Mandatory training
Direction and guidance on prescribed training that all department employees must complete as part of the induction process and on an ongoing basis as required.
Audience
All casual, permanent and temporary department staff who are employed for periods as defined for the relevant employee group.
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
V02.0.0 |
31/01/2025 |
Updated to reflect 2025 requirements. |
Executive Director, People, Culture, Capability |
| V01.0.0 | 30/08/2024 | Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, new policy document developed. | Chief People Officer |
About the policy
Under the Professional learning, performance and accreditation policy, the department is committed to maintaining a skilled and competent workforce by:
- providing access for all employees to relevant training and development activities (including on-the-job training) to enhance their skills and knowledge relevant to their role
- ensuring compliance with legislation and NSW public sector and/or government directives relating to professional learning, performance, and accreditation where relevant.
Managers and principals should also refer to the Professional learning for teachers and school staff procedure.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Direct report |
Any employee who reports to and is supervised by a manager or other supervisor, such as an assistant principal, head teacher, deputy principal or principal. |
Employee |
A person employed by the department, including ongoing, temporary, and casual employees; employees on secondment to the department; members of the public service senior executive (PSSE); contractors and agency staff engaged to perform work for, or on behalf of, the department; interns or graduate program participants. Does not include a volunteer or a person employed by an organisation external to the department who performs work at a department location. |
Learning management system (LMS) |
A software application for administering, documenting, tracking, reporting, automating and delivering learning courses. |
Legislation |
A relevant body of laws, rules and regulations passed by the federal and state governments. These laws outline the legal framework, including mandatory training, skills and knowledge. |
Mandatory training |
Prescribed training that all department employees must complete as part of the induction process and on an ongoing basis as required. Mandatory training is defined by the following criteria:
|
MyPL |
The department's learning management system (LMS), which is available through the staff portal. MyPL allows all staff within the department to plan, manage and record their professional learning. |
Employees:
- with the support of their manager, identify suitable times within business hours for completing mandatory training within the required timeframes outlined in the ‘What needs to be done’ section below
- access and enrol in the training modules through MyPL where applicable
- consult their manager if additional support or adjustment is required to complete mandatory training
- monitor their ongoing requirements through the MyPL(staff only) ‘mandatory training’ tab.
Managers and principals:
- maintain their own compliance with mandatory training requirements
- identify the mandatory training modules for their employees based on their role within the department
- explain to their direct reports the purpose, obligation and benefits of mandatory training at the start of employment or as required
- ensure employees have appropriate time allocated within business hours to complete their mandatory training, which is part of the induction process and a condition of employment
- facilitate additional support and reasonable adjustments for employees to complete their mandatory training when required
- review and ensure ongoing compliance with their direct reports through available reporting systems
- initiate an escalation process if an employee has not completed the mandatory training within allocated timeframes.
People, Culture and Capability:
- create, review and maintain mandatory training modules under the direction of the Learning Steering Committee and Director, Learning
- update mandatory training modules listed on intranet pages for each employee group
- manage and support communications relating to the overall mandatory training process and training modules
- maintain the mandatory training standard operating procedure (SOP)
- introduce, amend or remove mandatory training processes as business or legislative requirements change.
Learning Steering Committee:
- provide governance, decision-making and strategic guidance to oversee mandatory training
- make decisions to introduce, amend or remove prescribed mandatory training modules
- provide expertise and insights to shape future mandatory training modules
- ensure training modules comply with relevant standards, legislative obligations, industrial instruments or organisational requirements to reduce and mitigate the likelihood of a risk occurring.
Chief People Officer:
- provides timely, strategic, expert and influential advice to the department’s Secretary on human resource policies, practices and ethical standards
- provides executive leadership, vision and direction for implementing mandatory training processes.
What needs to be done
Employees must understand and follow the mandatory training requirements relevant to their role as outlined in the resources provided in the Mandatory tools and templates section below.
Mandatory training:
- provides employees with skills, knowledge and understanding so they can deliver safe and effective services across the education sector
- enables the department to meet its mandatory training obligations set by relevant standards, accreditation, legislative obligations, industrial instruments or organisational requirements
- provides an overview of what it means to work within legal and ethical frameworks and ensures the department’s compliance with legislation and policy.
Mandatory training does not cover the core skills expected of employees when joining the department.
Mandatory training:
- is designed to cover a range of core topics
- is prescribed training that is compulsory for all employees in the department
- may be tailored to the role of an employee
- supports the department’s commitment to empowering employees and creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
When mandatory training is completed, it minimises workplace incidents, controls risks associated with individual actions and improves the department's integrity.
1. Understand the mandatory training requirements
Teachers can log mandatory training as part of their 100 hours of professional learning to maintain teacher accreditation (refer to NESA PD Framework).
On commencement, all employees must:
- complete 4 on-commencement mandatory training modules on day one as part of their induction program
- Child Protection Awareness Training
- Code of Ethics and Conduct
- Emergency Care
- Work Health and Safety Induction for Employees.
On commencement, it is expected all employees should:
- complete the Public Interest Disclosure and Cyber Security courses within 3 months
- complete the Aboriginal Cultural Education and Anti-racism policy courses within 12 months.
These on-commencement courses must be completed in full within 12 months through MyPL. For further information, refer to the mandatory training hub (staff only).
New casual teachers must complete the following training before beginning work:
- Child Protection Awareness Training
- Code of Ethics and Conduct
- Emergency Care
- Work Health and Safety Induction for Employees.
During employment, all employees must complete:
- the annual competency check after 12 months of employment, subject to completion of all on-commencement modules.
- additional modules as required during their employment, for example, when changing roles or returning from extended leave. Where a role requires role-specific mandatory training, employees must speak with their manager or principal about completing this training. Refer to the mandatory training hub (staff only) for a list of courses
- their training within the specified timeframes through MyPL (staff only), the learning management system, and can complete additional professional learning if they choose to.
Employees taking leave for 12 months or longer must complete any expired modules, role-specific modules and the annual competency check when they return.
Seasonal or short-term staff:
- must complete the mandatory training light package (staff only) if employed for less than 10 weeks. The light package must be completed every 12 months. If a staff member works for more than 10 weeks, they must complete the full on-commencement package (as outlined above). The courses are available through MyPL (staff only).
Refer to:
- Induction and onboarding procedure
- Mandatory training hub (staff only)
- Screening catalogue for schools (staff only).
2. Complete the mandatory training in MyPL
2.1. Find the required learning module
1. Login to the learning management system, MyPL(staff only) (also available as an application in the staff portal).
2. Select Browse Learning or Mandatory Training from the top navigation menu.
3. Search for the relevant training modules.
4. Select ‘Add to My List’ once the modules are identified.
2.2. Complete the learning module
1. Select My Learning from the top navigation menu.
2. Find the relevant module and select ‘Enrol’ or ‘Re-enrol’.
3. Launch and complete the module.
4. When the module has been completed, a green ‘certificate of completion’ icon will appear.
3. Check completion
Managers and principals should check their employees’ mandatory training is:
- completed by new employees
- up to date each term
- up to date for employees returning from leave, retirement or other gaps in employment.
Managers and principals may monitor their employees’ mandatory training compliance using Scout reports (Scout is also found as an application in the staff portal):
- principals may use the ‘Human Resources (Schools) – Staff Compliance’ report
- managers may use the ‘Corporate Staff Compliance’ report.
When mandatory training is incomplete, the manager or principal:
- should have a one-on-one conversation with the employee to address and resolve non-compliance with the identified modules
- may review the Direct management action (staff only) resources to resolve incomplete mandatory training.
Mandatory tools and templates
- Education support staff – Mandatory training (staff only)
- School staff – Screening catalogue (staff only)
Supporting tools, resources and related information
Policy contact
People, Culture and Capability, People Group
PCCoffice@det.nsw.edu.au
Learning Unit, People Culture and Capability, People Group
learning@det.nsw.edu.au
The Executive Director, People Culture and Capability, monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.