Archives for June 2021

With employee engagement at staggeringly low levels (approximately 25% in Australia and New Zealand) companies across the land are putting more time, money and energy into developing workplace wellness programs.

Designed to reduce absenteeism and increase productivity, these programs typically provide services and support to employees intended to create a healthier and happier workforce.  Initiatives include free health checks, stress management support, on-site massage services, weight loss programs, gym memberships, health and lifestyle coaching and opportunities to volunteer for causes close at heart.

These are all commendable and valuable initiatives but they only go so far in addressing engagement issues.

It’s widely accepted that a positive organisational culture and belief in leadership play a massive role as do relationships with co-workers.  For millennials however, who will comprise half of the workforce by 2020, the opportunity to use their skills and abilities, find meaning in their work and access career development and advancement opportunities is significantly important, ranking in the top 5 drivers of employee satisfaction.

So, could occupational wellness be the missing piece of the jigsaw and what is it?

Our definition of occupational wellness is the extent to which people find satisfaction, enrichment and meaning through their work.  At its core, occupational wellness is about making sure that people:

·      Are satisfied with their career

·      Have opportunities to use their skills and abilities in their daily activities

·      Are happy with the balance between work and life

·      Have a manageable workload

·      Are motivated, inspired and challenged at work

·      Are developing professionally and feel supported in doing so

·      Are moving towards their career goals

·      Believe they are being fairly compensated

The lower the level of occupational wellness, the higher the incidence of workplace stress and conflict which translates to reductions in employee satisfaction and engagement.

Occupational wellness also impacts the effectiveness of learning and development initiatives.  Organisations with low occupational wellness levels investing in training may well be wasting their time and money.

Having historically been viewed as somewhat of a luxury spend, employers of choice now see occupational wellness initiatives as a business essential and crucial driver of employee satisfaction, engagement and productivity.

If you’re interested in future-proofing your business, contact us to learn more about Strategic Career Management’s occupational wellness programs.

If you are considering university studies but think that you won’t qualify for entry, there are a range of support programs and different pathways available to you.

University entry has historically been achievable by successful completion of year 12 and gaining a TER score at the minimum level or above for a particular course.

While this pathway continues to be an effective one for many, it is not the only way to access further education at university.

If you have:

·       not studied the pre-requisite subjects for your chosen course;

·       not achieved an adequate TER score for entry;

·       left education early and are seeking a return to studies;

·       not studied for a long time (e.g. due to family duties) and wish to re-enter studies;

new alternative entry points have recently been developed and are available to assist a broader field of applicants to access university level education.  Most universities within Australia are developing and offering a range of “alternative entry pathways”.

Let’s explore these further…

Enabling Courses

Enabling courses can be used to develop entry level skills for university studies.  These courses can provide foundational skills for successfully university careers.

Enabling courses are often offered over one semester and are administered in smaller, highly supported groups which assist students to acclimatise to the university environment and develop skills in academic studying and writing.  Successful completion will often guarantee entry to the course of choice and gain credit for one unit.

Enabling Outreach Courses

Some larger universities are now offering outreach services, similar to the enabling courses above, but with more assisted learning and smaller groups.  These courses are for those wishing to enter tertiary education but needing a highly supported entry point.  The universities may also work with Community organisations and Job Search Agencies to deliver the courses in a more accessible location for students.

Bridging Courses

Similar to Enabling Courses, bridging courses offer students an opportunity to further develop skills in prerequisite areas (e.g. science) prior to gaining entry to their chosen course of study.

Special Tertiary Admissions Test

For those considered “mature age” (in many states this is where a prospective student is over 19 years of age in the year of application) there are further options.  You can sit a Special Tertiary Admissions Test, which is usually sat on one day and includes a general intelligence element and an essay.  The results from these tests provide a score which can be used in lieu of a TER in applying for a university course.

Local colleges often offer preparation courses to assist students to understand the test format and reduce anxiety in sitting the STAT test.

Vocational Education Training & TAFE Pathways

Many universities and TAFE’s have an agreed pathway arrangement where a student can commence a course at Cert III, IV and then continue to Diploma level and transition into a specified university level course on completion.

For many learners, this is a preferable process, as it offers short term goals, an opportunity to re-enter study for a shorter period and gain confidence, while building skills and providing clear progress points along the way.  There are instances where a university will give credit for work (usually at Diploma/Advanced Diploma) level and advanced standing into the course of choice, thus reducing the overall time in study.

Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL)

Credit for Recognition Learning (previously RPL or Recognition of Prior Learning) is another approach for those with previous study or work experience (paid or voluntary) where they can demonstrate certain skills in an area.  Each institution has their own preferred method of applying CRL and should be contacted directly.

Portfolio Entry

Portfolio Entry allows prospective students (both school leavers and mature entry candidates) to use a combination of WACE courses, Vocational Education course results, training, endorsed programs along with an introductory letter, resume and letters of support to apply for a place.

Vocational Education Training (VET) in Schools

Some students within the high school system will choose not to work towards university entry via an ATAR program.  While there may be an ambition to gain entry, some student’s learning styles are better supported in the VET system and using the VET Vocational Education Training programs offered through schools may provide assistance in gaining entry to the field of study sought.

For example, a student may choose a VET course in Cert III Health Services, post Year 11-12 this can be followed by a Cert IV in Preparation for Nursing, then a Diploma of Nursing.  This can then create a pathway to university and there may be an ability to apply credits the Nursing course.

Ready to start learning?

If you are interested in any of the above options, it is important to talk to someone who can help you:

Contact your local TAFE, Registered Training Organisation or University directly, ask your school Career Adviser, or contact me to discuss your needs in identifying your best pathway to success.

Note:  This blog has been previously published on www.myfuture.edu.au and has been edited for publication here.

How quick are you to give up?  You tried but it’s no good.   It’s not making a difference.

It happened to me last month.  To allow a wrist injury time to heal, I’d been instructed to wear a wrist brace 24/7 that immobilises my right wrist and thumb.  Guess what?  I’m right handed, have three children, my own business and a house to run.  Hello?? I need results!  Now!

So for the first week, I wore the brace most of the time but struggled to wear it at night.  Instead of using my right hand, I was clumsily chopping vegetables with my left hoping to still have all ten digits remaining on my hands by the time dinner was ready.  By the second week I’d already had enough.  It was getting in the way now, slowing me down.  Anyway my wrist was hurting more than it had before I wore the brace.  Clearly it wasn’t working.  I spent less and less time wearing it.

When I went back to the OT guess what?  She told me I HAVE to wear it 24/7 if I want it to get better.  She also rather tactfully made it clear to me I need to adjust my expectations around when the injury will recover.  So here I am now, arm in brace, typing very clumsily, hitting an embarrassing number of wrong keys but persisting all the same.

It got me thinking though.  Clearly I had an expectation that change would be pretty immediate and when it wasn’t, I was all too ready to give up.  In fact, I was creating reasons in my head why I should.  They’d given me the wrong splint.  The scan hadn’t picked up the full scale of the injury.  The ‘give up’ strategy was a whole lot easier than dealing with uncomfortable, difficult and challenging.  I could just stick with the pain I knew.

As an executive coach I frequently work with clients who are experiencing some sort of pain at work.  They tell me they want to develop behavioural flexibility; to learn, practice and build skills that will help them ease their pain and do their jobs better.  But often they too are all too quick to give up.

Perhaps we would do well to remember that our success in developing new workplace skills and habits to the point we can use them effortlessly and reap the benefits is no different to learning to write with your left hand when you’re right handed.  It takes effort, persistence and regular practice to teach ourselves to do things differently.  It requires us to tolerate short term pain for long term gain and to let go of the need for quick results for the benefit of longer term change and much improved results.  It also requires us to continually reflect, learn and adapt our strategy as we go.

So I’m committing to wearing my brace day and night and I’m using it as an opportunity to strengthen my fine motor skills in my left hand, even if it takes me longer to do my usual activities.

So I ask you.  What have you given up on too easily recently?  Next time you see an opportunity to improve the way you think or do things, ditch the excuses and give it a bloody good go.