With the latest round of new students about to start their Diploma, the Learning & Development team fully comprehend how some staff may get a little nervous as they begin their journey.
Last year saw over 220 Allambi Support Workers complete the CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services, issued through our partnered RTO BIAE (RTO no 45241).
It is safe to say, quite a few of those Support Workers had not sat in a classroom environment for many years and our team expects this year's students may be feeling similar levels of anxiety.
It is easy to laud the benefits of having the industry-recognised qualification and how much support each individual student will receive, however, it always means more when the previous cohort talks about how they found their return to a learning environment.
So, we asked a few Support Workers about their thoughts on the whole process, asking them to be genuine in their replies. Some of them even said they were more than happy to go ‘on the record’ to prove the L&D Team were not making the quotes up!
Jeremy Ryan explained how he had already previously completed two Diplomas (Advanced Counselling and Management) and how he found the Allambi Diploma more enjoyable and better delivered than the previous two. Jeremy believes:
“It is all down to the trainers, who have all previously worked as Support Workers. It’s so obvious that the teaching comes not from notes read out, but from the heart and from passion.
“It was right from the initial induction training. It was the best corporate training I’d received to date and it’s that level of cutting-edge leadership in training that makes Allambi such a unique, enjoyable, and exciting workplace,” Jeremy said.
Nicole Edmonds believed two things stood out for her:
“First was the relevance of the course and how many times I went ‘oh so that’s why we do it that way,’ or ‘I will definitely remember that next time I’m in that situation.’
“Secondly the support available and completing it with my peers. Knowing that we had so many people to call upon made it, for me, less stressful and more enjoyable.”
With the Diploma, each member of staff is designated an L&D Trainer to assist them with their progress through the units.
Ben Jones, Manager of L&D, says, “It’s important our Support Workers know we are here to support them one hundred per cent through the Diploma. Our trainers are approachable at all times, be that on the phone, via text, by email or even in person.
“Each month the expectation is our Support Workers complete their Diploma workbooks and where they get stuck, they have the capacity to reach out to get assistance. Quite often, our trainers will organise an hour face-to-face session where they walk through the workbook with the Support Worker.”
Ben also stated how much feedback related to the fact the trainers had also once been at the cutting face of the organisation, making the information they shared with their workshops more plausible.
Other staff from last year’s intake agreed, noting the support they received often went above and beyond their expectations, while the fact they were being trained by previous Support Workers made it all easier to comprehend.
“I found it well-structured, while great with time management. A lot of assistance and details. Lots of advice and help.”
“The training is real, practical, and down-to-earth. It addresses the realities of what Support Workers face daily and equips them to have a greater understanding of their work and enhances their ability to provide high-quality service to clients.”
“The training is highly rated due to the trainers all having worked as Support Workers. Therefore, the delivery is both genuine and passionate.”
Eseta Nanai said the Diploma as a whole, had made her a much better Support Worker.
“I learned so much from all trainers. It has enhanced my communication skills, along with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams. The skill I have learned most definitely has made me a better Support Worker, enabling me to be more effective in my role.”
The Learning & Development team are here for any questions you may have about your Diploma learning, so please reach out to discuss any misgivings you may have. Or, you can ask your peers!
