Given the increasing complexity of modern warfare and technology, Defence's skill requirements are becoming more complicated and diverse. Central to meeting this challenge is a shift towards a more integrated training and development system, covering both civilian and military personnel.
Strategies include enhancing corporate leadership development, using graduate recruitment and development programs, alignment with the national vocational education and training framework, increased use of flexible and online learning and delivering integrated military and civilian training through Defence Registered Training Organisations. Efforts have also continued to focus on implementing the outcomes from the Defence Business Skilling Review 2003, including financial and business skills training.
Training is administered by Defence Groups and central training agencies. It is delivered using internal resources, commercial training providers, the national education and training infrastructure, and through providing individual tuition support. The initiatives outlined below were the primary focus in 2005–06.
Corporate Leadership Development
The breadth and diversity of Defence requires leadership at all levels and Defence has a range of leadership development measures in place that help its people to sustain a high level of performance, in operational and non-operational settings.
Values-Based Leadership
In December 2005, the Secretary and CDF released a statement which reaffirmed their commitment to Defence as a values-based organisation and their expectations for all Defence personnel. The Defence values are Professionalism, Loyalty, Integrity, Courage, Innovation and Teamwork. These values are the fundamental guiding principles for professional behaviour and effective performance in Defence. During 2005–06, programs such as the Capstone Senior Leadership Program (21 enrolled students) and Group Leadership Programs (6,325 enrolled students) continued to emphasise values-based leadership training for current and future leaders in Defence.
Defence's values continued to be a key element of leadership and management strategies and employee agreements. A strategic communications plan was implemented to promote the standard of behaviour expected of all Defence people.
Defence Leadership Framework
Incorporating the Australian Public Service Commission's Integrated Leadership System into its framework, Defence developed the Defence Leadership Framework which identifies the leadership capabilities and behaviours expected at all levels in Defence. It is built on the capabilities of strategic thinking, achieving results, supporting productive working relationships, showing personal drive and integrity, and communicating with influence. These capabilities are further developed to include demonstrable proficiencies (behaviours) that reflect our values-based organisation. The Framework provides a foundation for developing future Defence leaders.
A plan is being developed to outline opportunities for strengthening the leadership capabilities addressed in the Defence Leadership Framework. This will encompass formal training and experience-based activities and will be aligned to Defence's values.
Graduate Development Programs
As part of its corporate leadership measures, Defence continued to focus on its graduate development programs. A number of programs and schemes targeted specific skills needed to build Defence capability and meet Government priorities.
The 2006 Graduate Development Program commenced in February with 81 graduates—the highest ever intake for the program. Two of the 81 graduates were recruited through the Australian Public Service Commission Indigenous Graduate Initiative. The Graduate Development Program will continue to support the Australian Public Service Commission with up to three placements for indigenous graduates on the program. In addition, 207 graduates commenced under other schemes which are set out in Table 4.13.
Notes:
- The Information stream began in 2004.
- The Defence Science and Technology Organisation did not recruit to its graduate program in 2003–04.
- Navy System Command did not recruit to its graduate program in 2005–06.
Vocational and Technical Education
Vocational and technical education provides Defence people with the skills and knowledge they need to do their jobs and pursue their careers. Defence is a major provider and purchaser of vocational education and training in Australia. It has four Registered Training Organisations that operate within the National Training Framework: three address the needs of the Navy, Army and Air Force; and the other provides the business skilling needs for the whole Defence organisation. The four Registered Training Organisations work with 32 national training packages, as well as Defence specific requirements.
During 2005–06, Defence Registered Training Organisations issued 16,763 nationally recognised qualifications, 59 per cent of which were at the Certificate IV level or higher. Submissions were also made for 171 new competency units and for 20 qualifications to be included in national training packages.
Defence Business Training Centre
The Defence Business Training Centre operates within the Defence Learning Services Network as a Registered Training Organisation and provides nationally accredited training and assessment services to Defence. Current training programs include leadership and development, administration, management, technical and specialist courses.
Non-operational training
Tables 4.14 and 4.15 show that more than 342,000 students undertook non-operational training during 2005–06. The tables do not include military training provided by the Services, unless otherwise noted.
Notes:
- This table includes training data for the DMO.
- Visibility of training, and hence reporting, continues to improve, including the capture of business skills training in the central Defence personnel information system.
- The data represents courses run over calendar years and by individual modules. All students do not complete all modules nor were these modules completed in the same timeframes.
- Australian Defence College programs include the Australian Command and Staff Course and the Defence Strategic Studies Course and are nominally delivered over a 46-week scholastic year.
- Australian Defence Force Academy programs are made up of full-time and part-time study over a 36-week academic year and total 1,140 Full Time Equivalent students.
- Navy and Army include military leadership and development programs.
- Mandatory training includes legislated requirements such as Equity and Diversity, Occupational Health and Safety and Ethics and Fraud. These sessions may be delivered online, face-to-face or through general induction sessions and no consistent determination of 'length' of training can be applied, therefore no student days are recorded against this item.