The 3 big myths about study and work for community services employers: why work and study can coexist in your organisation.

Why work and study can coexist in your organisation

To build a truly great team, you know they need to undertake quality, accredited training. But sometimes it’s difficult to see how working and study can coexist when it comes to the demands of a typical community services work day. It’s not surprising then, that one of the most frequent questions asked by employers is: “How flexible are you with the training?”

If this is something you’ve ever wondered as a community services employer, you’re not alone. With the nature of aged care and disability services work being so hands on, adding study into the mix can be a daunting thought – and not just for students! It’s not unusual for employers to have a few hangups about the study/work combo as well. So how can you have the best of both worlds, and make sure you’re not compromising the health of your organisation in the process?

To help ease your mind and give you some practical strategies to support your team, we’ve busted some of the biggest myths when it comes to your employees adding a study load to their work commitments. Let’s dive in:

It can be difficult to see how working and study can coexist when it comes to the demands of a typical community services work day. It’s not surprising then, that one of the most frequent questions asked by employers is: “How flexible are you with the training?”

Myth #1: Training is just one size fits all

You know your organisation is special. So do we. That’s why we’re blowing the first myth out of the water – because your training needs are unique as well.

While each of our accredited courses is designed to reflect a course guide that is consistent across a national framework, that doesn’t mean we have a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to our delivery. We take time to understand how your community services organisation works, and what will work best to support your staff to achieve results.

Our trainers also take time to provide a contextualised learning experience. Because we are The Community Services Specialists, we know firsthand what it’s like to work in the roles we train for. We only employ qualified trainers and assessors who have extensive industry experience, and so knowledge and skills are delivered in a way that reflects the reality of your work setting.

“The team were helpful, the subjects and topics were insightful and educational. Students were given the opportunity to collaborate ideas and express experiences to reflect on the core subjects.”  – Antestia Leigh

As you investigate how training could work for your organisation, ask about how we can cater to your workplace needs. Whilst some aspects of the course will be necessary in order to satisfy the requirements, options for delivery can work to your advantage.

Myth #2: Staff will need to be off site all the time

Afraid your team will be constantly ducking off early to catch compulsory seminars? We know rostering is a major time drain for community services employers, which is why we offer flexible delivery methods. 

Our blended approach uses a combination of delivery modes, designed to meet your specific needs, such as:

–  Workshops
–  Workplace Assessment
–  Correspondence / Distance Education
–  Online
–  Phone and Email Support
–  Coaching and Mentoring

You can work with us to maximise the training outcomes for your team. Ask us about tailoring a program specific to your needs and the needs of your organisation, so your workload doesn’t increase just because your team is undertaking study.

Myth #3: There’s no support from trainers

An employers biggest nightmare can be the dreaded pushback and negativity from students, fuelled by a lack of support from the training organisation after the study program begins. Unanswered emails, lack of follow-up and zero verbal communication are all common gripes from both employers and students alike when it comes to workplace training.

This is why we undertake to keep you informed of student progress throughout their learning journey. This gives employers the peace of mind that if any issues do arise, all parties will be able to act early to provide the necessary supports for students to succeed.

“The team at Essential Skills Training and Recruitment are very professional and go beyond expectations in the level of help and advice given.”   – Sharon White

At Essential Skills Training and Recruitment, our VET Student Outcomes Snapshot shows that 87% of students who commence go on to complete their course. This is well above average for the industry, especially when compared to similar Smart and Skilled providers, where the overall non-dropout rate is only 68%. This shows that our specialised methods of support and delivery achieve high results, when compared with the rest of the industry, and our passion shows on paper too!

You can work with us to maximise the training outcomes for your team. Ask us about tailoring a program specific to your needs and the needs of your organisation, so your workload doesn’t increase just because your team is undertaking study.

Better training solutions for your community services organisation

We know you have big vision and dreams for your organisation. And our business is all about empowering you to build the team you need to help reach your goals. Since 2010, we’ve refined training delivery strategies that work for community services organisations on the ground, giving employers the support they need to ensure that staff undertaking training will add benefit to the organisation, not take away from it.

If you need to discuss your training needs, get in touch with one of our Customer Relations Officers today. And for more about training staff within your organisation, check out more helpful info via our YouTube channel.