This paper will examine some of the significant developments in the training field in Australia in the past decade and the
application of these changes to the mining industry generally, and the coal sector specifically. Three major aspects will be
examined:
1. Competency - the use of Industry Competency Standards and how these can be used for achieving enterprise
performance requirements
2. Assessment - making judgements about an individual's competence, and using a rigorous assessment system as
the basis for the "authorisation" system at a mine
3. Evaluation - ways to evaluate the return on investment in training, and convincing CEO's/shareholders that your
training dollar is being spent wisely.
Before examining these issues, it is important to understand the drivers of change in the training systems in Australia, and
the functions that Industry Training Advisory Bodies (ITABs) perform.