Industry Reference Groups (IRGs) are established with the role of developing, reviewing, validating and giving endorsement to industry competency standards. IRGs give industry an opportunity to actively participate in the development of their own industry competency standards.

Representatives from Western Australian IRGs have an opportunity to participate in National IRGs and committees.

IRGs give a great opportunity for the Government, through the Western Australian Department of Training to consult directly with industry. This enables Government to respond rapidly to industry issues such as pending skill shortages, training in new technologies and immediate skill requirements bought about by new market trends.

Each IRG is a tripartite committee consisting of employer, employee and Registered Training Organisation (RTO) representatives.

Representation includes skilled labour who undertake the areas of competency being discussed (e.g. butcher, bakers and wine makers).

IRGs are sub-committees of the Council and are based on ANZSIC - Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (refer Industry Reference Groups). These sub-committees are bound by the Council's Constitution.

IRGs are sub-committees of the Council and operate under a Core Charter.

IRGs are charged with the responsibility to validate and endorse competency standards against each ANZSIC Group industry sector.

IRGs undertake a number of activities that add considerable value to the food and beverage industry.

These include, for example:
- Participating in the development of sector competency standards.
- Verifying, validating and reviewing competency standards.
- Providing industry endorsement.
- Developing VET policy for their sector.
- Identifying training and skill needs for their sector.
- Being an enabler for VET in their sector.

For more details about IRGs and the sectors they represent, please refer to the Industry Reference Group.

The industry reference groups are aligned with the ANZSIC Codes. These are maintained by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - www.abs.gov.au.

The Codes are classified by divisions where the Council's is Division Code C - Manufacturing.

The ABS breaks the divisions down further into sub-divisions. The Council's sub-division is Sub Division Code 21 - Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing.

From the subdivisions groups are defined by the ABS. It is from these groups where the Council establishes its Industry Reference Groups.

Each group is made up of a number of different types of food commodity and processes. The Industry Reference Group table shows how the Council defines its IRGs.

Through these principles the Council endeavours to empower food and beverage industry representatives to shape Vocational Education and Training (VET) for their industry group sector.

As sub-committees, IRGs are bound by Council's Constitution and requires each IRG to establish and maintain a relevant Core Charter.

To obtain a copy of the Guiding Principles for IRGs and Core Charters, download here.

Guiding Principles for Industry Reference Groups and Core Charters

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The following table shows the relationship of the ANZSIC Group to the assigned Industry Reference Groups.

Dairy Industry IRG

Ice Cream Manufacturing
Dairy Products
Milk and Cream

Meat Retail & Wholesale IRG

Retail Meat
Meat Food Service

Meat Abattoir IRG

Meat Processing (Abattoir)

Meat Safety IRG

Meat Processing (Meat Safety)

Smallgoods IRG

Meat Processing (Smallgoods)

Plant Baking IRG

Plant Bread Making
Biscuit

Retail Baking IRG

Non Plant Bread Making
Baking and Pastry Cooks
Baking Combined Trades

Milling IRG

Floor Milling
Prepared Animal Feed
Cereal Food and Baking Mix

Poultry IRG

Poultry Processing

Fruit & Vegetable IRG

Fruit and Vegetable Processing

Food General IRG

Sugar Processing
Confectionary
Oil and Fat
Pharmaceutical

Beverage IRG

Non-Alcholic Beverages
Beer and Brewing

Wine IRG

Wine Processing

An important part of the role of the Department of Training in Western Australia is to make decisions about where government funds are going to be spent in relation to the purchasing of training delivery.

The type of areas where the Department of Training purchases training includes:
- Profile funded training through the TAFE College network
- Competitively Allocated Training Program that includes Access Program, Industry Training Program, Skilling WA and Pre-apprenticeship Program

Industry Training Plans (ITPs) are strategic documents that the Department of Training use to assist in the development of training purchasing decisions.

Each industry area develops an Industry Training Plan to highlight present and emerging training needs. The WA Food and Beverage Industry Training Council identifies within the ITP the priority training areas and then discusses with the Department of Training strategies to meet these priorities within their training purchasing decisions.

There are a number of ways that you can contribute to the Western Australian food and beverage Industry Training Plan

Some examples are provided below:
- Become a member of the of the IRG for your sector - this way you are also actively involved in the development of policy
- Contact the Council's Executive Officer on 08 93285333 or email leonie.ellement@wafitc.asn.au.
- Download the ITP Input Form below and submit to the Council.

Industry Intelligence ITP Input Form

ITPs are prepared using both quantitative and qualitative .information from many information sources.

The statistical information is obtained a number a number of reliable sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Department of Training, Monash University, etc.

Industry intelligence is obtained from IRGs, industry representatives, industry forums, individual submissions, Registered Training Organisations, etc.