Australian Capital Training Group Pty Ltd

Approach to Service Delivery and Client Satisfaction

The company strongly believes training should be developed to meet the needs of the participants rather than delivering 'off-the-shelf' mass produced training. Participants are more likely to engage with training that can be directly related to the work place and hence they will learn more from their experience. Therefore the training is more enjoyable not only for the participant but also for the trainer. Training courses provided by the Australian Capital Training Group are always developed in consultation with the client and are tailored to meet the specific needs of the client and the participants.

The company has been providing training for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) across Australia for over ten years. The Accounting for Non-Accountants course currently presented to the ABS was developed through extensive consultation with the agency to ensure it met the needs of employees. This course is kept up-to-date with changes in accounting standards as part of our ongoing professional development. The Melbourne office has recently requested an additional day to be added to this course and development of this material, in consultation with the relevant areas within ABS, has been undertaken.

In recent times, Roslyn spent an enormous amount of time in consultation with the ABS helping with the development of an on-line accounting course. Unfortunately that course did not proceed, but this demonstrates Roslyn's commitment to developing training in consultation with and to meet the needs of the participants.

Another example is training currently provided to the ANAO which was developed through consultation with key stakeholders, both financial and performance auditors, and an extensive rewrite of a course already partially developed internally by ANAO staff.

Until early 2012 The Budget and Financial Essentials Program was a program delivered in conjunction with the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Finance provided the basic content and then the company developed a comprehensive manual for participants.

Roslyn receives excellent evaluations from her participants. She works hard at setting a relaxed mood from the outset so that participants are comfortable in asking questions and can gain the most from the training. She is able to demystify complicated issues, explaining in a clear and concise manner without further confusing or embarrassing her participants.

It is our company's practice at the conclusion of training courses to ask participants to complete evaluation questionnaires regarding the training they have just received. These questionnaires are developed in conjunction with the agency for use by both the agency and the presenter.

Not only are the training participants our clients but so too are the Department's who contract in-house programs. We are keen to work with the client Departments to establish a good working relationship to further the development of a quality product.

Although the company is small, it specialises in the development and delivery of government accounting and budget training and so all its resources are dedicated to this end. Roslyn Jackson, an owner and director of the company, is the principal trainer. She is very well informed of government financial management requirements and has trained extensively in this area over the past several years.

By using only a small number of trainers, this enables the trainers to develop a relationship with the participants. Discussion in training sessions will flow much better once a relationship of trust and confidence is established.

Given the content of the material the company presents, most training is delivered in face-to-face situations, usually limited to a maximum of 18-20 participants as this allows for plenty of interaction with the participants, questions to be answered fully and concepts to be explained in detail.

The content of our material and courses are continually reviewed and up-dated as required. This is achieved through extensive professional development and constant contact with subject experts within client departments. The company has established relationships with a number of agencies that ensures training is scheduled appropriately and course materials are prepared as required.

Every participant at every course receives a comprehensive training manual. Course materials and resources are developed and prepared by the company as required by the client. The company develops and prints the training manuals. The company has the administrative capacity to organise venues, guest speakers and other arrangements as required.

As a Chartered Accountant, Roslyn is bound by her professional code of conduct and her continuing education requirements. Her diverse training delivery requires Roslyn to be across both private and public sector reporting requirements and the international accounting standards. Roslyn fulfils her professional development requirements with the ICAA, and we have successfully delivered training for more than ten years to a wide variety of clients.

Company staff are available to travel anywhere to provide training. Training has been provided in most of the state offices of agencies such as ABS, AQIS, AusIndustry. Australian Government Financial Management training has already been provided to some of the regional offices of AusIndustry and to many staff of DEWR's regional offices through their leadership training.

In work with other government departments the presenters have travelled to most capital cities and a number of regional centres. As not all agencies can afford or wish to send their staff to Canberra, we are keen to deliver the training, either as an in-house course for agencies in their regional offices or as an open public program where demand justifies its delivery.

Staff are also willing to travel overseas to international offices if required.