NESA CEO FORUM AND
PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE
Excellence in Employment Services
Policy, Programs and Practice
Nine months. It will be nine months since the launch of Workforce Australia. It’s now time for a deep-dive into our programs, policy and practice. That’s why we’re looking forward to seeing you at our twin events at the Pullman Hotel, Albert Park, Melbourne
NESA CEO Forum
4 April 2023 | 9.00am - 5.00pm
Our CEO Forum brings together our provider CEO’s from across the country. We’ll be joined by Julian Hill MP, Member for Bruce and Chair of the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services for an update on the Committee’s work, as well as DEWR’s Deputy Secretary Employment and Workforce, Nathan Smyth, for an in-depth look at the first nine months of Workforce Australia.
NESA Practitioners Conference
5 April 2023 | 9.00am - 5.00pm
NESA CEO Farewell Dinner
4 April 2023 | 6.00pm - 10.00pm
Windows Restaurant, Pullman Melbourne, Albert Park
FULLY BOOKED - REGISTRATIONS NOW CLOSED
SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS INCLUDE:
NESA CEO FORUM:
• An update on Workforce Australia arrangements
• From Zero to Hero – Building Your Organisation’s reputation & credibility through Media
• Hear more on the current progress of the House of Representatives Select Committee Process
• Unpacking the research: latest insights from Australia and internationally
…and more!
NESA PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE:
• Workforce Australia Update: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
• Tackling the tech skills shortage, how to get to 1.2 mill by 2030
• Quality and Assurance Analytics
• PBAS – Where Are We Now?
• ParentsNext
• Staying Secure in a Digital World: Exploring the Impact, Threats and Responses to Cyber Security.
• Provider Performance – Workforce Australia Services
• Activation and Work for the Dole
• Supporting Complex Participants: A Workshop on Integrating Participant Barriers & Goals
• Launch of the first ever book on Employer Engagement in Employment Services
• Disability Employment Services
• Workforce Australia – Transition to Work
• Employability Skills Training (EST) And Career Transition Assistance (CTA)
• Discrimination – When the Law Meets Reality
• Resilience with Wellbeing
SPEAKERS - CEO FORUM
Member for Bruce and Chair of the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services
Julian Hill was elected as the Member for the Bruce electorate in the Australian Parliament in 2016 and re-elected in 2019 and 2022. After growing up in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, Julian graduated from Monash University with degrees in Science and Law. Among his Parliamentary responsibilities including chair of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit – watching over the Auditor-General’s office, Commonwealth finances, and public administration, and Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade – Defence subcommittee, Julian also chairs the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services which is current engaged in looking at employment services across Australia.
Few economists have both the global and local experience of Stephen Koukoulas. He is an economic thought leader in his role with his business, Market Economics. Stephen is often driving the debate on housing, consumer spending, investment strategies, interest rates and budget policy. He does this by drawing on his unique background including his experience heading global research for TD in London, his role as Chief Economist of Citibank and Former Senior Economic Advisor to the Australian Prime Minister. When it comes to the economy, Stephen continues to cover the big issues. He does so independently, without the constraints of many of the bank economists who are limited by what they can say. Stephen’s views are presented without fear or favour. Stephen is the go-to economist for many businesses, investors, fund managers and the media. He is a regular contributor to Yahoo Finance and appears on television including the ABC, The Project and Sky and is regularly called upon to contribute to radio interviews across the country. As a keynote speaker and panellist Stephen is asked to discuss the economy with audiences as diverse as the corporate world to school students – an affirmation of his ability to turn complex economic analysis into terms mere mortals can understand. Independent. Impartial. Entertaining.
Mark Considine is Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Melbourne. He is best known for prize-winning research on public sector reform, new methods of governance and the street-level delivery of public programs. He and his team have pioneered work on the long-run institutional impacts of different service delivery regimes. Mark has also had a significant career in leadership roles within higher education and as a contributor to policy innovation inside government and in civil society organisations.
Director of Good Talent Media
Founder and Director of Good Talent Media, Tony Nicholls, is an accomplished journalist with more than ten years’ experience with the ABC, SBS and Network Ten; covering thousands of news stories across Victoria, Australia, and the international media.
Tony has seen the rise of digital media transform communications and the news cycle forever; making new demands of journalists, politicians, and media spokespeople. Riding the wave of change, Tony understands old-fashioned news values as well as what drives the new digital media landscape.
Tony has had the privilege of interviewing Australia’s movers and shakers – the people who have shaped news bulletins. Most importantly, Tony understands what a story needs to make it to air or print.
As Director of Good Talent Media, Tony creates all media training programs personally; he knows what interview questions you’ll be asked, what the media wants, and how best to deliver an impactful message.
UoM-BSL Principal Research Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne.
Associate Professor Sue Olney is the UoM-BSL Principal Research Fellow in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, and a Visiting Fellow in the Public Service Research Group in the School of Business at UNSW Canberra. Her research examines the impact of market-based reform of public services on marginalised citizens, with a focus on disability services, employment and the welfare-to-work service system. Sue has worked in universities, government and in the not-for-profit sector, and been involved in a range of cross-government, cross-sector and interdisciplinary research projects, government and community sector initiatives, committees and working groups to promote access and equity in employment, education, training and disability services in Australia and internationally. She is on the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Public Administration and is the Director of the social policy discussion platform Power to Persuade.
Lecturer in Political Science in the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne
Michael McGann is Lecturer in Political Science in the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne. He specialises in the governance of welfare and active labour market policies, with a particular focus on issues related to the contracting out and marketization of employment services in Australia as well as internationally. He is the co-author of Buying and Selling the Poor: Inside Australia’s Privatised Welfare-to-Work Market (Sydney University Press, 2021) and author of the new book, The Marketisation of Welfare-to-Work in Ireland: Governing Activation at the Street-Level.
Jo is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Deakin Business School. Her research focuses on employment and skills and the workplace inclusion of under-leveraged talent and she teaches on Australia’s first undergraduate Major in Recruitment and Talent Acquisition. Jo has been awarded a number of grants in the UK and Australia, including current projects on creating sustainable employment pathways for Aboriginal communities and Social Ventures Australia’s Employer Labs. In 2023 she begins ARC Linkage and UK Research Council grants focused on employers, job quality and employment services. Jo is a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals and co-chairs the UK Employment Related Services Association’s Employer Engagement Forum. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Academic Member of the Australian Human Resource Institute and Editor of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
SPEAKERS - PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE
FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY, WORKFORCE AUSTRALIA FOR INDIVIDULAS
Melissa Ryan is the First Assistant Secretary, Workforce Australia for Individuals. Her responsibilities include the design and implementation of Workforce Australia, which commenced in July 2022. Melissa has held senior roles in a range of Commonwealth departments and has worked across a broad range of public policy issues, including social services program reforms; industrial relations, workers’ compensation, work health and safety regulation; and income support program administration.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
“A tour bus is a petri dish of human behaviour, and is the best way to get to know exactly how to work with all different types of people”
How do you go from being an industry trainer and leader across Europe for Contiki Holidays to being one of the most sought after keynote speakers and professional trainers in Australia and the Asia Pacific? That is the question asked often of Mark and the answer he says is simple, it is all about understanding people. Understanding how they behave, think and make the choices they do, both professionally and personally.
As an experienced motivational keynote speaker it’s this understanding that has seen Mark hold senior and strategic leadership development roles for major global players across the Asia Pacific and Europe and led to him to being invited to work on projects design and implement sales strategies and bespoke methodologies for billion-dollar sales teams across the globe. Add to that some serious hard work and that is how in twenty years Mark has moved from connecting with people in Europe to connecting with people in their own lives, all as a guest speaker and trainer.
Tim Lane is currently Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Tursa Employment and Training and Co-Chair of the newly formed NESA Cyber Security Special Interest Group (CSIG). Tim has an extensive background in Cyber Security with over 23 years’ experience across disparate technologies in private enterprise, local government, the Higher Education and Research sector and more recently in the Not-for-Profit space. A core area of interest is demystifying the topic of cyber at both an individual and organisational level, in order to empower people to take strategic and practical steps to help fortify cyber security nationally.
Belinda Catelli is a senior executive in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations with over 18 years’ experience in developing and implementing policy and managing programs in the Education and Employment sectors. As Assistant Secretary, Activities and Experience Branch, Belinda has responsibility for looking after key activities such as Career Transition Assistance, Employability Skills Training, and Work for the Dole, as well as the quality of the digital experience for individuals engaging with Workforce Australia Online. Before her current role, Belinda’s most recent achievement was leading the transition arrangements to Workforce Australia. Belinda takes a client-centric approach to her work and enjoys engaging with stakeholders and collaborating with her peers and across all levels of Government to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome.
Director of Maguire Consulting and Maguire Legal
Paul Maguire, a lawyer is the Director of Maguire Consulting and Maguire Legal, specialising in employee relations’ advice, representation, human resource management and business development. Paul has been a trusted adviser to NESA and the employment services industry since 2000. Amongst his achievements has been overseeing the making of the modern Labour Market Assistance Industry Award at the Fair Work Commission, establishing Employee Relations Online, the industry workplace relations advice service, and conducting the bi-annual National Survey of Remuneration and HRM Performance. Paul is also the author of HR for small business for Dummies. His business practice has a national focus advising and representing organisations throughout Australia.
Director, Activities and Experience, DEWR
Anna Hemmings is an experienced executive leader responsible for work experience programs and activation requirements for provider-managed participants. Anna has worked for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in various portfolios over the past 18 years. Her first role was in the Employment group, and she returned in 2021 to continue to develop and implement programs and initiatives to support people into long-term sustainable employment.
Jo is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Deakin Business School. Her research focuses on employment and skills and the workplace inclusion of under-leveraged talent and she teaches on Australia’s first undergraduate Major in Recruitment and Talent Acquisition. Jo has been awarded a number of grants in the UK and Australia, including current projects on creating sustainable employment pathways for Aboriginal communities and Social Ventures Australia’s Employer Labs. In 2023 she begins ARC Linkage and UK Research Council grants focused on employers, job quality and employment services. Jo is a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals and co-chairs the UK Employment Related Services Association’s Employer Engagement Forum. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Academic Member of the Australian Human Resource Institute and Editor of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
Sonya McCarthy is the acting Assistant Secretary of the Access and Participation Branch. The Branch is responsible for the policy relating to eligibility, assessments, mutual obligation requirements, including the operation and design of the new Points Based Activation System (PBAS), as well as the Targeted Compliance Framework. Sonya has over 30 years’ experience in the Department of Employment, starting her career as a trainee working on the front counter at the Commonwealth Employment Service. Sonya has significant experience in the Australian Public Services in areas of operational policy development, implementation, and program management. She has extensive experience in leading large implementation of change programs. Throughout her career, Sonya has had the privilege of implementing over 15 new employment initiatives and led the Transition to jobactive in 2015 and more recently PBAS. Sonya also has worked at Services Australia in the Participation Programmes & Compliance Branch. At the forefront of her mind when implementing programs or initiatives is the experience of the job seeker. Sonya is passionate about the work that she does, striving to support vulnerable Australians and their families when they need it most to help them to achieve their employment goals.
VICE PRESIDENT OF TECH TALENT SERVICES, AKKODIS
A seasoned recruitment leader with over a decade of business leadership experience and a strong passion for diversity and sustainability. Jaryd leads the Tech Talent division of Akkodis, a global smart industry leader and provide customers in Australia with access to the best technology professionals available. In 2023, Future Tech Talent Programs was launched to help bridge the gap and help solve the tech talent shortage in Australia by ensuring a pathway for reskilled, diverse talent is created.
HEAD OF TECH TALENT PROGRAMS, AKKODIS
Gemma’s career started in the Tech talent industry in London and with over 10 years’ experience, her passion for driving diversity and solving the persistent issue of tech talent shortage has become a key focus. Now Gemma’s unique approach to solving the tech talent shortage with Akkodis has helped to create a more inclusive and innovative tech industry, paving the way for the next generation of tech talent.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT, DEWR
Jodie has worked at DEWR in the Assurance Branch for four and a half years and is excited to be expanding our focus to quality. With a background in operational health care, starting as a Registered Nurse and moving into a range of roles in project management, system improvement and corporate leadership (including quality and safety) Jodie has a focus on working in partnership on a more front end quality and assurance approach, to enable early intervention and remediation.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROGRAMS, DEWR
Samantha Robertson has responsibility for day to day management and oversight of employment programs which primarily target the most vulnerable job seekers. This includes Enhanced and Specialist Services under Workforce Australia, Transition to Work – the Youth Employment Service, the Time to Work Employment Service and Pre-Release Prisoner initiative aimed at those nearing the end of their incarceration and the ParentsNext program for those in receipt of Parenting Payment with a youngest child under school age.
Samantha has been a senior public servant in the Australian Public Service since 2004 and has a strong interest in evidence based policy with an extensive background in service delivery, policy and program development, implementation and management. Samantha has worked as a Ministerial Advisor and has worked in the Health and Education portfolios (including seven years with the National Health and Medical Research Council) and the Prime Minister’s department.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PARENTS NEXT, DEWR
Rebecca-Lee is an experienced leader in the ParentsNext team, having joined in September 2020. Her team is responsible for the overall management of the program and its underlying policy, and supporting providers to deliver the program successfully. Rebecca-Lee joined the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in 2015 and has spent most of her time implementing and managing employment programs. Rebecca-Lee is passionate about her work and the impact that it has on Australian’s, their families and the broader community.
DIRECTOR, DEWR
Anna Ritson has worked in surveys, data and research for over 15 years. She has worked at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on the National Social Housing Survey and on the National Prisoner Health survey conducted within custodial environments. She has been the Director of the Post-Program Monitoring team within the Evidence and Assurance Division of DEWR since June of 2021. The team conducts large-scale surveys to understand the labour force, education and employment tenure and satisfaction of employment services participants.
CEO & FOUNDER, CREATING NEW PATHWAYS
Sharon is the CEO and Founder of Creating New pathways (CNP). CNP design Professional Development Seminars specifically for Employment Services nationally. She has provided over 23000 hours of individual & group therapeutic sessions with mandated clients presenting with complex AOD, mental health and other psychosocial challenges. Clients with severe behavioural and mental health issues leave their first appointment with something they haven’t dared lean into for a long time…Hope.
She combines a unique blend of evidence-based methods, clinical expertise and a down to earth approach that gently challenges our most disadvantaged participants to reconsider their present pathway. With over 30 years of experience in the mental health and addiction sector, Sharon has worked as a clinician in the Employment & Community Services treating the most reluctant and complex participants. She is well sought after by providers and clients. Sharon is also a qualified instructional designer, lecturer & licenced Mental Health First Aid instructor and is currently delivering mental health and behavioural PD’s all over the country. She delivers Mental Health& Wellbeing Programs, to various industries, including Employment & Community Services, Corporate Industry, Emergency Services, Defence Departments And Allied Health Services.
A lecturer at tertiary level for Mental Health and AOD, Sharon also speaks at national conferences, Professional Development Seminars and has appeared on various national news and TV shows. She is the industry’s longest standing subject matter expert on working with clients with complex needs, mental health, addictions, and motivation. Her workshop will look at the issues from the consumer’s perspective because that’s the viewpoint we need to understand.
PROGRAM LEAD, CREATING NEW PATHWAYS
Montana is a qualified Social Worker and Therapist with experience in the fields of Trauma, Youth, Mental Health and Addiction. Whilst working in demanding mental health roles, Montana identified the importance of Staff Wellbeing & Staff Training- in order to provide the best care to clients. Her areas of interest are Neuroscience, Mental Ill Health Prevention, Dual Diagnosis, and Staff Training.
Through Creating New Pathways, Montana has designed and delivered training on topics such as Mental Health Essentials, Emotional Intelligence, Motivational Interviewing, and Substance Use Disorders. She is also a licensed Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor
ASSISTANT SECRETARY, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, DEWR
Stuart is passionate about designing and implementing labour market programs, linking labour supply to labour demand through government interventions. He has over 30 years’ experience in tackling the complex challenges of linking people and employers to tailored pathways. He has worked across employment services, industrial relations, skills, education, human resources and leadership
Ag. BRANCH MANAGER, DES GRANTS, DSS
Tanya manages the Disability Employment Services (DES) Grants Branch at the Department of Social Services. She has 20 years experience in government working across a range of policy and program areas including disability and Indigenous employment, families and communities programs, the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and vocational education and training policy and programs.
DIRECTOR, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS PROGRAM, DEWR
Peta Chapman is a director at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations with 17 years’ experience in developing and implementing policy and managing programs in the employment sector. As director of the Employability Skills Programs Team, Peta has responsibility for looking after the Career Transition Assistance and Employability Skills Training programs, both key planks in the government’s employment services model. This is a role she enjoys immensely and finds challenging each day.
Before this current role, Peta held several roles in the department’s Assurance Branch; time well spent being educated about the fine balance between compliance, accountability and risk.
Peta has a strong commitment to stakeholder engagement and seeing that engagement reflected in shared solutions.
Director and founder of Dynamo Selling
Raimond is the Director and founder of Dynamo Selling, Australia’s leading sales success training organisation. Dynamo selling has won over 7 international and national awards including the prestigious International Gold Stevie award, and Winner of the Sales training company of the year in Australia in 2020 and 2021.
Raimond has over 25 years sales experience across SME and Corporate organisations in many industries including recruitment, pharmaceutical and finance.
Mindset plays a big part in Raimond’s sales training, as he strongly believes the right attitude is an integral part in a successful sales process. Raimond believes that with a solid sales process, a winning attitude and advanced communication skills, excellence can be achieved in any industry.
Raimond is also International Best-Selling Author in the Self‐Help industry, with his book “Success1010 For Living”. Shortly after its release, it became an international bestseller in 5 countries and has won 6 international book awards.
CEO, Brave Foundation
Jill Roche is an accomplished executive leader and passionate advocate for the intergenerational impact of Brave’s program to support expecting and parenting young people. As the CEO of Brave Foundation, she has been instrumental in driving the organisation’s mission to empower young parents and create a better future for children.
Jill’s journey began as a young single mother of twins, where she experienced first-hand the challenges and stigma faced by young parents and their children. Her early parenting years fuelled her passion to work with a focus on empowering families and children.
She brings a wealth of experience to her role as the CEO of Brave Foundation, having experience spanning not-for-profit, management consulting, information technology, and banking and financial services throughout her career. Before starting at Brave Foundation as Chief Operations Officer in 2019, Jill served as Chief of Corporate Affairs at World Vision.
Jill is deeply engaged with stakeholders including government agencies, corporations, and community organisations and understands the importance of collaboration in creating meaningful impact. She is energised by leading a team of passionate Brave employees and has deepened and broadened Brave’s reach and impact, having actively participated in relevant government inquiries and summits to highlight the value, needs and the potential of young parents.
Her passion, dedication, and commitment to creating a positive change in the lives of families are an inspiration to many. She deeply believes in Brave’s vision to create a world where the boundless potential of young parents can be unlocked so that every family has the opportunity to thrive.
Brave Foundation
Catherine joined Brave in April 2022 and was previously an Advanced Practice Lead and Social Work Coach at the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare. Catherine is passionate about improving opportunities for women who are parenting and experiencing adverse circumstances, as she is acutely aware of the barriers that young parents face having started her own parenting journey at 20.
Event Details
VENUE
PULLMAN MELBOURNE, ALBERT PARK
65 Queens Rd, Albert Park VIC 3004
CEO FORUM
TUESDAY 4 APRIL 2023
8.30am Registrations Open
5.00pm Forum Closes
CEO FAREWELL DINNER
TUESDAY 4 APRIL 2023
**FULLY BOOKED **
Windows Restaurant
Pullman Melbourne, Albert Park
Time: 6.00pm - 10.00pm
Attire: Cocktail
PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE
WEDNESDAY 5 APRIL 2023
8.00am Registrations Open
9.00am Welcome to Country
5.00pm Conference Close
COST
NESA Member
CEO FORUM-
Attendance at the CEO Forum
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
NESA Member
PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE-
Attendance at the Practitioners Conference
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
NESA Member
CEO FAREWELL DINNER-
Attendance at the CEO Farewell Dinner
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
Non-Member
CEO FORUM-
Attendance at the CEO Forum
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
Non-Member
PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE-
Attendance at the Practitioners Conference
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
Non-Member
CEO FAREWELL DINNER-
Attendance at the CEO Farewell Dinner
-
Prices are inclusive of GST
-
THANK YOU TO OUR CONFERENCE SPONSOR
