A Culture of Learning

Building a high-performing learning culture to support the development
of individual and organisational capability needed for now, and in the future.
Developing high-performing, professional and ethical leaders and managers.

TASMANIAN STATE SERVICE LEARNING FRAMEWORK

A Tasmanian State Service Learning Framework (the Framework) has been designed and developed by a cross agency working group led by the State Service Management Office (SSMO). The Framework aims to build a high-performing learning culture and highlights that learning is not a separate activity from work. The Framework is currently being piloted in the Department of Communities Tasmania and will then be available for implementation across all agencies.

The Framework outlines four key principles, four key activities and identifies roles and responsibilities for everyone to be involved in. The Framework asks everyone to engage, to be continuous learners, to value learning in the context of work, and to take responsibility for their own learning and development. The Framework is about sharing knowledge and building individual and organisational capability, recognising that continuous learning and capability building is central to agency performance and productivity.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

State Service Strategic Management Program (S3MP)

The S3MP is a joint program delivered by SSMO and Tasmania Police in partnership with the University of Tasmania (UTAS). Participants who successfully complete the S3MP are awarded a Professional Honours (Public Sector Leadership and Management).

In 2020-21, 11 State Service employees continued their participation in the S3MP, alongside participants from Tasmania Police, as the fourth cohort to undertake the program.

During 2020-21, 14 Senior Executive Service officers were assigned to other
offices as part of intra, or inter-agency mobility arrangements.

MANAGER DEVELOPMENT

Manager Essentials Program

The Manager Essentials Program¹⁰ is a contemporary program that develops the fundamental and essential capabilities of State Service managers (or equivalent roles). The Program uses a blend of active learning modules and learning guides including self-directed Getting Started Guides, Participant Workbooks and an On-the-job Guide that contains further activities to apply learnings back in the workplace. The Program is bookended by an Emotional Intelligence diagnostic.

In June 2020, as part of SSMO’s response to COVID-19, the delivery of the Program and its learning materials were transitioned from face-to-face delivery to a live, online facilitated learning program.

The 2020-21 period saw an additional six Manager Essentials Programs scheduled across the State. Since the inaugural program in June 2017, a total of 340 State Service managers have fully completed the Program.

GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT

The Tasmanian State Service Graduate Development program (TasGraD) provides Graduates with foundation skills and knowledge for a successful State Service career. In addition to the structured development program, TasGraDs have the opportunity to contribute to key projects within Government and play a part in the development and delivery of key policies, programs and services to the Tasmanian community.

In total, 29 Graduates from across the State Service commenced as part of the 2021 TasGraD program¹¹.

To accommodate the impacts of COVID-19, the development program was modified to an online delivery model in 2020 and 2021.

Since commencing in 2017, a total of 152 Graduates
have participated in the TasGraD Program.

TASMANIAN TRAINING CONSORTIUM (TTC) ACTIVITIES

Now in its 26th year of operating, the TTC continues to offer courses that are well regarded and deliver valuable skills and knowledge within the Tasmanian public sector, including not only the State Service, but also local and Australian Government entities, and a number of Government Business Enterprises.

Following the TTC’s temporary closure from April – June 2020 because of COVID-19, it re-opened with a reduced Calendar from 1 July 2020. Demand steadily increased during 2020-21.

The TTC delivered 75 Calendar courses across the state to a total of 1,173 participants. A number of new courses were offered including:

• Data@Work in the public sector;
• Leading Teams through Change;
• Mechanics of Modern Government; and
• The ABC of Strategy and Strategic Thinking.

TTC delivered a series of new programs relating to transparency and governance which attracted strong interest (i.e. Public Interest Disclosure and Right to Information - Foundations and Practice).

Demand also remained strong for a number of established courses.

Offering both face-to-face and online delivery is proving to be successful. Online delivery – where possible and appropriate - makes it easier to deliver to clients in the North and North-West and reduces some barriers to access experienced by people with disabilities.

Though fewer registrations were received for face-to-face courses in the South (750 compared with 1,016 in the previous year), there were 351 registrations for online courses, compared with 10 in the previous year.

Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) – Tasmanian division

TTC provides secretariat and event management services to support IPAA. No events were run in the period apart from the Annual General Meeting.

^{10. http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/ssmo/learning_and_development/leadership}

^{11. This includes Graduates appointed from the TasGraD pool, and Graduates appointed by agencies through other recruitment processes.}

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