The Role and Contribution of Tradespeople and Technicians in the Australian R&D Workforce Dr Phillip Toner Professor Tim Turpin Dr Richard Woolley Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies, UWS & Chris Lloyd Wiyunga Pty Ltd. For the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations March, 2010
Table 1 : R&D Workforce X Occupation. R&D Workforce X University Qualifications. Researcher Technician Other Supporting ISCED 5A+6 France 57.9% 31.2% 10.9% Germany 57.4% 21.2% 21.4% 57.3% Japan 75.7% 8.0% 16.3% UK 73.0% Italy 40.8% 42.6% * Sweden 62.2% 22.3% 15.0% 69.7% Korea 82.4% 12.8% 4.8% Spain 61.0% 25.0% 14.0% 80.5% Switzerland 48.6% 32.8% 18.6% 53.9% Source: OECD Science, Technology and R&D Statistics *Italy is business R&D
Purpose of the Study Specific questions sought data on a range of variables including: demography qualifications and their relevance to R&D activity work history, recruitment into R&D and career paths extent and nature of interaction with scientists and researchers identifying the specific roles and contributions of scientists/researchers and trades and technicians to the R&D process factors affecting labour supply and demand for trades and technicians in R&D skill gaps and how these affect R&D activity methods used by trades and technicians to maintain the currency of their skills and knowledge work organisation systems in the R&D workplace and how this mediates the role and contribution trades and technicians to innovation.
Methodology Table 2: Number of interviews x occupation x sector Sector Trades & Research Human Resource Total Technicians Managers Managers Public 48 14 3 65 Private 16 11 1 28 Hybrid 7 2 1 10 Total 71 27 5 103
Table 2: Enterprises interviewed Private Capital goods- wood products Vaccine producer Biotechnology-animal/protein products Food and beverage manufacturer Pharmaceuticals Defence contractor Telecommunications equipment manufacturer Contract R&D-medical devices Electricity generation Public Particle physics University Environmental research Defence research Multi-sector Private company Private company Private company Private not for profit Foreign owned MNC Foreign owned MNC Foreign owned MNC Foreign owned MNC Corporatised entity Hybrid CRC-metals CRC-materials
1. Defining Trades and Technicians
2. Role of Trades and Technicians in R&D 2.1 Use of tools, instruments, machines & software 2.2 Design function 2.3 Linking R&D to production 2.4 OH&S 2.5 Teaching 2.6 Comparing the role of trades/technicians with researchers 3. Importance of these contributions to R&D process
4. Potential problems with R&D labour supply 4.1 Decline in traditional external labour sources 4.2 Growth of the resource sector 4.3 Inadequate apprentice and technician training 4.4 Reduced trades and technician employment in public sector R&D agencies 4.5 Ageing R&D workforce
5. Decline in relative demand for trades and technicians wrt researchers 5.1 Computer simulation and automation 5.2 Growth in off-the-shelf products 5.3 Strategies of equipment suppliers 5.4 Outsourcing
6. Training of Trades and Technicians 6.1 Formal Qualifications are important 6.2 Criticisms of VET 6.3 Specific skill gaps in R&D Mechatronics Specific technologies Technical writing Research skills and scientific method Skills for lab technicians 6.4 Keeping up to date with new technologies Excessive reliance on internal sources of information?
7. Work Organisation 7.1 Characteristics of good work organisation practice in R&D Team based Job security + new inflows Close physical proximity Ideas encouraged Training + Multiskilling Integrating all departments- private sector 7.2 Problems in R&D work organisation Separation of conception from execution Good practise is often independent of good systems Centralisation of trades and technicians in workshops Outsourcing
Recommendation 1: Given the limitations with the current occupational and task based classification of the R&D workforce used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) the ABS undertake an irregular survey to collect key cross-classified data on the R&D workforce such as demography, occupational structure and qualifications. Recommendation 2: A study be commissioned to examine the career path of VET qualified trades and technicians. This could examine the feasibility of higher level classifications to recognise high level competence across a number of discrete occupational disciplines (multiskilling) or the considerable project management expertise of some highly capable technicians. Recommendation 3: A study be commissioned to examine the classification structure and career paths of researchers, especially scientists and engineers, to expand the opportunities for experienced researchers to be remain directly involved in R&D. Recommendation 4: In light of current and prospective trades and technician labour shortages a study be undertaken into current training rates (ratio of apprentices and technicians in-training as a proportion of qualified trades and technicians) within public and private sector R&D enterprises to determine its level and the adequacy of this level to meet prospective skilled labour demand. Recommendation 5: Given the apparent considerable variation in training performance across public sector agencies a study be undertaken to identify best practice approaches to sustained high entry level training of apprentices and technicians with a view to promoting these practices across all agencies. Recommendation 6: A study be undertaken into the feasibility of improving co-ordination in labour supply and demand for trades and technicians across public sector research agencies focussing first, on improving interagency information exchange and, second, the impediments to more efficient labour deployment and training.
Recommendation 7: The relevant Industry Skills Councils investigate and move to redress apparent continuing impediments to the improved integration of electrical and electronic skills and knowledge within other occupations, especially in mechanical and fabrication occupations at a trade and technician level. Recommendation 8: The relevant Industry Skills Councils investigate the five broad skills gaps identified in this study in terms of their extent, causes and solutions to meet these gaps, including possible modifications to current Training Packages. Recommendation 9: To assist the flow of new knowledge to trades and technicians a trial be undertaken, among selected public research agencies in the first instance, of an intranet supplemented by videoconferencing facilities for the use of trades and technicians. The purpose of the intranet is to share information about new technologies and solutions to common problems. In addition, an annual or biennial conference for selected trades and technicians in public sector research agencies be organised modelled on TechNet. (A voluntary association of university technicians who hold an annual conference to share ideas). Recommendation 10: A number of related actions are suggested from the findings on work organisation: Public and private R&D enterprises be approached to evaluate the validity of the five characteristics of good work organisation practise in R&D identified in this study and to examine the possibility of trialling such a system in those R&D workplaces that do not have such practices. There is a need for training in basic work organisation principles designed for some novice and experienced researchers that offers pragmatic instruction in how to get the best out of your trades and technicians. Major public R&D agencies be asked to evaluate the validity of the findings on the potential adverse effects on the quality of R&D and working life arising from the concentration of trades and technicians in centralised workshops and of excessive reliance on outsourcing.