Success Stories

Skills Development Program for Indigenous Australians

Throughout 2007, Gary worked with a Perth based Aboriginal organisation to develop a strategy for the delivery of skills development programs for aboriginal people wanting to secure sustainable employment. 

A key component of the strategy was a submission to the Australian Government for funding to invest in much needed training infrastructure and equipment at the organisation’s training facility.

Gary conducted a feasibility study, assisted the organisation to define its strategic direction, produced a formal business plan and prepared a funding submission.

The organization was provided with over $300,000 under the Australian Government’s Vocational Infrastructure for Indigenous People (VIIP) arrangements.

Employment Solutions for the Australian Upstream Oil and Gas Industry

From late 2006 to the present, Gary has worked on a range of projects for the Australian upstream oil and gas industry. 

Working with the industry association, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA), Gary has developed a skills development strategy designed to increase the employment participation of under-represented groups in the oil and gas workforce such as women and Indigenous Australians.

With Gary’s assistance, APPEA was funded by the Australian Government under the National Skills Shortage Strategy (NSSS) program to work with registered training organisations in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Preparation for employment courses has been conducted in the three locations during 2007 with the graduates from these courses moving into employment in the industry.

Review of Operations for the Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training

In late 2007 and early 2008, Gary undertook a formal review of the equipment and resourcing requirements at the Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training (ACEPT).

The ACEPT facility is located on the edge of the Henderson marine and industry complex about 15 kilometres south of Fremantle. The facility opened in late 2007 and contains a fully operational process plant.

Although the ACEPT facility was designed to deliver industry required training there were some concerns expressed by industry clients soon after the opening of the facility that some technical areas were not covered by the resources and equipment available.

Gary undertook a comprehensive review of the facilities equipment and resources and mapped these against the requirements of the relevant national industry training packages. As a result of the review, ACEPT purchased some additional training equipment and simulation software and the industry concerns were removed.

Strategic Planning for Western Australian TAFE Colleges

From early 2007 to the present, Gary has been working with a number of Western Australian TAFE colleges in the development of long term strategic plans.

TAFE colleges are large, complex organisations that are required to deliver training and assessment services to satisfy industry, community and individual needs. TAFE colleges are also required to respond to changing national and state education and training policy and as such the strategic plans that direct a college’s operation need to recognise a broad range of external factors.

Gary brings to these strategic planning processes a broad understanding of vocational education and training developed over 25 years as a lecturer, policy officer, manager and client of the system. Gary’s approach to strategic planning is simple – it needs to be SMART – specific, measurable, achieveable, realistic and timely. 

The Western Australian TAFE colleges assisted by Gary now have in place strategic plans that are helping these organisations to satisfy the requirements of their clients and that allow them to appropriately measure the college performance.