Pollak Learning Alliance eNewsletter - Autumn 2

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eNewsletter
Autumn 2 2008			Video \| Website \| Training Schedule \| Contact us \| Unsubscribe
in this issue		Certificate IV in TAA Transformed! Pollak Learning Alliance is delighted to announce the launch of our revitalised Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA) qualification. It’s the result of feedback we gathered as part of our continuous improvement process. For our qualifications, we use what we’ve learned in 25 years of experience in adult education to combine the best of accredited and non-accredited learning to make programs engaging, interactive and fun, and focused on important business outcomes. The exciting news is that our TAA qualification is a blended learning program, using a variety of delivery methods and tools to enhance learner engagement, increase the depth of learning, improve real-life application, and provide a higher level of support around assessment completion. New pre and post-course activities prepare participants for learning by outlining key concepts covered in each course and useful workplace activities to maximise the learning experience. New online eLearning takes theory and turns it into engaging and interactive learning. Designed using latest eLearning principles to address different learning styles, modules are self-paced so learners can choose when they want to learn. This creates more time for guided practice with qualified consultants during face-to-face training. New course materials which reflects the high standard of our courses and the techniques and models we use to design and deliver training and conduct assessments. The materials now include more real-life examples, relevant scenarios and activities to consolidate skills before assessment. An enhanced level of assessment during training ultimately means less to complete outside course hours! Benefits of the new design Adapting the program to suit particular work environments is now easier and can better reflect the processes and situations found in your organisation. Program delivery is flexible because we have clustered related content together. For example, all units in training delivery have been grouped into a single course. Assessments are also integrated in the same structure so it’s easy to become qualified in a particular skill set within the qualification. Launch Our updated program is being launched on 1 July 2008. As the qualification and course durations remain the same, the transition will be easy for existing participants. A price reduction! We’ve left the best till last. The redesign has resulted in a more cost-effective solution and the reduced price will take effect from 1 July for our public and closed programs. Please contact your client manager to discuss this exciting opportunity to develop your staff through this innovative program. Lidia Calabrese Business Performance Solutions Manager			V ideo Topic: Blended Learner Choice Programs
Blended Learner Choice video Certificate IV in TAA Transformed! Pollak Learning Alliance Wins Best Training Venue Award Pollak Software Solutions Hosts 'a Night of BI' Around town with Pollak Learning Alliance					One size learning does not always fit all situations? View our podcast and find out how Blended Learner Choice Programs work and how they affect L&D. Click here.

Pollak Learning Alliance Wins Best Training Venue Award
		Having reached our 1-year anniversary at our Sydney premises - Level 21, 580 George Street – Pollak Learning Alliance has earned its stripes and is awarded ‘Best Training Venue in 2008’ (LearnX Asia Pacific). At LearnX on Friday 13 June - Training Australia Magazine named the Best Training Venue Award winner, as part of the Best eLearning & Training Awards. The Pollak Learning Alliance experience: The lift doors open and participants are awaken from their slumber to the vibrant colours of our foyer. They are instantly welcomed by our friendly staff as they register for their course and feel lifted to begin their day. As they relax, grab a coffee or tea, participants look out to soak in the abundance of views of the city below them before being greeted by their Consultant. Our participants become engaged from the minute they walk in the door and make Pollak Learning Alliance their home! Even one year on, we are proud to hear how much the participants still enjoy our venue. Our modern facilities continue to inspire our staff, clients and visitors when at our venue. Pollak Learning Alliance brings an uplifting experience to training and we take pride in who we are today! With our company values at the height of everyday life – excellence, integrity, learning, teamwork, innovation and fun – each value and their strategic themes are interpreted through the design and feel of our venue, our people, and our training methodologies. We have listened to our clients over the years and have created a training venue that caters to all your needs. The incorporated features improve the quality of a learner's experience from beginning to end. These features include customised temperature controls for comfort while learning, dynamic training rooms for group interaction and activities, and a comfortable client breakout area. Our venue channels great energy through pallets of colour to engage and promote learning. Participants leave with a strong sense of our brand and identity. One of the major features of the breakout area is the learning wall. This wall incorporates some of the models and principles used in Pollak Learning Alliance’s courses. People are able to interact with it, read it and learn something from it. A huge motivator to Pollak Learning Alliance is Seth Godin’s The Purple Cow. In every aspect of our business we aim to be remarkable, or be remarked upon, and we wanted this for our premises. We measure the remarkableness by the comments and reactions of our clients. Pollak Learning Alliance Melbourne begins its facelift In May 2008, at the same time our Sydney office won ‘Best Training Venue,’ a spark was ignited to begin a facelift in our Melbourne training venue. With new furniture, a learning wall in the café, new computers, new carpet, enhanced colour palette and a fresh coat of paint our Melbourne venue is taking shape and aligning with what we have created in Sydney. To view photos of our Sydney venue, click here. David Wildman Senior Client Manager
Pollak Software Solutions Hosts 'a Night of BI'
		On Wednesday 28 May 2008 at the Sydney Tower Sky Lounge, Pollak Software Solutions hosted a night of Business Intelligence (BI). National HR Services Manager of Rexel Group Australia, April Marcot, and Group General Manager and Director of Finance for AIH Group, Jason Starr-Thomas, shared their experiences about how Pollak Software Solutions’ BI tool ARC (Analyse, Report and Consolidate) turned their data into decisions. As the National HR Services Manager for one of the worlds largest electrical wholesalers, April’s objective for implementing ARC was to allow Rexel’s managers to have access to HR data at all times. Prior to implementing ARC, the Rexel HR reports required “two HR coordinators sitting in front of their computers for about two days,” work that Marcot described as “tedious, unproductive and under appreciated.” ARC has now released Marcot’s team of the shackles of reporting; to the point where the MD accesses the data he needs as he needs it through his own dashboard log in. Marcot’s new challenge is to “make sure that in HR we actually look at the data, and propose recommendations, do forecasts, and create solutions rather than simply keep the data updated. This is where we can really start to add value." Jason Starr-Thomas, Group General Manager and Director of Finance for Australian International Hospitality Group (AIH Group) shared how implementing ARC had “enlightened” the organisation. Jason shared how important data was to managing the organisations performance. Jason said “For hospitality especially, everything about our business happens at a fast pace, every trading cycle is a day. We need to know what happened at real-time speed” ARC allows AIH Group to analyse consolidated information from their 26 hospitality venues. For example, they have used historical information to analyse and labour levels to ensure the lowest labour costs without affecting the customer experience in their venues. Jason said “This system allowed us to find our operational parameters, where are we safe to operate within, where are we profitable” Steve Ferhad, Pollak Software Solutions’ Business Consulting Manager, coordinated the evening and wanted guests to not only hear about the software and how people were using ARC, but to get their hands on the solution. Set up in the room were Toshiba Portegé R500 laptops, supplied by Toshiba, with real data for guests to have a “play”. Guests were able to analyse data, view trends and compare various measures. They were impressed with how fast and easy it was to analyse large volumes of data. Many guests commented on how hearing about how their counterparts were using BI, combined with seeing the tools for themselves, caused them to re-evaluate how data was being used in their own organisations. ARC is a Business Intelligence tool built on Microsoft SQL Server technology. ARC‘s Data Warehouse is designed to consolidate information from multiple systems and delver the data in a web-deployed dashboard. The analysis component delivers slice and dice functionality to power users through Microsoft Excel. From more information or to register your interest to upcoming events, contact Software Solutions on 1300 658 388 or email Steve Ferhad at steve.ferhad@pollak.com.au. Steve Ferhad Business Consulting Manager
Around town with Pollak Learning Alliance
		At Pollak Learning Alliance we pride ourselves in actively participating at industry events which provide opportunities to showcase our training expertise. Some of the events we have recently participated in include: AITD National Conference – The conference was on April 22-23 in Sydney and Pollak Learning Alliance was a silver sponsor. Our staff were seen teaching people to juggle over the two days, with many people walking away with a new skill that not only helps them have fun, but also use both sides of their brain! AHRI National Convention – On May 20-23 we joined AHRI as associate sponsors and had a double stand on the upper level of the convention. Not only did we talk to AHRI members from all over Australia, we held a 45 minute information session titled “One size learning does not fit all.” AmCham Executive Tutorial: How to Find and Keep Great People – on June 10, Pollak Learning Alliance’s Sharyn McAlpin presented alongside Victoria Keesing and Chris Greenwood from PricewaterhouseCoopers about why there is currently a talent and skills war and some ways to combat it. LearnX Asia Pacific – Friday the 13 of July was not a day of bad luck for Pollak Learning Alliance! That is the day we received the award for 2008 Best Training Venue! Received at the LearnX conference, our Sydney venue is proud of it’s achievement, to learn more read the article in this newsletter titled Pollak Learning Alliance Wins Best Training Venue Award, click here to read it. MindMatters Seminar: Employee Retention and Succession, Lessons from the Front Line – We held a seminar on June 18 in Sydney and will be holding one on June 25 in Melbourne, where a panel of HR practioners shared what they are doing to increase retention and implement successful succession practices. Pollak Learning Alliance can provide support for your next conference or event. Our facilitators are experts in their fields and can add significant value to conferences, learning road-shows, divisional meetings and client or staff events. If you would like to know more about any of the events we have participated in, or would like information on how we can help you with your event, please contact your Client Manager on 1300 658 388. Jessica Lucas Communications Manager

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Contact us - 1300 658 388 - info@pollak.com.au - www.pollak.com.au Sydney - Level 21, 580 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Melbourne - Level 4, 470 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Parramatta - Level 8, 91 Phillip Street, Parramatta NSW 2150