Business Pulse May 2016

MAY 2016 BUSINESSPULSE

SLAM DUNK

ANDREW VLAHOV TAKES CHARGE

MIND GAMES THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING

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How education can reinvent a career CCI – now supporting more than 9,000 Members MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 1

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CCI – now supporting more than 9,000 Members F EB RUA RY 2 016 B U SI NE SS PU LSE 1

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW BP For many companies, business-to-business advertising is an effective way to reach customers and CCI offers value-for-money options to promote your products and services to its large subscriber base of WA businesses. BP Magazine reaches more than 20,000 readers every month who are business people working a large and small organisations in every industry sector.

Contact CCI to find out how advertising in BP can help your business.

Tel: (08) 9365 7544 Email: advertising@cciwa.com 2 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

CONTENTS A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

MAY 2016

IN THIS EDITION CEO message

CARRIE COX

Business Pulse Editor

“Australia’s greatest resource in the 21st century is not iron ore, sheep or gold. It is our people.” This statement by our guest columnist and Federal Training Minister Scott Ryan (page 33) underpins one of the biggest challenges facing the WA business sector – how to create the workforce it needs to thrive in a transitioning and highly competitive economy.

Resources don’t get themselves out of the ground, buildings don’t self-assemble and computers can’t truly think (yet!) – skilled people remain essential to every facet of production and they alone envision pathways to growth.

Most business success stories share a common thread: an ongoing investment in people. That might take the shape of providing an apprenticeship, funding personal development or running regular internal and external training sessions. It’s also important to keep investing in yourself, as our cover story about Physical Solutions Director Sharri Carter shows (page 12).

Most people like to keep learning and grow exponentially through the process. But we all learn in different ways – as explored in Catriona Mathewson’s fascinating neuroscience feature on page 14 – and training needs to be agile and responsive to be worth the investment.

If training is on your radar, there’s plenty in this edition to guide and inspire. editor@cciwa.com

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Message from CCI’s Director of Policy The Guide In brief Ask the experts COVER STORY: Live and learn The neuroscience of learning Training meets technology Andrew Vlahov on personal development Five things to ask your RTO Prison serves up coffee and opportunities Training: to pay or not to pay?

Government support for business Need to know: internships Tax tips Safety compliance and tenders Risky business Streamline purchasing with e-procurement The reinvention of HR How to safely induct new staff New engineering graduate program solves shortage

It’s your business to register.

Message from a Member Message from the Despatch Box SMYL explains school-based traineeships Winners are grinners Five accelerators in Perth

03 05 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Published monthly by Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (Inc) 180 Hay Street, East Perth WA 6004 T (08) 9365 7555 F (08) 9365 7550 E info@cciwa.com www.cciwa.com President Agu Kantsler

If you employ workers in the construction industry you may be required by law to register in the Construction Industry Long Service Leave Scheme.

Find out by visiting www.myleave.wa.gov.au or by calling 08 9476 5400.

Editor Carrie Cox (08) 9365 7459 editor@cciwa.com

Chief Executive Officer Deidre Willmott Graphic Designer Katie Addison (08) 9365 7518 katie.addison@cciwa.com

Advertising sales Paula Connell (08) 9365 7544 advertising@cciwa.com

Disclaimer: This information is current at 1 May 2016. CCI has taken all reasonable care in preparing this information, however, it is provided as a guide only. You should seek specific advice from a CCI adviser before acting. CCI does not accept liability for any claim which may arise from any person acting or refraining from acting on this information. Reproduction of any CCI material is not permitted without written authorisation from the General Manager, Corporate Affairs. © Copyright CCI. All rights reserved.

MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 1

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Learning from our academic and industry experts in a supportive setting, you will gain an industry relevant qualification from a globally connected university.

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TRAINING THE WORKFORCE IS VITAL A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

THIS LEAVES OUR ECONOMY AT RISK OF FUTURE SKILL SHORTAGES, WHICH CAN SUPPRESS ECONOMIC GROWTH

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ince its peak during the height of the mining boom, the number of registered apprentices and trainees in WA has fallen from more than 35,000 in 2012 to just over 27,000 today.

While much of this near 25 per cent drop can be explained by the WA economy’s transition from construction-led to production-led growth, it’s important that both Federal and State governments are proactive in getting the policy settings right to maintain the rate of commencements and completions at matching, sustainable levels.

Historically, part of this has involved providing incentives to employers to take on a trainee and incentives to ensure that the trainee completes their qualification.

In recent times, however, the emphasis has been placed on incentivising completions over commencements.

This is a problem because a higher rate of completions without a corresponding increase in commencements does nothing to widen the pool of qualified employees. This leaves our economy at risk of future skill shortages, which can suppress economic growth.

At a time when WA is experiencing vast budget deficits and the lowest credit rating in the country, efficiencies and savings must be prioritised at every available opportunity.

With significant growth also expected in the manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, international education and

health and aged care sectors, it is vital incentives support sufficient numbers of tradespeople starting and completing their qualifications before a surge in growth.

While CCI does support completion incentives overall, the Chamber would like to see the State and Federal governments strike a greater balance between completion and commencement incentives. Incentives must also be developed with small businesses in mind – the small business sector employs around 44 per cent our state’s total workforce.

Before the once-in-ageneration upswing in the commodity price cycle, in 2006, the number of apprentices and trainees undergoing training in WA was slightly more than 22,000. Considering this, it is welcome news that the state has been able to maintain a 20 per cent surplus in apprentice and trainee numbers despite the challenging economic conditions we now face.

From the State Government, CCI would like to see an ongoing commitment to one policy piece in particular that has been very effective in maintaining apprentice and trainee enrolments in WA. Currently, apprentices and trainees employed through a training contract here are exempt from payroll tax. This means that a business can exclude that employee’s wage from its payroll tax for the full duration of their training.

CCI receives regular feedback from Members who tell us that this payroll tax exemption is essential for continued employer commitment to the vocational education and training system.

Notably, this policy regime imposes a negligible fiscal impact to public finances but secures practical outcomes that strengthen the state’s economy.

CCI believes the Government should seriously consider further payroll tax exemptions that would achieve positive policy and economic outcomes by increasing workforce participation of under-represented groups, including returned service personnel and persons over 65.

Further, the current exemption for persons with a disability should be extended.

Through innovative and collaborative projects with Apprenticeships Australia, Energy Apprenticeships Group, Apprenticeship Support Australia and CCI’s new Power Engineering Graduate Program, CCI is committed to working to ensure West Australian apprentices and trainees have the skills and experience needed for a sustainable and rewarding career. ¢

Deidre Willmott Chief Executive Officer

TO GET INVOLVED: cciwa.com @CCI_CEO

MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 3

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EDUCATION IS KEY TO PROSPERITY CCI DIRECTOR OF POLICY, DALE LEGGETT

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n 2014, two reports identified the international education sector as having the potential to drive Australia’s future prosperity and international engagement. McKinsey Australia’s Compete to Prosper: Improving Australia’s Global Competitiveness categorised international education as an ‘advantaged performer’, while Deloitte’s Positioning for Prosperity? Catching the Next Wave? highlighted international education as one of the ‘Fantastic Five’ sectors that will drive the next wave of economic growth in Australia post the mining investment boom.

WA NEEDS TO POSITION ITSELF TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS INNOVATION To take advantage of these opportunities, however, WA needs to position itself to create an environment that is supportive of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological development and adaptation. An essential element of this is the creation and application of knowledge, as it is generally accepted that investment in knowledge – including research and development, education and training and innovative work approaches – is fundamental to economic growth.

In 2014-15, education was Australia’s third largest export behind iron and coal and ahead of natural gas, tourism and gold.

Export income arising from international students studying and living in Australia contributed $18.2 billion to the economy, a 14.5 per cent increase from the previous financial year.

This was largely driven by the higher education sector, which represented 68.6 per cent of total revenue during this period.

Compared to the other Australian jurisdictions, WA generated the fourth highest amount of export income from international education at $1.3 billion. However, this figure equates only to one fifth of the revenue generated by NSW, where international education and training is the second top export earner after coal at $6.77 billion in 2014/15. In Victoria, international education and training is the state’s top export ahead of personal travel and wool, earning $5.61 billion in the 2014/15 financial year.

When judged at an international level, the strength of Australian higher education sector is notably outstanding. Of Australia’s 39 public universities, 19 of them rank in the top 500 universities in the world. In addition, the quality of Australia’s higher education and training system was ranked eighth in the world in the most recent Global Competitiveness Report.

However this report also highlights that despite world-class education and universities, Australia continues to lag behind most advanced

economies in innovation, ranking 23rd. Notably its findings also highlight that with global commodity prices set to remain low for the foreseeable future, along with the slowdown in China, it is imperative for the nation to diversify and move further up the value chain.

In addressing this diversification, the WA education and training model needs to adapt to ensure that we maintain our place as one of the highest ranking international study destinations and raise our profile as a world leader in international education. Improving the experience of students that choose to study in WA is also paramount, through increased satisfaction with educational experiences and ensuring that the best and brightest obtain suitable employment after graduation.

It’s also imperative that we identify markets with the highest growth potential and that drive success in areas relative to WA’s areas of competitive advantage.

The concentration of students in a narrow range of fields of study, especially management and commerce, will need addressing, while the challenges associated with the future growth of Australian education and vocational training overseas needs to be embraced.

To this end, both State and Federal Governments should ensure the fundamentals are right for education and training to be a major component of Australia’s economic prosperity, social advancement and international standing into the future. ¢ MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 5

MAY 2016

THE GUIDE 1. ANZ-CCI

DIARY NOTE:

Economic Breakfast

CCI REPS Sundowner

18 MARCH 2016

11 MAY 2016

ANZ Acting Chief Economist Richard Yetsenga shared his insights into the global and Australian economies with 200 WA business people at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Yetsenga said while consumer confidence is low, the lower Australian dollar is assisting education, tourism, and agriculture and diverting spending back towards domestic businesses.

He said China’s policy environment is showing some unique enforcement tools and WA’s proximity to China presents itself as an advantage for its tourism and education sectors.

Special guest and social artist Peter Sharp also shared his inspirational story and the breakfast was then rounded off with a panel discussion chaired

by ANZ General Manager WA Isaac Rankin where keynote speakers and special guests were joined

by CCI CEO Deidre Willmott to discuss the future of the WA economy – its challenges and opportunities. ¢

LendLease Regional Director Andrew Schroth will provide an update on the status of the company’s current projects at the CCI REPS Sundowner this month.

Industry respresentatives are invited to hear Schroth outline opportunities for local industry engagement now and into the future. Go to cciwa.com/events ¢

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1 DIARY NOTE:

Construction Industry Dinner 23 JUNE 2016

GET THE GUIDE IN YOUR INBOX CCI’s The Guide email hits your inbox every Monday morning by 9am giving you a look ahead at the important events, courses and dates to help you do business better. For more information go to cciwa.com/the-guide

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A stand-out event in the industry social calendar, the CCI Construction Industry Dinner brings together people from the resource and construction sector for a night of entertainment and networking at Crown Perth.

Perth’s leading sports broadcaster and former West Coast Eagles player Adrian Barich as MC will introduce special guests Greg Hire, vice-captain of the Perth Wildcats, and one of Australia’s most well-known comedians Dave Hughes.

This annual event is an exclusive opportunity to network with colleagues and invited guests over premium WA wine and a superb three-course meal at Crown Perth’s newly renovated Grand Ballroom.

Go to cciwa.com/events ¢

To register your interest in receiving more information about any of our 2016 events, please email functions@cciwa.com 6 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

MAY 2016

2. CCI IR

DIARY NOTE:

Conference

CCI Resources Conference

7 APRIL 2016 Employment Minister Michaelia Cash opened this flagship annual event and said she had faith that the Australian people understood the need to restore lawful behaviour in the building and construction sector in Australia.

“I believe we have the backing of the Australian people to stop the dodgy deals, to stop the rorts, to stop the rip-offs and ensure that as an employer or employee association you have rights under the Fair Work Act and with those rights comes responsibility,” Cash said.

More than 120 WA human resources and industrial relations practitioners attended the conference at Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth. ¢

23 JUNE 2016

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Crown Perth will hold CCI’s annual Resources Conference, which is set to host more than 100 of WA’s industry professionals. Brookfield Multiplex and WA’s leading resources companies will present updates on their current and future projects and industry experts will share their outlook for opportunities – both at home and abroad. Go to cciwa.com/events ¢

3. From boots

to suits 15 APRIL

Veterans Affairs Minister Joe Francis said it’s in the state’s best interests to have ex-service people working in government and industry in WA. Francis was the guest of honour at a CCI event to heighten public awareness about the skills and talent of service people – and the challenges they can face re-entering civilian life.

“Having forums like this helps create broader community awareness of what confronts ex-military members on their exit from the ADF,” the minister said. “The longer you’re entrenched in the defence force, the harder that transition can become.”

The minister was joined by an expert panel who discussed how veterans are supported within their organisations. ¢

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WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH 13 MAY At the CCI-The West Australian State Budget Breakfast, Premier Colin Barnett and Treasurer Dr Mike Nahan will speak about the State Budget and their priorities for the WA Government.

23-27 MAY CCI Chief Operating Officer Lindsay O’Sullivan will host a delegation on a tour of the sites of Australia’s leading resources companies on the CCI North West Resources Tour. Go to cciwa.com/events MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 7

IN BRIEF

A DAY IN THE LIFE...

WENDY HAWLEY, DIRECTOR, CLOCKWORK PRINT

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endy and Bruce Hawley like to keep things interesting.

The couple traded their antique jewellery business and civil engineering consultancy for soil and rock testing after moving to WA from Malaysia at the turn of the millennium. Now they’ve shifted focus again – this time to printing.

Clockwork Print provides printing solutions and marketing packages to large and small businesses across the country – from building signage to producing marketing flyers, no job is too big or too small.

The Clockwork Print day starts at 8am, but Wendy Hawley generally checks her emails from home and gets to the office around 9am – she’s a self-confessed night owl. She then catches up with co-Director Bruce and Clockwork Print General Manager Jon Aindow – a recent addition to the business who brings with him 25 years’ printing experience from overseas.

Hawley wears many hats. Clockwork doesn’t have a marketing manager or a HR team, so she does both roles. The two directors also do most of the business’s strategic planning and

MARKET POWER LAW TO CHANGE The Australian Government will amend the misuse of market power provision (section 46) in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 later this year.

The Harper Review into competition policy found Australia’s current misuse of market power provision is not reliably enforceable.

The planned amendment will mean businesses with substantial market power will be prevented from engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.

attend numerous networking functions each month to get the word out about what they do.

Hawley says she’s seen a huge improvement in what she calls the ‘networking circuit’ in recent years – mining and construction might be waning, but people power is prevailing.

“When I was first here, I remember asking my husband what happened on St Georges Terrace after 5.30,” Hawley says. “He replied that it was the business district – but in other cities they don’t just turn the lights off!

“That’s all changed, and I think it’s great – there are a lot of opportunities but you have to make sure you find the right ones for you.”

The print world, like the business world, is constantly evolving and Hawley says to stay alive you need to keep up with modern trends and technology.

“We are adapting and

changing – we’ve got a lot of space and we have ideas – because print is changing,” Hawley says. “Some small companies like ours think they can continue to do what they’ve always done but you’ve got to adapt because things are moving so fast.”

Hawley says they are careful not to let technology encroach on their relationships with their customers – they learned early on that without a personal connection, customers couldn’t know the extent of their services.

“Even as we move to social media and online ordering, we have to keep our reliability and quality,” Hawley says. “People still want relationships.

“Everybody is busy and nobody has time, but we need to make sure our customers know what we can do for them.” ¢

LESSONS LEARNT Professor Steve Chapman Vice-Chancellor Edith Cowan University

Growing up I learnt … how to handle adversity.

From my parents I learnt … self-reliance.

The most valuable lesson I learnt in school … if you put in the effort, good things will follow.

MARKETING TEAMS CAN’T AFFORD TO USE JUST TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING CHANNELS ANYMORE Qantas head of marketing Stephanie Tully on her decision to redirect 50 per cent of the company’s advertising spend to digital and social media.

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This year I’ve learnt … what a great decision it was to move to Australia.

I learnt an unexpected lesson … when I realised how damaging a thoughtless comment could be.

One lesson I wish I had learnt earlier … was don’t underestimate the effect that change can have on people.

A small but crucial lesson to learn is … never reply to an email or letter immediately.

Think about it first.

A lesson I learnt from my hero or mentor was … trust your senior colleagues. You’ll get massive payback if you do.

The most important business lesson I’ve learnt … is to always surround yourself with people smarter than you.

IN BRIEF

NEW VOICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS The small business sector has a new advocate in the Office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO).

Ombudsman Kate Carnell AO says she wants to work closely with industry associations, small business and family enterprises.

“I would like to make sure that small business and family enterprise have a very strong voice inside all parts of government to ensure that regulations and laws are business friendly.”

The ASBFEO says it will be a: Commonwealth advocate for small businesses and family enterprises concierge for dispute resolution to allow businesses to resolve disputes without resorting to costly litigation contributor to the development of small business Commonwealth laws and regulations Ms Carnell brings extensive experience and knowledge to the role of Ombudsman. She ran her own small businesses for 15 years and most recently was CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

1.3 MILLION The number of Chinese and Hong Kong tourists who spent time in Australia last year – a 24 per cent rise since last year.

THE STORY: THE IT CROWD A naming competition at Curtin University has prompted a few double-takes

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“I THINK ONE OF THE WINNING NAMES THIS YEAR MAY END UP BEING ‘BUGGY McBUGGYFACE’“ Director of CITS Alex Larson

TBA

YOU ARE THE HR MANAGER HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS SCENARIO? You’ve had four accidents in your workplace this month. despite numerous awareness campaigns. Your safety manager is pulling her hair out.

What do you do?

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87%

The percentage of Indonesian residents are not registered as taxpayers.

urtin’s IT Services team last year purchased a number of modified electric golf carts to help with the delivery of heavy IT equipment around the university and decrease response times for IT support.

Director of CITS Alex Larson says he was looking for a way to foster better collaboration between teams and decided to host a naming competition of the golf carts “for a bit of fun”.

One of the winning responses, pictured left, debunks the idea that the IT crowd doesn’t have a sense of humour – while also confirming what most of us regard as IT’s most favoured solution.

“The response has been amazing throughout the university” Larson says.

“We always hear the chuckles as we drive past groups in the university.”

Public naming competitions hit the headlines last month when a British agency asked people to name a new $288 million polar research vessel and the overwhelming consensus was for ‘Boaty McBoatface’. ¢

f there have been four accidents already, it’s safe (or unsafe) to say there will be more to come.

Awareness campaigns have their purpose, but they’re not the magic cure-all for workplace accidents.

Following an accident, it’s good practice to conduct an investigation to identify what part of your OHS system is failing and identify actions to put in place to prevent recurrence.

Accident investigations are required to help you achieve a safer workplace.

Get the right team involved in the investigation – they are the ones who

must collect the evidence and base their findings on that evidence. Be systematic in your investigation – act as soon as possible after the accident in collecting your evidence. Identify relevant events leading up to and following the incident and facts about the incident itself. The investigation team must then determine the causes and provide appropriate recommendations to implement. It is up to you to make sure these recommendations are actioned.

For more information, contact CCI’s Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7730 or email erconsulting@cciwa.com ¢ MAY 2 016 BUSIN E SS PU L SE 9

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Q ASK THE EXPERTS

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YOUR EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS ANSWERED Our experts tackle the questions businesses are asking I have an employee that has been with the company for just over three months.

They’ve passed probation but their performance has been substandard. We can do without this part-time role and could make do with it as casual. If I terminate, is this redundancy?

YOU MUST GIVE THE EMPLOYEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME 1 0 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

It could be classified as redundancy if the business genuinely no longer requires the part-time role to be done by anyone due to, for example, a downturn in work. However, generally in redundancy situations there is a need to consult with the affected employee and as part of this process, where there is alternative work available that suits their skill set, this should be offered. You may end up then having to keep the person on board in the casual capacity where their performance is not great. This is not ideal. It would be preferable to deal with the performance issues instead.

Do I have to give an employee three warnings before dismissing them?

There’s no set rule – the number of warnings required depends on the seriousness of the situation. Start by asking yourself what level of

action is appropriate. This is important because if the employee makes an unfair dismissal claim, you’ll need to show that you followed a fair process before terminating their employment.

A fair process involves putting the employee on notice that there’s an issue with their performance or conduct and that if they don’t improve, they might be terminated. You must give the employee an opportunity to improve within a reasonable timeframe. If their performance or conduct doesn’t improve, further warnings might be needed. For minor performance and misconduct issues, three warnings is a useful guide. However, where an employee has committed serious misconduct, such as fraud, theft or a serious safety breach, instant dismissal may be appropriate.

Lastly, remember to check any requirements contained in the employee’s contract of employment, applicable award/enterprise agreement or internal company policies. If you don’t follow these, the Fair Work Commission might decide the dismissal was unfair.

Training is the last thing on our agenda at the moment, with budgets being cut left right and centre. Can we put it on the back-burner until the new financial year?

Many businesses are facing challenge and change.

Typically when budgets and businesses are tight,

training is one of the first areas to be overlooked.

But there are two key areas to consider before you push training to the side for the remainder of the financial year.

The first is to reflect on staff competency levels if an employee has recently adopted a dual role or additional work tasks. Many businesses are looking to streamline their processes and operations, resulting in staff members having potentially higher workloads and additions to their job descriptions.

In this instance, delaying necessary training may increase stress levels and lower productivity.

The second is to look at whether engaging in training will assist your business to reach areas of your strategic plan or targets to improve results for this financial year.

If you are satisfied your business and employees won’t suffer, then holding off on training until July will be fine – but make sure you address any doubts or concerns before making the decision.

Can I terminate an employee who is off on sick leave?

We have been performance managing them and we’re at the pointy end of the process.

They called in sick and will be off work for a week!

It is not advisable to terminate an employee while they are on authorised personal leave.

This could place your business at risk of an unlawful termination or discrimination claim, which can be very costly.

DELAYING NECESSARY TRAINING MAY INCREASE STRESS LEVELS AND LOWER PRODUCTIVITY If the employee has met notice and evidence requirements, they may legitimately be entitled to access any accrued personal leave they may have, or may proceed on authorised unpaid leave where they have exhausted their paid personal leave entitlement. The final disciplinary meeting should then be rescheduled for their return. If they have not met notice and evidence requirements, they are not authorised to be away from the workplace and this should be communicated to the employee.

In such instances, unless there are other extenuating circumstances preventing them from attending work, they may be directed back to work and the disciplinary meeting should proceed as planned. ¢

KENDALL SCOTT

CCI Manager, Employee Relations Advice Centre

Kendall manages the Employee Relations Advice Centre at CCI and oversees the Employee Relations Graduate program. The ERAC team delivers employee relations and human resources advice to CCI Members across all industry sectors.

DANIELLE GLAZIER

CCI Management Trainer

Danielle has worked with many WA businesses to deliver customer service training for both accredited and non-accredited qualifications.

LAURA SMITH

CCI Employee Relations Consultant

Laura has been working with a client to ensure their contracts are current and up-todate with employment law. She has also been delivering training to HR professionals on their responsibilities and obligations.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR ONE OF CCI’S EXPERTS?

editor@cciwa.com

@ CCI_WA #asktheexperts MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 1 1

COVER STORY

LIVE AND LEARN Sharrie Carter is living proof that growing a business begins with growing yourself CARRIE COX

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f there was ever any truth in the adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, Sharrie Carter has defiantly disproven it.

The exercise physiologist and Director of Physical Solutions, a growing allied health business in Perth’s northern suburbs, turned her entire career around at the time many people start fantasising about early retirement. At 45, she threw in her lifelong bank job and enrolled at university.

“I’d started work as a bank teller when I left school and gradually moved through the ranks to become a bank manager, but I grew dissatisfied when I knew that, as a woman, I couldn’t really

THE TERM ‘FULL-TIME JOB’ IS AN ACCORDION THAT CAN BE STRETCHED AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT 1 2 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

go any further – back in the ’90s that was a prevalent conclusion,” Carter explains. “At around the same time, my marriage ended and I just had that urge to change everything and reassess what I really wanted to do with the rest of my working life.”

Carter embarked on a double degree in sports science and psychology at ECU, ultimately completing the psychology component with Honours. It’s fair to conclude she is fascinated by the workings of the human brain, but in fact Carter blames former West Coast Eagles full forward Peter Sumich for her choice of study.

“Honestly, I would watch him kicking points and missing goal after goal, sometimes right in front, and it just frustrated me no end,” says Carter, a mad Eagles fan. “I thought, someone needs to talk to this kid, get into his brain and tap into his natural talent.

So that’s what drove my decision to study sports psychology – purely that.”

While she never got to work with Sumich, now assistant coach

at Fremantle, Carter did go on to work with the Eagles and with the AFL Umpires Association in volunteer roles. Much of her work after university involved one-on-one counselling of semi-professional athletes, mostly football players. She also served as Head Trainer at West Perth Football Club, which is where she met one of the directors of Physical Solutions and was quickly snapped up.

From textbooks to business manuals Physical Solutions opened its first practice at Joondalup in 2007, presenting itself as a multi-disciplinary health and rehabilitation operation combining the expertise of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and exercise physiologists.

The exercise physiologist is a lesser known animal than its contemporaries, specialising in exercise and movement for the prevention and management of chronic diseases and injuries, especially obesity, cardiovascular

COVER STORY

disease and diabetes. It’s the profession into which Carter has shifted since her initial psychology focus, although much of her working day is now spent running Physical Solutions’ second practice at Clarkson, which opened in May last year.

“When I came on board, it was on the agreement that we’d open at Clarkson – the area is booming and the Joondalup practice has really proven itself, so it’s a good progression,” says Carter, who also signed on last year as a Director – one of three.

“We’re becoming well regarded for being very good at what we do. We get a lot of referrals from surgeons, often to undertake work that prevents surgery, not just for rehabilitation after the fact.

“I do keep my hand in with the treatment side of things, but running two practices is certainly a full-time job.”

Never stop learning Of course, when you love what you’re doing, the term ‘full-time job’ is an accordion that can be stretched an extraordinary

amount without once breaking the smile of its player. Carter has also recently completed her Masters in Occupational Health and Safety and shortly she will commence a part-time Diploma of Education in order to keep her hand in teaching sports psychology at ECU. “I get bored easily,” she says with a shrug and a smile.

“I never stop learning and I enjoy learning.

“I’ve learnt a lot from the athletes I’ve worked with over the years. A lot of their issues are essentially based on anxiety – sporting anxiety, performance anxiety. When they’re in a slump, and even when they’re not, they can develop very negative self-talk and constantly visualise failure. They don’t allow themselves room for mistakes or for a bad game.

“I enjoyed helping them build up their self-image again, improving their self-talk and starting to visualise positively.

It’s what we all need to do for ourselves at times, regardless of what business we’re in.” ¢

Carter: what I’ve learned about business so far

1

Listen to your staff. If you treat them well, they’ll reward you. And if you’re clever enough to employ the right people, you’ll have them forever.

2

Become involved in the community.

Join business community networks, engage with people and make a difference.

3 4

5

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Always have someone to bounce ideas off. It’s dangerous to work in isolation. Ideas always sound better or worse when you say them out loud to someone else.

Don’t assume that success begets success. Just because one business is going gung-ho doesn’t mean that your next one automatically will. You need to do your research beforehand and market yourself properly. Never assume that just because you’re good at what you do, everyone else knows that.

Marketing is vital.

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 1 3

NEUROSCIENCE OF LEARNING

TRAIN OF THOUGHT The way we think shapes the way we learn, so how exactly do we think?

CATRIONA MATHEWSON

T

he human brain is terrifying in its complexity, yet so much education and training is designed around simplistic assumptions about the way we learn. Historically that may have been forgivable, but today the work of neuroscientists has unravelled much of the mystery and equipped us with the knowledge to tailor learning for maximum effect.

This is great news for business owners and managers looking to spend their shrinking training budgets in the best possible way, but when was the last time you dived headfirst into a neuroscience journal or lunched with a brain physicist?

Fear not – this month Business Pulse has done it for you. Journalist Catriona Mathewson spoke with organisational psychologist Shannon Butcher, who designs and facilitates neurosciencebased leadership training for the Perth-based Illuminate Group.

What she discovered might just change the way you think about learning …

We don’t like change “The human brain doesn’t like change.

It likes things easy – the way we’ve always done it,’’ Shannon Butcher explains.

She says there is a biological motivation to this 1 4 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

aversion. Simply put, conscious thought is hard work.

It saps our energy. So wherever possible we default to habit and let our subconscious steer the ship.

“Which is why sometimes you drive home and end up in your driveway and you can’t figure out how you got there,” Butcher says. “There is research that suggests we only use the conscious part of our brain less than five per cent a day, which is pretty scary.

So for 95 per cent of our day we’re operating in this subconscious, looking for patterns, looking for the familiar, doing things the way we’ve always done them.”

In the workplace, this means we are often on ‘autopilot’ when performing familiar tasks, or responding to clients and colleagues. Unsurprisingly, staff training, which aims to change our behaviour, is one of the biggest challenges businesses face.

Are all staff equally trainable?

“I would always, as a psychologist, say ‘yes’ to that question,’’ Butcher says, “because while someone may present as less trainable, it doesn’t mean that’s concrete and has to stay that way.”

Neuroscience tells us workers who are more open to change are usually those who are motivated and engaged in their work and have a strong belief in their ability to succeed (self-efficacy). On the flipside, workers more likely to resist having what Butcher calls a `fixed mindset’ believe their abilities are set rather than fluid. However, research indicates

NEUROSCIENCE OF LEARNING

these attitudes are malleable and answering the old training chestnut ‘Why do I need to know this?’ can boost motivation to learn among skeptical staff.

Can an old dog learn new tricks?

Yes. Up until the 1980s it was thought our brains developed neural connections in childhood that remained set throughout our lives. But thanks to groundbreaking research on neuroplasticity (popularised in Norman Doidge’s 2007 book The Brain That Changes Itself), we now know our brains are constantly forming new neural pathways as we learn throughout our lives. It’s arguably the most significant discovery for adult learning – that we have the capacity for lasting change at any age.

Individual differences in motivation and attitude are more significant than age in determining openness to change. Butcher shares the story of a 50-something corporate executive who was skeptical about training that urged him to give staff more autonomy. Nonetheless, he put the training into practice and within days noticed greater staff engagement and productivity. This positive feedback helped embed significant behaviour change. “And this was a guy who’d done things the same way his whole career,’’ Butcher says.

Can you learn to learn better?

One of the biggest neuroscience-related shifts in staff training is the move to focus on ‘how to learn’ rather than ‘what to learn’. Helping people understand the process of learning has been recognised as more valuable than just delivering content, Butcher says.

WE ARE OFTEN ON ‘AUTOPILOT’ WHEN PERFORMING FAMILIAR TASKS Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, makes people aware of individual traits, as well as general principles of the learning cycle, which can help people learn more effectively. “This is something we teach – it’s psychology simplified but you need to be aware of the limits of your own brain and why you do the things that you do.’’ Butcher says. “It’s kind of like mindfulness and being in the moment.”

Should we train as individuals or as groups?

Research has shown that humans are hard-wired to learn from social interactions. That’s why face-to-face group learning – despite our individual

differences – is such an effective format for training, Butcher says. The social acts of questioning and discussion are key to embedding information in the long term. It’s also the reason any online training needs to allow for participants to interact.

“Storytelling is so powerful,” Butcher says. “Getting people in the room to tell stories about how (a concept) can be applied or reflecting on their experiences is what creates those light bulb moments – otherwise it is just a concept.”

Neuroscience backs storytelling as a highly effective learning tool. Listening to a compelling narrative activates multiple areas of the brain and focuses attention without causing anxiety. This increased state of arousal boosts the production of neurotransmitters and neural growth hormones, creating an ideal state for learning. It explains why we are more likely to remember facts or messages delivered in a story format.

Are some people threatened by training?

If delivered clumsily, workplace training can actually trigger a ‘threat response’ in some people’s brains, causing them to disengage, Butcher says. She subscribes to the SCARF principal, outlined in 2008 by neuroleadership coach David Rock. After distilling the scientific research, Rock proposed five domains to respect in order to engage people without activating a negative threat response. They are:

Status (relative importance)

Certainty (knowing what is going to happen)

Autonomy (feeling in control)

Relatedness (feeling included in social group)

Fairness If the training process threatens any of these domains, people will resist. Triggering a status threat, for example, can be as simple as offering unwanted advice.

Should training be gender-based?

“This is such an interesting question,” Butcher says.

“There is research absolutely that suggests that there are some (structural) differences between the male and female brains, but I would say we don’t know enough to have any real application into the training sector.”

The hippocampus, a structure involved in memory, is usually larger in women, and the amygdala, which is involved in emotional processing, is larger in men.

It is not yet understood what, if any, impact these differences have on functioning.

As for women being better at multi-tasking? Well, the research suggests we’re all equally terrible at it, Butcher laughs. “So stop it.” ¢ MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 1 5

TRAINING

LEARNER’S PERMIT It’s easy to get excited about new technology, but employees’ training needs must come first

GABRIELLE CAMPION Journalist

“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”

– Mark Twain he man who became known as the father of American literature started his career with an apprenticeship, so he arguably knew a thing or two about the value of good training.

Twain would be amazed at the nature and scope of training today – a landscape now shaped by technology unimaginable even 20 years ago.

But while traditional training methods – think classroom-style tuition – might not always cut it in today’s fast-paced business world, there is also a danger in using technology for technology’s sake. Finding a balance between technological advancements and staff training needs is integral to modern business success.

T

The case for technology Curtin University School of Marketing Professor Bridget Tombleson is a fan of technology in training. She says business’s engagement with employees – in training and daily communication – needs to keep up to speed with modern advancements.

“The physical and the digital are not separate anymore – they’re blending and businesses need to 1 6 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

understand that,” Tombleson says.

“Your audience wants to communicate with you on all different platforms – it’s a personal experience.

“Offer that personalisation – it allows you to have an authentic two-way dialogue.”

Tombleson uses a mixture of Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, blogs and Periscope to engage with her students. And in return, they create videos and podcasts for their assessments.

“Students can choose the platforms they want to engage on and enrich the experience beyond the classroom so they are interacting with us a lot more than they would through the

standard technology we use,” Tombleson says.

She’s also a proponent of ‘flipped learning’ (see box on opposite page), an innovation that puts first-stage learning in the hands of the learners.

Online and virtual learning is opening doors for trainers and learners, giving them access to experts across the world.

International trainers are even taking note from the gaming world with the emergence of a new trend, ‘gamification’.

Emulating some of the techniques that make digital games so addictive, this type of training aims to create a more ‘gamified’ user experience to increase

Apprenticeships and traineeships Not just for tradies, on-the-job training could be business’s best option as they explore upskilling current staff, instead of looking outside their organisations for fresh skills, according to Manager of CCI’s Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) Lena Constantine.

Constantine identified ASA’s biggest industries as construction and manufacturing, but she says it’s likely to change as demand for employment in health, services, retail and transport increases. She urges employers to consider the pathway as a viable cost-effective training method.

“There’s a growing emphasis on knowledge-based skills,” Constantine says. There’s definitely potential for more employers to train staff through traineeship pathways in WA.” Under the Australian Apprenticeships Program, trainees and apprentices are still exempt from payroll tax in WA and eligible employers can receive government funding, incentives and rebates.

TRAINING

engagement and improve learning outcomes. RMIT University Professor Steffen Walz says gamification can be used by companies to engage employees in previously tedious training activities and even encourage them to broaden their thinking.

“Playful attitudes are very good for encouraging innovation,” he told the Financial Review last year.

Think before you subscribe CCI Manager Workplace Consulting and Training Jessica Price warns that while technology and new teaching methods are exciting and enticing, it’s important not to lose sight of learning outcomes along the way.

“New technology and methods, particularly for compliancerelated training, cannot undermine what you’re trying to teach,” Price advises.

“You need to make sure you don’t overwhelm your students so much that they miss the content.”

CCI management trainer Danielle Glazier agrees that while methods such as flipped learning and social media technology work well for some groups – tertiary students in particular – they may not be the best approach in a mixed-ability workplace group.

“There’s a strong focus on language, literacy and numeracy

issues in training across Australia now,” Glazier says. “Methods like instructional intelligence in a group-based environment work really well when there are people of all abilities in the classroom.”

‘Instructional intelligence’ is a relatively new method of teaching that sees trainers focus on inclusivity and understanding their students’ individual learning styles (also see our ‘neuroscience of learning’ feature p14). There is no one-size-fits-all approach – each group will require a different line of attack to get the optimum learning outcomes.

Dr Barrie Bennett – an expert in instructional intelligence – explains the importance of this conscious approach to teaching in his book Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration: “Designing learning environments for students is too complex and important for teachers not to be thoughtful (consciously skilled) in their decisions and actions.”

Glazier says as a trainer using this method, she has to constantly balance safety and accountability – making attendees feel comfortable while still ensuring they learn as much as possible.

“You have to always think on your feet and change the structure of the lesson to suit the group,” Glazier says. “Recognising the needs of your students is the most important thing.”

Failing to plan is planning to fail Price says being clear of your staff’s training and learning outcomes – how the training will benefit them and the business – and knowing what the essential criteria and non-negotiable factors of the

training plan are before you begin to explore new methods is the key to successfully training your staff.

“Robustness in planning is essential,” Price says.

“There’s no point in spending money on training if you’re not getting the outcomes your business needs.” ¢

Flipped learning The flipped learning model is a relatively new teaching method that Tombleson and her team at Curtin University are using.

Basically students complete lectures and readings and participate in designated activities before attending class. Students are equipped with the main facts and learnings of the module or lesson – and the onus is on them to complete their tasks beforehand – meaning the lecturer can facilitate discussion and answer valuable questions during the allotted tuition time, as opposed to spending the lesson going trhough lecture notes.

“With today’s need for flexibility, students are demanding more of a student-led learning experience,” Tombleson says.

South Australian training organisation TrainingxDesign has been helping businesses incorporate flipped learning into their workplace training plans by using customised videos that employees view prior to stepping foot in a classroom. Director Gina Moore says the businesses she works with are drawn to flipped learning because of the time and cost savings it affords – the instructional videos can be easily and cheaply created and employees save tuition time by viewing videos before class.

“They already know and understand the key concepts, then they come to the classroom and we facilitate discussion rather than focus on facts,” Moore says. “Because the teaching component is reduced, it cuts down the time taken and we can discuss problems and the application of the knowledge.

“Businesses are happy because it reduces the time away from the office and therefore saves money.”

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 1 7

ANDREW VLAHOV

HOT SHOT

From shooting hoops to jumping through them, Andrew Vlahov’s transition from sport star to CEO has honed a lifetime of focusing on goals

W

CARRIE COX

hen it comes to personal development, the emphasis for Andrew Vlahov is very much on the personal.

Having already done more physical and mental training than most of us will in a lifetime, the former international basketball champion and current business executive now views professional development as a self-directed responsibility and tends to value people who do the same.

“Honestly, when you talk about training for me these days, it’s a short conversation,” Vlahov told Business Pulse. “Since retiring from the Wildcats [he was captain and later owner of the team], everything I have done has involved on-the-job training, taking

TO EMPOWER PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY

1 8 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

About Enerji Ltd Enerji is a thermal energy company that uses patented technology to trap ‘waste’ heat from power generation and industrial processes and turn it into zero-emission electricity. The outcome is a reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions.

Andrew Vlahov was initially approached

by Enerji to assist in a short-term business development role, but after he achieved the firm’s objectives in record time, shareholders asked him to consider a bigger role. He became CEO in September 2015.

Enerji is working with Western Power on a $300,000 trial to determine the economic case for a micro-electricity grid in Kalbarri. In March the company announced it has signed an MOU with African gold miner Resolute to develop one or more of its heat-to-power solutions at Resolute’s Syama mine in Male.

ANDREW VLAHOV

the bruises and scars and learning from them.

So when I’m hiring people, I look for those who have at least half a brain and who are self-motivated to learn themselves rather than waiting to be taught something in some sort of over-the-top, over-managed way.

“I value investing in external training but only when it’s needed or it’s a bit cool because then your people have the buy-in to do it and it will work, as opposed to sending them on an expensive three-day retreat that takes them away from their families and ends up being a bit of a drag.”

Family is a popular theme in any discussion with Vlahov. Since becoming CEO of Enerji Ltd in late 2015, his directive to grow the young company internationally could have been interpreted as an expectation of 15-hour work days, however Vlahov isn’t wired that way.

“Whenever I’ve been approached about a job or new opportunity, my response is that I’m happy to sign on but you’ve got to understand that I will peakperform if my life balances,” he says. “If you’re going to be a responsible parent – and there is no more important responsibility than that – your contact time, particularly as a father, is so important.

“When I get home each day, I put my phone on charge and leave it, so I’m not looking at it unless I absolutely have to. We sit down as a family for dinner whenever we can because that’s one way to keep a finger on the pulse of your kids’ lives.

Because let’s face it: those lives just rocket past you and before you know it they’re at university.”

Vlahov says he’s endeavouring to raise his three children, aged 18, 16 and 12, to be independent thinkers who reject the status quo when the status quo doesn’t make sense. In short, he’s nurturing natural leaders and, if successful, the apples won’t have fallen far from the tree. Vlahov has captained almost every team he’s ever played in and purchased the Wildcats from Kerry Stokes while still playing in the team.

“In sport, I always took a collegiate approach to leadership,” he says. “ It was about having a clear understanding of people and players, ensuring that we had a team of horses pulling in the same direction and figuring out what needed to be done at various times.

“The analogies in sport are not dissimilar with business. Everyone has a personality, everyone has an ego, everyone has a history and baggage. As the CEO you have to understand the nuances of everyone and get an outcome you want. In working to achieve the best commercial outcome for shareholders at Enerji, I’ve been able to apply some lessons from my life and from sport where we want to create a championship team, not a team of champions. For me it’s all about building a focused unit that can execute on its goals efficiently.

Vlahov says he’s not a micro-manager, perhaps because he’s never needed much management himself. “I think in order to empower people, you need to give them the confidence and trust to do their job properly,” he says. “I’ve always believed in the people I’ve recruited and if I don’t believe in them, then I get rid of them. The analogy in basketball is that you can’t have any passengers, so if you can’t pull your weight you’ve got to go.

“I’m a bloke who makes omelettes but cracks a few eggs along the way and I’ll be the first one to say I’ve had some failures, but you learn from those.

It’s the same thing I tell my kids – whatever setbacks and challenges you face, it’s how you respond to them that matters. It’s what defines you.” ¢

Vlahov: my three rolemodels My partner in RV Sport [Vlahov’s sports events firm] is Paul Robinson, “ former Head of Treasury at Macquarie Bank. He’s a fantastic guide to always sound things out with – just a tremendous individual, very wise and very experienced. He often shows me a better way to look at a problem.”

“Kerry Stokes and Warren Jones both influenced me quite heavily on leadership. It was their decision to appoint me as leader of the Cats, so they were very influential in making me the person I am and the executive I am today.”

“My late father had a huge influence on me as a basketball player and in terms of my work ethic. He and my mother together shaped me out in terms of the values I hold and my principle set. My three sisters and I had a fantastic childhood – we had a lot of fun.”

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 1 9

QUESTION TIME The training landscape can be a minefield, but knowing the right questions to ask providers can help ensure your money is well spent

W DANIELLE GLAZIER CCI Management Trainer

estern Australia has hundreds of training providers operating across both the public and private sectors. It may seem we’re spoiled for choice – even overwhelmed – however when it comes to qualifying your investment, it’s vital to ensure the training provider you choose meets all of your business and learning needs.

In 2015, a WA Auditor-General’s report revealed more than half the state’s training providers had failed to comply with national standards. It falls on employers, then, to run some basic due diligence on any RTO they engage and therefore ensure their training investment is money well spent.

Here are some key questions to ensure an RTO is the right choice for your business:

1. Do you have the relevant qualification within your scope of registration?

ENSURE THE PROVIDER YOU CHOOSE MEETS ALL OF YOUR BUSINESS AND LEARNING NEEDS 20 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

Not every provider will have the same qualifications. The RTO’s scope of registration specifies the qualifications and/or units of competency for which the training organisation is registered to deliver, assess and issue qualifications. You may wish to visit training.gov.au as a part of your research to determine which providers meet your qualification needs.

Online learning requires self-discipline on the part of a learner. It generally requires a lot of online reading and is most suited to people who have strong literacy skills, are capable of studying with minimal support and who are looking to complete a qualification outside of working hours.

Work-based models are well suited to those already working in the position or industry in which they’re seeking a formalised qualification. It will typically involve a trainer/assessor visiting your workplace for formal assessment meetings over the course of the qualification. It’s a very individualised approach for those with high levels of existing knowledge and evidence to support this.

Group-based delivery is an ideal option for those needing to upskill and obtain the knowledge to complete their qualification.

It’s well suited to those needing additional support from a trainer/assessor and who enjoy interaction with others as a part of the learning experience.

2. What’s your delivery method?

3. What resource support will you provide?

There are three prominent delivery methods in accredited training: online (‘e-learning’), work-based and group-based delivery.

Every provider will vary in terms of the supporting resources given to their learners. Some providers may provide textbooks or detailed course notes to support

the learning process. These resources may be included in the course fee or incur additional costs.

Depending on the trainee’s existing level of knowledge, the quality of these resources will play a major role in the effectiveness of the training.

4. What is the level of support and contact I will receive from the trainer/assessor?

For work-based and groupbased learning, it’s important to gauge the level of support available from the trainer/ assessor working with you to obtain your qualification. Are they going to be easily contactable?

How frequently will face-to-face engagement be possible?

5. Can you provide me with recent feedback from your current clients?

Many providers will feature recent feedback on their websites.

Asking for further information and testimonials should assist your judgement in determining the right provider for yourself and your business.

Unsure about an RTO? CCI can help businesses maximise their training dollar. Call CCI Learning Solutions on (08) 9365 7500 for expert advice. ¢

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE Thinking outside the traditional training box is leading to the upskilling and practical training of women in WA’s correctional facilities

F GABRIELLE CAMPION Journalist

our hundred coffees are prepared and served by the women of Bandyup Women’s Prison each week.

The visitors’ centre coffee cart, which has created three new jobs on-site, is run by women from the prison and is helping them develop and maintain their customer services skills to transition them for the working world.

IN-PRISON TRAINING MEANS BANDYUP IS NOW SENDING BARISTAS INTO THE COMMUNITY JOB-READY Bandyup Acting Assistant Superintendent of Offender Services Kymberley McKay says the cart was created to give women undertaking a hospitality certification practical, real-work experience.

“Traditionally women have received their certification but had no access to workplace engagement or

on-the-job continual training prior to release,” McKay says. “Recognising this was counterproductive to the transitional support and transitional employment model, Bandyup manufactured a portable barista cart.”

This innovative approach to in-prison training means Bandyup is now sending baristas into the community job-ready, according to McKay.

Building business partnerships McKay says Bandyup is looking to collaborate with WA businesses to help ensure women leave Bandyup with the knowledge and skills to successfully integrate back into society.

“Bandyup is interested in finding innovative partners with business models that support flexible engagement and learning,” McKay says.

“We are not burdened by traditional employment models and we’re looking for employment-driven opportunities for those in our care.”

Opportunities for businesses interested in collaborating with Bandyup include:

Participation in skills sessions or on-site employment expos

Holding interviews on-site with women in Bandyup

Working closely with Bandyup to add value to current employment models through developing employer specific skills

Offering transitional employment opportunities “Collectively, these types of activities help break down barriers and are key to reducing recidivism among offenders,” McKay says. “Bandyup is currently working on a range of new initiatives including the development of a beauty salon.

“This model would provide multiple training opportunities for women including hair and beauty, small business operations, industrial cleaning, team management and secretarial skills.”

“Bandyup remains open to developing partnerships through its existing industries, so it can deliver contracted services on-site,” McKay says. “Bandyup is open for business and looks forward to continue working with and hearing from CCI Members.”

If you’re interested in getting involved, email editor@cciwa.com to connect with Bandyup’s Prison Employment Co-ordinator Peta Edwards. ¢

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 21

PAY ATTENTION Whether or not you need to pay an employee while they’re training will depend on the nature of the activity and its purpose

T KENDALL SCOTT CCI Manager, Employee Relations Advice Centre

here are times when employees undertake training activities that may or may not be related to their work, and questions arise as to whether they should be paid for such activities.

There are many myths out there that assume you are not obliged to pay an employee if the training they are undertaking is voluntarily or benefits them. There are also myths assuming that if the training activities are taking place offsite and/or outside normal working hours that the employee does not need to be paid.

While there are a number of circumstances where the cost of the training and the time spent in training need not be covered by the employer, its important to understand when this is payable.

Here are a few things to consider that will help you figure out if you are obligated to make payment or provide other benefits in relation to training your staff may be undertaking.

participation will need to be counted as working time and payment of wages will apply.

Depending on their industrial award, your employee may also be entitled to: meal allowance travel time payment

reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses

other similar benefits associated with the training Before making a payment, check how the employee’s wage is structured – seeking further advice at this point might be necessary to ensure you are acting within the law.

Before approving or directing staff to attend training, check if it’s directly related to the employee’s job and if it will assist them in performing more efficiently, equipping them with additional skills that will be of benefit to the organisation.

Compulsory training

Employees may, at their own initiative, wish to attend training either during working hours or outside of those hours. While you might not be legally obliged to fund the training, you might decide to do so as a special benefit to staff.

You may also choose to provide benefits in other forms, such as: paid study leave

reimbursement of training fees

financial assistance towards books It’s usually advisable to clearly define in a policy which courses any reimbursements or allowances will be made for – an example could be approved courses that are directly related to the role the employee is performing.

If the training activity is not voluntary – the employee has been directed by the business to attend – and it is directly related to the employee’s job, then such

EMPLOYEES MAY WISH TO ATTEND TRAINING EITHER DURING WORKING HOURS OR OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS 22 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

Personal development

Staff engagement There may also be times when you decide to offer and pay for a training program to provide an employee with further learning opportunities as a staff engagement and retention tool. This may be offered either during or outside normal working hours. If the attendance is voluntary and it occurs outside of working hours, even if directly related to the employee’s job, payment of wages in most circumstances will not apply.

Making up time If training takes place during working hours that is not directed or required by the business and primarily at the election of the employee, you may be in a position to decide whether to release the employee during this time or not.

In instances where you are not obligated to provide the time off to attend the training, you may have the option to allow the employee to:

access accrued paid annual leave

authorise unpaid leave during this time

allow flexi-time to make up the hours Implementing a training policy that fits with your business’s broader direction and philosophy will help you manage your employees’ training activities.

This will also then clarify whether you should assist in, and contribute financially or otherwise towards, any training that employees attend.

For more information, contact CCI’s Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or advice@cciwa.com ¢

HELP AT HAND

Government support is available for businesses wanting to upskill their staff

T

raining and developing staff can be an expensive exercise and a tough one for many businesses to commit to in these slower economic times.

However, developing the right skills in your workforce can make or break a business.

Fortunately, there is a raft of government programs available to assist employers to continue to develop the skills of their teams, particularly through apprenticeships and traineeships.

Federal support As part of its agenda to drive

$4000 in financial support.

Phone 1300 363 831 for more information.

Industry Skills Fund – assists industry to invest in training and support services and to develop innovative training solutions.

Co-contribution training grants are available to employers to assist with the cost of training of nationally recognised vocational education and training. Micro, small- and medium-sized businesses can apply for up to 75 per cent of their training costs under an Industry Skills Fund training grant. business.gov.au

State support The State Government’s expressed aim is to build, attract and retain a skilled workforce that is flexible, diverse and responsive to changes in labour

LIFTRITE’S END OF FINANCIAL YEAR

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market, economic or social conditions. It offers the following support for eligible businesses: Future Skills WA – provides a subsidised training place for eligible students enrolled in courses that are deemed priority qualifications for the state. Effectively this means, for those qualifications deemed a priority, the price of training is reduced for employers and students to encourage take-up. futureskillswa.wa.gov.au Payroll tax exemption – available for businesses with an employee undertaking an approved apprenticeship or traineeship. Potentially, during the period of the traineeship/ apprenticeship, employers can save payroll tax of 5.5 per cent to invest in further training and development of staff. ¢

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LENA CONSTANTINE Manager, Apprenticeship Support Australia

innovation and competiveness within the business sector, the Federal Government has designed a range of programs that provide economic incentives for businesses to upskill their workforce and drive growth.

These include: Australian Apprenticeships Program – aims to encourage employers to offer roles that combine time at work with training, and can be full time, part time or school based. To support employers to take on apprentices or trainees in their workplace, employers may be eligible to receive incentive payments. Depending on the type of apprenticeship or traineeship qualification, the employment arrangement and individual circumstances, an employer can receive up to

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 23

STEERING THE INTERNSHIP Got a jobseeker keen to help you out for free in exchange for experience? Know the law before you jump in

KENDALL SCOTT CCI Manager, Employee Relations Advice Centre

H

ave you ever engaged people on “trial periods” or are thinking about taking on an intern on an unpaid basis? Thinking this might be great way to try out an individual and see if they’re suited to the workplace? Get a few projects done cheaply?

Think again!

In a number of recent cases, businesses have found themselves in hot water for failing to pay wages to individuals doing productive work in their organisation. With the promise of gaining exposure to the industry and getting a “foot in the door”, many new jobseekers are keen to gain any advantage they can to secure permanent employment and they often see unpaid stints as a means to achieving it.

And despite businesses being willing to engage individuals on this basis and the individuals themselves being enthusiastic about the opportunity, such companies are currently under the spotlight, with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) taking particular interest in these types of workplace arrangements at present.

Report lifts lid on exploitation The fresh focus follows the release of a report ‘Experience or Exploitation?’ by the University of Adelaide in 2013, commissioned by the FWO, which researched the nature, prevalence and regulation of unpaid work experience, internships and trial periods in Australia. Since then, we’ve seen a number of businesses prosecuted for failure to pay individuals 24 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

undertaking one of these forms of ‘work’.

In 2015, a media company who took on two events coordinators under the guise of an unpaid internship was ordered to back pay $18,767 in wages. The FWO went on to pursue the business for fines of up to $51,000 for breaches of the relevant award and the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act). The FWO also pursued the director for personal fines of up to $10,200.

At the same time, a separate media company was also being pursued by the FWO for unpaid wages for an overseas student taken on as an intern undertaking event management activities.

The unpaid internship ran for six weeks before the company commenced payment of belowaward wages. Only a year earlier, the same company was found to have underpaid $60,000 in wages to two individuals taken on as radio presenters on a “voluntary basis”, for which they paid them a nominal $20 for each program produced. This was in lieu of the statutory hourly rate of $24.50 and a minimum of four hours engagement under the relevant industrial award.

Also in 2015, the FWO completed its first successful prosecution through the Federal Circuit Court of another media company that failed to pay two interns over a period of several weeks during which it was found they undertook productive work that paid employees would normally undertake. The company, which develops radio and TV programs in Victoria, engaged the individuals as radio program

producers, performing duties such as sourcing and arranging interviews, taking calls during the program and preparing and delivering content for air. The company was consequently required to back pay the individuals a combined amount of $17,720 in unpaid wages. The company was also fined a further $24,000 for non-compliance with the FW Act and the relevant industrial award, notwithstanding the fact they rectified the matter immediately upon audit by FWO.

How to protect yourself With these cases in mind, what should employers watch out for when considering taking on work experience students, interns, vocational placements or individuals for a trial work period?

How do you determine whether the activity should be paid?

Here are few simple questions to ask yourself: 1. Will the individual simply be observing and learning as part of the activity?

Once they begin to engage in activities that produce an output or some form of productivity, they may be considered an employee and be entitled to payment.

2. Will any unpaid activities normally be performed by a paid employee?

If the answer is “yes”, they may well be considered an employee and need to be paid as such.

3. Is the vocational placement required as part of the individual’s educational institution?

Under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), a vocational placement is defined as a placement that is: – undertaken with an employer for which a person is not entitled to be paid any remuneration – undertaken as a requirement of an education or training course – authorised under a law or an administrative arrangement of the Commonwealth, a state or territory 4. For work trials, will the activities involve more than simply a direct demonstration of the person’s ability to undertake a position vacant?

If the trial starts to move into productive labour, it may be considered work.

If it is only for a short period of time (ie half an hour as part of the recruitment process to test a skill set), it’s unlikely to be considered paid work.

Payment issues aside, businesses also need to consider matters such as their duty of care and the safety of the individual while on work premises, insurance to cover any incidents, arranging appropriate supervision and induction for the individual (where applicable) and providing all necessary personal protective equipment.

For further information on any of the above, contact CCI’s Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or advice@cciwa.com ¢

TRUSTWORTHY TAX TIPS With the end-of-financial-year fast approaching, it’s time to sort out the good advice from the bum steers Bruce Sinclair KPMG Enterprise Partner

H

ave you ever received a hot tax tip at the footy club or over a cup of coffee? You tend to hear them during tax season or prior to financial year-end.

Some of these tips may have been distorted somewhere along the grapevine and only apply to a specific set of circumstances or maybe they are based on an understanding of tax law the Commissioner of Taxation would find laughable. But sometimes they can be extremely valuable, providing a tax saving to you or your business that you could have accessed earlier – if only you’d known it existed!

To take some of the guesswork out of year-end tax saving, here are some general tips you can count on:

1. Deductibility of superannuation expenses

TAKE A COLD HARD LOOK AT YOUR DEBTORS BEFORE 30 JUNE

Generally, employee superannuation payments are deductible if paid to a complying superannuation fund within 28 days after the end of the quarter to which they relate. These payments are deductible in the financial year they are paid. Make sure you pay your employee superannuation obligations to 30 June before year-end if you want to maximise your deductions within the current financial year.

2. Bringing forward deductible spending If you have a large non-capital expenditure you expect to incur in July-September, why not consider bringing it forward

to June so you can claim a deduction in the current financial year? Some advance payments for services will be deductible over both the current and future tax years under the prepayment rules, therefore we recommend consulting with your tax agent before making your purchase(s) to ensure you’ll receive the currentyear tax saving you’re hoping for.

3. Review of debtors and inventory Take a cold hard look at your debtors before 30 June to identify debts the business has tried to collect and for which there is objectively little or no likelihood of recovery. These can be deducted by the business when the decision is made they are bad and no further recovery action will be undertaken. Why not make that decision in the current year and potentially bring forward the tax deduction if the debts are genuinely bad?

Similarly, inventory should be reviewed before year-end to ensure the figures in your accounts are realistic and that any obsolete, spoiled or lost stock is written off in the current tax year.

4. Review of fixed assets and the instant asset write-off You can also find tax benefits by reviewing your fixed assets before year-end. Depreciable assets that have been scrapped during the year can potentially be written off for taxation purposes. However, significant tax savings can be brought forward by purchasing assets before 30

June 2016. Small businesses can obtain an immediate deduction on asset acquisitions of less than $20,000 where the asset is in use or installed ready for use before 30 June 2017. After 30 June 2017, this immediate write-off will only apply to assets costing less than $1000.

5. Research and development concessions Australia is an innovative nation.

To encourage this innovation the government has announced a range of additional research and development benefits, particularly for smaller businesses and start-ups. Your business may be eligible to access some of these benefits or, if it is in a company, the R&D tax concessions. Why not speak to your tax agent and find out if you are eligible and, if so, what records you should be keeping and what will need to be reported in your tax return?

6. Trust distribution minutes Do you operate out of a discretionary family trust or do you invest through a discretionary trust? Make sure your trust’s distribution minutes are drafted prior to 30 June. If no beneficiary is entitled to a trust’s income at year-end, the trustee will be assessed on the trust’s taxable income at the highest marginal tax rate plus the Medicare levy and temporary budget repair levy.

If you’re unsure about any of the above or think there are other tax savings your business is missing out on we would be delighted to assist. ¢ MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 25

LOVE ME TENDER Winning your next tender – or even your first – will require a fresh look at safety compliance

EMMA JOHNS CCI Senior Safety and Risk Consultant

I

n the current business market, winning a tender can mean the difference between taking your business to the next level and shutting up shop for good. It’s a competitive space, made doubly challenging by the scrutiny now applied to tender applications, particularly those for government work.

This is especially true in the area of safety compliance.

Risk-averse government departments will necessarily overlook any tenderer whose safety compliance is not sufficiently robust. So which safety boxes must your next application tick?

1. Think legal first Ensure you are aware of all the legislative requirements applicable to the type of work to be carried out, including Acts, Regulations, local laws and by-laws, Codes of Practice and Australian Standards.

templates – this shows the client that your safety management system is in fact operational and not something you’ve just created for the tender application.

HSE tender questionnaires will almost certainly ask if internal audits are carried out on your safety management system, so in preparation for future tenders, ensure you have an internal auditing procedure in place.

3. Emphasise risk protection Make sure you are aware of the risks involved, in particular any high-risk work included in the scope of works. Show that as a contractor you have appropriate controls in place to mitigate the chances of incident, injury or damage. You’ll be asked to provide your risk management procedures and details of the processes you use to regularly identify risks, including workplace/site inspections,

ENSURE YOU HAVE AN INTERNAL AUDITING PROCEDURE IN PLACE 2. Supply evidence

equipment pre-start inspections and maintenance records.

Provide an explanation of how your safety management system complies with the requirements of the client and attach evidence if given the opportunity.

When attaching supporting documentation, always attach completed records and not just

4. Demonstrate performance

26 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

Provide information on previous safety performance and give details on how you monitor safety performance and any continual improvement processes in place.

Include information on:

Number of lost time injuries (LTIs)

Working days lost due to injury

Current status of any injured personnel, damaged property or environmental damage or pollution

Status of the implementation and outcomes of corrective actions undertaken as a result of HSE inspections and risk assessments

5. Investigations Establish a robust incident and investigation procedure with timeframes documented for completion of the investigation report based on the classification of the incident. Document any corrective or preventative actions to arise from the investigation to prevent future incidents occurring. Have a system in place for managing actions that accounts for who is responsible and a timeframe for close-out of the action.

6. Communications Consultation and communication are requirements of your duty of care as an employer. Make certain to have suitable communication mechanisms in place such as pre-start meetings, toolbox talks

and safety meetings. Always record attendance of meetings and document the agenda.

Clients need to be able to have a certain amount of control over contractors, which means effective communication channels are vital.

7. Training and competence Clients have a duty of care to ensure you as a contractor have certain competencies to carry out tasks safely. Maintain up-to-date copies of your employees’ certifications and training attendance. A great way to manage this is by creating a simple training needs analysis that details the training and competency required for each job role within your organisation.

Finally, be sure to read and understand every question on the tender documents. Seek expert advice about anything you’re not sure about. A thorough and worthy tender application takes time and effort to put together, but the result could well be worth your investment.

Need advice about your next tender application? Contact CCI’s Safety & Risk Services team on (08) 9365 7415 or email osh@cciwa.com for advice and assistance. ¢

RISKY BUSINESS Your trusty safety person is on leave. What needs to be done in their absence?

RACHAEL LINCOLN CCI Senior Safety and Risk Consultant

Y

ou’ve always felt comfortable knowing that you have a person in your organisation who is responsible for safety – one less thing you have to worry about.

But what happens when they go on leave? How can you ensure the ongoing safety of your workplace in the interim?

1. Induct new staff Your safety person would have inducted new employees into your workplace, providing them with the safety information they needed to know. This function must not stop. New employees should always be inducted with a tour of your workplace, noting the location of first aid kits, emergency exits, fire extinguishers and muster points. The induction should also include an explanation of your organisation’s OSH policies, procedures and code of conduct.

2. OSH communication Your safety person would have organised meetings to discuss topical OSH issues, seeking consultation with your employees and leaders. OSH communication and consultation are necessary legislative requirements and also foster collaboration within your workforce. If employees feel included in safety decisions and understand why those decisions are being made, they’re more likely to be safety compliant.

Identify a new go-to person within your business who has built up a rapport with employees

and can encourage them to continue to consult about safety.

3. Regular inspections OSH inspections are a handy tool in the risk management process, with the first step being to identify hazards. One tried and tested method for identifying hazards is to implement an inspection regime. You would have noticed your safety person walking around the workplace, clipboard in hand, testing exit doors, checking that walkways are clear, ensuring chemicals are safely stored and that all safety equipment was in acceptable condition. These inspections must continue even if that means doing it personally in the interim.

Higher-risk workplaces should have more frequent inspections.

4. Hazard and incident reporting If one of your workers was injured or had noticed a hazard, they previously would have reported this to your safety person. Your workers need to know that hazard and incident reporting is still essential and to whom they should now be reporting. All reported information needs to be

processed and communicated.

In the safety person’s absence, incident investigations must still occur immediately and corrective actions be implemented to prevent reoccurrence.

5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) stocks Your safety person would have purchased the PPE needed for your workplace. In their absence, stocks of PPE may be slowly declining without any new stock being ordered – only when it’s run out will anyone notice. If you require your workers to wear PPE, make sure there are plenty of supplies readily available for your workers.

6. Things to tell WorkSafe WA There is a number of workplace injuries and medical conditions that must legally be reported.

Your safety person would have known exactly what these were and how to report them.

Access their written procedures and visit the WorkSafe WA website to make yourself familiar with all legal requirements and any recent changes to the legislation.

7. Assist injured workers When a worker is injured, the safety person is generally the coordinator of the process that must follow. Without them, someone now needs to be responsible for injury management, facilitating the return-to-work process for the injured employee. This includes handling all the associated paperwork, meeting with the employee to discuss their ability to perform duties, preparing a return-to-work program, consulting with their treating medical practitioner and communicating regularly with the insurer.

If you find that your workplace is without a regular safety person who would have performed these duties, you need to make sure that these activities are still being conducted and have identified which employee is best to take on the responsibility. Choose your fill-in person wisely and lighten their other loads so that they can perform adequately to keep your workplace safe.

Need help? Contact CCI’s Safety & Risk Services team on (08) 9365 7415 or email osh@cciwa.com for advice and assistance. ¢ MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 27

POWER-PURCHASE FOR PROSPERITY Streamline purchasing through e-procurement

B

rian Cross is very clear about the decision that has best helped him improve customer service delivery in his business: e-procurement.

The Managing Director of Pacific Safety Wear, a Perth-based national distributor of safety equipment and supplies, was introduced to e-procurement when he began supplying to the Water Corporation about 10 years ago. e-procurement is the electronic system that automates the processing of orders through a supply chain – basically everything from purchase order stage through to invoice payment.

It is not simply the process of online ordering but rather the entire system of automating

purchase orders from start to finish.

“The Water Corporation opened my eyes to the system and I could quickly see how it makes common sense,” Cross says. “It removes the need for staff to manually process orders, potentially making errors in the process, and frees them up to engage more with customers and really deliver on the customer service that we promise.”

Cross experimented with a few software platforms before settling on a local product, Cat Tech, which he says is highly flexible and able to “speak with” even the most basic software operated by customers, such as MYOB and Pronto.

“I’m not saying this is the answer for everyone, but it’s

certainly been the answer for us,” Cross says. “The system pretty much paid for itself within three months.”

Barriers for business A recent survey of WA business conducted by CCI revealed only 20 per cent used e-procurement in their supply chain – the vast majority use email-based ordering and manual processing.

Of those businesses that do use e-procurement, the most valued benefits cited were:

Streamlined purchasing process Access to new vendors Fewer errors in purchasing CCI Industry Connect manager Chris Pretorius says cost and

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perceived complexity are the primary barriers to businesses electing to implement or update e-procurement software.

Few are aware that e-procurement can reduce the time it takes to process a purchase order from 120 minutes to five minutes.

“Especially in the current business environment, any technology that significantly reduces costs and increases efficiency is worth looking at,” Pretorius says.

“CCI IndustryConnect is taking a proactive approach to really encouraging WA businesses to take a good look at e-procurement as a means to increasing their productivity and achieving growth.” ¢

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THE REINVENTION OF HR The human resources landscape is changing rapidly and only the most commercially savvy of HR managers will survive

T

here’s a curious irony in the evolution of HR: namely that professionals whose purpose is to maximise a company’s human assets often fail to maximise their own. Some remain stuck in a mindset that still views HR as a vehicle for hiring and firing, with a side car of compliance and risk.

In fairness, that’s how the working day of a busy HR manager might often take shape, but staying in this groove is to ignore the rapid reinvention of HR that is now taking shape.

In 2015, Deloitte University Press published ‘Reinventing HR: An Extreme Makeover’, arguing modern business demands a different HR professional, one who is commercially driven, agile, data-savvy and operating at the core of a management team.

“These business imperatives demand not only a new organisational model for HR itself, but also a massive reskilling of HR professionals around the world,” the report states. “They also create an unprecedented opportunity for HR to play a

HR IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE PACE OF CHANGE IN BUSINESS

preeminent role at the highest levels of business strategy.”

Disrupting the status quo So how does the modern HR manager upskill and recalibrate to become part of a business’s growth rather than merely an observer of it?

In short, it’s time to take a critical look at your knowledge of the business whose human assets you manage. Ask yourself these questions as a starting point: 1. What was the total revenue of your company last year?

2. How is the company performing against budget YTD? 3. Who are your (company’s) top five customers?

4. Who are your top three competitors? What is their point of difference? How does your company strategy compare to theirs?

5. How many of your key customers have you formed a relationship with? How often do you meet with them?

6. What are the key metrics in your business (eg, utilisation, units per month, margin %, sales to budget etc)?

10. What is the three-year growth plan for the business?

Why? Because decisions about people can no longer be made in isolation of commercial factors and external pressures.

According to the Deloitte report, several factors are converging that should make reinventing HR a priority for businesses around the world:

CEOs and other senior executives are more worried about talent than ever before.

Employee self-service is now a reality, all but eliminating the need for HR generalists.

A highly competitive global talent market has shifted power into the hands of employees, forcing HR to redesign programs in the face of a much more demanding workforce.

Traditional HR practices such as performance management and leadership and development are undergoing radical change, forcing HR to throw away the old playbook and deliver more innovative solutions.

What do I need to know?

Upskilling your commercial acumen could be the most important investment you’ve made in your career today.

Through that education process, you should emerge with the following knowledge takeaways:

A deeper understanding of what business needs from HR in today’s commercial environment

How to ‘future-proof’ a business – with HR at the helm!

How to educate managers to understand the “people stuff”

How to position yourself as a key strategic player with managers, customers and employees How to be financially literate

How to realign HR KPIs as a strategic contributor CCI has launched a new course, ‘Commercial Acumen for the HR Professional’. For information, call (08) 9365 7500. ¢

Why do I need to change?

If even a few of these questions stumped you, it’s not at all surprising. HR professionals haven’t needed to be across this much business knowledge in the past, but increasingly they have to be – and many want to be.

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ESS PU L SE 29

START

SMART Inducting new employees doesn’t just help them settle in – it can help them stay safe too

S MATT BUTTERWORTH CCI Safety and Risk Consultant

taff inductions are designed to provide new staff members with the information they need to feel comfortable in your organisation – company values, ethics and standards of behaviour – as well as getting them up to speed on how the company operates. In terms of workplace safety, new employees and contractors are at a higher risk of injury than existing staff because they aren’t familiar with the location and also your policies and procedures, so it’s important your company’s induction or on-boarding process includes the essential elements of health and safety too.

Ideally, an occupational health and safety (OSH) induction should be delivered to all employees and contractors before they start performing duties. These five steps will help you cover the basics and keep your staff safe in those first few weeks:

1. OSH policies and procedures You have a duty of care to provide a safe workplace for your staff.

Key to this is making sure they understand your OSH policies and procedures. These may be in an OSH handbook, online in a staff directory or on the company intranet and should be made available to all new starters. It’s also important to emphasise the importance of sticking to safe work practices. Make sure new employees understand the responsibility they have in ensuring their own safety and the safety of others in the workplace.

2. Accident and incident reporting Does your company have safety and health representatives?

Do you have an OSH officer or manager? Your new employees should leave their induction with a clear understanding of who fields OSH issues. The OSH induction should inform new starters about how to report an accident, incident or near-miss.

Identifying and introducing first aid officers is also important.

3. Emergency procedures Outlining the company’s emergency and evacuation procedures is a key element of the OSH induction. This should include emergency exits, fire wardens, muster or assembly points, use of fire equipment and other emergency contacts.

30 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

4. High-risk work If the new starter will be undertaking high-risk activities such as machinery operation, working at heights or work involving chemicals or hazardous substances for example, it’s your responsibility to ensure new workers are appropriately trained, understand safe work procedures and risks, and are issued with – and instructed on – appropriate protective equipment.

5. Site rules Inform your new employees about all site rules, such as smoking, conduct while on site, mobile phone use and vehicle speed limits. This will ensure they clearly understand what behaviour you expect from the outset.

When the induction is complete, you should ask your new starters to confirm they understood the training – this may be a signature on an induction confirmation form or completion of a simple questionnaire that assesses the new starter’s level of understanding. It’s important to keep a record of all work health and safety training to demonstrate your company is fulfilling their obligations in relation to your duty of care.

And remember, OSH training doesn’t stop here – it must be ongoing in order to minimise accidents and incidents and keep all staff up to date with the company’s safety systems. ¢

ENGINEERING JOBS A new graduate program addresses our engineer shortage and provides solutions for employers

Dedicated Outsourced Staffing Finance Services Markeeng and Creaave Outsourced Paraplanning

“I

– and more likely to can existing graduate programs – due to the cost and time involved.

Where have all the engineers gone?

In WA, the state’s power industry has seen the writing on the wall and elected to do something about it.

The new Power Engineering Graduate Program, facilitated

by CCI and supported by Horizon Power and Engineers Australia, is a three-year graduate program designed to train the next generation of power engineers using a collaborative approach involving multiple host companies.The program enables businesses to be part of a premier graduate program without the need to run a costly inhouse program.

The graduates, who are currently being selected, will be employed by CCI and seconded to participating host companies for six months at a time. CCI Business Development Manager Ann Brinkamp explains they will work on a rotational basis across multiple areas such as design, generation, distribution and retail to give the graduates a broad foundation and exposure to a range of skill sets.

“The practical experience is supported by a professional development program, designed and delivered by Engineers Australia” Brinkamp says.

“This is a really innovative initiative and a win-win for everyone involved. Host companies gain the benefit of only the best graduates and only have to pay for the time a graduate actually works – CCI does all the heavy lifting.”

Contact Ann Brinkamp on (08) 9365 7669 or email graduates@cciwa.com ¢

f you like traffic snarls and power blackouts, unemployment queues and water restrictions, well, you’re going to love this crisis in engineering.”

That’s how Professionals Australia CEO Chris Walton described the nation’s engineer shortage back in 2012. Since then the figures have become even bleaker, with the latest figures provided by Engineers Australia showing more than half the nation’s engineering workforce are overseas born, usually on temporary 457 visas.

“One thing is clear – if we simply leave things up to the market or the initiative of individual players, nothing will change,” Walton says. “We need all governments and political parties to provide leadership and drive new and sustained investment in the engineering workforce.”

Australia’s workforce is ageing and many engineers have retired or are retiring. Those left behind took up more rewarding professions during the resources boom. Now they’re leaving because there are fewer opportunities across the board.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the graduation rate for new engineers has been static for some time.

According to Walton, dropout rates are high and increasingly fewer secondary students are completing the required maths and science. Many no longer see engineering as a profession with rewarding career prospects.

Compounding this are the post-boom cost pressures on industry. Employers are less likely to offer employment to graduates

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(NOT) LOST IN TRANSLATION Qualified language training is critical to ensuring the continued supply of skilled workers, writes Allan Jones

T

hough relatively small in number, the interpreting and translating workforce in WA provides critical services that support individuals, communities and businesses. However, concern exists in industry regarding the unavailability of nationally recognised qualifications in the state. Needing to be responsive to changing, language-specific demand and providing services in a range of often complex contexts, training is considered critical for ensuring ongoing supply of skilled workers.

Demand for language services is driven by West Australians who do not speak English well, or at all. Based on previous census data, this population grew by a staggering 34 per cent in the five years to 2011, with all indications that growth has continued in the subsequent five years. The result is over 50,000 West Australians who are reliant on language services to access government

and other crucial services to settle and integrate into the wider community.

At the behest of industry, a Translating and Interpreting Taskforce was established in 2014. Chaired by the Financial, Administrative and Professional Services Training Council (FAPSTC), members included the WA professional body WAITI, the national accrediting body NAATI, employers, Central Institute of Technology, the EUPA and CSHE Training Councils and the Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI). A comprehensive workforce survey, developed by OMI received almost 200 responses, making it

THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE TASKFORCE WILL PROVE CRUCIAL TO ENSURING THE INDUSTRY IS ABLE TO RESPOND TO DEMAND 32 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6

the largest survey of this industry in WA undertaken to date.

Analysis by FAPSTC provides a clear snapshot of a highly feminised (74 per cent) and aged (53 per cent over 55 years) workforce that is employed almost exclusively on a casual basis, working less than 20 hours and earning less than $500 per week. The workforce is, unsurprisingly, dominated by migrant workers, with respondents providing services in almost 50 languages. Although desire for training was high, a number of barriers were identified, chief among them the lack of local training and the significant cost of training, which is at Diploma or Advanced Diploma level at a minimum.

The taskforce report provides not only a detailed summary of the growing cultural and linguistic diversity of the WA population, but a detailed set of recommendations and a proposed model to re-establish training in the state. With Central Institute of Technology taking the lead in providing a short, introductory course, work is now ongoing

by the FAPSTC and taskforce members to leverage government processes and to begin to develop projects and strategies to provide the WA workforce with readily accessible, affordable industry training.

This project has provided a solid body of evidence to support decisions, planning and implementation of strategies to address not only training, but also strategic workforce issues. The combined efforts of the taskforce will prove crucial to ensuring the industry is able to respond to ever-changing and increasing, language-specific demand with high quality services.

FAPSTC continues to work closely with the industry, while moving forward with projects supporting the security industry, business and finance industries, training and occupational awareness.

Allan Jones is CEO of FAPTSC, which won the Community Organisation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Multiculturalism at the 2016 WA Multicultural Recognition Awards. ¢

EDUCATION NATION

Post resources boom, it’s time to invest in people again, writes Federal Vocational Education and Skills Minister Senator Scott Ryan

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ustralia’s greatest resource in the 21st century is its skilled workforce.

Vocational education and training is essential to the future of our nation. What we forget when we talk about our resource blessings is that it’s our human capital, our skilled workforce, that makes the difference between it staying in the ground and making it to the market.

Australia’s greatest resource in the 21st century is not iron ore, sheep or gold. It is our people. No matter the sector or the service, our people are our strongest asset and ensuring the greatest possible opportunity is our path to prosperity.

With a highly trained workforce, we can keep up with the demands placed on us in a globalised world. We will also have the capability to build an economy open to innovation and open to seizing new markets and opportunities.

In WA, there are close to 44,000 apprentices and trainees and more than 370,000 people are engaged in vocational education and training (VET). Those 370,000 people will be the fitters and turners, IT workers, bookkeepers and childcare workers who will ensure WA thrives, employers have access to skilled staff and people can access the services they need.

Since being sworn in as Minister for Vocational Education and Skills in February, I have focused my efforts on understanding the opportunities and challenges currently facing VET in Australia. I have spoken to many people passionate about VET and the opportunities it provides – including TAFEs and private VET providers, industry and government. All are united on one point: skills and training is of vital importance to Australia’s future.

My key areas of focus at the moment are addressing the problems in and improving the integrity of VET FEE-HELP, which was introduced in 2012.

This scheme provides incomecontingent loans to VET students, much like the old HECS scheme for universities. However, the program introduced by the former Labor government was uncapped and had insufficient student protections in place. The original scheme opened the floodgates to shonky training providers and predatory brokers to take advantage of the system.

Since coming to office, the Coalition Government has taken a methodical approach to restoring confidence in the sector. We have already taken more than a dozen

measures to crack down on those acting unethically.

I am currently also undertaking a series of national consultations, commencing in Perth in early April, that will underpin my thinking in redesigning and rebuilding VET FEE-HELP to better protect the interests of students and taxpayers.

As Minister, and having had portfolio responsibility for small business prior to the Coalition coming to office, I am committed to better communicating the advantages of vocational training to small business owners, to other employers, to industry groups, to parents and to people looking for an opportunity to advance themselves.

As Australia moves towards an innovative and diverse economic future, vocational education will remain essential to ensuring the ability and agility of our workforce.

Senator Scott Ryan is the Federal Minister for Vocational Education and Skills. ¢

NO MATTER THE SECTOR OR THE SERVICE, OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR STRONGEST ASSET

MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 3 3

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS WA businesses are helping at-risk young people turn their lives around through school-based traineeships

R GABRIELLE CAMPION Journalist

hys commenced an Aboriginal School-based Traineeship (ASBT) in Engineering with Lotus Engineering in February 2014 and was later placed with CSBP Kwinana.

Rhys completed his schoolbased traineeship, graduated year 12 and was offered an apprenticeship this year. He’s currently employed with CSBP as an apprentice.

SMYL representative Ashley Garlett says Rhys is one of hundreds of students that school-based traineeships help every year to stay in education and gain employment.

“Without ASBTs, students would find it much more difficult

THEY ENTER A DIFFERENT WORLD WHERE THEY ARE TREATED MORE LIKE ADULTS AND ARE GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY 34 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

to enter the working world when they leave school,” Garlett says.

“ASBTs offer students who are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling an opportunity to become qualified in a Certificate II across a range of industries.

“It also provides a pathway to year 12 completion, further education and training or employment – outcomes that may not have been possible without the ASBT program.”

SMYL works with 168 schools to identify eligible students and match them with businesses around WA. Garlett says more than 350 school-based trainees have commenced in 2016 – a number he believes will only increase as the year goes on.

SMYL engages with students, their mentors, businesses and schools to ensure the students get the most from their placements and are supported throughout their traineeships.

“School-based trainees are mentored and monitored throughout the course of the program by qualified staff,” Garlett says.

“Students are seen monthly in the workplace, on training days and at school events as well as at school or at home should issues arise.

“Trainees are eligible for cultural support from a senior aboriginal officer and field officers with the same language group, which increases retention both at school and in the workplace.

“Mentors will coach trainees in dealing with training and workplace issues and develop career plans for them.”

In Garlett’s experience, school-based traineeships don’t just benefit the students but also future employers because students learn workplace skills they wouldn’t gain otherwise.

“When they enter into a traineeship, they enter a different world where they are treated more like adults and are given responsibility that they do not get as a student,” Garlett says.

“They learn skills relevant to their chosen occupation and have the chance to work with big companies across the metropolitan area – and if things go well the company could become their employer.”

SMYL and CCI work closely together to engage SMYL’s Aboriginal school-based trainees and support them in their transition from school to work.

Employers interested in helping host a SMYL trainee or finding out more about the program can phone (08) 9430 4921. ¢

WINNERS

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS CCI congratulates its winning Members on their outstanding achievements

Business News 40under40 – First Amongst Equals

Office of Multicultural Interests – Multicultural Awards

Blackburne Property Group

Private Sector Award for Outstanding Contribution to Multiculturalism

Owner and Managing Director of Blackburne Property Group Paul Blackburne has been named as ‘First Amongst Equals’ of WA Business News’ 40under40 Awards.

The 40under40 Awards celebrate those under the age of 40 who have inspired and demonstrated entrepreneurship and commercial drive within their chosen field, balanced with philanthropic pursuits and commitment to the welfare of WA. Since forming in 2003, Blackburne Property Group has established itself as a fully integrated property developer, providing services from strata management and finance broking through to investor education. In the last four years Blackburne has successfully developed more than 700 apartments and over 5,500 square metres of commercial space.

Blackburne says the award – which he describes as “the most prestigious of its kind for under 40-year-olds in WA” – doesn’t just recognise the business’ achievements but also the community work they do. Blackburne is on the board of Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) and is a founder and the primary funder of the new Child Protection Unit (CPU) in Cambodia.

“It’s recognition of the many years of hard work by hundreds of people both within Blackburne and the charity work by the team in Cambodia,” Blackburne says.

“Awards like this have great profile and provide a platform to grow our business and charity work.”

Blackburne was also the 2014 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist and won the REIWA Grand Master Award four times.

Blackburne also won the Medium-sized Business Award, which was proudly sponsored by CCI.

If you have a winning story you’d like to share, email

Fortis Consulting was announced as the 2016 Winner of OMI Private Sector Award for Outstanding Contribution to Multiculturalism. The award acknowledges Fortis’s significant body of work and proven successes in multiculturalism including:

Making real, innovative and lasting positive change for complex organisations with culturally and linguistically diverse staff, clients and communities

Living and breathing cultural diversity through its own employment and work practices

Having a passion for the vitality and measurable financial results that come from effective cultural diversity programs in workplaces, communities and organisations

Developing innovative resources and tools focused on helping organisations achieve diversity for performance Fortis Consulting prides itself on the close relationships it has formed and the dramatic results achieved throughout the delivery of its various diversity programs. Fortis Director of Education and Training Mary Gurgone accepted the award on behalf of Fortis Consulting and says the company is delighted to be recognised as leaders in the area of multiculturism, especially when compared to much larger organisations.

“Our deepest thanks goes to those people, both our staff and our clients, that lead us to deliver such quality outcomes,” Gurgone says.

“We look forward to continuing this legacy of positive change well into the future.”

editor@cciwa.com MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 3 5

FIVE TOP FIVE

EXCITING ACCELERATORS

THEY HAVE RECRUITED A NETWORK OF MENTORS FROM ALL ACROSS AUSTRALIA

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RIIT Unearthed The Unearthed Accelerator is a six-month program that gives start-ups access to industry mentors, one-on-one sessions with business experts and access to seed funding in exchange for a percentage of company equity.

In 2014, Justin Strharsky, Zane Prickett and Paul Lucey founded the not-forprofit Resources Innovation through Information Technology (RIIT) in 2014 which aims to create a sustainable technology innovation ecosystem to empower the local resources sector from this Unearthed was born.

In two years, six Unearthed 54-hour long hackathon events have been held in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to solve problems and achieve real outcomes for the resources industry.

Spacecubed Spacecubed is a social enterprise designed to support WA’s entrepreneurs – a projected 20,000 of them by 2025. The brainchild of Brodie McCulloch, Spacecubed was hatched in 2012 to create a commercial rental arrangement on a small scale to allow entrepreneurs, predominately techfocussed, to rent a desk or space for months, a year or longer. Now boasting 650 members, the organisation’s collaborative spaces, entrepreneurial hubs, programs and events are all about “moving people from ideas to action”. The Spacecubed Intensify Scholarship provides support for selected entrepreneurs in the early stages of idea development to move their idea forward.

KPMG Energise KPMG’s accelerator is a three-month intensive program for start-ups in the energy and natural resources (ENR) industry to promote innovation and collaboration across the sector. Participating start-ups connect with mentors from some of Australia’s leading ENR companies.

The program helps industry identify major operational problems and supports both large companies and these companies and Australia’s leading technology start-ups by helping identify major operational problems and then giving Australia’s best and brightest ENR tech start-ups the opportunity to present their solutions.

Participants have access to mentorship and advisory services at no cost or equity.

Vocus Upstart (previously Amcom Upstart) Vocus Upstart is a three-month program of intensive mentorship that provides $40,000 funding in return for an eight per cent equity stake in each tech start-up.

Participants work from Spacecubed and have access to the Spacecubed network.

Vocus Upstart Managing Director Robert Nathan described the program as “a mentor-driven accelerator program”. He said they have recruited a network of mentors from all across Australia, including successful entrepreneurs who’ve built and sold companies, and angel investors.

To be considered, start-ups need to solve a customer problem or satisfy a real need with their software prototype.

RAC Seedspark RAC SeedSpark is a start-up accelerator program that provides funding and support to create a mobile app to help create a better WA. In 2015, participants worked on their ideas for two months and three start-ups were selected to receive $20,000 in seed funding and participate in the 2016 accelerator program in November 2015. All participants have access to RAC mentors and start-up experts to help develop their applications.

Successful 2016 start-ups include an online marketplace where parents can discover, book and pay for after-school activities, a mobile app that helps users plan and share their travels, and an online disability directory that helps families find quality service providers.

36 B US I NE S S P U L S E M AY 20 1 6

HELLO GOODBYE

HELLO IT’S GOODBYE FOR ANOTHER EDITION AND

TO SOME OF CCI’S NEWEST MEMBERS.

International Maritime Consultants W.M. (Bill) Hicks Commercial Manager We are consulting naval architects and marine engineers specialising in new building design, vessel conversions, naval architecture, offshore engineering and vessel acquisition management.

T +61 (0)8 9335 1991 E commercial@imcau.com.au

Rockypest

Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation

Robert Luckens Director Our services include domestic, comerercial, industrial, pest and hygeine control. We manage rodents, termites (white ants), cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, ants, millipedes.

T (08) 9592 2566

Anne-Marie Archer CEO The Foundation is an award-winning provider of personal development and leadership programs that provide key life skills for young people aged 14-25.

T (08) 9430 4105

E admin@rockypest.com.au

E ceo@sailleeuwin.com

W www.rockypest.com.au

W www.imcau.com.au

W www.sailleeuwin.com

E-Sense Cafe

K Care Health Equipment

Maria Ferreira Manager We provide healthy, nutritional hot and cold meals, freshly squeezed jucies and great coffee.

T (08) 9325 1349 E m.ferreira1@optusnet.com.au

WE JOINED CCI TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AND GAIN MORE EXPOSURE

Greg Pearson General Manager An Australian-owned and operated manufacturer of a broad range of products distributed to hospitals, aged care, rehabilitation and veterinary clinics.

T (08) 9248 4444 E gpearson@kcare.com.au W www.kcare.com.au

West Coast Spring Water

Western Fresh Produce Pty Ltd

Matt Elliott Export manager

Paul Lill Owner/Director

A WA-owned and operated business producing bottled spring water.

Personalised service and supply of market-fresh fruit and vegetables state wide.

T (08) 9308 9400 E matt@aussienatural.net.au W www.aussienatural.net.au

T (08) 9455 7794 E paul@westernfreshproduce.com.au

To find out how you can advertise your business in Business Pulse:

WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND EXPORT MARKETS WITH THE SUPPORT OF CCI

(08) 9365 7544

advertising@cciwa.com MAY 2 016 BUSIN ES S PU L SE 3 7

Vanguard Press have pooled their resources with Lamb Print to provide an unprecedented service offering.

Having invested in state of the art printing technology as part of this integration we are able to provide an enhanced fast efficient service underpinned by traditional values.

Our service offering provides a one stop shop incorporating commercial offset, digital, web offset, continuous NCR sets, cut sheets and mailing.

For a quote or more information contact Vanguard Press on (08) 9328 1388 or info@vanguardpress.com.au vanguardpress.com.au 38 B US I NE S S P U L S E MAY 20 1 6