Skills and Knowledge Audit Response Report

Final response report to the Skills and Knowledge Audit.

Summary

This report was authored by the Queensland Water Modelling Network (QWMN) with input from the Skills and Knowledge Audit Working Group, a cross-sector group convened to bring together expertise from a range of employer and organisational types with a stake-holding in the future of the workforce of the Queensland water modelling and use sector.

Introduction

In July 2019, the QWMN released the Skills and Knowledge Audit Report (Audit Report).

The purpose of the Skills and Knowledge Audit was to characterise both current and future water modelling workforce skill and knowledge needs as perceived by personnel working for a cross section of employer types from the Queensland water modelling and use sector. The attitudes of different types of organisation (i.e., 1. Government; 2. Consulting; 3. Research/Higher Education) within the water modelling sector on workforce skill and knowledge needs were captured using a mix of interviews, a workshop and an online survey.

Within and between these types of organisations a distinction between “providers” and “clients” was also made when analysing results. The “provider” category included individuals and organisations that develop models and/or produce model-derived information. The “client” category refers to individuals and organisations that use model results to inform their activities.

The Audit Report presents a detailed analysis of the results of the interviews, workshop and online survey that were collected. The Audit Report focused on capturing challenges for sector capability such as recruitment, workforce planning, retention, enhancing staff skills and knowledge (current and emerging). The Audit Report identified the challenges, issues and opportunities for consideration by the QWMN and wider modelling sector and clients.

In response, the Skills and Knowledge Audit Working Group (Working Group) was formed to act as a temporary cross-sector advisory group. Comprising key employer types, professional associations, and encompassing both younger and more experienced professionals, the group critically considered a range of responses to the key skill, knowledge and workforce challenges facing the water modelling and use sector in Queensland. This Response Report presents the outputs of the Working Group and provides some degree of critical reflection on how the challenges identified by the Audit Report along with the response recommendations of the Working Group are viewed more widely across the sector.

The Response Report is structured to:

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