Executive Summary for the Shared Technology Project
This project seeks to provide industry and VET administrators with information regarding the range of emerging technologies that are likely to be shared across the automotive, building and construction, engineering, information technology and telecommunications industries. The purpose is to ensure that sufficient information is in place to plan for training in these areas to meet the skill required.

This project will use data collected from individual interviews with industry representatives, written submissions and reports from the industries themselves. This data will be assembled into a report and made available for comment by contributors. The final report will be submitted to the Australian National Training Authority through the ElectroComms and EnergyUtilities Qualifications Standards Body of Australia.

The use of the emerging technologies discussed in this Issues Paper are technologies which have "crossed boundaries" from other industries and are being used in new applications. While the use of these technologies in these industries appear as novel inventions, they are mature technologies with broader applications than had previously existed. For example the use of Global Positioning Systems in agricultural equipment is new but the technology has been in use in the aeronautic and maritime industries for many years.

In light of these "crossed boundaries", there is the need for new entrants to receive training that will allow them to contribute to the productivity of the modern workplace. Additionally, existing workers will also need to have the opportunity to up-skill in these areas. The research to be carried out by this project will also investigate the pathways through which this may occur.

This Issues Paper proposes that there are three main areas in which technology is to be shared across the targeted industries. One is the increased use of voice and data communications that form an integrated physical network that allows for increased efficiencies in the workplace and personal lives. The second is the increased use of a range of wireless communication technologies and equipment that feed into the physical networks and provide greater mobility than currently exists. The third area is that of the increased data processing capacity of equipment connected to these networks and the ability to alter the functions and activity levels that can be performed.

The Project Manager, the Western Australian Information, Electrotechnology and Utilities Industry Training Council (IEU-ITC), welcomes contributions from all members of the industries subject to this research. Enquires should be directed to Andrew Lindhjem, Research Officer, IEU-ITC on 08 9240 2688 or via the Internet at http://www.sharedtechnology.net.au.