRO and other research institutions that have worked with the APFA (e.g. University of the Sunshine Coast – Professor Meredith Lawley, Wayne Knibb and Abigail Elizar; Curtin University - Janet Howieson; University of Tasmania – feed trials; Queensland DAF – Bribie Is Research Station for aspects of production, plus Coopers Plains, Sue Poole’s group for post-harvest issues )

Communications and Reporting

Stakeholder Information Required When required Format Aquaculture and  Advise the project In the first half of the Distribution to industry agribusiness industry has commenced; project networks via members (employers  provide access to  APFA; and employees) the online survey;  external Reference  seek participation Group, Agrifood for a sub group in Skills & JCU project face-to face team networks; interviews or focus  presentation to the groups APFA conference;  online survey website Other stakeholders  Advise the project In the first half of the Mainly via phone, email has commenced; project or face to face contact  potentially provide initiated by the JCU access to the online project team survey;  seek participation for a sub group in face-to face interviews or focus groups All Advise project is End of project  Email/website completed distribution of final report via APFA and Agrifood Skills website;  potential joint media release JCU, APFA and Agrifood Skills

Controls Satisfactory delivery of the project milestones will be controlled by:  keeping to the project timelines, and close coordination with the core project team and the JCU/Industry Advisory Group (email, phone conferences and face-to-face where possible). Should unavoidable project slippage occur due to the tight timelines this will be referred immediately to the Agrifood Skills Project Manager to determine a mutually acceptable solution.  regular informal phone interaction between the JCU Project Manager (MA) and the Agrifood Skills Project Manager (Ross Ord); and  scheduled phone meetings or email circulation with the External Project Reference Group following the delivery of Project Milestones 1 & 2, and prior to the submission of the final report

Appendix 1: Project Schedule

Activity/Milestone Activity/Milestone details Responsibility Date 19 June Submit ethics approval (JCU) CM 22 June Project meeting TSV (& phone) with Ross from Agrifoodskills (Margie,  Ross Ord, MA CM in TSV Connar, Allan, Helen), note Dean Jerry overseas until 10th July  Allan Dale & Helen Jenkins (ph) 24 June-7 July Complete draft desktop review - as outlined in the Tender proposal MA (with input from Helen Jenkins to cover key areas) 29 June Milestone 1 – project plan due to Agrifood Skills Australia,  MA  circulate to External Reference Group  RO to organise

7 July Develop draft survey questions from early desktop review CM 9 July Refine survey questions  CM, MA (discuss with Helen) 10 July  Draft desktop review report to Connar, Dean, Allan & Helen for MA comment  Copy to be sent to JCU/Industry and External Reference advisory groups for consideration  begin arranging industry consultation timeslots and travel for August  draft communications note for Helen etc to circulate to industry about the project 15 July Discuss project plan, draft desktop study review & circulate survey  MA & RO to organise questions with advisory groups (JCU/Industry & external) –  aim for teleconference with External reference group  External Reference  get email feedback from JCU/Industry advisory group Group to participate 13-17 July  Meetings with members of JCU/Industry advisory team (probably  MA to coordinate individually) to consider strategic elements and ensure all necessary  JCU/industry advisory stakeholders identified and included in data collection targets group to participate  Finalise survey questions this week prepare the online survey and  CM to coordinate communication materials  MA & CM  Lock in industry consultation schedule & travel details for multi day trips  MA  Finalise desktop review 17 July Ethics approval finalised – notification to CM CM 24 July  Put up online survey  CM  Communications via Agrifood Skills, APFA, other aquaculture,  MA, Helen Jenkins, Allan horticulture and agriculture peak bodies outlining the project and Dale & CM providing website link 30-31 July APFA Conference Gold Coast – project presentation + networking MA, CM, Helen Jenkins 5-7 August Possible survey trip (NSW/Darwin/FNQ)* CM, MA 10-14 August Possible survey trip (NSW/Darwin/FNQ)* CM, MA 14 August Milestone 2 – Final Desktop report and progress report due MA Circulate to both advisory groups RO 19-21 August Possible day trips for NQ surveys CM, MA 24 August  Schedule teleconference with external reference group to review final MA, RO to coordinate desktop report and consultation progress report  Schedule teleconference or meeting with JCU/Industry advisory group 25-28 August Possible survey trip (NSW/Darwin/FNQ)* CM, MA 31 August Completed face-to-face data collection CM, MA 31 Aug-4 September Data transcription & processing CM 4 September Take down online survey CM 7-11 September Data analysis CM 14-18 September Report writing MA & Allan Dale 18 September Circulate draft report to External reference group and JCU/Industry advisory MA group for feedback (email) 23 September Comments due from JCU/Industry advisory team – aim for short workshop –  MA to coordinate (2 hours) to discuss strategic implications and final adjustments to report  JCU/Industry advisory group to participate 24 September  Comments due from External Reference Group – via email  MA, RO to coordinate  External Reference  Discuss via teleconference group to participate 25-29 September Finalising report MA 30 September Milestone 3 due – final report MA

*timing and location of trips will depend on what suits the individual businesses or stakeholders