BUSS2036 Training And Development Assessment 1

Unit Code :-  BUSS2036
Title :-  Training And Development
Assignment Type :- Assessment 1 Case study
Word Count :-  1800 words (or equivalent)
Analyse the scenario Training and Development for WHS Advisors in the Education Department and respond to questions in the context of the scenario. Your answers must link the concepts and theories in the coursework with your observations on the information provided in the scenario. General discussion of concepts without clear links to specific facts in the scenario will not be sufficient to pass.
BUSS2036 Training And Development Assessment 1

Scenario :-
Training and Development for WHS Advisors in the Education Department

The Education Department is responsible for the delivery of educational and associated services in schools across the State.
Work Health and Safety (WHS) legal compliance is one such associated service. At times there have been difficulties main taining compliance resulting in catrastrophic consequences for school communities and tarnishing the reputation of schools and the Department. Recent media focus on such issues sparked community and political concerns with the Education Union demanding the Department provide greater WHS support to school leaders. With an election on the horizon, the Premier announced safety improvements in schools as a top priority.

School leaders juggle multiple time-sensitive competing demands and may lack the resources and/or expertise to implement WHS arrangements effectively. As such the Department employs 18 full-time WHS Advisers Advisers to support school leaders in main taining WHS compliance. Each Adviser is allocated to a region to support that region’s school leaders via meetings advisory sessions, reviews and recommendations.

The role of the Adviser is challenging – they must convey complex ideas and encourage school leaders to implement potentially unfavourable changes whilst maintaining a positive on going professional relationship.

To succeed it is important that Advisers possess excellent technical knowledge of WHS coupled with a high degree of credibility in the field in addition to polished skills in persuasion diplomacy leadership and synthesising messages.

New advisers are often sourced from within the Department including teachers seeking a career change and undergo an intensive 4-week WHS training course focused on technical knowledge.

BUSS2036 Training And Development Assessment 1

After successful completion of training Advisers work autonomously in their allocated region.

There are few opportunities to engage with other Advisers. One Adviser commented that We finish training then we’re shipped off to our region and that’s how it stays – it feels like there is no support. Attrition of Advisers is high and positions can be difficult to fill. A core of 4 to 5 Advisers achieves very good compliance outcomes whilst main taining positive rapport with school leaders however the remaining regions suffer from on going compliance concerns and a negative attitude of school leaders towards WHS Advisers.

In the past the Department assumed compliance issues were due to a lack of technical skills amongst Advisers and arranged further technical training for all Advisers. Exam results showed all Advisers demonstrated solid technical knowledge.

Instead it appeared some Advisers lacked skills in communicating that knowledge persuasively and effectively. Recent performance reviews revealed that Advisers with the highest technical scores in the exams were most likely to display a gap in non-technical skills. Lately the Department has acknowledged that Advisers feel in adequately supported due to the regionally based nature of their roles minimal peer contact difficulty in sharing resources and a lack of leadership.

BUSS2036 Training And Development Assessment 1

As the Department’s new T & D Manager you are tasked with enhancing the training and development of Advisers to ensure they are well-placed to deliver the following Depart mental objectives:

1. WHS compliance changes are implemented in a timely manner
2. Ongoing maintenance of WHS compliance is evident
3. School leaders are satisfied with the quality of WHS support received from Advisers
4. The role of Adviser is seen as desirable and offers career progression opportunities.

BUSS2036 Training And Development Assessment 1

Assessment 1: Case study

Overall context: Consider the training and development of WHS Advisers when answering all 3 questions.

Format:
1800 words comprising responses to 3 questions answered in the context of the scenario Training and Development for WHS Advisors in the Education Department’. Cut and paste all questions into a Word document under which you will add your response to each. Use sub-headings within each response to clarify your answers.

References: Support your answers with a minimum of 6 (authoritative) peer reviewed journal articles in addition to the textbook (Employee Training & Development 9th Edition Raymond A. Noe).

Grading: It is important that you read this assessment in conjunction with its associated feedback form/marking rubric to understand the marking criteria used to assess your work. Download a copy from the learnonline course page.

Case Study questions:

Q1. Describe the Department’s objectives and identify key competencies WHS Advisers require to meet these objectives.
Explain the challenges involved in the training and development of WHS Advisers.
Discuss how training and development of Advisers in the key competencies identified is likely to support the Department’s objectives.

Q2. Identify strategies beyond formal training and development programs that would likely support the Department’s objectives discussing how each strategy would do so.

Q3. Describe the purpose of a training needs analysis (TNA) and the benefits likely derived from conducting a thorough needs analysis.

Advise the Department on the steps involved in conducting a needs analysis at the organisational person and
task level for the position of WHS Adviser.

At each level describe the data you would collect and the data collection method/s you would use to collect the data. Explain the rationale for your choice of data collection methods.