1. Professional Development
WELL Practitioners’
Professional Development
Guide
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
Funded under the Workplace English Language and Literacy Program by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Funded under the Workplace English Language and Literacy Program by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
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2. About WELL WELL is an Australian Government initiative. It aims to:
Assist existing employees to undertake training essential to retaining their job and progress in the workplace by integrating English language, literacy and numeracy (LL&N) with vocational training in the workplace
Assist IEP participants who require LLN training
Assist employers to see the value of English LL&N in achieving business and workplace training goals, and
Support resource development and strategic activities that improve the uptake of English LL&N training in industry

3. About WELL cont.
Enterprises have reported improved: - access to training & skill development - workplace communication - workplace skills - means of managing change - occupational health & safety - productivity

4. WELL Target Group
Employees whose English language, literacy & numeracy proficiencies are at Levels 1, 2 and/or 3 of the ACSF i.e. below the level where one can communicate in English with sufficient accuracy to meet specific workplace needs
IEP participants whose language, literacy and numeracy proficiency is at Levels 1, 2 and/or 3 of the ACSF

5. Access to WELL training funding
The following types of organisations can apply for
WELL training funding:
- Enterprises (including Government business enterprises); - representative bodies (e.g. ISCs, employer organisations and trade unions);
- Local governments; - RTOs on behalf of enterprises;
- agencies which receive partial funding from Government sources provided revenue is also derived from commercial business activities;
- non-government bodies; and
- Group Training Organisations (GTOs)

6. WELL Project Funding: 3 Areas
Training Projects - demonstrated need for language, literacy & numeracy in the workplace - retain employment - advance within the organisation
- training must be integrated with vocational training
- training is designed to meet the needs of: - the company - the worker

7. WELL Project Funding: 3 Areas cont..
Resource Projects - development of training materials - experimentation of training materials - develop industry relevant language, literacy & numeracy assessment & reporting methods
Strategic Projects - projects that have: * national scope * activities to support cost effective training across one or more industry sectors

8. WELL Project Roles & Responsibilities
Applications for WELL training projects are considered at State/Territory level
WELL program requires recipient to contribute 25% of training costs in the first year
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) must be used
Regular reports to DEEWR
All activities must comply with relevant legislation

9. WELL Project Management
Administered by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Each State and Territory has a WELL Coordinator
DEEWR’s National Office manages Resource and Strategic projects

10. WELL Project Funding
Training projects have a joint project funding arrangement with the Australian Government (75%) and employer (25%) for first year
Subsequent years - 50% contribution from employer
Resource & Strategic Projects are fully funded

11. WELL Project Reporting Requirements
Reports must be provided at: - three months - six months - twelve months - an independent audited financial statement on project completion

12. WELL Project Reporting Requirements cont…
Use approved WELL resources: - Literacy Net website (
- NTIS website ( - Individual Industry Skills Councils (ISCs)

13. WELL Practitioners Qualifications
A range of qualifications to deliver LL&N training to adult learners, such as:
Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment, plus
Advanced Diploma in Teaching LLN in VET (South Australia)

14. WELL Management & Administration
Recruitment - Employer’s needs must align with jobseeker - Employer considers how well you can accommodate the jobseeker - New successful recruit must be integrated and be productive – this may take work

15. WELL Management & Administration cont…
Position Description - Articulates the most important outcome you need from an employee to do a particular job
- Tells an employee where their job fits within the department & the company
- Is an integral piece of the performance development planning process

16. WELL Management & Administration cont…
Promoting the vacancy
- Cast the net wide
Communicate clearly about the job on offer
- Choose the most effective means of reaching your target

17. Assessing applicants and recruiting WELL practitioners
Key skills and attributes should include:
Experience working with adults
Understanding workplace culture
Flexibility
Integrity
Empathy
Ability to work independently
Ability to deal with a range of stakeholder needs
Good communication skills

18. Workplace induction Orientation
A workplace induction from your local area
HR induction interview
Orientation program
Induction must include the specific cultural and social environments which encompass LLN requirements

19. WELL Project Managers
Will be responsible for planning the work of others
Self starter
Apply technical & organisational knowledge to organisation issues & problems
Apply their skills to the management of trainees & a variety of workplace situations
Exercise appropriate judgement
Manage appropriate resources & services
Manage organisational processes

20. WELL Project Management Skills Development
Manager’s role:
Develop
Sustain
Grow workplace literacy program
Workplace literacy practitioner’s role:
Planning
Leading
Developing
Coordinating
Monitoring workplace literacy program

21. A guide to supporting WELL practitioners & the unique issues they face
General - understand the processes & performance expectations - understand their role - Participate in a team - Prepare reports - Understand business priorities - Communicate effectively with all stakeholders

22. A guide to supporting WELL practitioners & the unique issues they face cont…
Specific WELL - Organise, conduct & document activities - Prepare & present WELL findings - Design & deliver workplace literacy program - Communicate effectively with staff & team - Organise, conduct & document teaching activities & learner progress - Work effectively in a non-traditional teaching environment

23. A guide to effective client management
Find out as much as you can about the client
Demonstrate that you can meet their needs
Demonstrate that you understand the company’s issues and that you are competent
Be realistic – don’t promise more than you can deliver

24. WELL Administration - A guide to preparing WELL Applications
Invitations for WELL funding applications are advertised at various times during the year in major newspapers & on the DEEWR website
The form can be downloaded from the site
The form may not be modified
There is a helpful “Hints and Tips” document to assist you
Complete application forms are sent to the relevant State/Territory WELL office

25. A Guide to AQTF AQTF 2007 is the national set of training standards
It assures nationally consistent, high quality training & assessment services
There are two sets of national agreed standards - AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration - AQTF 2007 Standards for State & Territory Registering Bodies

26. A Guide to AQTF cont….
National Audit & Registration Agency (NARA) provides audits & registration services for RTOs
Registration under the AQTF requires an RTO to take account of language, literacy & numeracy skills as part of its core business

27. WELL Project Administration & Reporting
DEEWR administers the WELL Program
A State WELL Coordinator and SAC assess local training applications
Payments are made via Electronic Funds Transfer
The first payment is made when the contract is signed
Subsequent payments are made per the contract

28. WELL Program Delivery – WELL Client

29. A guide to learner characteristics & learner needs
Adult learners:
Expect to find learning rewarding
Use all their senses to learn
Learn more effectively when they can relate new information to their existing knowledge
Need opportunities to practice their new skills

30. A guide to learner characteristics & learner needs cont..
Adult learners:
Remember the first & last things in a learning session
Need feedback on their progress
Need to be actively involved in the learning process
Need more time to make sense of & value new information

31. A guide to learner context
Be aware of interlinking language, literacy & numeracy
Industries have their own vocabulary, technical terms & acronyms
Effective cross-cultural communication is essential
The ABS Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALLS) Survey 2006 identified that 7 million Australians between 15 – 74 have poor & very poor literacy & numeracy skills

32. Industry Sector overviews specific to Language, Literacy & Numeracy
Australian industry needs competent, skilled workers with the flexibility to adapt to the changing workplace environment.
OECD research indicates that a 1 percent rise in average literacy will lead to a 1.5 percent increase in GDP per capita and a 2.5 percent rise in labour productivity.

33. WELL Context

34. Information about VET & Industry Training Packages
Vocational Education & Training (VET)
VET Vocational Education & Training or Training for Work - AQF - AQTF - RTO - State & Territory registering authorities
AQTF defines all nationally recognised qualifications - a single framework for all qualifications from senior secondary certificate to PhD

35. Information about VET & Industry Training Packages cont..
Key resource for RTOs in the delivery of structured, accredited training
Developed by industry through National Industry Skills Councils (ISCs)
Has two parts - endorsed - support material

36. A guide to WELL Program & AQTF
An RTO needs to fit LLN into the delivery of its training and assessment to: - redress any LLN deficiencies - build skills such as teamwork, communication & problem solving - Fit LL&N into training & delivery - LL&N skills are integrated into units of competency in all training packages

37. Back to Basics VET Information

38. Learning & Assessment Strategies
Determine industry requirements
Select qualification/units of competency
Determine target group needs
Determine delivery and assessment schedule
Determine evidence gathering/assessment method
Validate assessment strategies

39. Access & Equity Equity groups may include, but are not limited to:
Students with English as a second language
Students with literacy or numeracy difficulties
Indigenous students
Students in remote locations
Women in non-traditional industries
Students with sensory impairment
Students with physical or intellectual disabilities

40. Developing Assessment Tools, Validation
Assessment tools are materials that enable you to collect evidence using your chosen assessment method.
Assessment tools are the instruments and procedures used to gather and interpret evidence of competence:
The instrument is the activity or specific questions used to assess competence by the assessment method selected. An assessment instrument may be supported by a profile of acceptable performance and the decision-making rules or guidelines to be used by assessors
Procedures are the information or instructions given to the candidate and the assessor about how the assessment is to be conducted and recorded.

41. Developing Assessment Tools, Validation
Validate assessment strategies
Assessment strategies must be developed in consultation with enterprises/industry, and
The RTO must validate its assessment strategies by reviewing, comparing and evaluating the assessment processes, tools and evidence contributing to judgements made by a range of assessors against the same competency standards, at least annually

42. Flexible Delivery/Reasonable Adjustment
Flexible learning includes a range of delivery modes such as:
distance education
mixed-mode delivery
online/e-learning
self-paced and self-directed learning.

43. Flexible Delivery/Reasonable Adjustment
Reasonable adjustment may mean:
Making learning materials and methods accessible
Adapting the physical environment and equipment
Making adjustments to the procedures for conducting assessment
Making adjustments to the evidence gathering techniques

44. Information about competencies
Units of competency, or competency standards, are the building blocks of a qualification. These standards describe discrete work tasks, and the knowledge, technical skills and employability skills a person needs to perform the task effectively in the workplace.
By looking at different aspects of a unit of competency, a complete picture of required performance is generated, which informs the design of learning and assessment activities. This is often called ‘unpacking’ the unit of competency.

45. Unpacking LL&N Requirements
‘Unpacking’ a unit of competency has also been called ‘building a picture of competency.’ This means breaking down the competency standard to gain answers to the following questions:
What is the work activity?
What does the work activity involve?
What skills are needed to perform the work activity?
What level of skill is needed?
What evidence is needed to prove that a person is competent?
what knowledge and skills are needed to perform this work activity?
What generic work skills are needed?
Where should evidence be gathered?
What resources are required to gather the evidence?

46. WELL Professional Development Tools
Self Assessment Checklists for WELL Practitioners Checklist 1 Checklist 2 Checklist 3

47. WELL Professional Development Plan Template

48. Case Studies of Best Practice Delivery, Assessment, Administration & Management
Case Study 1
Case Study 2
Case Study 3

49. PowerPoint Presentation

50. Events Calendar of WELL Professional Development

51. Helpful Links WELL Website www.deewr.gov.au/well
MESAB