Griffith University awarded CBF tender contract to review community broadcast training

The CBF Board has appointed Griffith University to undertake a review of the community broadcasting sector’s National Training Program.

Griffith University’s Associate Professor of Journalism Susan Forde will lead the university’s review team. 

The review will take a broad training industry focus, and will assess current Australian Government policy on training initiatives. It will aim recommend how the National Training Project can optimise future opportunities for training in the community broadcasting sector.

The National Training Program aims to support a national training structure, a bank of skilled trainers, and the creation of comprehensive training resources of lasting benefit to the community broadcasting sector. It was originally funded at $2.2 million over four years in 2004/05, with a further $600,000 allocated for 2008/09. In 2009/10 the funds were confirmed as ongoing and indexed, giving the sector many more opportunities to deliver training at stations. In 2013/14, the Foundation will receive and distribute $656,000 in National Training Program funds.

The National Training Program is funded by the Australian Government to facilitate the maintenance, development and delivery of management and broadcasting skills training to the community broadcasting sector.

The provision of training is a necessary expression of the sector’s commitment to promoting access and participation in all aspects of broadcast media operation. The  funding support recognises the strong and continuing role that the community broadcasting sector plays in providing broad vocational skills, specialist broadcast and management skills, and media and digital literacy to members of the community. The community broadcasting sector is also the primary gateway training provider for the broader broadcasting industry.

In 2009 the Foundation commissioned an independent review of the National Training Program by Melbourne-based consultants, Binary Blue. In 2010, the CBF initiated the establishment of the Community Media Training Organisation (CMTO), a new, non-profit sector-based organisation, dedicated to supporting continuous improvement in skills development within the Australian community broadcasting sector. The CMTO is charged with the task of managing the National Training Project and delivering training across Australia as an RTO. A new category of non-accredited ‘Pathways’ training was also introduced, as strongly recommended by Binary Blue in the NTP Review Report.

The Foundation continues to evaluate and improve the relevant processes and structures within the NTP, in consultation with the sector, and this latest review is part of that process.

More information about the review is available here.

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