Glossary

A
Absenteeism	The practice of being absent from work due to illness, for example, as well as other reasons.
Accredited training	(see nationally recognised training)
Apprenticeship	This often refers to the ‘traditional’ training undergone by a person in a trade. However, all traineeships and apprenticeships are now known as Australian Apprenticeships. Australian Apprenticeships can range from one to four years in duration.
Assessment	Determination of whether or not someone has developed competence in a certain skill or task. The Australian vocational training system rests on the philosophy that people should be recognised for what they can do, not for how long they have been in training or where they were taught.
Attributes	The characteristics or traits of an individual.
Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC)	AACs are contracted by the Australian Government to provide one-stop shops for those seeking to hire Australian apprentices or to take up an Australian Apprenticeship as a career path. AACs administer training agreements on behalf of the State Training Authority and the payment of training incentives on behalf of the Australian Government. The AAC also provides support and advice during the term of training.
Australian Apprenticeships	The general term given to traineeships and apprenticeships.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)	The AQF is a national system of qualifications in post-compulsory education. In vocational education, qualification levels range from Certificate I (prevocational level) through to Advanced Diplomas (managerial level).
Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)	The AQTF provides the quality standards by which Registered Training Organisations operate.
B
Business planning	The ongoing process of planning so business operators are able to remain in control of the direction a business takes, and to be able to effectively respond to issues as they arise.
Brand	Reputation and the image that people associate with the business; it tells people what the business stands for.
C
Career planning	The process employees undertake to plan their future employment. Plans usually will include information about the kind of employers they would like to work for, the jobs they would like to do and skills required.
Casual employee	A person who is engaged on an hourly or daily basis, with no expectation of ongoing employment.
Competency	What people can do, not necessarily what they know. If a person can complete a task with the desired result they are said to be competent. Training packages break whole jobs down into units of ‘competencies’. This is what is assessed when training or learning has been completed. For example, completing an administration task is a competency, as is changing the oil in a car.
Contract of training	A legally binding agreement between the individual (Australian Apprentice) and the employer. This document formalises the training activity and can bind parties to certain activities.
Contractor	An individual who is not an employee but is engaged to undertake a certain job in a certain time frame for an agreed price. Contractors have their own tools and uniforms for example, and arrange their own insurance and superannuation.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)	The continuing, voluntary commitment by businesses to establish and maintain the management of environmental, social, economic and governance issues.
D
Department of Employment, Science and Training (DEST)	The Australian Government department responsible for developing policy for the education, training and science sectors. DEST is the funding body for Australian Government incentives applicable when employing Australian Apprentices.
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)	The Australian Government department that provides advice, programs and services for increasing productivity and workforce participation in the labour market.
Discretionary effort	The contribution or effort that employers often seek from their employees over and above what is included in their job description.
Diversity	In a business context, diversity refers to differences among the members of a business. This includes differences in gender, race, religion, socioeconomic background and family responsibilities, for example.
Duty of care	Each person has a duty to ensure that their actions, or failure to take action, does not harm others. It is part of the occupational health and safety responsibilities and obligations for employers and employees.
E
Emotional Intelligence (EI)	The ability or skill to perceive and interpret the emotions of others as well as to manage one’s own emotions.
Employee	A person who is paid for time worked and is directed in their duties to meet the goals of the business. An employee is entitled to benefits such as wages/salaries and superannuation.
Employee assistance program (EAP)	A work-based early intervention program aimed at identifying and resolving work and personal problems that may affect performance.
Employee development	The acquisition of knowledge, skills and behaviours that improve an employee’s capability to meet changes in job requirements and in client and customer demands.
Employer of choice	An employer who attracts, retains and motivates employees through factors such as reputation, development opportunities, work environment including facilities, work arrangements, recognition and reward and leadership.
Engagement	A measure of the emotional and intellectual commitment that employees have towards an organisation or business.
Ethics	The general term used to refer to both moral beliefs and ethical theory. At its heart is the notion of ‘doing what one ought to do’.
F
Flexible work arrangements	A system where employees can adapt their work arrangements and work schedule to suit their personal requirements.
Full-time employee	An employee who is engaged to work approximately 38 hours per week on a regular basis. Full-time employees can be permanent (with an ongoing expectation of work) or contractual (engaged for a specific time frame or project).
Funded pathway	Training which receives State and Australian Government funding.
G
H
Human resource management (HRM)	The policies, practices and systems that influence employees’ behaviour, attitudes and performance.
I
Induction	The process of introducing new employees to business, the working environment and other employees and management.
Industrial relations	The formal relations between management, employees, unions and the Government through work rules and agreements.
Industry Skills Council (ISC)	ISCs provide information to State and Australian Governments on industries’ training needs. They also have input into the development of industry training packages.
J
Job analysis	The study of the duties and responsibilities that a job entails. The study seeks to generate information about the nature and level of the work performed and the specifications required for someone to perform the job at a competent level.
Job description	A list of the tasks, duties and responsibilities that a job entails.
Job enrichment	The vertical expansion of a job by increasing the amount of employee control or responsibility.
Job rotation	Moving employees between roles to provide variety and experience for employees while creating a more skilled workforce able to undertake different roles.
Job sharing	Where two or more people share a single role or position in a workplace.
K
Knowledge	The actual or procedural information necessary to successfully complete a task.
L
Leadership	The ability to influence and direct the performance of individuals and groups towards the achievement of organisational goals.
Loading	An amount of money added to a base pay rate to compensate for loss of other benefits such as annual leave.
M
Management	The process of leading and directing people in a business through the effective use of resources (human, financial, material, intellectual or time).
Mature-aged worker	An employee considered to be older than the traditional or average age of the workforce in general.
Mentoring	A deliberate pairing of a more skilled or experienced person with a less skilled or experienced one, with the agreed goal of having the less experienced person develop specific competencies.
Monitoring performance	Supervising and evaluating an employee over time so his or her performance can be measured against performance standards.
N
Nationally recognised training	Training which has met nationally agreed standards and is part of the national training system, delivered and certified by registered training providers. Training needs to be nationally recognised to attract Australian Government incentives.
Non-accredited training	Training outside the national system. This training may not be recognised by other training providers or in any other jurisdiction.
O
Office of Post Compulsory Education and Training (OPCET)	The former Tasmanian Department of Education body responsible for vocational training and education past Year 10. OPCET is now known as Skills Tasmania.
Orientation	(see Induction)
P
Part-time employee	Someone who works regularly, but fewer than 38 hours per week. Part-time employees can be permanent (expecting ongoing work) or contractual (engaged for a specific time frame or project).
Part-time trainee	A trainee who works a minimum of 20 hours per week. The Training Agreement period may be longer to be consistent with the part-time employment.
Performance appraisal	The process that assesses an individual employee’s progress towards the achievement of the desired goals or other performance standards.
Performance management	The process a manager uses to ensure that employees’ activities and work outcomes are contributing to the business’s goals. This process also provides the opportunity to consider personal development.
Permanent employee	An employee who has a contract of employment which offers the expectation of ongoing work with no foreseeable point of conclusion.
Phased retirement	(also known as phased-in retirement) When an employee wants to stay in the workplace past the traditional retirement age, the exit is phased or staggered by adopting a part-time or casual work arrangement, job sharing, taking on mentoring or training roles or by working from home.
Probation period	A defined period during which an employer and new employee can assess suitability for the job.
Procedural fairness (in performance management)	All possible and appropriate opportunities have been given to allow the individual to access a fair and reasonable process to become aware of and adhere to the standards of performance required by the business.
Q
Qualification	The prescribed units of competency that provide the skills, knowledge and abilities at levels in a certain vocation. Different qualifications in different jobs require different sets of competencies. Qualifications under the AQF range from Certificate I to Advanced Diploma in the Vocational Education and Training system.
R
Recruitment	The process of finding a number of job candidates to fill a position.
Registered Training Organisation (RTO)	A training/assessment provider recognised by State regulators. RTOs are regulated by national standards against which they are audited regularly. Only RTOs can deliver nationally recognised training and issue Statements of Attainment and qualifications that are recognised within the national system.
Remuneration	Money paid for services or work done.
Retention	Retaining or keeping employees, for example, by offering initiatives or practices that encourage them to stay with the business.
Return on Investment (ROI)	The value of an activity determined by dividing a measure of its benefit by its cost.
Reward strategies	Strategies that encourage employees to achieve required workplace outcomes. An employer may offer different rewards to different people based on what they most appreciate.
S
School-based trainee	A student who is employed as a trainee by a business for a specified number of hours per week while still at school. The trainee receives all the benefits of being an employee (e.g. wages, workers compensation).
Selection	The process of choosing the best candidate from all job candidates.
Selection criteria	The work-related requirements for a position or classification. These specify the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a job.
Self awareness	Knowing what’s important to you, how you experience things, how you feel and how you come across to others.
Skills	The levels of proficiency required to perform a particular task.
Skill development	The acquisition of skills to improve the individual capability and proficiency an individual has to perform a particular task.
Skills Tasmania	The Tasmanian State Government Department of Education body responsible for post-Year 10 vocational training and education.
Statement of Attainment	A certificate that recognises particular competencies achieved. For example, the units of competence necessary to obtain a job or to perform for a current job.
Strategic planning	Planning to set and/or review an organisation’s overall business objectives, taking account of external factors and impacts.
Succession planning	The identification and tracking of employees potentially capable of filling other roles or higher level managerial positions.
T
Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA)	The authority that advises the Tasmanian Government on qualifications. It also regulates the delivery of VET in Tasmania. The TQA is responsible for registering, auditing and regulating RTOs and their activities in Tasmania.
Temp (temporary worker)	A person who is engaged for a finite period of time to complete certain tasks or to fill a certain role. Temps are often supplied by labour hire companies to fill short-term contracts (e.g. to undertake secretarial or construction duties while an employee is on leave).
Trainee	A person signed into a contract of training under the Australian Apprenticeships system. Trainees can be any age, be engaged in most occupations and can be existing employees. In Tasmania, most traineeships are between 12 and 24 months’ duration.
Training	The process of gaining skills (competencies) and knowledge to perform an activity. Training is usually practically focused.
Training needs analysis (TNA)	The process of identifying what training might be required to bridge the gap between an employee’s actual skill level and desired level.
Training package	Guidelines which assess achievements of qualifications. Most occupations are covered by a training package. These are developed by trainers, industry skills councils and industry representatives and describe each occupation and how people are assessed as being able to perform those duties.
Training plan outline	An agreed plan of what will be delivered by the Registered Training Organisation to the trainee, how it will be delivered and in what time frame.
U
V
Vocational Education and Training (VET)	The education system includes the Vocational Education and Training sector and the Higher Education sector (usually universities). VET is primarily concerned with developing skills, knowledge and abilities required for work. This includes training and education delivered by TAFE and other RTOs. Sometimes VET is delivered in Years 11 and 12 through the school (college) system.
W
Workforce planning	The process of forecasting workforce needs and determining the broad range of policies and systems that will create and sustain the workforce in line with business strategy.
Work-life balance	The balance between employees’ work and private (family, study, sport) responsibilities.
Work motivation	The stimulation of behaviour required to achieve and maintain business goals.
Workplace culture	The shared values, assumptions, beliefs and perceptions of a workplace.
Workplace flexibility	The degree to which a workplace can adapt to a changing environment, including the needs and values of its workforce (e.g. work-life balance issues).
Workforce turnover	The measure of people leaving the workplace in a certain period (usually on an annual basis). Turnover can be voluntary or involuntary, but all people leaving the workplace contribute to a total turnover measure. It is usually reported in percentage terms.
X
Y
Z