Working with Centralian College, Council has developed a training and assessment curriculum based on the new nationally recognised competencies for Local Government operational works. This training program is recognised under the Local Government Training Package.
With an outdoor staff of 60 employees, Council was well placed to work with Centralian College to develop curriculum for the program. The Northern Territory Government provided $100,000 for the program to be established.
Involving training and self assessment, a skills audit was carried out to establish competency levels and specific training needs for each employee. Where competencies are found to be lacking, training to address this situation is fully funded by Council. The audit also establishes desirable and non essential competencies. In this situation, employees wishing to advance their skills contribute to the cost of the training.
This is also the case with training identified to assist workers in advancing their career prospects. Employees and Council jointly fund these programs.
Council has eight qualified workplace assessors. The assessors are trained to evaluate workers in gaining competency qualifications on the job. Alice Springs is not the only Council to benefit from the program, its trained assessors are able to offer this service to other Councils in the region.
The training program is integral to the establishment of a new work environment built around project management and the development of multi skilled work teams.
