Fifteen Australia Awards recipients visited Australia for three weeks as part of a prestigious Australia Awards Short Course, ‘Evaluating Workforce Learning and Development Initiatives’ funded by the Australian Government.
The Australia Awards Short Course participants included representatives from Bhutan’s Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, private training institutes and industry organisations from Bhutan.
This Australia Awards Short Course was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Australia Awards are prestigious international Scholarships, Fellowships and Short Courses that offer the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake short-term study, research and professional development opportunities in support of key development and foreign affairs priorities.
The ‘Evaluating Workforce Learning and Development Initiatives in Bhutan’ Short Course was delivered by Griffith University’s Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources and supported by the International Business Development Unit.
This Short Course follows the successful ‘Human Resource Development and Planning’ Short Course delivered for recipients from Bhutan in 2016, also delivered by Griffith University.
The 2018 program seeks to address the unique challenges facing both Bhutan’s Ministry of Labour and Human Resources (MoLHR) as well as Bhutan’s training institutes and emerging industry associations.
The Short Course focused on developing capabilities for the systematic monitoring and evaluation of industry-based training interventions around this change through capacity development and engagement.
Over three weeks, the group of professionals were able to gain a hands-on training experience in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Site visits included Wyndham Destinations Asia to discuss sector training in the tourism industry, which isimportant to Bhutan. Participants also visited the Enterprise & Training Company where participants reviewed training curricula for people with disabilities.
Other activities included a trip to TAFE Queensland International and Australian Industry Trade College along with many other site visits and presentations from industry experts from the training sector in Australia.
Along with the site visits a range of educational workshops ran throughout the program giving participants the opportunity to effectively develop ‘Return To Work’ plans which could be implemented in the training sector of Bhutan.
Ms Lhadon Kuenzang, Chief ICt Officer of Bhutan’s Ministry of Labour and Human Resources was just one of many prominent participants of the Short Course.
Other notable attendees included Ms Tshering Chencho, Director of the Bhutan International School for Hospitality and Tourism; and Mr Dorji Sonam, Executive Director of the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (ABTO).
The Short Course will continue in February 2019 when participants will meet again in Bhutan to complete their ‘Return To Work’ plans for future implementation in their work places.
One of the highlights of the program was a high-level symposium titled: ‘Evaluating outcomes to improve future training and education initiatives – evidence and practice from Australia’ held at Griffith University in the Gold Coast where various key industry representatives attended as panel members, providing experience-driven knowledge to the participants.
Panelists included Bruce Harkness, Senior Vice President Human Resources & Customer Experience at Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific; Adeline Hough, Director of People and Culture for eHealth Queensland; Lindy MacPherson, National Manager — Client Delivery, Davidson HR Consulting; Lhawang Ugyel from Bhutan who is currently a Lecturer at the Development Policy Centre of the Crawford School of Public Policy; and Ruth McPhail, Professor of Human Resource Management and Head of the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources.
To find out more about Australia Awards visit Australia Awards.
