Unit 4 – Area of Study 1:
Pressures and opportunities for change
Outcome 1:
Describe and analyse pressures and opportunities creating a need for change in Australian industry, evaluate recent responses to change in an Australian industry from the last four years, and discuss how the development of work-related skills assists the industry in responding to change.
Examples of learning activities
- Watch the YouTube video
'A roadmap for Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry' from the CSIRO. This film clip outlines pressures and opportunities for Australian industry in the future. Discuss and evaluate how the manufacturing industry is responding to change.
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Discuss concepts such as international trade, balance of payments, international competitiveness and participation in global trade. Prepare a presentation on the topic in digital format.
- Use ABS data on Australia's trade position to prepare graphs or tables to highlight recent trends in global trade. Identify how and why Australia's patterns of international trade have changed over the past 50 years
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Prepare an industry timeline depicting key responses by an industry to change in response to pressures and opportunities over the last four years.
- Read the
Grant Thornton article 'The impact of technology on construction materials and techniques'. Discuss and assess how the construction industry is addressing pressures and opportunities for change through innovation, technology and sustainability in order to compete in local and global markets.
- Use the
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources website section on the Forestry industry as an example to write a report outlining the importance of Australia’s responsibility to be sustainable for future generations.
- Read the
Forbes article 'Take a look at how technology makes smart and sustainable farming' and write a report that outlines how technology is being used to address opportunities and overcome pressures in the farming industry.
Detailed example 1
Understanding Australia’s participation in global trade
The following activities are designed to give students a greater understanding of the issue of global trade. Each activity is designed to be a stand-alone task. Students can either work alone or in small groups to complete the tasks.
Activities
Complete each of the following tasks and present your findings using digital technology such as Infograph, Prezi, and mind maps. Suggestions for showcasing work can be found in the
informEd website article,
'24 Ways for Students to Showcase Their Best Work (With Tech)'.
- Define what is meant by ‘global trade’. Use examples of global industries to illustrate this definition. Create an Infograph or digital poster to display findings.
- Find examples to explain how global trade has become a key issue for Australian Industry in terms of:
- employment
- competition
- innovation.
Create a mind map to illustrate findings and present these to the class.
- Choose an Australian company that has moved its production offshore. Consider the impact of this decision on employees, customers, management and the Australian government. Present your findings.
Detailed example 2
Industry timeline
Prepare an industry timeline showing key responses by an industry to pressures and opportunities for change. Students might choose to base this timeline on one of the following:
- The role of government in promoting change.
- International competitiveness, the influence of the value of the Australian dollar and changing patterns in Australian and global trade.
- Changing societal values and attitudes on issues relating to work practices.
- Environmental sustainability and the effects of changing patterns of natural resource use.
Format
The timeline should be in report format. It could include a variety of presentation styles including text, images, flow charts, timelines, statistical evidence in the form of graphs, tables and diagrams, stakeholder responses and quotes from interviewees.
Requirements
In completing the timeline, students must:
- Describe key pressures and opportunities for change.
- Summarise key historical information, timelines and responses to change by an industry.
- Investigate a range of recent responses to pressures and opportunities for change by an industry.
- Examine responses to change from a variety of industry participants.
- Show the impact of these responses to change on workplace stakeholders within an industry.
- Examine the relationship between these responses to change and the development of work-related skills in workers within an industry.