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 department employees, contractors and volunteers.
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
V01.0.0 |
30/08/2024 |
Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, new policy document developed. |
Chief People Officer |
| Ongoing union consultation is occurring and amendments may be made from time to time. |
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 |
|---|---|
Employees |
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 delivery of 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:
- complete identified mandatory training, which is part of the induction process, when starting employment with the department
- ensure timely completion of all training and refresher modules, as required
- with the support of their manager, identify suitable times for completing mandatory training within required timeframes
- 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 MyPL’s ‘My learning transcript’ 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 to complete their training as part of the induction process
- confirm employees have completed refresher modules within the specified timeframe
- 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
- ensure MyPL provides reminder emails to staff to help manage module completion within required timeframes
- manage all communication relating to the 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, accreditation, legislative obligations, industrial instruments or organisational requirements to reduce and mitigate the likelihood of a risk occurring.
Chief People Officer:
- provide timely, strategic, expert and influential advice to the department’s Secretary on human resource policies, practices and ethical standards
- provide executive leadership, vision and direction for implementing mandatory training processes.
What needs to be done
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 and may require repeating within a specified period
- 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
All employees:
- must complete mandatory training modules as part of their induction program
- may be required to complete refresher or additional modules at other times during their employment
- must complete their training within specified timeframes through the learning management system, known as MyPL.
Refer to:
- Induction and onboarding procedure
- Your mandatory training (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 (also found 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 successfully completed, a green ‘certificate of completion’ icon will appear.
If the training is not completed within the required timeframe, MyPL will email the employee a reminder.
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)
- Schools – Screening catalogue for schools (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 procedure, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.