Embedding the APS Values: Case studies and other supporting material

Please note: These documents are for reference purposes only and are no longer considered by the APS Commission to be current. They may contain good practice advice and/or advice on the transitional arrangements between the 1922 and 1999 Public Service Acts.

globe Useful references

Case study 36:
Department of Transport and Regional Services:
Learning and development

Background

The Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) is committed to a values-based approach to managing its people and strongly encourages workplace behaviours consistent with APS Values and departmental values. This is reflected in people management policies and systems, including learning and development.

Continual learning is important in any organisation to achieve results and provide staff with challenging and interesting careers. DOTARS recognises that in order to achieve its vision of a high performing organisation and a great place to work it needs to have a strong focus on achieving results for stakeholders and clients, and on developing staff. DOTARS' Investor in People (IiP) accreditation is evidence of its commitment to improving performance to achieve business goals through developing people.

Description

The Secretary's Statement of Future Skills Requirements was launched in 2001 to articulate to staff the focus on learning and development in DOTARS over the following three years. This document is reviewed annually.

The statement provides the basis for developing and promoting agency-wide learning and development programs, and helps line managers and individuals make choices about appropriate learning and development activities.

The philosophy behind the statement is to:

ensure that learning and development achieves the best results for DOTARS, its employees, clients and stakeholders
recognise that both formal and informal learning are necessary to improve performance
ensure that both managers and employees take responsibility for their development needs and career aspirations
ensure learning and development fits in with DOTARS' performance review cycle and business objectives.

The intranet gives staff access to a user-friendly learning and development site that:

provides staff with on-site access to DOTARS' preferred training providers such as the APS Commission, the National Training Register and Australian universities
provides access to information on other learning and development initiatives such as Studybank, the mentoring program, executive coaching, the Senior Women in Management program, the Career Development Assessment Centre, Leading in DOTARS and career development for women
enables staff to book some courses online, such as IT courses.

To evaluate its learning and development strategies, DOTARS has integrated IiP criteria into staff surveys and performance management. An annual audit acts as a regular benchmarking exercise and helps managers focus on the effective management of learning and development in the agency, and the contribution learning and development makes to achieving business outcomes.

DOTARS places a high importance on making a clear commitment to staff development. This is reflected in a commitment to learning and development, a comprehensive Studybank scheme and an ongoing commitment to maintaining IiP accreditation. The organisation's accreditation as an Investor in People is indicative of its level of commitment to staff development and linking individual development to achieving business outcomes.

Good practice points:

there is a focus on establishing a learning culture
there is an established process (IiP indicators) for evaluating learning and development.

Key APS Values

The APS is a career-based service to enhance the effectiveness and cohesion of Australia's democratic system of government. (s. 10(1)(n) of the PS Act)

The APS focuses on achieving results and managing performance. (s. 10(1)(k) of the PS Act)

For more information please contact:

ALAN CLEARY
PHONE 02 6274 6148
alan.cleary@dotars.gov.au