12 March 2024

Upcoming Public Sector events

| Rama Gaind
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Check out the latest public sector networking and education events. Photo: Supplied.

Influencing with Impact Workshop

Date: 18 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Canberra Rex Hotel
150 Northbourne Ave, Braddon, ACT
Email: [email protected]

Ever wondered how some people effortlessly achieve their goals, inspire teams, and gain support?
You can too!

Through one day of practical training, the Influencing with Impact Workshop will help you sharpen your verbal and non-verbal communication to build genuine connections, foster trust and respect, drive engagement, and achieve your goals.

Overview
Transform your communication skills to make things happen and achieve your goals.

  • Master impactful verbal and non-verbal strategies
  • Learn to tailor your messages to maximise influence
  • Build authentic connections through rapport and assertiveness
  • Hone your written communication by aligning goals with readers’ needs.

Speaker Liz Stephens is an experienced coach and trainer with an extensive career in the public service. Following her successful command tenure at the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Ms Stephens established Ripple Impact, drawing on her experiences to help others be their best selves.

In her ”day job”, Lieutenant Colonel Stephens is a facilitator, coach and mentor at the Australian Command and Staff Course.

18th Public Sector Women in Leadership Summit

Date: 18 – 22 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Canberra, ACT
Email: [email protected]

Overview
Creating influential, citizen-centric leaders who drive the success of the APS.

  • Exploit your inner entrepreneur to find better and new solutions for government and Australians
  • Seek out emerging trends and identify opportunities
  • Collaborate across agencies and sectors, build trust and diversify your outlook
  • Build awareness of your strengths and set goals to become a life-long learner.

Speakers include:
Louise Clarke
Deputy Commissioner, Policy, Analysis and Legislation
Australian Taxation Office

Letitia Hope
Deputy Secretary, Families & Communities
Department of Social Services

CMDR Krissy Barrett
Assistant Commissioner, Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations
Australian Federal Police

Project Management Foundations Workshop

Date: 19 – 20 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Online
Email: [email protected]

Ready to get ahead in your career with excellent project management skills? Invest in your professional development and position yourself for career advancement.

Join the Project Management Foundations Workshop and tackle your projects at work with confidence, mitigate risks, and enhance stakeholder satisfaction.

Overview
Project success simplified – mastering projects with confidence.

  • Understand the overall context and life cycle for successful project management
  • Learn how to construct a project management plan using a structured and integrated approach
  • Adopt communication strategies to manage stakeholders’ expectations
  • Identify effective problem-solving techniques to manage project issues.

Speaker Omid Haass is a lecturer at RMIT University’s School of Property, Construction and Project Management in Melbourne. He earned his doctoral degree in project management specialising in large-project evaluation. Dr Haass has more than 16 years of diverse professional experience, including roles such as project management office director and quality manager.

He is a certified project management professional (PMP) and certified scrum master (CSM), actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) and PMI Melbourne chapter since 2014.

Crisis Communication for Leaders with Dr Louise Mahler

Date: 19 March, 2024
Time: All day
Location: Online
Email: [email protected]

In times of crisis, what leaders say, how they say it, and when they respond are all crucial factors in not just the public reception of their organisations, but also the success or failure of their leadership.

The Hatchery has again partnered with renowned leadership communication and body language expert Dr Louise Mahler to deliver an engaging, insightful and, above all, useful seminar on how to respond in times of crisis in a way that is empathetic, authentic and impactful.

Join her and equip yourself with the concepts, methods and tools to effectively calm the waters and steady the course during turbulent times.

Dr Mahler is an executive coach, a media commentator, an author, and a leadership communication and body language expert.

She is recognised as a Top 30 Global Guru in both body language and communication and is Professional Speakers Australia’s 2021 Keynote Speaker of the Year.

QLD Public Sector AO 5-6 Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Workshop

Date: 19 – 20 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Cliftons Brisbane
24/288 Edward St, Brisbane City, QLD
Email: [email protected]

We are living and working in an environment where evidence is paramount, and the highly valued skills of critical thinking and problem solving will become key differentiators among high-performing leaders of the future.

As an AO 5-6 officer, you are at the ideal level to establish core skills in this domain.

Take advantage of this opportunity to tap into your leadership strengths and apply innovative problem-solving techniques to make better decisions.

Overview
Practical, outcome-driven models for critical thinking and problem solving.

  • Unpack critical thinking as a mental process and set of action steps to address everyday problems
  • Use a structured systems thinking approach to analysing problems and designing solutions
  • Leverage the skills of creative and lateral thinking in complex problem solving
  • Overcome common roadblocks to critical thinking and problem solving.

Speaker Michael Collins is one of the region’s leading talent, leadership and change experts, with more than 25 years’ experience in roles spanning Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Serving in executive roles within the Australian Defence Force and Coca-Cola Amatil, Mr Collins is a trusted adviser, thought leader and seasoned practitioner in the field of leadership assessment and development.

Armed with academic credentials including an MBA and a PhD in neurocognitive leadership, he blends practical experience with scholarly insight in his role as a trusted adviser and thought leader.

Excel Intermediate Workshop

Date: 21 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Online
Email: [email protected]

Master Time-Saving Tips and Tricks
Excel is one of the most widely used software programs in the world. It provides users with the ability to create spreadsheets, track data, and perform complex calculations. Excel proficiency is a desirable skill set for many jobs and industries, making it a valuable investment in personal and professional development.

Key outcomes you will explore:

  • Identify key foundations of Excel and its application as a business decision-making tool
  • Understand Excel best-practice principles and their significance
  • Gain a broader framework of the skills required in Excel beyond just formulas
  • Strategies to build solutions that help answer critical business questions
  • Tools for grouping data and data validation.
  • Use Excel more efficiently and effectively to improve productivity
  • Understand and use more advanced formulas and functions in Excel
  • Tackle complex calculations and utilise time-saving short cuts
  • Optimise your workflow by automating manual tasks
  • Analyse, format and manage data using advanced Excel tools and techniques.

Speaker Mandy Vyner is a seasoned IT professional with more than three decades of experience in transformative technology training services, specialising in Microsoft Office solutions. She led successful change initiatives in various sectors, collaborating closely with clients to design precise training programs.

With expertise in instructional design, coaching, mentoring, and project and change management, Ms Vyner excels in facilitating training across diverse industries and has a proven track history of achieving outstanding results.

Neurodiversity for Managers and Leaders Workshop

Date: 21 March, 2024
Time: 9 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Online
Email: [email protected]

Do you believe in the power of collaboration beyond differences?

The Neurodiversity for Managers and Leaders Workshop is designed exclusively for managers and leaders like you, aiming to equip you with the knowledge, tools and strategies to champion neurodiversity within your teams.

Overview
A hands-on guide to cultivating inclusivity and team success.

  • Understand neurodiversity in the workplace
  • Explore adaptive leadership strategies that address the diverse needs of your teams
  • Identify opportunities to improve team psychological health and performance
  • Develop a tailored action plan to implement neurodiversity-informed leadership practices.

Speaker Patricia Falcetta, a seasoned facilitator with more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors, is a passionate advocate for neurodivergent individuals. She founded Social Living Solutions to provide comprehensive support for neurodivergent youth, families and adults, including a holistic program and published resources.

Ms Falcetta’s expertise extends to national and international organisations, focusing on mental health, wellbeing and neurodiversity. She’s a sought-after speaker at conferences worldwide. With qualifications in positive psychology, education support, and business, she’s an accredited emotional intelligence practitioner and is pursuing accreditation as a strengths profile practitioner.

Ms Falcetta’s contributions earned her recognition as an “Iconic Woman Creating a Better World for All” by the Women’s Economic Forum in 2020, and she was a finalist in the ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards in 2019 and 2022.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams

Date: 21 March, 2024
Time: 10 am – 4:30 pm
Location: One 6.4-hour face-to-screen session
Email: https://apslearn.apsacademy.gov.au/user_login

This course helps managers create and maintain high-performing teams whereby work is aligned with government priorities. Learn how to analyse and describe high-performing teams, identify the enablers and barriers, and explain the management practices required.

Examine team strengths and areas for improvement, and plan pathways to build a high-performance culture in the workplace. Benefit from meeting and sharing thoughts, experiences and ideas about building and leading high-performing teams with other managers.

Training is in a virtual environment suitable for APS 6 – EL 2.

Effective Communication

Date: 25 – 27 March, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Three three-hour face-to-screen sessions
Email: https://apslearn.apsacademy.gov.au/user_login

This course was previously named Compelling Communication.
Almost everything we do in the workplace involves communication, and our overall job effectiveness is strongly influenced by how well we communicate.

Those in the APS require the ability to present information clearly, concisely and in a compelling manner, going to the heart of the issue with speed and clarity.

Effective communication is about being able to deliver strategic and operational information quickly and clearly to a specific target audience or individual. As such, effective communication takes into account the needs and characteristics of the specific audience.

Participants should bring two current samples of writing when they attend. These may be emails, briefs, reports, or other writing from the workplace. Editing practice can be applied directly to their own work. All writing remains confidential and will not be shared or discussed.

Training is in a virtual environment suitable for APS 1 – EL 2.

Psychological Safety Toolkit for Managers and Leaders Workshop

Date: 22 March, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Cliftons Brisbane
24/288 Edward St, Brisbane City, QLD
Email: [email protected]

The Psychological Safety Toolkit for Managers and Leaders Workshop is now available in Brisbane due to overwhelming demand.

In a rapidly changing landscape of workplace health and safety (WHS) legislation, the spotlight is on managing psychosocial risks. It’s not just a recommendation anymore; it’s a legal obligation to ensure the wellbeing of your teams.

Join the workshop, and you will:

  • Define a leader’s role in ensuring a safe and healthy work environment
  • Identify psychosocial hazards, red flags, and warning signs within your teams and organisation
  • Discover the direct correlation between professional success and mental health
  • Learn practical strategies and tools to build a high-performance workplace by prioritising your team’s wellbeing.

Don’t miss this opportunity to take your leadership skills to the next level Secure your spot now and be a driving force behind a happier, more productive team.

Speaker Kevin St Mart is a workplace mental health expert with more than 23 years of experience in work health and safety and is a consultant for the Opus Centre for Psychosocial Risk.

With qualifications in business, injury management and training and assessment, he has a well-rounded understanding of best-practice management of mental health in businesses of all sizes.

Mr St Mart previously worked at Beyond Blue as a workplace engagement manager providing training, presentations and advice to workplaces across Australia. He also led a mental health program team at the national health and safety regulator Comcare, working with the public service and large national organisations to deliver mental health training, presentations and projects.

He also worked on cross-jurisdictional mental health initiatives such as the development of the People at Work risk assessment tool and the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance.

Procurement Basics

Date: 26 March, 2024
Time: 1 pm – 3 pm
Location: Two-hour face-to-screen sessions
Email: https://apslearn.apsacademy.gov.au/user_login

Procurement Basics aims to provide APS employees with an introduction to Commonwealth procurement – external site.

Awareness and understanding of the Commonwealth Procurement Framework is essential to ensure compliance when APS employees are required to commit and expend Commonwealth funds through procurement.

This course has been designed to build the procurement and contracting capabilities of employees as the Commonwealth seeks to deliver more strategic value-for-money outcomes when purchasing goods and services.

Training is in a virtual environment suitable for APS 1 – EL 2.

Working Effectively at the APS 5 Level

Date: 26 – 27 March, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Two three-hour face-to-screen sessions
Email: https://apslearn.apsacademy.gov.au/user_login

This program will assist you to understand the work-level standards, capability requirements and behavioural expectations at the APS 5 level. It focuses on the expectations and capability requirements detailed in the APS Work Level Standards (WLS) and the APS Integrated Leadership System (ILS).

To clarify the step-up in expectations, the program compares the APS 5 work levels and capability requirements with the APS 4 level.

Training is in a virtual environment suitable for APS 4 – APS 5.

From Compliance to Resilience: Embracing Cybersecurity in a Changing Regulatory Landscape

Date: 27 March, 2024
Time: Noon for 12:30 pm – 2 pm
Location: QT Canberra,
1 London Cct,
Canberra, ACT
Email: [email protected]

Overview
As cyber threats continue to evolve and grow in sophistication, safeguarding your business against potential risks has never been more crucial.

We’re excited to invite you to our cybersecurity event designed specifically for businesses like yours, where you will hear from Ashwin Pal – cyber security and privacy specialist at RSM.

Mr Pal will highlight changes in the legislative landscape surrounding cyber. The most impactful of these is the Small Business Exemption. Previously, businesses needed to have a turnover of $3 million or higher to have to adhere to the Privacy Act, but this has now been reduced to $0.

According to the results from the ACSC Small Business Survey, 62 per cent of respondents have experienced a cyber security incident. In 2022-23, the cost of cybercrime to businesses increased by 14 per cent compared with the previous financial year.

Small businesses experienced an average financial loss of $46,000, while cybercrimes cost medium businesses an average of $97,200, highlighting the hefty price to pay for not doing enough to mitigate this threat.

Mr Pal has more than 20 years’ experience in cyber security, risk management, and IT governance. He is passionate about providing solutions to his clients and has worked alongside many industries, including energy and utilities, government, health, mining and manufacturing.

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