A Culture of Learning

Leadership Development

Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) Senior Executive Service (SES) Leadership Development Program

In 2018, 29 SES officers from across 10 agencies formed the second cohort to complete the  SES Leadership Development Program.

The Program is the keystone program for developing SES in the TSS. It provides participants with a range of themes that seek to build on the strategic and analytical capacity of public sector leaders and managers.  Sessions include topics on strategy, leadership and future of work, complex problem analysis and decision making, behavioural insights, and methods of collaboration and co-production.

Nominations for a third cohort group were called for in early 2019, with participants due to commence in August 2019. This will bring total participation in the Program to 96 senior leaders across the TSS since it commenced in 2017.

State Service Strategic Management Program (S3MP)

In August 2018, 21 TSS employees joined participants from Tasmania Police to commence the third S3MP. The S3MP is a joint program delivered by SSMO and Tasmania Police in partnership with the University of Tasmania (UTAS), with participants who successfully complete the S3MP being awarded a Professional Honours (Public Sector Leadership and Management).

Manager Development

Manager Essentials Program

The Manager Essentials Program is a contemporary program over 12 months that develops the fundamental and essential capabilities of TSS managers. The Program is aimed at current managers or equivalent roles that have responsibility for the full range of management functions (people, budgets, and resources), and consists of four active learning modules that provide managers with skills and tools to equip them to better manage.

The Program uses a blend of active learning modules, self-directed learning and an on-the-job learning guide that contains further activities to apply learnings back in the workplace. The Program is bookended by an Emotional Intelligence diagnostic.

The 2018-19, period saw an additional seven Manager Essentials Programs scheduled across the State, with 135 participants registered. The Program will continue to be offered in 2019-20.

Public Sector Management Program (PSMP)

On 14 March 2019, 13 participants from across three levels of government in Tasmania were awarded a Graduate Certificate in Business (Public Sector Management) from the Queensland University of Technology on completion of the 15-month PSMP. The PSMP is aimed at mid-level and emerging managers in Local, State, and Commonwealth Government sectors across Australia, with content delivered through intensive workshops and self-directed learning.

ANZSOG Events

The continuing partnership between SSMO and ANZSOG also provided the opportunity for managers, leaders and other employees across the TSS to attend the following ANZSOG Applied Learning Seminars in 2018-19 to increase their capabilities:

• Regulatory Policy and the Changing Role of Government – Dr Chris Walker (University of NSW);
• Using Behavioural Change as a Policy Tool – Dr Sarah Kneebone (BehaviourWorks Australia); and
• Designing Policy as an Investment – Professor Michael Mintrom (Monash University).

TSS Graduate Development Program - TasGRAD

TasGRAD provides foundation skills and knowledge to new graduates through a two-year development program.  Participants in TasGRAD develop skills in a number of areas including writing for decision-makers, financial management and Design Thinking, as part of formal learning and development. This training is then put into practice as graduates contribute to key Government projects, and the development and delivery of policies, programs and services through six-monthly rotational placements within their agency or between agencies.

In February 2019, 41 new graduates entered TasGRAD, 36 from the annual TSS graduate recruitment process and five who joined the TSS through other recruitment processes. This brought the total number of graduates to have joined the program since it commenced in 2017 to 99.

In 2018-19 the TSS hosted a total of seven interns as part of its ongoing partnership with the University of Tasmania. Interns worked on projects in the Departments of Justice, Health, Premier and Cabinet, Communities Tasmania, and Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.

Tasmanian Training Consortium (TTC) Activities

In 2018-19, the TTC delivered 116 calendar courses across the State to a total of 1,980 participants. This included 28 courses as part of the new dedicated program in the North and North West (attended by
222 participants).

The TTC continues to offer core courses that deliver valuable skills and knowledge on the inner workings of the public sector. Feedback from TTC members resulted in the following courses being added to the calendar in 2018-19:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing for Managers;
• APMG Change Management Foundation; and
• Bridges Out Of Poverty.

The 2019 TTC Client Survey attracted lower participation than previous years, however the overall level of satisfaction with the TTC has improved.  This year, 94% of clients rated the overall quality and effectiveness of TTC courses and events as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ (compared to 80% in 2017-18).

TTC Rebranding

In 2018-19, the TTC introduced a fresh look to all of its branding to complement its shift in strategic priorities, and repositioning to become the premier professional development provider for the public sector in Tasmania.

To complete the rebranding, the TTC website was also completely refreshed, to reflect the focus on providing more contemporary professional development options and the range of courses available. The website will be officially launched on 1 July 2019.

“The TTC has a solid offering of various courses to cover the many different facets of the public service.”  – Dave Tilley, Senior Policy and Projects Officer (quote from TTC Client Survey)

Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) – Tasmanian division

TTC continues to provide secretariat and event management services to support IPAA in the delivery of the IPAA Public Service Excellence Awards, and a calendar of events aimed at developing the skills and knowledge of TSS and public sector employees.  In 2018-19, TTC supported the delivery of six IPAA events.

HR Big Day Out

In November 2018, the TSS held its first HR Big Day Out, providing the opportunity for HR professionals at all levels and all career stages to gather and examine key topics impacting HR/People and Culture now, and in the future, including:

• HR as a profession;
• Diversity; and
• The Future of Work.

The HR Big Day Out was also a chance for participants to learn from each other, and an opportunity to celebrate the role HR plays in the delivery of public services.

Study Assistance

Support for employees to undertake further study is available through formal Study Assistance arrangements provided under the State Service Regulations 2011. In 2018-19, a total of 708 employees across 14 agencies accessed some form of Study Assistance (an increase from 425 in 2017-18).

The number of men accessing Study Assistance increased to 140, and the number of women increased to 568 (from 87 and 338 respectively in 2017-18). There continued to be a range of course discipline areas studied in 2018-19, including:

• biosecurity;
• marketing;
• natural cultural heritage;
• information management;
• human rights;
• accounting/finance;
• education/teaching;
• social work;
• project management; and
• science.

In 2018-19, the TSS supported 17 employees to develop their skills and knowledge through secondment to UTAS, unions and the not-for-profit sector. Three arrangements also brought new skills into the TSS from the NSW Government, Tasmania Police and Aurora Energy.