Certificate IV Frontline Management in Australia – Powerpoint overview (briefing) by Management Consultancy International. This overview (briefing pack) covers all you’ll need to know about our Certificate IV Frontline Management Course (in Sydney Australia). For more information, or for a quote for you or your organisation, please contact MCI on 1300 768 550.
If you are an aspiring student or an Australian Organisation interested in innovation, looking for a top training company to train you (or your people) in the Certificate 4 Frontline Management or a Diploma in Frontline Management, then look no further.
Management Consultancy International (MCI) recently received the Top Training Award – for Excellence in Australian Learning Innovation.
In a fierce competition with some of the largest training organisations in Australia, Management Consultancy International won the top Award from the Australian Institute of Training & Development for Excellence in Australian Learning Innovation, particularly for their work in adapting an international methodology to create innovative training solutions for the Australian market.
In accepting the prestigious award this week, Managing Director, Denise Meyerson said, “We are thrilled to receive this award, particularly in the category of learning innovation. We are firmly of the view that now is the time for every organisation to ensure that their people have access to world’s best practice in training programs. No longer can companies continue to use the same old programs that have been around for years. This is a new era and one that requires new thinking and innovation.
Our work with global organisations gives us a unique insight into the latest innovations in learning programs internationally. One example is LEGO® Serious PlayTM and we are excited about our ability to adapt it to the Australian marketplace.
We also congratulate the other nominees in our category: American Express, Commonwealth Bank, Deloitte and Hudson Global Resources.”
Commenting on the award, Paul Dumble, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Australian Institute of Training & Development said “The quality of entries into the Australian Learning Innovation category was excellent. The judging process was a lengthy and intensive one, with much debate amongst the Judging Panel on how to define innovation and what is important to the training and development industry. Management Consultancy International came out the winner in this tightly contested category.”
While this is the inaugural year for this particular category the AITD has been conducting the National Training Excellence Awards since 2002 and prior to that they were hosted on a state by state basis. The 2009 awards function attracted close to 200 attendees from across the L&D community.
Responding, Denise said, “The award for ‘Outstanding contribution to the practice of learning and development’ is something everyone in our organisation can be proud of. Our Award and Certificate of Excellence will take pride of place in our office and we look forward to continuing our mission of developing customised learning programs that helped transform processes, behaviours and attitudes within organisations.” she added.
Congratulations MCI and well done on your fabulous win!
For more information on how MCI can help you (including helping you secure Australian Government funding for your training program), go to http://www.mci.edu.au/
MCI specialises in providing the following Leadership and Management courses:
All prices include GST
Government Funded training for Frontline Management
A top insurance company in Australia received over $ 1 million last year to fund their training from the Department of Education. They used this money to train and develop a large number of participants and to provide them with nationally recognised qualifications.
If you are considering implementing a frontline management program, why not take the time to check whether your participants are eligible for government funding through the traineeship scheme.
Read through the guidelines outlined in this article to find out:
What is in it for the organisation
What is in it for the individual
How to access the funding
Who meets the criteria
How does the system work
How to ensure that government-funded traineeships become a valuable tool for self development
What is the downside
How do you ensure that the process is successful
Background
Traditionally there has been no central reference point for seeking clarification on the process of Australian government-funded traineeships, and the confusion is compounded by traineeships being run under auspices of Australian ‘Apprenticeships’. It is no wonder many HR managers become frustrated when attempting to obtain funding for their staff development!
This article demystifies the traineeship process and explains in simple terms how an HR manager can go about determining whether there are government-funded training opportunities for their employees – particularly when it comes to the well-used and highly respected Frontline Management qualification.
What are the benefits to an organisation of introducing Frontline Management qualifications via traineeships?
The frontline management qualification is suitable in a range of different situations including:
The advantages of introducing traineeships in Frontline Management are on three levels:
1. From a national perspective, traineeships are intended to ensure that Australia is competitive against worldwide benchmarks and that skills shortage areas are addressed.
2. From an organisational perspective, traineeships provide a strong opportunity to up-skill employees to higher standards and to ensure that they also meet nationally stipulated requirements. The funding provided through traineeships becomes a useful extension to the learning and development budget of the organisation and a means for the implementation of on-going, consistent training. The Certificate 4 in Frontline Management is an example of a traineeship that is funded in certain states including NSW, ACT and Queensland. The qualification is Australia’s premier management qualification and is suitable for team leaders, supervisors and managers who have team members reporting to them as well as those who manage resources.
3. From an individual perspective, the traineeships leads to a nationally recognised qualification that is portable to any industry sector and a valuable addition to a CV. As the Frontline Management qualification is so highly regarded, the individual benefits from having skills recognised in a formal way and from holding a qualification that opens doors to many opportunities.
Which organisations can apply for funded traineeships in Frontline Management?
Funding is available for registered Australian companies that hold an ABN number. Companies are only eligible to share in the funding scheme that relates specially to their industry. For example, a bank cannot collect funding for a hairdressing qualification.
Federal Government departments are not eligible for funding. The owner of a business is not eligible for traineeship funding.
Who in the organisation is eligible for Government Funding for the Frontline Management qualification?
It is important to recognise that government funding for training is not only dependent on the training program itself but also has specific criteria for the eligibility of candidates.
The main criteria for funding a traineeship are a worker’s:
1. Citizenship status
2. Prior qualifications
3. Employment status
Citizenship Status
The worker must be either an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand citizen who has been resident in Australia for at least six months.
There is also funding available for foreign nationals who have been sponsored by an employer with a ‘Trade Skills Training’ visa (471). Visit the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s website for information on Trade
Skills Training visas.
http://www.immi.gov.au
Prior Qualifications
Typically funding is only available when ‘up-skilling’ is occurring. That is, if a worker has previously attended training in a similar area funding is unlikely to be available for this training.
Only nationally recognised qualifications are considered as prior qualifications. For example, a candidate who holds a ‘Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer’ qualification may still be eligible for funding, as this qualification is not nationally recognised.
To confuse the issue, certain nationally recognised qualifications (such as Certificates II, III or IV) are not taken into account in assessing whether funding is available if 7 years have passed since they were completed. Australian Apprenticeship Centres will be able to provide more specific information on which qualifications fall into this category.
Example:
Employer – ABC Bank Limited
New Employee Name: John Smith
Age: 28
Previous Qualifications: No previous qualifications
Currently enrolling: Certificate IV in Frontline Management
Funding Available? BC Bank Limited is eligible to receive Government incentive for the up-skilling in this qualification
Employer – ABC Bank Limited
New Employee Name: Jane Smith
Age: 28
Previous Qualifications: Diploma in Financial Services (completed 4 yrs ago)
Currently enrolling: Certificate IV in Frontline Management
Funding Available? ABC Bank Limited is not eligible to receive funding and will bear the costs involved with this qualification.
Employment Status
Candidates must be:
• Undertaking employment in an Australian Apprenticeship in a State or Territory of Australia, excluding Norfolk Island; and
• covered by a Training Contract signed by both the Australian Apprentice Centre and the employer that has been formally approved by a State Training Authority.
• undertaking an accredited program, which leads to a nationally recognised qualification, and includes both paid work and structured training.
The Apprenticeship Centre will also ask specific questions related to industry awards or registered Australian Workplace Agreements or formally approved contracts of employment.
Part-time employees may be eligible for traineeships, under certain circumstances. Check with an Australian Apprenticeship Centre with a specific case in mind.
How does the Payment cycle for the traineeship in frontline management work?
There is a three-month period from the date of the employee signs up onto the traineeship to the date of a claim form being generated by the Apprenticeship Centre and mailed to the employer.
It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that this claim form is signed by both an employer representative as well as the trainee. This claim form is in turn mailed back to the Apprenticeship Centre and a first payment occurs within approximately 10 days of the return of this claim form.
There are time constraints on claiming Commonwealth funding – if claim forms are not returned within a certain timeframe funding might not be provided.
Example:
Joe works for Funtel, a telecommunications company in Bathurst. Joe is signed up on the 1st of August for a Certificate IV in Frontline Management. On the first of November, the Apprenticeship Centre generates and mails the claims form to Joe’s HR manager. Joe’s HR manager, Powan locates Joe to sign the claims form. Powan also signs the form and mails it back to The Apprenticeship Centre on the 15th of November. Powan has previously provided the Apprenticeship Centre with Funtel’s banking details.
By the 25th of November, Funtel receives an initial payment of $1,500.
Upon completion of the traineeship, once the individual has completed the training and a final certificate has been issued by the RTO, the host organisation can apply for the final amount of government funding.
Example continued:
Joe completes his Certificate IV qualification in Frontline Management within 18 months. The Registered Training Organisation issues his certificate and academic record. Powan, Funtel’s HR manager posts an original or JP signed copy of this certificate to the Apprenticeship Centre, together with the Completion form which the Apprenticeship Centre provided.
These documents are scrutinised by the Department of Education and by the relevant Sate Training Authorities.
Approximately three months later, a further $2,500 is deposited into Funtel’s bank account.
Note that completion procedures and time-frames vary from State to State.
Employer Checklist before implementing the traineeship in Frontline Management
The following is a checklist for use by HR professionals when considering the deployment of a traineeship in an organisation.
1. Is the training envisaged suitable for government funding? Frontline Management in certain States is suitable
2. Is the individual eligible for funding?
3. Which RTO (Registered Training Organisation) will you use? Or will training be conducted internally and with certification services provided by an RTO?
4. When will you do the training? Are you prepared to release your staff for the time it will take?
5. How much training will be conducted onsite? Offsite?
6. How will you find an appropriate apprenticeship centre to help you get this done?
Choosing a Registered Training Organisation
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are a key component of running a successful traineeship in Frontline Management. The RTO provides training and assessment services, and is also required to issue the nationally recognised qualification certificate.
When choosing an RTO
Be assertive in setting your expectations with RTO’s. It is important to ensure you have fully agreed to the manner in which the frontline management training will be delivered and managed to achieve your desired outcomes.
Some questions to ask RTOs include:
Management Consultancy International consults to global organisations on their learning and development strategies and implements cost-effective frontline management programs that meet the needs of the participants as well as those of the organisation.
The Frontline Management Traineeship Process
What Traineeship Documentation needs to be completed?
An agreement is signed by three parties at the commencement of a traineeship.
The Registered Training Organisation (RTO) signs the agreement to indicate that they are part of the process and they establish a training plan.
This training plan includes information about the units of competence that are selected for the relevant qualification and also provides details about the logistics of the training and how assessment will take place.
The employer is a party to the agreement and will comply with the requirements of delivering a traineeship in terms of the time provided to the trainee for training and assessment purposes.
The agreement that trainees are required to sign at the commencement of the traineeship include questions such as:
• Are you an Australian citizen?
• Do you have any prior qualifications?
• What is your date of birth?
• Where do you reside?
• How long have you been with this employer?
• What was the last year you attended school?
• What was your highest level of education prior to this qualification?
• Are you employed on a full-time or part-time basis?
• Do you have any disabilities?
• Are you an Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander?
The nominated Australian Apprenticeship Centre will provide the workplace with a checklist listing requirements for sign-ups.
Documents which need to be completed
It is a legal requirement for the following forms to be completed:
• Training Contract
• Company ABN copy (confirms the details of the employer)
• Training Plan (RTO completes this section in consultation with the workplace)
Additionally, the Australian Apprenticeship Centre will provide brochures with information such as:
• Employer Information Quick reference guide for Apprentices / Trainees
• Information of possible benefits such as TOT incentives / Living Away from Home Allowance / Wage Support, etc
• Amendment form (relative to particular state of residence)
Employer Obligations
As an employer you have both legal and moral obligations when training your staff.
Legal obligations
All employers who provide training to their staff are obliged to:
• provide a healthy and safe training environment for all staff including those with special needs such as disabled employees
• ensure staff do not experience discrimination or harassment during the training
• provide adequate supervision and support during training
• have appropriate insurance policies for staff who undertake specialised training, such as heavy machinery training
• inform employees of their rights and responsibilities throughout the training
• commit resources necessary to complete agreed training such as safety equipment or computer hardware.
Employers must also observe their usual duties and statutory obligations, such as:
• workers’ compensation
• occupational health and safety
• duty to pay appropriate remuneration
• anti-discrimination policy implementation
• meeting privacy requirements
Good practice
There are obligations that are not enforced by law, but represent good workplace practice during training. These include:
• reporting and record keeping of training and its outcomes
• adequate resources to support the business while staff are absent for training
• management strategies to deal with issues associated with the training such as individual problems with the training or changing staff roles.
It is suggested that the workplace also set up an internal written training agreement to be signed by both the employer and the trainee. This will ensure that all parties understand what they can expect from one another.
A training agreement will provide you with a reference document from which you can address any concerns that might arise in relation to the training.
Tips for ensuring buy-in to the frontline management traineeship process
• Consult with all stakeholders and union representatives if appropriate
• Conduct transparent and comprehensive needs analysis with potential candidates. If possible, hold focus group sessions or interviews where participants are asked to contribute in an inclusive way to the design of the training
• Communicate the reasons for the training both in writing and face-to-face presentations
• Provide information about the qualification and what it pathways it can open up for the candidates
• Explain how training will be conducted
• Explain the assessment requirements emphasising that assessment is competence based. Competence based assessment is applied to candidates who are not solely tested on their theoretical knowledge but on their application of skills in the workplace
• Assist candidates filling out Apprenticeship forms and agreements
• Be available for questions
• At program launch, encourage senior management participation – this ensures that trainees are aware that the program is being monitored at a senior level
• Encourage ongoing feedback on the progress of the program and how it might be improved
• Be proactively involved in monitoring the progress of the training and gauging whether tangible improvements are being generated in the workplace
Candidates occasionally fear they are moving backward in their career when they see the word ‘apprentice’ on the Australian Apprenticeship Centre forms – it is important to point out that this is in name only
If candidates sense that an employer is merely attempting to provide the training for only financial reasons, there may be negative reactions from employees.
Concluding Comments
Traineeships in frontline management hold enormous benefits for the organisation and the candidate if applied in a way that makes business sense and that meets the learning and business improvement needs of the organisation.
Management Consultancy International’s award-winning frontline management program is flexible and brings about changes in behaviour and attitude for participants. The program is designed to create a forum for discussion and to ensure that the skills levels of managers are enhanced as they get to grips with useful and practical models that they can implement in ensuring that their teams perform to high levels.
Speak to one of our consultants on 1300768550 or email info@mci.edu.au.
by Dr Denise Meyerson
Certificate IV in Frontline Management
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Managers are confronting challenges that have not been seen in our lifetime. What is going to get them over these hurdles and ensure that they retain staff, maintain strong teams and ensure continuous employee engagement with the brand?
Here are 3 key areas that your management team would benefit from addressing.
Background
This is an unprecedented moment in history with the world’s economy held to ransom by the behaviour of the financial services sector – and while world leaders are standing together and making commitments to secure deposits within the banks and some financial institutions, we are not yet out of the woods.
So what should managers be doing in times like these where organisational re-structuring takes place at a moment’s notice and where rapid and painful change is affecting employee morale?
Management Consultancy International consults to leading global organisations on solutions to transform their people. Understandably, some of our clients are concerned and have commented to us, “I am onto my fifth re-structure,” says a senior HR person in one of Australia’s major financial institutions. “My staff are facing increasing pressures on household expenses and they have to deal with customers who are equally pressurised – they need even more support from me. Yet, I am unsure of where the business is headed and I have less budget to manoeuvre,” says another manager in an IT business.
Below is a three step guideline that will help to get you through
Guideline 1
Great leadership we have always been told – and never has this been more pertinent than now.
Great leadership begins with self-insight – according to Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence model – and that is never more pertinent than now. Take the time to have a good, hard look at yourself. Gain some self-knowledge through completing self-assessment surveys and by taking the bold step of asking others for feedback on their perceptions of you.
• A great self-exploratory survey is the extended DISC model. (One of our consultants can assist with this). The purpose of completing a survey such as this, is to create awareness of how you deal with situations and when under stress, what style of behaviour you revert to.
• The Johari window model suggests that we all have blind spots. These are areas of our style and behaviour and ways of doing things that we are not aware of – but others around us are! Some of us have embedded these behaviours into our subconscious and unless someone external points these out to us, we are totally unaware that we are coming across in this way.
The only way that we can find out what our blind spots are, is to take the proactive step of asking others. Be bold – be brave and ask!
• Update your skills. Follow the lead of some global organisations who used a downturn in the economy to train and upskill their employees. When the cycle came to an end, they had a fully staffed operation with the skills to take advantage of the good times, while their competitors were scrambling to rehire workers to bolster their depleted workforce.
Reading articles and white papers on the many management topics will also position you favourably when the economy turns around.
Guideline 2
Communicate more often, more clearly and more effectively – this might sound obvious but if we think we have communicated sufficiently, we have only just started.
If you think of our traditional communication models of a sender, a message and receiver, the ‘noise’ in terms of information overload that interferes with the message being accurately and clearly transmitted is now so loud that the receiver does not often hear or accept the transmission.
This ‘noise’ is worsened by increased stress levels and by perceptions that may or may not be accurate.
A recent survey at Management Consultancy International of the key issues faced by participants on a range of interpersonal skills, found that over 78% had challenges with communicating with others or with the way in which others in the team communicated with them.
So, suggested ways of improving your communication to staff in your team are:
• Try not to hide behind email. Email has some wonderful uses, but making them your sole way of communicating does not provide your team with the sense that someone is there to support them and is not afraid to be upfront. Being physically present, creates an enhanced sense of trust in the team.
• When you talk or present, do it from the heart. No prepared powerpoints unless absolutely necessary and no long-winded speeches that lack relevant information or inspiration. Keep people informed, even if it is of bad news. There is nothing worse than word escaping into the grapevine where it can be exaggerated at every new telling.
• Use the power of story-telling. If you are breathing you have stories. You have personal stories of what happened to you in other organizations or of personal battles that you overcame. Share these with others in the team to create a feeling of hope and a sense that ‘we can get through this’. This also shows that you have empathy for the team and that you are fully behind them.
Guideline 3
Be consistent – there is no point taking your frustrations out on the team.
Regardless of whether you feel that you are not always in a position of control, this is the time when you can influence decisions. Your team members want to know that they matter and that what happens to them does make a difference to you.
To ensure engagement and a positive team atmosphere:
• Acknowledge what people could be going through. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason – listen and show you are listening. Showing understanding and insight into how others might be feeling goes a very long way to establishing rapport and to diminishing conflicts. Phrases such as, “I understand where you are coming from…” or “help me to understand your situation,” go a long way.
• When we start a personal relationship, we often express love and appreciation – however we often do not repeat it much throughout the relationship. If you want an engaged workforce, no matter how tough the times are, people want acknowledgement and want to know that despite the economy and the depressed market, their efforts are valued. Every ‘thank you’ and every small pat on the back reflects on your leadership abilities and on the amount of respect you gather.
• This may be a tall ask particularly when you are feeling so much pressure, but now is the time to be a role model. When Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in a dreadful South African prison, deprived of all his rights and privileges and when released, he had every reason to feel bitter and twisted. However he chose to take the high road and work towards reconciliation and the creation of a harmonious rainbow nation.
And that is the point – we all have a choice and no matter how much your workload has increased through taking on work from those who have left and how glum the faces in the office, make the choice to step up to the plate and set yourself as a role model with strong values, some heart and a good dose of sheer guts. People will remember you for those actions.
Management Consultancy International consults to leading global organizations on solutions to transform their people. Learn more about what we can do for your management teams through our customised leadership programs, nationally recognised qualifications, coaching sessions and series of podcasts.
For more information, call Dr Denise Meyerson on 1300768550 or email denise.meyerson@mci.edu.au
Let us assist you to build your capacity as a leader that survives the tough times to emerge stronger and more emotionally intelligent than ever before.
Certificate IV in Frontline Management
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certificate iv frontline management 