In order to meet anticipated demand for solar battery storage and address safety concerns around solar batter installation, Future Energy Skills (FES) led a Victorian government funded industry consortia to develop and pilot new, accredited training for electricians to design and install solar battery storage systems. FES commissioned Ellis Jones to develop and implement a comprehensive impact measurement process to enable stakeholders to understand, learn from and communicate the outcomes of the 2 year project.

• Ellis Jones developed an Impact Measurement Framework mapping project outcomes across consumer safety, productivity and education. The measurement framework outlined in detail project outcomes, activities, indicators, and data collection methods.
• Ellis Jones worked with diverse stakeholders – registered training organisations, digital learning specialists, electricians, unions and Country Fire Authority – to understand existing data and develop new tools where required.
• A range of new evaluation processes were developed and implemented over the course of the project to understand the effectiveness of the new training. The iterative process also enabled evaluators to make recommendations relating to the training course and administration that could be implemented over the course of the two pilots.
• Evaluation methodology included focus groups, interviews and surveys with students, educators and stakeholders across each stage of the project from the creation of the training program to the implementation of the course and the consumer campaign.

• The process of the development of the impact framework enabled stakeholders to understand their role, test project logic and set project expectations at the start of the project. Project indicators and outputs were varied to take into account existing context and constraints.
• The iterative evaluation process has enabled education partners to amend training methods throughout the project. For example, FES developed additional training for educators in response to evaluation recommendations, ensuring that educators are well equipped to utilise new digital training platforms.
• Regular evaluation feedback enabled FES to change management and delivery of the second pilot which enhance student experience of the course.
• The project will complete in December 2019, with full outcomes to be reported in early 2020.