The City of Rockingham in Western Australia is committed to the professional development of its employees – so much so that it has made it one of its core values.
Professional development is the “P” in the City’s R.E.S.P.E.C.T values program. There is strong encouragement from the Chief Executive Officer for the employees to complete higher education and, as a result, the City has developed an enviable culture of learning.
This spans from the bottom to the top of the organisation. From traineeships and apprenticeships, to Advanced Diploma of Management courses, all staff from across a wide range of disciplines have access to regular professional development opportunities.
Most recently, the City has worked with the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) AIM WA and the University of WA Business School to provide Executive Education for its directors and managers.
The sessions will build on the leadership team’s current knowledge and skills as well as providing an update on the current industry trends and contemporary leadership thinking.
The sessions have been designed to be interactive and experiential. These will be delivered quarterly and have been packaged as a “Lunch ‘n’ Learn” professional development opportunity.
Topics covered will include: Using Positive Psychology, Resilience and Mental Toughness, Coaching Fundamentals, The Power of Business Storytelling, Mindfulness, Engaging Others and Overcoming Resistance to Change, Emotional Labour, and Mastering Your Brain.
City of Rockingham CEO Andrew Hammond said the program was one of many the City offered its employees to ensure they obtained a high level of skills across a wide range of disciplines.
“The City is committed to learning and training activities that assist the personal and professional development of all staff, and create pathways for promotion within the organisation,” he said.
The City has its own online Learning Management System, which enables staff to view, request and track their training, and complete eLearning modules.
As well as external training and conferences, staff can access regular internal corporate training on a range of topics as identified in performance reviews or required by legislation.
“The City of Rockingham enjoys very low staff turnover, and one of the reasons for that is because we are very focused on helping our people build interesting, rewarding and satisfying careers,” said Mr Hammond.
“The benefit to the organisation is that our people have a long-term connection with the City and a deep knowledge about our operations.
“That stability and continuity ensures we can deliver the highest level of service to our residents.”
