Leadership Training for Success!
Whether you’re an individual, who has taken that next step in career advancement, or an employer that sees the importance of staff development, getting recognition for your achievements, can sometimes be overlooked. It’s not to say that people don’t care about what you have done.
Here at the Australian College of Commerce and Management, we understand the importance of acknowledging your training achievements. That’s why we take great pride in nominating some of our outstanding students, from supportive employers, for the Australian Training Awards. Giving them the opportunity to receive the accolade they deserve…
Throughout the year, state and regional awards take place across the country; leading up to the Australian National Training Awards, that will take place in November, over in Hobart, Tasmania.
Amanda's Journey
At the recent Sydney “Bay to Bay” Regional NSW Training Awards on Thursday 11th June there was strong competition amongst some very high calibre nominees. The Australian College of Commerce and Management was extremely proud to be there, not only as a sponsor, but also with one of our students, Amanda Ray, who had been nominated for the Vocational Student of the Year Award.
Amanda chose a career in banking and finance, because she is passionate about people and thrives on helping customers achieve their financial dreams. She sees her role in empowering her staff to reach their potential as a key ingredient to success of her team.
A successful Senior Branch Manager at IMB Banking and Financial Services in Wynyard, Amanda has met 183% of her lending targets and, in 2014, received the IMB CEO Award for Excellence in Customer Service from IMB CEO Robert Ryan
In the Bay to Bay Awards, Amanda was up against some very strong competition. With students graduating from a diverse range of courses, it was impossible to pick which of the nominees would walk away with the Award.
The process of being nominated for the Awards is far from simple.
Once Amanda received her nomination, with the support of her employer IMB, it was then up to her and her alone, to sell herself to the panel of judges who would decide whether or not Amanda would make the regional finals.
When Amanda received the news that the judges had nominated her as a finalist, surprise was her first reaction, followed by pride when she realised the gravitas of the awards.
To put Amanda’s achievement into perspective, all students who completed Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in the prior year are eligible for nomination for the Awards. That would be thousands of people across the Sydney “Bay to Bay” region. Of the nominees, a strict process is adopted by the Awards Committee to identify the higher level candidates for interview. Of those interviewed only 4 were nominated as Finalists for the Bay to Bay Vocational Student of the Year.
Amanda had never done anything like this before and the Awards did not disappoint. It was “a wonderful experience” that would stay with Amanda for a long time.
Amanda is a big believer in self-improvement, which has seen her take herself through numerous training courses in the past. She believes that there is always more to learn, whether it is through a formal, nationally recognised diploma, or by learning on the job.
Amanda explained that during the training process, you not only become the student, but also the trainer of others that you can share your experiences with. It has also inspired Amanda to pursue other levels of training. Whether it be on the job, peer to peer, or more classroom based.
What She Enjoyed Most About Her College Courses
This course wasn’t Amanda’s first experience of vocational training. Amanda had studied a Certificate IV in Frontline Management with a different trainer on a previous occasion.
Amanda enjoyed the course, but it was the workshop side of the Australian College Diploma of Management course that she loved the most. This was down to 2 factors - the facilitator and the way that the facilitator made the course relevant to Amanda.
Although a specialist in providing high quality distance and online educational programs tailored to industry needs, the College recognises that some employers have the capacity to offer face to face training opportunities to their staff.
To this end, The Australian College of Commerce and Management seeks out the best trainers there are. Our goal is to make sure that the course you are studying is not only useful overall, but also relevant to the individual student’s needs. Amanda felt that her College trainer, Jason, adapted the course to her situation. This made the course worthwhile. Amanda also felt that the course delivered not only the knowledge she needed on a day-to-day basis, but also knowledge that would help her in planning for the next career step.
As a finalist in the awards she took away a wonderful experience and the knowledge that she had excelled in an area of training that would help her reach her eventual goal of a more senior management position. (The Award for Vocational Student of the Year was eventually won by a graduate of the Advanced Diploma of Live Production, Theatre and Events.)
Amanda’s employer IMB has a very supportive learning and development philosophy and has supported over 300 employees complete courses with the Australian College of Commerce and Management.
But it was Amanda who stood out from the crowd and gained the notice of the Award Judges for her vocational skills, community spirit and focus on success. We wish Amanda all the luck in the future and know that she will succeed in anything that she chooses to pursue.
For more information on how The Australian College of Commerce and Management can help you and your business with any training needs… Or on how to nominate for next year’s awards:
Call 1800 111 700 or email courses@austcollege.edu.au