Skill Up Green - Zoos Today: Becoming Leaders in Conservation and Skills for Sustainability is a new Skills Victoria funded project to develop Zoos Victoria staff as leaders in conservation and green skills.

So how GREEN are your skills?

Check out this video clip and ask yourself - How green are your skills?

In 2009, Zoos Victoria adopted a new strategic direction that aims to see the organisation transform over twenty years into the world's leading zoo-based conservation organisation. To achieve this vision, Zoos Victoria has emphasized the importance and need for investment in developing staff skills to make certain that this commitment to conservation and sustainability is achieved. Consequently, the SKILL UP GREEN project will pilot a training needs analysis and a workforce development program with Zoos Victoria to further develop their staff as leaders in conservation and green skills.

The goal of the project is to encourage each staff member, through skills development, to seek change and innovation in their own day-to-day job. By equipping each person with skills to do their job more sustainably, Zoos Victoria will transform as a whole, as well as become one of Victoria's leading educators in conservation.

How did the Skill Up Green Project come about?
The Skill Up Green project arose from an important confluence of timing, industry interest, and new government and Vocational Education & Training (VET) sector initiatives that support training in "skills for sustainability"-a newly defined area of training encompassing the technical skills needed to achieve a sustainable work outcome.

In 2009, Zoos Victoria adopted a new strategic direction http://www.zoo.org.au/About_ZV/Vision_and_Mission that aims to see the organisation transform over twenty years into the world's leading zoo-based conservation organisation. To achieve this vision, Zoos Victoria has emphasized the importance of developing staff skills to make certain that this commitment to conservation and sustainability is achieved.

At the same time, the National VET Sector put forward the goal of promoting the take-up of the values, knowledge, skills, and technologies required for a low-carbon, sustainable economy. In 2009, the National VET Sector Sustainability Action Group and the Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education authored the National VET Sector Sustainability Policy and Action Plan (2009-2012) documenting a national framework for the VET sector to support the development of a productive workforce, as industry, government, individuals, and the wider community move to a sustainable economy. The Action Plan also coincides with several other government initiatives and policies, including:

• The Council of Australian Governments' COAG's Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Agenda,
• COAG's Participation and Productivity Agenda,
• The National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability led by the Council for Education for Sustainability.

For more information, please contact Luke Hammond, HR Advisor Organisational Development lhammond@zoo.org.au

More information
Media release:
http://www.bronwynpike.com/index.php?categoryid=19&p2_articleid=93