23 November 2010

MANAGEMENT SKILLS BOOSTED AT COCKBURN COUNCIL

Challenger Institute of Technology has partnered with the City of Cockburn to deliver on-site management training as part of an innovative workplace training initiative. 

The initiative has seen 14 City of Cockburn employees increase their leadership skills by completing diplomas in management through Challenger Institute.

Challenger Institute’s business program manager Rowena Maling said the 11-month program was a combination of group workshops and individual workplace training tailored to meet the needs of the local government.

“The program provides unique management strategies to improve the work performance of the participants, the performance of their team and individuals within the teams,” Ms Maling said.

“It improves the ability of supervisors and managers to manage the planning, execution and evaluation of their own work and the work of their teams. And a workplace assessment process enables the participants to be individually evaluated on their workplace skills and knowledge.

“It is always very rewarding working with the City of Cockburn as there is a very strong commitment to professional training and development at all levels of the organisation.”

City of Cockburn human resources manager Margot Tobin said the program had a 100 per cent success rate, with all participants graduating today with diplomas. The training was part of the council’s workplace development plan to build the management capabilities of employees.

“We are extremely pleased with the outcome as it shows commitment from all the participants,” Ms Tobin said. “All participants were chosen for the course on the basis they were managers, supervisors or professionals who were likely to be supervising staff in the near future.

“This and last year’s courses have been so successful that we began a third Diploma of Management in October and are considering a Certificate III in Frontline Management for 2011. These courses are great tools for increasing the competency of our workforce and for helping staff develop skills for their current or future roles.”

The training partnership with the City of Cockburn was initiated last year when 32 of the council’s employees completed management certificates and diplomas through Challenger Institute.