16^th Transportation Working Group Meeting
Hong Kong, China, November 8-12, 1999

APEC TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP 16^TH MEETING
Report of the meeting of the Steering Committee
on Human Resources Development (including Training, Research and Education)
held on 10 November 1999 in Hong Kong, China

 I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Participating economies

1. The meeting was chaired by Australia as Coordinator, and was also attended by Brunei, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and the United States.

Projects completed since last TPT-WG meeting

2. There were no projects fully completed since the last meeting at TPT-WG15 in Santiago de Chile in April 1999.

Project evaluations completed since last TPT-WG meeting

3. Progress reports were provided to the July 1999 meeting of the Budget and Management Committee on the following projects:

Seafarer STCW Training (Australia) TPT 03/97T
Seafarers’ Training Project Phase 2 (Indonesia) TPT 03/98

Outcomes of Brainstorming Session

4. The Steering Committee noted the discussion in the Brainstorming Session had included focus on the potential emergence of skill shortages in parts of the APEC transportation sector, and the need therefore to continue emphasis on the development of human capital. Human resource development was important in facilitating the takeup of new technologies, such as e-commerce.

5. In their meeting in Auckland in September 1999, Leaders had requested that cooperation in such fields as e-education, science and technology and life-long skills development be strengthened. Leaders also welcomed the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC. The Steering Committee agreed to keep these recommendations under consideration in the completion of existing projects and the future development of its work program. The increasing focus on the development of ‘deliverable’ initiatives and their implementation was also noted in this context.

Seafarers’ Training Project Phase 2 (Indonesia)

6. The consultant for Phase 2 of the Seafarers’ Training Project, China Maritime, has provided a draft final report. Analysis of the data received can be summarised as follows.

7. Data has been collected from relevant maritime institutions in APEC member economies regarding their teaching facilities and equipment, courses offered, qualifications of staff and level of certification. The data is considered sufficient as it represents 16 of the 21 APEC economies. The information collected provides a detailed study of each maritime institution including identification of facilities, equipment, course content, quality of trainers, examiners, instructors and level of certification.

8. There is still some analysis of the data to be carried out by the consultant. The Budget and Management Committee has given its approval to extend the disbursement deadline of this project until 31 March 2000.

9. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends Plenary note that:

1. In accordance with project evaluation within the HRD Steering Committee the consultant’s work (the Draft Final Report) has not yet covered the objectives of the Seafarers’Training Project Phase 2 as set out in the RFP, which are:-

• The comparison of facilities, equipment, course content, quality of trainers examiners, instructors and level of certification among the maritime institution responses;

• Identification of areas where existing maritime institutions might need assistance to meet the standard of the STCW 1978 Convention 1995 Amendment;

2. The consultant should complete the task in the Final Report by explaining the difficulties to comply with the contracting terms of the RFP. For continuing this project and gaining optimised results it is recommended to attach the list of about 200 maritime institutions.

3. The consultant should provide the final report at least three weeks prior to the 17^th TPT-WG meeting in Singapore in March 2000.

 irtual Centre for Transportation Research, Development and Education (Australia)

10. The Virtual Centre for Transportation Research, Development and Education website was launched at TPT-WG 15 in April 1999. Australia provided a progress report on the Virtual Centre (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.2/1). Having undertaken to establish the Virtual Centre website and manage it for the first twelve months Australia is encouraging other economies to consider taking over management of the website.

11. It was agreed that, to assist economies in this consideration, there needs to be an evaluation of the usage levels of the website, the resources involved in managing it, and the portability of the website between platforms. The suggestion was made that one of the APEC Study Centres might be an appropriate body to manage the website.

Towards Mutual Recognition of Transport Professional Qualifications (Australia)

13. The proposal for this project was endorsed at TPT-WG15 in April 1999. APEC funding has been approved for 2000. The project is aimed at identifying best practice and developing mechanisms for mutual recognition of transport professional qualifications between APEC economies, with,

• Stage One being identification of priority areas for attention and clarification of information required on entry standards in the priority areas;
  
• Stage Two: preparation of a survey questionnaire to achieve consistency and comparability of the information to be collected from each economy on the list of professions, with emphasis on entry requirements, examples of co-operative practices with other economies, barriers/impediments and reasons;
  
• Stage Three: analysis of the results collected from economies with a view to identifying relevant factors in the selected occupations to establish scope for a practical model of recommended practices; and
  
• Stage Four: establishment of a framework for recommended practices focusing on particular job characteristics in demand or high degree of mobility; mechanisms to facilitate recognition (transparency; consistency; quality assurances in accreditation and recognition system).

14. The entry requirements referred to in Stage Two include certificate of competence, licence to practice, and endorsement.

15. A project steering committee has been established, with membership from Australia, Canada, Indonesia, and the United States. The steering committee has prepared a report on Stage One (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.3/2 Rev 1). The purpose of this report is to enable the TPT-WG to determine the scope of the project before a questionnaire is prepared in Stage Two, and to review the project objectives and coverage before detailed information is sought, and to make any necessary changes before the commencement of Stage Two.

16. The priority professions and occupations which have been selected for survey in Stage Two are:- railway engineers, truck drivers, air traffic controllers, flight crew, licensed aircraft maintenance engineers, and intermodal/logistics systems managers.

17. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

1. Agree the professions selected in Stage One of the project;
   
2. Agree that the project proceed to Stage Two;
   
3. Encourage member economies to actively participate in the work of Stage Two, and to advise Australia of a contact person for the Stage Two survey (by end-December 1999).

Pilot Electronic Commerce in Maritime Transport (Australia)

18. This project was endorsed by TPT-WG15 in April 1999. APEC TILF funding has been approved. The project will deliver an Internet-based training program of approximately three months duration. The pilot course will involve the construction of a website that will serve as a virtual classroom. The course will be a series of interactive lessons combined with tutorial classes and assessment sessions.

19. Australia provided a progress report (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.4/1) which included advice that funding from the TILF special account is expected to become available in May or June 2000. The course itself is expected to be conducted in early 2001.

20. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that:

1. Plenary note the progress report;
   
2. Member economies advise Australia if they would be interested in participating in the project

Database of Transportation Technology Research (Japan)

21. Japan provided a final report on the Database (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.5/1). Current updating will soon be completed, with submission to the Secretariat for publication of the hard copy by end-1999. Steering Committee members commended Japan for its management of the project.

22. Japan will submit an evaluation report for TPT-WG17, which will include opportunities for future incorporation or linkage with other APEC websites, particularly the Virtual Centre website. Japan and Australia will consult further in the context of the proposed evaluation work on the Virtual Centre.

23. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

1. Note the imminent completion of the final update of the Database of Transportation Technology Research;
   
2. Note that an evaluation report will be prepared for TPT-WG17, and that Japan and Australia will consult on possible future incorporation or linkage with the Virtual Centre for Transportation Research, Development and Education.

STCW Seafarer Training Project (Australia)

24. Australia provided a progress report (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.6/1) on this project, which is nearing completion. The program of training for Indonesia is now complete and a second set of two five-day workshops are scheduled to be presented in the Philippines in the weeks beginning 22 November and 29 November 1999. Indonesia submitted a report on implementation of the Oil Tanker Workshop in Indonesia (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.6/2).

25. Following completion of the second set of workshops in the Philippines, the final report, including training recommendations and evaluations, will be prepared. This will be followed by a final payment for the contracted work. The final report, which will represent completion of the project, is expected to be prepared by January 2000.

26. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

1. Note the imminent completion of the STCW Seafarer Training Project
   
2. Note that an evaluation report will be provided for TPT-WG17.

Identification of Needed Intermodal Skills and Development of Required Training Programs (Canada)

27. This project was endorsed at TPT-WG15 in April 1999. APEC funding has been approved. A request for proposals (RFP) was distributed to all HODs in September 1999 with a closing date of 17 November 1999 (subsequently extended to 30 November 1999). Consultant work on the project is scheduled to commence in January 2000 with an initial draft report to be presented at the next Intermodal Task Force meeting at TPT WG-17 in Singapore. Three regional workshops are to be held in late February/early March to seek input from industry and academic professionals pertaining to the identification of needed intermodal skills and available training programs.

28. All economies are encouraged to participate in the RFP evaluation process. The HRD Steering Committee Chair pointed out the need for the ITF to work closely with Australia, the lead economy of the project "Towards Mutual Recognition of Transport Professional Qualifications", to ensure no duplication of efforts. The Steering Committee representative from the Philippines noted that economy’s interest in possibly hosting one of the regional workshops for ASEAN member countries and indicated that they would pursue this matter further with their government and report back to Canada.

29. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

Note progress on the project Identification of Needed Intermodal Skills and Development of Required Training Programs.

Increased Participation of Women in the Transportation Sector (Canada)

30. Canada advised that this project should now be deemed to be complete. A progress report (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/4.8/1) was provided. The Compendium of Success Stories of training and development initiatives for women in the transport sector has been placed on the TPT-WG website. It now includes links to related websites in a number of other organisations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank. An evaluation report will be provided for TPT-WG17.

31. The United States suggested that the US Women’s Transportation Seminar organisation could be included in the Compendium and asked if the Compendium would continue to be added to. Canada undertook to continue to update the Compendium as new information is supplied.

32. Recommendations:

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

1. Note that the project on Increased Participation of Women in the Transportation Sector can now be deemed complete;
   
2. Note that an evaluation report will be provided to TPT-WG17.

Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC

33. The Steering Committee considered a letter from the APEC Secretariat Executive Director (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/5/1) on the Framework endorsed by Leaders at their September 1999 meeting, the Framework itself (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/5/2), and related Guides (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/5/3). Canada proposed the development of an implementation plan, which will need to address the three main components of the Framework – gender analysis, collection and use of sex-disaggregated data, and involvement of women in APEC.

34. It is proposed to reconvene the gender project small group, under Canada’s leadership. The components of an implementation plan for the transition period to 1 January 2002 are likely to be proposed as:-

1. Implementation plan for consideration at TPT-WG17 to include clear objectives and deliverables;
   
2. Increasing the Working Group’s awareness, through an information session at TPT-WG17;
   
3. Capacity building, initially through a special workshop on gender analysis at TPT-WG17;
   
4. Obtaining sex-disaggregated data;
   
5. Encouraging increased numbers of women in delegations to TPT-WG meetings and women’s overall involvement in TPT-WG activities.

The Steering Committee recommends that Plenary:

1. Note the requirement for the TPT-WG to develop an implementation plan for the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC, and agree the proposal by Canada to reconvene the gender project small group to develop an implementation plan for consideration at TPT-WG17 ;
   
2. Agree the proposal to hold a gender analysis workshop at TPT-WG17.

III. WORK PROGRAM

36. The HRD Steering Committee Work Program (TPTWG16/SC/HRD/6/1) will be revised to reflect the outcomes of TPT-WG16, and new reporting requirements. Australia will pass the Work Program over to Korea as the new HRD Steering Committee Coordinator.

IV. APPROVAL OF NEW PROJECTS

37. There are no new projects to be approved.

V. OUTSTANDING ISSUES

38. There are no outstanding issues requiring a decision or directive from Plenary

VI. MANAGEMENT ISSUES

39. Korea will assume the role of Coordinator of the Human Resources Development Steering Committee towards the end of 1999, when Australia will transfer to the role of Coordinator of the More Competitive Transportation Industry Steering Committee.

40. The Steering Committee commends Australia for chairing the Committee and its efforts in organising and bringing it to its current level of work.

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