Kempsey Shire Council students to be 'masters of management'
Friday 16th December
Eleven students from Kempsey Shire Council have completed their Diploma of Business Management, which is Stage 1 of an agreement between Council and the North Coast Institute to deliver management education to their staff.
A graduation dinner attended by nearly 30 people was held on 13 December at South West Rocks to recognise the students’ achievements. Guests included Kempsey Shire Council General Manager Alan Burgess and Institute Director, Neil Black.
In 2002, Kempsey Shire Council signed an agreement with the Institute involving a program of management education over 2 stages. Stage 1 is the TAFE Diploma of Business Management (part-time) over 3 years and Stage 2 involves the Graduate Certificate in Management (Professional Practice), Graduate Diploma of Management (Professional Practice) and Masters of Management (all accredited by Charles Sturt University).
North Coast Institute’s Head Teacher, Business Services Garry Macdonald said “Assessments are workplace based so they provide students with a much better understanding as to how senior management operates and why certain decisions are made - while satisfying formal assessment requirements.”
Kempsey Shire Council is looking to see significant changes in management attitude, behaviour and performance in general. ‘With this learning partnership we are not only recognising and supporting the capabilities and potential of our staff, we are also providing training to meet the future leadership needs of our growing shire,’ said General Manager, Allan Burgess.
North Coast Institute Director Neil Black said the partnership is an example of the Institute’s flexibility and willingness to work directly with employers to meet their requirements. “Kempsey Shire Council came to the Institute with the objective of facilitating a specialist education program that would lead to the Masters qualification. Our team has been able to work with the Council to make the program a reality, and these eleven students are testament to that reality,” Mr Black said.
In Stage 2, which aims for a post-graduate degree, students will learn to operate at senior management level. All course materials are developed and maintained by Charles Sturt University and a 'cap and gown' graduation will be held on completion.
