Training & Careers

Employment Hero saves the (working) day

EMPLOYMENT Innovations has launched Employment Hero – where employers can list jobs for free – calling it an ‘online ecosystem’ that also helps business leaders to navigate Australia’s complex regulatory environment.

“Employment Hero is much more than a job board,” Employment Innovations chief executive officer Ben Thompson said.

“It’s an engagement platform to attract and retain talent and to provide employers with a simple, effective way to comply with regulations and differentiate themselves as a best-of-breed business.” 

Employment Hero will help to break down barriers to employment, assisting the side of the market that actually creates jobs, Mr Thompson said, as well as employees.

“The Employment Hero online ecosystem enables employers to list job opportunities free of charge and subsequently manage all aspects of employment within a business,” he said.

“Employment Hero represents a disruption to the job market and we firmly believe that the traditional model of charging companies to place job ads is antiquated.

“We appreciate that businesses are looking for support to provide great jobs, while employees are seeking peace of mind.”

Mr Thompson said Australian businesses must comply with a complicated regulatory landscape – including legal documents that detail wages, loadings, allowances, penalties and other conditions that must be paid to employees. Compliance is critical, but most small business owners don’t have the expertise to correctly interpret, monitor and apply awards.

He said Employment Hero was designed as an accessible, cloud-based award compliance platform “to help employers and employees alike find their way through the complex world of awards, to remain both compliant and competitive”.

The Employment Hero platform has already proven popular across the retail and hospitality industries,” he said.

“These sectors are where Australians learn to work and Employment Hero helps businesses become compliant and gives employers – and prospective employees – workplace confidence.”

The employment platform is integrated and cloud-based, helping businesses manage the entire employee life cycle from hire to retire, including human resources (HR) services, live HR support and outsourced payroll services with rostering and award interpretation.

Employment Innovations is hardly new to the employment management scene – having succeeded in helping Australian employers to navigate the complexities of the employment landscape for more than two decades – but it has lately transitioned its services effectively to digital delivery platforms.

Mr Thompson said the Sydney-based company has deep expertise in connecting and supporting job seekers looking for the best places to work offering rewards, recognition and great culture. It also assists employers seeking to build the best workplaces by offering a deeper level of engagement, compliance and streamlined processes.

“Employment Innovations leverages technology to provide the best fit for employers and job seekers to connect,” Mr Thompson said.

“The company’s approach is predicated on a pivot within the industry that has enabled it to transition from providing professional services towards software and cloud-based products that solve real business and employee issues.

“Employment Innovations provides businesses with the tools to treat the workplace as a strategic asset and deliver an unparalleled experience to employees to help attract and retain the best talent.”

www.employmenthero.com

 

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VET reforms now industry-led for ‘job readiness’

EXTRA >>

INDUSTRY should have a stronger voice in ensuring Australia’s workforce is skilled, flexible and ready to drive economic growth in the industries of the future, according to Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane’s new reform package for the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

Mr Macfarlane announced the second tranche of the Federal Government’s overhaul of the VET system at the National VET Conference in Brisbane in September.

He said the reforms were the second tranche of improvements to the system to “elevate trades to the centre of the economy and focus on ensuring Australian workers were highly skilled and job ready”.

“Employer satisfaction and involvement with the VET system is decreasing and there’s too much churn and waste,” Mr Macfarlane said.

The key reason for the speed of changes has been research showing only half of all apprentices that start actually complete their training and just one in three complete their training in the skills area in which they started.

Mr MacFarlane said the government was changing the way the regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) operates (see separate story) “to cut the excessive red tape for high-performing training providers and let them get on with what it is that they do best – delivering the highest calibre training that meets industry and economy needs”.

“The best way to ensure training providers deliver high quality training is to let each RTO stand on its reputation – not fill out reams and reams of paperwork and jump through endless hoops.”

The government  is also cracking down on unscrupulous or misleading behaviour by  ‘brokers’ who act as an intermediary between students and training providers, as part of the new standards for RTOs which begin in January.

At the end of the current contract period with the 12 Industry Skills Councils (ISCs), the Federal Government will move to a more contestable model for the development and maintenance of training packages. Current ISCs can tender as can new groups.

“Industry must have the freedom to design the type of training they’re after, through both full trades qualifications and through skill sets,” Mr Macfarlane said.

Earlier, Mr Macfarlane introduced the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network and two pilot programs, Training for Employment Scholarships and the Youth Employment Pathways program.

The Federal Government is investing $200 million in the new Australian Apprenticeship Support Network from July 1, 2015 to boost apprentice retention, completion and satisfaction rates.

Training for Employment Scholarships and Youth Employment Pathways programs aim to extend the opportunities for acquiring a skill to more young Australians, in particular those in rural and remote Australia.

Mr Macfarlane said the government’s $1.9 billion Trade Support Loans program is already supporting Australian apprentices learning their trade.

“High-performing training providers will also have the freedom to get on with delivering the high calibre training that meets industry needs as a result of the government’s changes to the way the regulator ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) operates, which will cut excessive red tape,” he said.

“The package of reforms will ensure Australia’s skills and training system is industry-led and industry-relevant to build a skilled and job-ready workforce.”

www.vetreform.industry.gov.au

 

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Business leaders must learn to shine on camera

 

BUSINESS communication is increasingly going ‘visual’ and this is being accelerated by the broadband-driven growth in unified communications. The challenge is increasing for business leaders to be able to communicate well ‘on screen’. 

Natasha Zuvela.

That is where versatile television presenter, Natasha Zuvela’s Shine On Camera training venture comes in, utilising her 15 years of international television and event presentation experience for networks such as MTV, and Channel 7, Nine and Ten, along with fronting productions for major brands such as Virgin Money, Suncorp Bank, QBE, Bonds, Australia Zoo and Tourism Queensland.

Recognising the increased demand upon on chief executives, business owners, managers, board members and company spokespeople to be able to communicate effectively in front of a camera – whether it be in a television, webinar, or video conference environment – Ms Zuvela’s coaching and training business focuses on helping business leaders learn these increasingly vital skills.

“It is a skill, it is a craft. You can learn it. We can help you,” Ms Zuvela tells business leaders from all walks of life. She also alerts them to the increasingly important role of video in marketing, brand building online, sales and marketing and internal brand building.

Ms Zuvela explains in this interview with Business Acumen managing editor Mike Sullivan – utilising Shine On Camera’s mobile training studio and recorded by videographer and director of training, Tom Zettler – how they are coaching a wide range of business leaders to confidently master the increasingly vital skill of communicating on camera.

Natasha Zuvela’s Shine On Camera is assisting leaders of some of Australia’s largest corporations and small business owners alike who have discovered the power of modern vieo communication – not only to large audiences and on their websites, but to work teams in remote areas and staff across the board.

www.natashazuvela.com

Transforming businesses through reality TV and e-learning

EXTRA >>

A UNIQUE e-learning project which combines the popular appeal of ‘reality TV’ with the interactive experience of online education, has been launched with the assistance of the University of Sydney Business School.

The reality TV series, titled the No More Practice Transformation Series, will pit three wealth advisers against each other while an associated online e-learning program will challenge viewers to improve their own business performance. 

The Business School’s associate dean (undergraduate), Nigel Finch, will join leading business experts to provide the television contestants and online participants with expert advice on issues ranging from leadership to strategy and implementation.

“I am pleased to be involved in the creation of the No More Practice 30 day business challenge,” Dr Finch said. “The future of business education is going to look precisely like this – accessible and deliverable into a lounge room.

“The combined TV series and online No More Practice 30 Day Business Challenge will immerse professionals in a relaxed learning environment in which they can reflect on their leadership approach, business purpose, strategy, structure, objectives and priorities,” Dr Finch said. “At the end of the challenge, they will be provided with a tailored action plan.”

The project is supported by the Financial Planning Association (FPA), CPA Australia (CPA Australia) and the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA).

Members of these bodies who participate in the No More Practice 30 Day Business Challenge will earn continuing professional development (CPD) points.

Online mentors will include FPA CEO Mark Rantall, CPA Australia general manager of public practice Peter Docherty, and MFAA president Tim Brown.

The TV contestants who will be taken on a ‘transformational journey’ by industry experts, mentors and judges are Caxton Pang of Linton Solutions, Dominique Bergel-Grant of Leapfrog Finance and John Tyson of Northern Wealth Advisory Group.

“This project is designed to help time poor, dedicated professionals grow strong businesses which will allow them to better serve the Australian consumer,” No More Practice Group CEO, Vanessa Stoykov said.

“We are dedicated to helping wealth professionals grow strong, sustainable businesses via e-learning.”

The series premiered on Foxtel’s SkyNews Business Channel on Sunday September 14 at 8.30pm and it will also appear on Free to Air station Channel 74 (4ME) on Tuesdays at 7.30pm.

www.sydney.edu.au

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ASIC launches National Financial Literacy Strategy 2014-17

THE Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) new National Financial Literacy Strategy 2014-17 has been launched in an effort to develop a lasting national financial learning framework.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Steven Ciobo said the new strategy aims to improve the financial literacy of all Australians by providing a national framework for action across government, business, community and education sectors. 

The 2014-17 Strategy has strategic priorities centring on educating the next generation of Australians, particularly through the formal education system, he said. It will increase the use of free information, tools and resources such as ASIC’s MoneySmart website. 

The strategy also aims to provide quality targeted guidance and support, strengthen co-ordination and effective partnerships – especially through the financial services sector – and improve research, measurement and evaluation.

ASIC has said it would work closely with the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and liaise with relevant key stakeholders to oversee implementation of the strategy and action plan ASIC will provide an annual report on progress.

“Knowing how to manage your money is one of the most important skills in everyday life,” Mr Ciobo said.

“Whether it’s taking out a credit card, applying for a loan or choosing a super account, improved financial literacy benefits everyone, whatever their circumstances. Being able to make the most of your money, manage financial risk and avoid financial pitfalls is good for the financial well-being of everyone.

“Financial literacy allows people to be informed and more confident when engaging with financial services, providers and products.”

Mr Ciobo said the strategy would provide a national roadmap to guide and encourage participation by all organisations with an interest in improving financial literacy.

“It builds on the significant work done to date, ever since financial literacy was a made a priority under initiatives announced by the Howard Government,” Mr Ciobo said.

www.asic.gov.au

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Research, science education boost: ANU opens new science precinct

A NEW SCIENCE precinct that aims to boost research standards and help address national science skills shortages was officially opened at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra in July.

The new Sciences Precinct, built with $165 million from the Australian Government, includes a Chemical Science Hub, a Sciences Teaching Building, a Research Building and a Combined Science Workshop.

The ANU Science Precinct also includes new laboratories, flexible learning spaces, outdoor teaching areas and smaller classrooms that will improve the student experience. 

“This new Science Precinct is the first of its kind in Australia,” said Small Business Minister Bruce Billson who toured the precinct.

“It will raise the standard of ANU’s education and research, and in doing so allow graduates to take up careers in Australian industries which are facing skills shortages,” Mr Billson said.

“We don’t just want to keep pace with the scientific teaching and research innovations of other countries, we want to exceed them.

“We are committed to place Australia’s higher education and research sector amongst the world’s best, so I am delighted to see such a state of the art facility established at one of our leading institutions.”

Mr Billson said the Federal Government regarded a strong focus on science education as key to the nation’s future prosperity.

“We also understand the importance of higher education as an export industry, and that great facilities are part of attracting students from overseas and supporting hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs,” Mr Billson said.

He said increasing biosciences and chemistry teaching, as well as improving research capacity, was part of the ANU’s strategy to lift the national uptake of science study.

“These new facilities will allow the ANU to be more responsive to increasing student demand in the sciences,” Mr Billson said.

www.anu.edu.au

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HECS-like loans to support trades

THE Federal Government has extended training loans, like those it has traditionally provided for university students, to the trades sector.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said Trade Support Loans would start from July 1, in a similar format to the HECS-HELP tertiary student loans. 

Mr Macfarlane said it was as part of the government’s “comprehensive plan to create a more responsive skills and training system that cuts red tape and trains apprentices that are job-ready”.

The Federal Government has set aside $1.9 billion in Trade Support Loans.

“Australia’s productivity and competitiveness depend on a highly trained workforce,” Mr Macfarlane said. “Trade Support Loans will help more apprentices complete their training and get the skills they need to fill the jobs that businesses want.

“Many young apprentices do it tough in the early years and these loans, paid monthly, will ease the financial burden and help increase training completion rates,” he said.

“Trade Support Loans are interest free. They are indexed annually with CPI, but aren’t subject to a commercial rate of interest as a bank loan would be. This is the policy we took to the election, and this is the policy we are implementing.

“Our Trade Support Loans are a responsible investment in the nation’s future tradespeople,” Mr Macfarlane said.

The Trade Support Loans programme offers loans of up to $20,000 which are repayable once apprentices are earning a sustainable income of around $50,000.  Apprentices will receive a 20 percent reduction in the amount of the loan once they complete their training.

The programme targets occupations on the National Skills Needs List such as plumbers, diesel mechanics, electricians and fitters, as well as well priority areas in horticulture and agriculture with more than 100 qualifications eligible.

www.industry.gov.au

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