New CIT CEO Dr Margot McNeill believes CIT needs to be more innovative so it can educate for the future. Photos: Ian Bushnell.
It’s just as well that Canberra Institute of Technology’s new CEO says she’s a good listener because no doubt staff at the institution will have plenty to say about setting it on the right course after years of controversy and an ACT Integrity Commission inquiry still running.
Dr Margot McNeill was named CEO on Wednesday (4 June) after a nationwide year-long search and will start on 18 June.
She enters the role at a crossroads for CIT, following the contracts scandal that toppled former CEO Leanne Cover and led to a corruption finding against her.
CIT is also in deficit, staff rumblings continue and the ACT Government is facing budget problems of its own.
Dr McNeill did not shy away from those troubles, but speaking in the pristine surroundings of the almost-complete Woden campus, her focus was on the future, including designing more innovative courses that broadened student skills.
The announcement also gave the media the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the impressive new campus, which will open in July for Semester 2.
As a lifelong teacher, Dr McNeill plans to be a visible boss in the workplace.
“I come from a family of teachers, and I love nothing more than actually spending time in classrooms on campuses, listening to teachers, listening to students, and obviously the executive and the college directors and the leadership team,” she said.
Dr McNeill believes the opportunity exists to turn around staff perceptions, and they can expect town halls and all-staff meetings, as well as more personal encounters.
“When people feel like the management team is connected with them, then they can talk about the great things that they’d like to celebrate, but also things that they would like us to focus on for improvements,” she said.
In her first 100 days, her priorities will be to understand CIT’s strategy, the business, and its constraints and opportunities, as well as, critically, its people.
Dr McNeill wants CIT to be a leader in the vocational education sector and be innovative in its courses, what is taught and how they are taught.
She said it wasn’t enough to give students technical skills without also developing broader, future-focused skills, such as digital and leadership capabilities.
“We know that our tradespeople are going to need to come out with things like the skills to be able to do digital transfer of payment, and to be able to use tools like generative AI to be able to deal with, for example, an angry customer if they set up a small business,” Dr McNeill said.
“Those are the skills that aren’t yet designed into the courses if we look at the training packages, but we know, because of connections with industry, that they are the sorts of skills that are required.”
Dr McNeil said learning how to be leaders and supervisors was generally not a strong part of the apprenticeship structure, but could be woven in.
“I’m not talking about over assessment, I’m not talking about a layering effect, I’m talking about being smart about how we design the curriculum, and that’s a real opportunity for us,” she said.
Dr McNeill said she was also focused on attracting and retaining great teachers because, without them, Australia’s skills gap would not be bridged.
She said generative AI also had many opportunities for staff, such as relieving them of tedious tasks so they could focus on learning and teaching.
The shift back to recognising the importance of trades and vocational education also presented an opportunity.
“Because it should be easy to go backwards and forwards, university learners come to TAFE to learn some extra practical skills and the other way around, but also the all-important micro skills that we need to be able to upskill and re-skill workers in transitioning industries, for example,” Dr McNeill said.
Dr McNeill with CIT board chair Kate Lundy, who says the new CEO will help CIT meet its challenges head-on.
Dr McNeill joins CIT from her most recent role as Chief Product and Quality Officer at TAFE NSW, where she was responsible for leading curriculum development and quality assurance.
She holds a PhD in technology for tertiary assessment and two Master’s degrees, and her extensive experience in the vocational education sector includes teaching and management roles at TAFE Institutes and dual-sector providers over many years.
CIT board chair Kate Lundy said CIT had experienced a few challenging years, but this appointment, along with the opening of the new Woden Campus for Semester 2, presented an opportunity to turn the corner.
“We believe that Dr Margot McNeill will pick up the reins and help CIT meet those new challenges head-on,” she said.
Dr Lundy said CIT was a huge part of solving the economic and community constraints on the Canberra region by giving people the skills to take it forward.
“That’s the exciting mission,” she said.
Original Article published by Ian Bushnell on Region Canberra.
