Welcome to the April Government and Community Safety NICS eBulletin.
We have had much happening in the last three months and are eager to keep you updated and well informed. Some highlights include the launch of a new Resource Library on the careergov website, online applications opening for the 'Working for Customs' program and a new career video available on the website.
Read on to find out more about these and other news items.
New Resource Library on the Careergov Website
Careergov.com.au is launching a new Resource Library!
The library is easy to use and features over 100 resources about careers in Government and Community Safety. The resources are current and regularly reviewed. They help to highlight skills needs, training and career pathways and occupational and career opportunities in Corrections, Local Government, Public Safety, the Public Sector and the Water Industry.
The resources featured are either downloadable or provide you with the details for where copies can be obtained from. The catalogue can be searched in a number of ways including by industry sector, state or keyword.
New items will be constantly added to the library so if you know of any good resources that you think should be added, please let either myself or Beth know at info@careergov.com.au.
Here is a brochure which outlines the key features of the Library for your use and distribution.
To visit the Resource Library please click here.
Applications now open for Working for Customs Program
Are you keen to see what a job in Customs is all about? Why not get involved in a one-day work experience program? The program is open to students in years 11 and 12 and will be running at Australian Customs and Border Protection Service at Sydney Airport.
This year, an innovative on-line selection tool will be utilised to streamline the process of matching the participants with the program, thereby maximising the benefit for both industry and participants. Applications for the 2009 program are now open. Apply here!
The program has been very successful in previous years and in its third year, it is hoped to increase the number of students catered for by the ‘Working for Customs' program. Program activities include: meeting the sniffer dogs of the Dog Detector Unit, visiting the Container Examination Facility, a behind the scenes tour of Sydney Airport, learning about prohibited items and tips on getting a job with Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.
Nominations now open for Industry Engagement Award
Last year saw the establishment of the Government and Community Safety Industry Engagement Award. The 2008 award went to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service for their commitment to the establishment and growth of the ‘Working for Customs' pilot program.
Nominations for this award are now open for 2009. Please give some thought to the engagement activities you have underway so we can give recognition where it is deserved. To put an employer up for nomination, please complete this simple nomination form and return to Government Skills Australia by July 31st.
Government Skills Australia, as the contracted provider of the Government and Community Safety National Industry Careers Specialist role was pleased to establish this award to recognise commitment and excellence in industry engaging with youth. The award will be made annually to acknowledge an organisations' commitment to the objectives of Career Advice Australia which promotes careers to 13 to 19 year olds.
A panel consisting of the NICS and industry, CAA and school representatives will then convene in August to consider the nominations and decide a winner. All nominees will receive a certificate recognising their contribution. The award will be presented to the organisation at a suitable ceremony where the individuals involved can be acknowledged and recognised. The winner of the award will be promoted as a best practice model on the careergov website and through electronic and print newsletters, and a case study of the organisation will be developed.
New SES Volunteer Career Video
A new career video has just been developed which highlights the benefits, challenges and exciting opportunities that results from being a volunteer with the State Emergency Service.
The SES Volunteer video is available on the careergov website now and features Nicole Anderson who is a member of the State Emergency Service in Northwest Tasmania. The video illustrates the challenges Nicole faces as well as the exciting opportunities, training and benefits that being a SES volunteer can bring.
Regional Industry Career Advisor Survey
In February I conducted an electronic survey of all Regional Industry Career Advisors (RICAs). This survey not only provides valuable data which will inform the sectors' environmental scan and drive continuous improvement of the services I am able to provide, but it is also an invaluable tool in setting our priorities and activities for 2009. The 2009 survey has so far achieved responses from 70% of RICAs which is an improvement on last year!
Thank you to the RICAs who have completed the survey, your responses are appreciated and provide us with valuable feedback.
WA RICA, NICS and Industry Forum
In mid March I attended the WA RICA network NICS and Industry Forum. This event was attended by eight of the NICS as well as a number of WA RICAs, LCPs, Industry representatives and career development stakeholders. The three day program provided an ideal mix of information sharing, professional development and networking opportunities only available in a group situation.
Each NICS provided an overview of their sectors, resources, current projects and future directions. Speakers from Industry also provided a Western Australian perspective.
This model provided a great networking opportunity to share ideas, troubleshoot concerns and identify areas of collaborative activity as well as developing the awareness of all participants. This allowed an effective use of time and resources for all stakeholders while increasing awareness of Career Advice Australia within industry.
Many thanks to the WA RICAs for arranging and hosting this beneficial event.
Until next time,
Alun GallieNational Industry Career Specialist for Government and Community Safety
Phone: 08 8410 3455Fax: 08 8410 2842
E-mail: alun.gallie@governmentskills.com.auWebsite: www.careergov.com.au
(c) 2008 Government Skills Australia. Level 2, 47-49 Waymouth Street, GPO Box 2146, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000 E-mail: info@careergov.com.au Telephone: +61 8 8410 3455 Fax: +61 8 8410 2842 Privacy Policy Click here to confirm that you wish to unsubscribe to the Career Gov eNewsletters by Government Skills Australia.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Edition 2 of Service Worx, from Services NICS. 14/4/09
(Pictured above: SCOPE LCP team members and RICA in Melbourne "turning Japanese" at the start of the CDAA Annual Conference 14th April 2009, where we received excellent service from our wait staff, thus proving that Service really does Work!)Welcome to the 2nd edition of Service Worx e-newsletter.
Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy
Background
Successful tourism and hospitality businesses depend first and foremost on the people at the coalface. People deliver a world-class visitor experience. Tourism Australia is committed to attracting high yielding visitors to Australia and this coupled with an increasingly demanding domestic consumer means that now more than ever the industry must deliver a premium experience.
This requires a strategy that does more than simply ‘puts a body’ in front of customers.
Employers across the industry, large and small, face the same challenge—to attract and keep people with the right skills and personal attitudes and attributes to deliver a quality experience. However, there are labour and skills shortages in a number of occupations and regions in the tourism and hospitality industry. These shortages cannot be simply attributed to demographic changes, a growing economy or blamed on an education and training system delivering insufficient numbers. Industry and regional structures, business size, workplace conditions, and the mobility of workers are all contributing to these shortages and these are likely to continue for the next two decades. Staff shortages, inadequate skills and knowledge and/or high turnover can impede the ability of a hotel or other tourism business to deliver quality service.*
Strategy
This workforce development strategy has been developed by industry, together with the industry skills council, and represents a commitment from industry to work together. The strategy is an important step in continuing to address the skills and labour shortages in the tourism and hospitality industry.
The Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy outlines the priority areas for achieving the overall goal of access to the number of skilled employees that the tourism and hospitality industry will require to be successful in the future.
These include:
1. A highly skilled workforce
2. Expanding the traditional workforce
3. Access to quality workplaces
4. Better workforce planning
For more on the Workforce Development Strategy please click here.
* Excerpt from the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy.
Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy
Background
Successful tourism and hospitality businesses depend first and foremost on the people at the coalface. People deliver a world-class visitor experience. Tourism Australia is committed to attracting high yielding visitors to Australia and this coupled with an increasingly demanding domestic consumer means that now more than ever the industry must deliver a premium experience.
This requires a strategy that does more than simply ‘puts a body’ in front of customers.
Employers across the industry, large and small, face the same challenge—to attract and keep people with the right skills and personal attitudes and attributes to deliver a quality experience. However, there are labour and skills shortages in a number of occupations and regions in the tourism and hospitality industry. These shortages cannot be simply attributed to demographic changes, a growing economy or blamed on an education and training system delivering insufficient numbers. Industry and regional structures, business size, workplace conditions, and the mobility of workers are all contributing to these shortages and these are likely to continue for the next two decades. Staff shortages, inadequate skills and knowledge and/or high turnover can impede the ability of a hotel or other tourism business to deliver quality service.*
Strategy
This workforce development strategy has been developed by industry, together with the industry skills council, and represents a commitment from industry to work together. The strategy is an important step in continuing to address the skills and labour shortages in the tourism and hospitality industry.
The Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy outlines the priority areas for achieving the overall goal of access to the number of skilled employees that the tourism and hospitality industry will require to be successful in the future.
These include:
1. A highly skilled workforce
2. Expanding the traditional workforce
3. Access to quality workplaces
4. Better workforce planning
For more on the Workforce Development Strategy please click here.
* Excerpt from the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
First newsletter from our Services NICS
Edition 1 2009
Fortnightly Newsletter
Welcome to the 1st edition of Service Worx e-newsletter.
For this edition we would like to highlight the support and heart-warming community spirit demonstrated by all Australians following the devastating Victorian bushfires last month.
The retail sector plays a large role within a business community and the following examples epitomise how Australian businesses have rallied together.
Woolworths Limited announced a $1 million donation to the Australian Red Cross for emergency relief in fire-ravaged Victoria.
IGA - the Independent Grocers of Australia - will donate $1.5 million dollars in food vouchers to assist in the Victoria Bush Fire Disaster Relief efforts.
1270 IGA stores nationwide, as well as Metcash (IGA retailers' primary supplier), will collectively provide the vouchers via IGA's Community Chest program - the majority of which will be distributed by the Salvation Army.
During the crisis, a number of IGA stores have also been acting as community centres - with more than 500 people having camped out at IGA Yarra Glen the week after the fires. Wherever possible, those affected by the fires have been provided with food from their local store.
All 58 Ritchies stores in Victoria, Queensland and NSW will now accept cash donations that will see 100% of the money channelled to the Salvation Army bushfire relief appeal.
Coles donated its profits from its 750 stores nationally to the Government's Bushfire Appeal Fund in partnership with the Red Cross on Friday 13 February.
Coles has also been helping ground level relief agencies, providing essentials such as food, water and toiletries, and will continue to provide additional local support as needed.
Many other smaller retail businesses are also raising money and donating goods to victims of the Victorian fire disaster.
Quick Facts on the Retail Industry
The retail industry is the largest employer in Australia and over 38% of the approximately 1.6M people employed in the industry are between 15-24 years of age.
Melbourne is the second largest labor force employing region in Australia for the Retail Industry and the top jobs are Sales Assistants and Shop Managers, however, remember the industry offers a diverse range of career and employment opportunities and is an intergral part of the Australian workforce.
For further details or information on a career in retail please contact Mary Oliver at the Australian Retailers Association on 1300 368 041 or email mary.oliver@retail.org.au.
Don’t forget www.discoverhospitality.com is now live, if you could spread the word that would be great.
Fortnightly Newsletter
Welcome to the 1st edition of Service Worx e-newsletter.
For this edition we would like to highlight the support and heart-warming community spirit demonstrated by all Australians following the devastating Victorian bushfires last month.
The retail sector plays a large role within a business community and the following examples epitomise how Australian businesses have rallied together.
Woolworths Limited announced a $1 million donation to the Australian Red Cross for emergency relief in fire-ravaged Victoria.
IGA - the Independent Grocers of Australia - will donate $1.5 million dollars in food vouchers to assist in the Victoria Bush Fire Disaster Relief efforts.
1270 IGA stores nationwide, as well as Metcash (IGA retailers' primary supplier), will collectively provide the vouchers via IGA's Community Chest program - the majority of which will be distributed by the Salvation Army.
During the crisis, a number of IGA stores have also been acting as community centres - with more than 500 people having camped out at IGA Yarra Glen the week after the fires. Wherever possible, those affected by the fires have been provided with food from their local store.
All 58 Ritchies stores in Victoria, Queensland and NSW will now accept cash donations that will see 100% of the money channelled to the Salvation Army bushfire relief appeal.
Coles donated its profits from its 750 stores nationally to the Government's Bushfire Appeal Fund in partnership with the Red Cross on Friday 13 February.
Coles has also been helping ground level relief agencies, providing essentials such as food, water and toiletries, and will continue to provide additional local support as needed.
Many other smaller retail businesses are also raising money and donating goods to victims of the Victorian fire disaster.
Quick Facts on the Retail Industry
The retail industry is the largest employer in Australia and over 38% of the approximately 1.6M people employed in the industry are between 15-24 years of age.
Melbourne is the second largest labor force employing region in Australia for the Retail Industry and the top jobs are Sales Assistants and Shop Managers, however, remember the industry offers a diverse range of career and employment opportunities and is an intergral part of the Australian workforce.
For further details or information on a career in retail please contact Mary Oliver at the Australian Retailers Association on 1300 368 041 or email mary.oliver@retail.org.au.
Don’t forget www.discoverhospitality.com is now live, if you could spread the word that would be great.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Latest from our Resources & Infrastructure NICS
Update on the Job Losses in the Mining sector
Below is an extract from article that appeared in - Australian Mining - Australia's
premier mining news website on the 27 March 2009
The Minerals Council of Australia has updated its estimated number of job losses in the Australian mining sector to 11,153.
The update came after news that Rio Tinto will place its HIsmelt iron ore processing plant in Western Australia on care and maintenance and BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) will shed another 400 contractors from its Bowen basin coal mines.
BMA’s decision not to renew contracts with Macmahon Holdings and HMP Constructions at its Goonyella and Norwich Park Mines in Queensland was in keeping with the miner’s commitment to reduce coking coal output by 10 to 15% this financial year.
It follows the dismissal of 1100 coal division employees and contractors as part of the axing of 6000 jobs worldwide in January.
Ellen
Ellen Fleming National Industry Career Specialist - Resources & Infrastructure Industries Career Advice Australia - An Australian Government Initiative
Australian Industry Group 20 Queens Road, Melbourne 8004
Phone: 03 9867 0235
Mobile: 0408 055 628
Fax: 03 9867 0199
efleming@aigroup.asn.au
CAREERSCONNECTED.com.au
Below is an extract from article that appeared in - Australian Mining - Australia's
premier mining news website on the 27 March 2009
The Minerals Council of Australia has updated its estimated number of job losses in the Australian mining sector to 11,153.
The update came after news that Rio Tinto will place its HIsmelt iron ore processing plant in Western Australia on care and maintenance and BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) will shed another 400 contractors from its Bowen basin coal mines.
BMA’s decision not to renew contracts with Macmahon Holdings and HMP Constructions at its Goonyella and Norwich Park Mines in Queensland was in keeping with the miner’s commitment to reduce coking coal output by 10 to 15% this financial year.
It follows the dismissal of 1100 coal division employees and contractors as part of the axing of 6000 jobs worldwide in January.
Ellen
Ellen Fleming National Industry Career Specialist - Resources & Infrastructure Industries Career Advice Australia - An Australian Government Initiative
Australian Industry Group 20 Queens Road, Melbourne 8004
Phone: 03 9867 0235
Mobile: 0408 055 628
Fax: 03 9867 0199
efleming@aigroup.asn.au
CAREERSCONNECTED.com.au
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