Corporate Workplace “Soft Skills” Training & Development
Introduction
News & Opportunities
Effective Training    
Conventional vs Contemporary Methodology    
References
Training & Development Overview   
Training Programs      

     Online VET, Professional & Career Training 
Why?
How?        
eLearning University & MBA        
Professional Qualifications ACCA & CIMA
European Computer Driving Licence ECDL
 Online English – IELTS
Associates    
Links

 

Introduction

Training should be the last resort for development of workplace skills and not the ”outsourcing of management or workplace issues”.

Why? It is more effective to develop skills in the workplace where we both acquire and maintain our work skills. Those in management and supervisory positions should have ”Train the Trainer” skills to develop their own people through needs assessment, counselling, workshops and on the job training according to your HR development plans.

News & Opportunities

AIEC QUEST can offer online Vocational (VET) qualifications recongised under the Australian Qualifications Framework in cooperation with WebTrain

What are the features of effective competency based training & development?

Effective competency based training is not a magic answer but a cyclical process (see QUEST logo), as found in Kolb’s theory that is integrated with a company's operations, with methodology accepting multiple learning styles or intelligences highlighted by Gardner and should include the following steps:

1. Perception of Issue or Need
2. Fact Finding & Training Needs Analysis
3. Competencies/Learning Objectives Developed
4. Development Program Designed
5. Development Program Delivered
6. Evaluation
7. Follow up on Competencies
8. Further Development on Needs or Issues

Conventional versus Contemporary:

QUEST follows the proven methodology of the Contemporary or Enterprising approach to training and development influenced by Kolb and Gardiner and not the traditional Conventional or Pedagogical. What’s the difference?

Conventional vs. Contemporary

  1. Changes rarely stay vs Relevant and changes stay.
  2. Focus on content vs. Focus on process.
  3. Limited client input vs. Significant client input.
  4. Dominated by trainer vs. Ownership by participant.
  5. Expert hands down knowledge vs. Trainer as fellow learner/facilitator.
  6. “Know What” vs. “Know How”.
  7. Passive knowledge vs. Generating knowledge.
  8. Session heavily programmed vs. Sessions flexible & responsive to needs.
  9. Learning objectives imposed vs. Learning objectives negotiated.
  10. Mistakes looked down upon vs. Mistakes to be learned from.
  11. Emphasis upon theory vs. Emphasis upon practice, attitudes & skills.
  12. Subject/functional focus vs. Problem/multidisciplinary focus.

(Sources: Torino Group, 1998, “Re-designing Management Development in the New Europe”, European Training Foundation & Lapidus, 2002, “A Guiding Light”, Management Today, London.)


References:

Mölnlycke Health Care - Presentation & Communication Skills
Magyar Intertoll - Presentation, Report Writing, Stress Management, Supervision & Customer Service
CMS Cameron McKenna - Legal Presentation & Communication Skills
Getronics – IT Presentation & Communication Skills
Garanti Bank (Turkey) - Presentation & Communication Skills
Fisher-Rosemount Emerson, Technical Department - Presentation Skills
Vodafone - Team Building Away Days and Presentation Skills
MEMRB Retail Audits - Team Building, Customer Service, Problem Solving & Away Days
Pharmavision Kft. – Customer Service Skills, Team Building & Away Days
AIG Investment CEE – Presentation Skills
South African Breweries International Management – Change & Open Plan Office Culture Workshop
K & H Bank – Sales, Presentation & Negotiation Skills
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade DFAT Embassies: Budapest, Belgrade & Zagreb – Customer Service, Best Practice, Time Management, Team Building & Away Days.
QBE Insurance CEE – Presentation Skills
Glaxo Smith Kline – Presentation Skills

Workplace Training & Professional Development Overview

Training Services Offered:

Custom designed “soft skills” programs which address specific workplace development needs, "away days/weekends" and industry tours.

A selection of custom courses we can design and deliver:

For summary of competencies for accredited training click here Other recognised vocational programs or eLearning systems available in areas of Metals Engineering, Transport & Logistics, Occupation & Health Safety OH & S, Tourism & Hospitality, Security and Financial Services, through our Australian based partners and WebTrain.

Clients include Ericsson, Optus, Meat & Livestock Australia, China Institute of Defence, Science and Technology, Beijing Tourism Group, Boston Business School, NSW Road Traffic Authority, Monash Business School, W.A College of Agriculture, QBE Insurance, Construction Skills Training Centre, Beijing Olympic Committee, Adecco, Samsung Communications, Education Channel Australia, Crown Casino and Department of Defence.

QUEST partner company Corporate Communications can also assist with Business & Executive English Intensives and Anglo immersion in Budapest and Oxford.

eLearning, Career Training & University Online or Book Based Studies

Australian Nationally Recognised VET qualifications which are accredited Certificates & Diplomas see www.ntis.gov.au & www.aqf.edu.au in:

Business Services in Management, Human Resources, Marketing, Administration or eBusiness
Retail Operations
Workplace Assessment & Training
(similar to “Train the Trainer”)

For summary of competencies click here

Why?

Can be used to invest in development of personnel, internationally recognised, competencies developed and reviewed by industry and assesses existing workplace competencies,. Credits can be received for previous study and Recognition of Prior Learning RPL. Also useful for further Australian migration assessment points, credit for further study in Australia and EU.

How does it Work?

1. Application Documents? Require a high school diploma &/or documented professional experience for RPL, and minimum of intermediate English demonstrated by entry test.
2. Choose mode of study online or book based? e.g. Diploma of Business Services in the preferred subject area
3. How much? "Indicative" fee of EUR500 for Certificate III, includes registration, online monitoring and award, with “Academic Credit Process” (for previous relevant study) assessable for EUR75 and RPL for EUR300.
4. For RPL you need a portfolio of evidence e.g. references from employers, performance appraisal results, company training attended, job descriptions, interviews, etc. then we submit to Australia for official assessment. This can dramatically reduce the number of competencies you need to study and therefore time, e.g. 4-6 weeks instead of one year!
5. Award? Upon completion you are awarded an Australian Business & Retail Academy ABRA Certificate recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework AQF and useful for credits on further study in Australia and the EU.
6. Further Study? You can study further e.g. Diploma &/or Advanced Diploma including on campus with ABRA in Australia (see www.aiec.biz ), use credit for further study, use for migration application points or to prove professional workplace development.

University eLearning Partners

Our partners include Universitas 21, University of Southern Queensland, Charles Sturt University, Central Queensland University, Deakin University, UK’s Derby Business School and Scotland’s Continuing Professional Development. Examples of programs are:

• MBA & Masters in all subject areas
• Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas & single subjects
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ACCA. What is ACCA?
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants CIMA. What is CIMA?

University Post Graduate Level requires a recognised university diploma or degree &/or documented professional experience for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and minimum of upper intermediate English e.g. IELTS 6.0.

European Computer Driving Licence ECDL www.ecdl.co.uk


Online English – International English Language Testing System – IELTS

What is IELTS? IELTS was developed by the British Council and Australia’s International Development Program IDP to evaluate the level of vocational or academic English and is now the preferred English test of international education institutions, organisations and immigration authorities. We can assist with two self study modules, Basic English and IELTS preparation:

BASIC English program that takes people with very little English to IELTS level 4 i.e. pre-intermediate. It contains 32 lessons, 4 tests, many video and audio files plus interactivities, 1 CD and username.

ADVANCED English program aimed at preparation for the IELTS test. It contains 101 lessons, some 250 videos, thousands of audio files, many interactivities and 24 IELTS practice tests, 5 CD’s and username.


Associates

Kenn Payne spent 25 years owning and managing a retail furniture business before commencing a new career in SME development i.e. business consulting, training and development. Kenn has been consulting on development programs for local authorities, councils and government departments in Australia and management of SME’s in indigenous communities. Development programs include change management, retail operations, leadership, small business, management, marketing and SME establishment. Cert. IV Workplace Assessment & Training, Cert IV Frontline Management, B. Bus (Retail Management), MBA & Member AIM.

Tim Gittins from Wales worked in HR for the UK Department of Fisheries & Agriculture followed by education and training career in Hungary and Central Europe, with expertise in cross cultural theory and issues. This includes lecturing in HRM at Szeged, Budapest Economics and Budapest Technical Universities, and conducting corporate training in SME’s and MNC’s. Tim has been integral in developing EU Leonardo VET fund management development project in CEE SME’s with other partners including Tesco, Krakow Chamber of Commerce, Krakow Economics University, Budapest Economics University and other partners. Tim also is the face of Henley Management College in CEE assisting with visiting lecture seminars, marketing and recruitment. B. Agricultural Economics, Cert. TEFL, MBA & “Train the Trainer”

Chris Aston hails from Oxford but soon found himself in Hungary where he worked for IDP’s ACE in the mid 90’s. Chris then developed his own business language training company, Corporate Communications, servicing SME’s and MNC’s in Hungary and CEE. Furthermore, Chris also cooperates with QUEST on Presentation and other “soft skills” training, in addition to Study in Australia via AIEC. B.A. & Cert. TEFLA

Angela Inglis Hungarian Australian who studied education in Hungary and found herself managing Education & Training Dept. at Riverina TAFE in Griffith before returning to Hungary. In Hungary Angela has delivered training and development programs in SME’s and MNC’s in addition to working on EU funded development programs at the Hungarian Ministry of Labour. Presently Angela is an International HR Consultant with IBM Central Europe. B. Ed., Dip. Ed. & Grad. Cert. TESOL.

Links

 

Academic Training Association www.academictraining.org

Australian International Education Centre AIEC www.aiec.biz

Australian National Training Authority www.anta.gov.au

Australian Qualifications Framework AQF www.aqf.edu.au

Business Balls Development Resources www.businessballs.com

Charles Sturt University Online www.csu.edu.au

Deakin University Online & Offcampus Learning www.deakin.edu.au

DeBono's Lateral Thinking www.edwdebono.com

Derby Business School http://dbs.derby.ac.uk

European Training Foundation www.etf.eu.int

European Training Village www.trainingvillage.gr

European Centre for Development of Vocational Training www.cedefop.eu.int

Financial Times Business Education http://news.ft.com

Gardner's Multiple or Learning Intelligences

Business Management & IT Training Resources www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk

Kolb's Learning Styles

Knowledge at Wharton http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu

Learn Direct UK www.learndirect.co.uk

Management Development in CEE www.ceeman.org

Monash University Off Campus Learning www.monash.edu.au

National Training Information Service NTIS www.ntis.gov.au

North Melbourne Institute of TAFE Online http://online.nmit.vic.edu.au

Online Education Australia & International www.teachers.ash.org.au

Open Society Institute & Soros Foundation www.soros.org

Open Universities Australia www.open.edu.au

Retail Education Training Consultants www.retc.com.au

Sector Skills Councils UK www.ssda.org.uk

Skills for Business UK www.skillsforbusiness.org.uk

TAFE Queensland Online www.flexiblelearning.net.au

Trainingzone www.trainingzone.co.uk

Universitas 21 and Partners www.universitas21.com

WWW Virtual Education Library http://vlib.org