Foreward It can be a challenge to develop a training program that meets the needs of a team and, at the same time, further develop individual skill sets. This Indigenous Ranger Skills Guide is a resource to assist Coordinators and other people who support Indigenous ranger groups, to identify ranger groups’ training needs and develop a training plan. Skills development is important as it enables ranger groups to effectively deliver on outcomes of their Working on Country agreement and/or other land and sea management contracts. The guide will assist Coordinators to work out the ‘best fit’ training plan for their ranger groups. Specifically this guide will assist in determining what training is needed, and how, when and where the training should be delivered. The rangers’ input into and ownership of a training plan is crucial to achieve success. It is important to involve them from the outset. Talk with the rangers; encourage them to contribute to their training plan. Explore what training and skills they feel they need to add value to their existing skill set in land and sea management. This may also be an opportune time to discuss with rangers’ the skills they may need to fulfil their future goals and/or the development of a career pathway. This guide provides useful reference material on how and where to find relevant training information and packages. It does not set out all the skills and competencies that are available in the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). See page 5 for more information about AQTF. Bilby Photo: Babs and Bert Wells This guide is not intended for use by individuals. Kaltukatjara Ranger Program Camel fencing around Docker River to protect environmentally and culturally significant waterholes, soakages and rockholes from the effects of feral camels. These sites have been identified by senior custodians and the work completed by the Kaltukatjara rangers. The rangers enjoy this work and see the value in protecting these places, the senior men are very happy that these important water sites are being protected. The stories are passed down by the old people during the time it takes to complete the fence. The last fence we completed in collaboration with Greening Australia we used cables and it was a lot more difficult to put together but the guys learnt new skills and were very happy once it was completed. Text and Photo: Richard Brittingham 2 Sections © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 3 Waterfowl captured live with canon nets to get blood samples from migratory birds. The samples let us know if any diseases are getting into our country, a collaboration between Traditional Knowledge and Scientific Knowledge. This kind of quarantine work gives our young people a chance to learn valuable skills and care for country. The location of this photo is a remote and isolated dam called turkey's nest, dam on Nyikina country in Western Australia. Rangers felt a sense of pride in leading veterinarians and AQIS workers through remote country to the exact locations where these migratory birds rested. Text and Photo: Darrel Combs 4 This guide will help you develop and use a training plan to build up the skills of a ranger group and individuals. Many of these skills will help rangers achieve the environmental outcomes and deliver a better service as set out in a contract. It is vital the ranger group clearly understands what their contractual obligations are, particularly the contract’s ‘scope of works’,- the job that has to be done and the timeframe the job must be done by. To ensure the success of a training plan, involve your ranger group from the beginning. Ask them what training and skills development they need, encourage their input into the development of their training plan. The training plan may address training to meet immediate and future needs. This guide will help you find the right set of competencies so that you can guide your training provider to deliver a training program that will ensure the ranger team will end up with the right set of skills for the job. National accredited training is delivered in modules or subjects called a Unit of Competency. Under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) nationally recognised qualifications are issued on the basis of a ranger being able to demonstrate competence against a standard. A workplace assessor/trainer can assess the ranger’s competence by observation of tasks performed on the job, or by other assessment techniques including questioning or written tests. For further information on the AQTF and vocational, education and training information, products and services, take a look at the website www.training.com.au 5 Skills Mapping The scope of works is a list of jobs which need to be done to fulfil the obligations set out in a contract. This list of jobs is then used to develop the work plan and the training plan. From your scope of works or workplan, you and the ranger group can now identify the skills which rangers already have and the skills they need to develop. This is a very good exercise to see not only the skills they have but also the skills they need to get the job done. This skills mapping exercise will help in the development of a training plan. From this list you can then map the skills needed to achieve the outcomes and the scope of work to get the job done. These skills can be placed into three groups. Legally need to have These are the skills you must have to comply with the law and regulations. For example, a drivers licence, first aid certificate, chemical handling and use certificate, coxswain ticket, chainsaw ticket and so on. Need to have (to do the job) These skills are required to get the job done such as map reading skills, GPS skills, management, customer service and so on. Useful to have These are skills that a person would like to develop for example, computer skills. It may take a few sessions with your ranger group to map out the skills required to get the job done. An example of a Skills Matrix is on page 33. To find which competencies are needed for your training plan go to the website www.training.com.au 6 Competencies A competency is defined as the scope of a person's knowledge or ability. A Competency Standard is a term used in training which refers to a document that specifies how people should perform a job or work role. From the skills mapping exercise and the work plan, you can identify what competencies the rangers already have and what competencies are required to get the job done. When developing a list of competencies, the training needs in your plan can be tailored to your own unique situation. For example, if a ranger requires training in four-wheel driving, the competency standard identifies a range of different driving conditions that include sand, deserts, beaches, mud and snow. However, it is the driving conditions in which the rangers will be working in, that will determine how the training is delivered to the rangers for a competency to be completed. You may not require any training to achieve a competency as a representative of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) can assess a competency based on existing skills and experience. For example, the ranger group may be experienced at trapping animals and this skill can be formally assessed by an RTO by observing the rangers carrying out this skill. This form of assessment through observation is referred to as Recognition of Current Competencies (RCC) or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The competency standards shown in this guide are generic. They are examples of a range of competencies only. For further information on competencies, vocational, education and GPS Training training information, products and services, take a look at the Dhimurru Rangers Photo: Jane Dermer website www.training.com.au 7 Training Plan A Training Plan outlines the skills and competencies that are needed to successfully achieve the outcomes of contract/s that have been agreed between the community and the contracting organisation/s. The key steps to develop a Training Plan include: Through the skills mapping exercise you have just completed, this should have helped identify required competencies and what training is needed. This forms the basis of your training plan. Look at your equipment needs and also list what training and compliances that may be required to operate any machinery, add this detail to your training plan and workplan. Talk and listen to your team members. What training does he or she require to add to their existing skills, as well as training needs to meet their aspirations for a future career. When putting together the Training Plan for each member of the ranger team, include the skills and knowledge they possess including traditional ecological and cultural knowledge and their experience in land and sea management. Previous experience, skills and knowledge can be formally recognised by an assessor of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) through Recognition of Current Competencies (RCC) or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments. 8