Gain Assertiveness Training for Personal & Career Success

Gain Assertiveness Training for Personal & Career Success

Assertiveness training skills are vital for personal and career success, as they allow expression of opinions, feelings and needs in a healthy way.  These skills will enable you to protect your rights, set healthy boundaries and accept compliments graciously.

If your self-esteem is low, it’s difficult to express yourself assertively. That’s where our assertiveness training course comes in handy.

Building Self-Esteem and Assertiveness Skills is an online program that will give you insights into understanding the different aspects of the communication process and help you apply effective techniques, both at work and in social settings.

In this assertiveness training course, you’ll learn to identify and use a range of communication styles, body language, and listening and questioning skills to build and develop your assertive persona!

So, if you need some help to communicate your wants and needs, whether in your personal or professional life (or both), this course will provide you will have the skills, knowledge and confidence you need!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking assertiveness training include:

  • Origins of low self-esteem
  • Changing the conditioning
  • Putting things in perspective
  • Improving self-esteem
  • Stop spreading negative messages
  • Negative and negating comments
  • Making Connections
  • Throw out perfectionism
  • Building self-esteem
  • Building confidence in others
  • Putting others at ease
  • Presenting yourself well
  • Creating positive impressions
  • Our thoughts on creating impressions
  • Making connections
  • Throw out perfectionism
  • Increasing our self-esteem
  • Assessing internal factors
  • Communication skills
  • Personal conflict
  • Collaboration
  • Assertion
  • Assertive behaviour
  • What assertiveness will not do
  • Selective assertiveness
  • Passive behaviour
  • Aggressive behaviour
  • Language
  • Circle of concern and influence
  • Causation
  • What the circle of concern represents
  • Circle of influence
  • Learn to be assertive
  • Learning how and when to say no
  • Saying no
  • Saying yes
  • Communication
  • Listening
  • Open/closed questions
  • Aspects of communication
  • Non-verbal messages
  • Body language, tone and words

 

… and more!

 

What Determines Self-Esteem?

In psychology, self-esteem describes a person’s sense of self-worth or value. It’s a term that reflects how much a person appreciates and likes themselves. It involves a variety of beliefs, such as how a person feels about their appearance, beliefs, emotions, and behaviours.

Many factors contribute to our self-esteem, such as:

  • Personality
  • Health
  • Age
  • Thoughts
  • Social connections
  • Reactions of others
  • Comparison of self to others
  • Genetics
  • Life experiences

The good news is, while self-esteem is a complicated construct, it’s not fixed! You can positively build your self-esteem with work and patience. One way to start improving your self-esteem is by learning to communicate assertively.

Assertiveness – How Important Is It?

Assertiveness training is crucial in the workplace, and it’s a skill that allows harmony and productivity to reign supreme! But it’s just as important in your personal life because it’s key to building and maintaining healthy relationships.

Being assertive isn’t easy without training and practice because there’s a fine line between assertiveness and aggression. One clear way to recognise the difference is in considering what drives the behaviour. Assertive behaviour is based on finding a balance between expressing your own needs and respecting the rights of others, while aggressive behaviour is based on winning at all costs.

The 4 Types of Communication

The way a person interacts with others is unique, but there are four broad communication styles:  passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive.

Assertive communication is proven to be the most effective because it incorporates the most beneficial aspects of all the other styles.

It is helpful to understand the different types of communication styles in order to understand how and why people communicate in specific ways.

#1 – Aggressive

Aggressive communication is often loud, demanding and involves intense eye contact. The aggressive communication style can include intimidating, criticising, threatening and blaming behaviour.

Aggressive types of communication involve commands, rude questioning and an inability or unwillingness to listen to others’ points of view.

Aggressive communication signs:

  • Talking fast without pauses
  • Standing too close
  • Pointing
  • Clenched fists
  • Sneering
  • Smirking
  • Nostril flaring

An example of aggressive communication:

“I know when I’m right!”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“You completely got this wrong again.”

 

Aggressive communication results in:

  • Lack of real connection with others
  • Stress
  • Unmet goals

#2 – Passive – Aggressive

In passive-aggressive communication, people may appear passive on the surface, but underneath there’s anger. The anger is often subtle and indirect so that it can be confusing for those dealing with a passive-aggressive person.

Those who adopt a passive-aggressive communication style are usually feeling powerless or resentful and feel unable to deal with difficult situations or emotions.

Passive-Aggressive communication signs:

  • Mutter under their breath rather than confront issues
  • Have trouble acknowledging their anger
  • Use facial expressions that don’t match feelings
  • Deny having a problem
  • Appear cooperative while being annoying or disruptive
  • Uses sabotage to get even

Passive-aggressive communication results in:

  • Alienation from others
  • Continuing to feel powerlessness
  • Holding resentment while others addressing real issues

An example of passive-aggressive communication:

“Fine. Whatever.”

“I’m coming!”

“I’m not angry.”

“You’ve done so well for someone with your education level.”

“I was joking!”

#3 – Passive

Passive communicators avoid expressing opinions and feeling, and as a result, their rights and needs are often not met. People who use passive communication don’t react to hurtful or anger-inducing situations but let hurt feelings build-up.

But everyone has their tolerance threshold, and when passive communicators react, they’re prone to explosive outbursts that are out of proportion.  This overaction then triggers feelings of shame, guilt and confusion, and so the passive communication cycle continues.

 

Passive Communication Signs:

  • Failure to assert themselves
  • Allows others to infringe on their rights
  • Inability to express feelings, needs, or opinions
  • Speaking softly
  • Apologetic
  • Poor eye contact
  • Slumped posture

 

Passive-Aggressive Communication Results In:

  • Feeling out of control
  • Anxiety
  • Depressed mood
  • Worthlessness
  • Feeling resentful

 

An example of passive communication:

“I don’t mind. I’m okay with whatever you want to do.”

“It really doesn’t matter that much.”

“I just want to keep the peace.”

#4 – Assertive

Assertive communicators state opinions and feelings honestly and firmly while respecting the rights of others. They are able to respect and value themselves while also respecting the rights of others.

Assertive Communication Signs:

  • States needs and feelings honestly, clearly, appropriately, and respectfully
  • Uses “I” statements (not “you”)
  • Communicates respect for others
  • Listens without interrupting
  • Feels in control of self
  • Maintains good eye contact
  • Speaks calmly
  • Demonstrates relaxed body language

Assertive Communication Results In:

  • Feeling connected to others
  • Feeling in control of their lives
  • Mature attitude as problems are addressed as they arise

An example of Assertive Communication:

“We are all equally entitled to express our opinions.”

“Can you explain why you did that, please?”

“I feel frustrated when you arrive late for meetings.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I disagree.”

 

Now that you’ve learned about the four basic communication styles, why not learn even more with our assertiveness training course, The Certificate of Self-Esteem and Assertiveness Skills?

 

 

Enhance Profitability With Customer Service Training

Customer service training enhances customer relationship management, which is all about establishing, maintaining and developing relationships — ultimately boosting an organisation’s profitability.

Ideal for customer or client relationship managers or anyone keen to enhance their dealings with customers, our Introduction to Customer Relationship Management will give you insights into how to communicate effectively and build strategies for successful relationships. You will also learn how to maintain a customer database and build and enhance business networks to achieve organisational objectives.

In the world of customer service training, it’s a win-win for both parties!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking customer service training include:

  • Learning how to build client relationships and business networks
  • Exploring how to initiate communication with clients and identify communication styles
  • Studying how to establish client rapport
  • Discovering verbal and non-verbal communication
  • Gaining insights into investigating opportunities
  • Examining positive and negative feedback
  • Understanding communication processes and the barriers to effective communication
  • Learning about client relationship strategies and loyalty objectives
  • Exploring new clients versus repeat business
  • Studying profiling and client profile information
  • Gaining insights into loyalty strategies and maintaining customer relationships
  • Understanding how to gain client feedback via interviews, assessments and focus groups
  • Learning about feedback forms, problems with feedback and how to use feedback data
  • Exploring business associations, how to build and maintain networks and business contacts
  • Studying professional development activities and establishing network support
  • Gaining insights into developing professional relationships
  • Understanding how to conduct dealings with clients
  • Learning about protocols and social, business and ethical standards
  • Exploring confidentiality and disclosure
  • Studying self-knowledge and the Johari window
  • Examining how to build and use business networks
  • Understanding how to expand and enhance the organisation
  • Learning how to nurture relationships
  • Exploring how to identify and build on referral business
  • Studying complementary sales techniques, cross-selling and up-selling
  • Gaining insights into SPACED benefits

… And more!

 

Dealing with Dissatisfied Customers

Those who have undertaken customer service training and work in service-related jobs or industries often encounter disgruntled or even rude customers. But it’s important you remain calm and resolve issues adequately in a way that doesn’t affect your job performance. So what’s the best way to deal with them?

Be polite and professional

No matter how belligerent a customer gets, it’s important to remain polite, professional and keep your attitude neutral. When dealing with a customer over the phone, amp up that friendly tone, and in person, keep that smile on your dial!

Let the customer talk

Customers who aren’t happy often feel mistreated or have had unsatisfactory service before. Ask leading questions to allow them to talk freely so you can gather the facts and get rid of some of their negative energy. Often all a customer needs is an opportunity to voice their complaints. Avoid interrupting them unless they become verbally abusive, as this can make them even angrier!

Validate their concerns

Never trivialise a customer’s concerns, even they seem minor. Instead, tell them you’re sorry they had a bad experience and are upset. This will diffuse the situation so you can get to the real problem. It also lets a customer know you are listening and that you’re sympathetic, without necessarily admitting any wrongdoing on your or your company’s behalf.

Understand the issue

Actively listen so that you understand their concerns and can direct the conversation towards the real issue. This will show the customer you are not affected by their condescension or rudeness. Then clarify their issue and decide what actions you will take. However, don’t promise a resolution until you have discussed it with a manager.

Keep your voice calm

Raising your voice in anger will potentially escalate the situation and make it harder to resolve issues. Keep your voice composed and maintain even breathing. To help keep control of your voice, speak in small sentences, pause between each one and talk slowly to maintain a sense of calm.

Control your emotions

You should never raise your voice or cry due to a customer’s words or behaviour — although it can be difficult sometimes! If you feel as though you can’t handle the situation, put them on hold while you obtain assistance from a colleague or manager. Expressing too much emotion will just cause you to lose control of the situation.

Counteract their behaviour

Try not to respond to a customer’s rudeness with anger or negative comments. Let them know you appreciate their honesty and that you would like to resolve the situation. Positive wording can help steer the conversation away from angry comments, keep the situation in check and ensure you are focused on a solution.

Remember it’s not personal

Challenging situations are part and parcel of a customer service role, so it’s worth looking at the bigger picture and realising that customers that are upset or rude are doing so in the context of your job. Try not to take their comments personally, and instead, frame their behaviour in terms of how you can solve their issue and ensure they keep being a customer!

 

The Different Types of Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The goal of CRM is essentially to improve business relationships, including how to best interact with current and prospective customers. It can help with customer ‘connections’, streamline processes and improve profitability. Offering customer service training to staff is an integral part of enhancing these relationships, and knowledge of CRM can help enhance your CV even further! Here are some of the different types of CRM.

Strategic CRM

Strategic CRM focuses on the development of customer-centric business culture. This involves enhancing an organisation’s knowledge about customers and using it to improve and customise interactions to maintain long-term relationships.

Operational CRM

This type of CRM is comprised of three main components when it comes to CRM systems – marketing, sales force and service automation. These systems integrate and automate marketing, sales and customer support. They can provide information on clients, previous marketing efforts and past sales. They can also summarise the relationship between a customer and an organisation.

  • Marketing automation – this focuses on leveraging the marketing process to make it more efficient and effective. CRM tools can automate tasks like sending out marketing emails to customers at certain times or posting marketing communications on social media. The ultimate goal is to turn a sales lead into a customer.
  • Salesforce automation – this covers all stages of a sales cycle, from entering contact information to converting a ‘prospect’ into an actual client. It automates the tracking of a client’s account history and implements sales promotion analysis. It can also coordinate the marketing and sales teams, and retail outlets and call centres.
  • Service automation – this focuses on direct customer service technology through multiple channels like emails, phone calls, FAQ’s, live chats and more!

Analytical CRM

The role of analytical CRM systems is to analyse customer data that is collected through multiple sources, and present it so that management teams can make more informed decisions. It uses techniques like correlation, data mining and pattern recognition to improve customer service. For example, by analysing a customer’s buying behaviour, organisations can better understand what products a customer is (or is not) buying, and target their market efforts accordingly.

Collaborative CRM

Collaborative CRM aims to share information across departments, organisations and external stakeholders like vendors, distributors and suppliers. For example, feedback collected from technical support calls could provide direction for the marketing of services and products via the sales funnel to enhance the customer experience.

 

Enhance business relationships, learn how to effectively communicate, and help your organisation achieve customer-centric success with our Introduction to Customer Relationship Management 

 

Avoid Cat-astrophies With Our Animal Care Courses!

Studies have shown that domesticated cats first appeared around 4000 BC, and since then, many of us have sought to understand their unique and fascinating personalities. But with a reputation for being challenging to train and fiercely independent, it’s not always easy!

Ideal for cat owners, pet shop workers, breeders, groomers, animal health professionals and animal welfare officers, our Certificate of Cat Psychology and Training will give you insights into how to manage and influence the behaviour of our feline friends.

You will learn about cat senses and communication, understand their natural behaviour, and explore cat behaviour management. You will also study behavioural disorders and abnormalities in cats, and learn the ins and outs of basic obedience training.

Meow!

 

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking animal care courses include:

  • Learning about the nature and scope of cat psychology
  • Exploring cat psychology terminology
  • Gaining an understanding of cat industries
  • Studying how to differentiate between health and behavioural issues
  • Gaining insights into feline diabetes and kidney disease
  • Understanding stress in cats
  • Learning about cat senses and cat communications
  • Gaining an understanding of the sounds made by a cat
  • Studying the body language of cats
  • Examining the smell and hearing of cats
  • Understanding the natural behaviour in cats
  • Learning about cat aggression and scratch fever
  • Exploring cat behavioural development
  • Studying cats’ biological rhythms and sleep
  • Gaining insights into cats’ sexual and maternal behaviour
  • Understanding eating and drinking in cats
  • Learning about abnormalities and behavioural disorders in cats
  • Exploring nature or nurture
  • Studying sensitive periods
  • Gaining insights into cats’ neurological development
  • Understanding how cats sleep and play
  • Learning about cat temperament tests
  • Exploring how cat breeds differ
  • Studying basic training in cats
  • Gaining insights into dealing with cat aggression — redirected, maternal and idiopathic
  • Understanding housebreaking
  • Learning about inappropriate elimination
  • Exploring excessive vocalisation
  • Studying geriatric dysfunction
  • Gaining insights into controlling the killing of wildlife
  • Understanding eating disorders
  • Learning about abnormal suckling
  • Exploring separation anxiety
  • Studying obedience training and discipline
  • Gaining insights into forming habits
  • Understanding the advantages of training cats early

…And more!

Fascinating Facts About Cats

Like humans, cats’ personalities, behaviour, and the way they communicate vary dramatically. Breeds and species can only determine so much, and the rest is often determined by environmental factors and their individual personalities — something you’ll discover when undertaking animal care courses. But what do we know? Cats are definitely fascinating, and here’s why …

Cat Communication

  • All cats have a unique ‘vocabulary’ with their owner, which includes purrs, behaviours and vocalisations.
  • Cats can exhibit up to 100 different vocalisations.
  • Meowing is a behaviour that cats developed exclusively to communicate with people.
  • Domestic cats purr at a frequency of 25 to 150 vibrations per second.
  • When threatened or being aggressive, cats often growl or hiss.
  • If they are hunting prey, some cats make a chirping sound.
  • A ‘caterwaul’ is the cry of a cat ‘in heat’.
  • Cats find it threatening if you make direct eye contact with them.
  • If a cat rubs their face and body against you, they are marking you as their territory through their scent glands.
  • Cats often yawn as a way to end a confrontation — it’s like a ‘talk to the hand’ gesture!
  • Hissing is defensive not necessarily aggressive and an expression of stress, fear or discomfort.
  • When cats are fighting, the cat that is hissing is generally the more vulnerable one.
  • If a cat approaches you with a straight tail that’s almost ‘vibrating’, it means they are extremely happy to see you.
  • When a cat ‘kneads’, it is a sign of contentment — kittens knead their mums when they are nursing to stimulate milk production.
  • When a cat exposes their belly, they are relaxed and showing trust.
  • Whiskers are a great indicator of a cat’s mood – whiskers back means they are scared, whiskers forward generally means they’re hunting.
  • When a cat swats you with retracted claws, they are normally playing not attacking.
  • Unlike dogs, when a cat wags its tail, it’s their way of saying you are getting on their nerves.
  • A cat putting their bum in your face is a gesture of friendship. Ewww …
  • If a cat drapes its tail over you, another cat (or even a dog), it’s a symbol of friendship.

Cat Behaviours

  • Cats are very fussy about water bowls – some even prefer to ignore them and drink out of the tap!
  • They groom other cats (and sometimes people) in ‘social grooming’ — a term known as allogrooming.
  • Cats like to sleep on pillows or dirty washing that smell like their owners or in laundry baskets where they can hide.
  • They will often attack human’s ankles when they’re bored.
  • Certain cats go mad for unusual foods including chips, olives and … beer hops.
  • Most cats don’t like the scent of citrus.
  • Around half the cats in the world respond to the scent of catnip, whereas kittens have no response to it at all.
  • If your cat goes missing inside, look in a bag or box, as these are some of their favourite hiding spots.
  • Some cats like the smell of chlorine (because it smells like cat wee).
  • Many cats like to lick their owner’s freshly washed hair.
  • Cats can be thieves and will often hide objects like stuffed animals that remind them of prey.

Cat Idiosyncrasies

  • White cats with blue eyes are prone to deafness.
  • A cat’s learning style is similar to a two to three-year-old child.
  • A group of kittens is called a kindle.
  • Collective nouns for adult cats include a ‘clowder’, ‘glaring’, ‘clutter’ and ‘pounce’.
  • The location of cat breeders is called catteries.
  • Most cats can be toilet-trained.
  • Cats can drink seawater in order to survive (unlike humans).
  • Every cat’s nose is unique — similar to human fingerprints.
  • Most languages in the world have a similar word to describe the ‘meow’ sound.
  • The first cat video, ‘Boxing Cat’s, was recorded by Thomas Edison in 1894.
  • Kittens in the same litter can have more than one dad – female cats in heat can release multiple eggs over a few days.
  • Cats dream, just like people and exhibit this by whimpering and twitching their whiskers.

How To Train A Cat To Sit

Because cats appear to be stubborn and aloof, many people think they are completely untrainable. However, undertaking animal care courses may have you thinking otherwise. Cat behaviourists believe they actually enjoy the physical and mental stimulation of training … as long as there are treats involved of course!

The key to training a cat is the establishment of trust and motivation (hence the treats), using positive methods and never resorting to punishment. A training clicker can also help as you can train your cat to associate the clicking noise with a delicious reward. Here are some tips from the RSPCA on how to teach your cat how to sit on cue.

  1. With a treat in one hand and your clicker in the other, sit on the floor and call your cat to you.
  2. Hold the treat slightly above your cat’s head.
  3. Wait for them to sit as their eyes follow the treat.
  4. When they start to sit, click and then reward them with the treat.
  5. Repeat the process until your cat is properly sitting properly and then say the cue word ‘sit’.
  6. Repeat the training over several days until they’ve mastered it. Patience will be required!

 

Keen to increase your knowledge of cat behaviour so you manage and respond to fur babies in a personal or professional capacity? Then animal care courses, such as our Certificate of Cat Psychology and Training is the purrfect course for you!

Piercing Courses Help You Become a Career Piercer!

Whether you’re a beauty professional looking to upskill or a career body piercer in waiting, our piercing course is the perfect way to find your new direction.

Pursing piercing as a profession (excuse the alliteration) is an exciting undertaking. It’s a career path that involves knowledge, theory, and – practice makes perfect! So, if you’re keen to get started, start with a course that gives you the introductory knowledge and theory to be taken seriously in the industry.

Introduction to Body Piercing will provide you with important knowledge and theory to seek entry into this exciting profession. You’ll learn the skills you’ll need to seek out apprenticeship or mentorship opportunities.

In this online body piercing course, you’ll discover relevant skin penetration guidelines, learn about infection control, including use of PPE and respiratory hygiene, as well as sterilisation procedures, managing hazards, and wound and aftercare.

On completion of this course, you will feel confident to pursue a career as a body piercing professional with the theory and knowledge required to perform competently.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking our piercing course include:

  • Treatment plan
  • Prepare client for service
  • What is upper body piercing?
  • Piercing sites (naval, ear, nose)
  • Contra-indications
  • Age, intoxication, skin conditions and allergies
  • Keloid scars
  • Wound healing
  • Stages of wound healing
  • Healing times
  • Factors that impact on wound healing
  • Jewellery
  • Recording client information
  • Body piercing tools
  • Perform body piercing
  • Prepare the client
  • Performing the procedure
  • Skin receptors and stimuli
  • Materials and products
  • Preparing yourself
  • Recording client characteristics
  • Where to pierce the ear
  • Final client preparation steps
  • Personal protection equipment (PPE)
  • Respiratory hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette
  • Preventing droplet and airborne infection
  • Identify infection hazards (your areas and other people)
  • Responsibility for infection prevention and control
  • Protocols for care after exposure to body fluids
  • Worker safety
  • Required report documentation
  • Management protocols
  • Appropriate signage
  • Spill management
  • Document and assess the likelihood and severity of risk
  • The chain of infection
  • Policies and procedures
  • Risk controls
  • Measures that will minimise or control risks

And more!

 

Why Do People Get Piercings?

There are many reasons why people choose to get piercing. It’s a form of self-expression, a way to conform to a religion or culture or rebel against it! But, most commonly, people do it because they like the way it looks and the way it makes them feel.

#1 – They make a visual statement

Many people who get piercings do so simply because they like the way it looks. It’s primarily for aesthetic value.

#2 – The influence of popular culture

Famous artists, actors and musicians are often responsible for setting trends, and it’s no different with piercings. Celebrities have a significant impact on popular culture, and they shape the decisions of young people.

#3 – To commemorate an occasion or celebrate a milestone

Just as people get tattoos to commemorate a person, place or occasion, piercings also mark special moments in people’s lives. A piercing can commemorate a loved one who’s passed, an achievement they’re proud of, or can be a reminder of something symbolic.

#4 – Cultural or religious reasons

Many cultures around the world pay tribute to their ancestors or commemorate rites of passage with piercings. So, while it may be perceived that piercings came about as a result of popular culture, it’s been a cultural practice for many societies throughout the centuries.

 

Historical and contemporary piercing culture, examples:

  • Piercings in India, such as nose piercings, are one way that Hindus pay tribute to Parvathi – the goddess of marriage.
  • Native American’s Sun Dance ceremony, piercing was performed to inspire powerful visions.
  • In Nepal, the Brahmin and Chhetri people have a nose piercing tradition that dates back to the 10th
  • Ancient Egyptians and soldiers pierced their nipples and navels as a sign of entering manhood.
  • The Punk movement adopted nose piercing in the ’70s to symbolise a rebellion from conservative values.

 

What Are the Most Popular Body Piercings?

In western cultures, body piercing has seen a rise and fall in popularity. A dramatic spike was experienced following World War II with young people experimenting with non-traditional piercings; by the ’90s unconventional piercing became more mainstream.

However, nostril and ear piercings are still the most common piercings and are represented in today and throughout history. As a result, many piercing courses will focus on the nostril and the ear as the primary piercing areas.

Although nose and ear piercings are the most widespread worldwide, tongue and lip piercings are also popular. These types of piercings were also a favourite of American and African tribal cultures. In ancient Rome and India, nipple and genital piercings were also standard tribal practices.

 

A History of Piercings

The oldest mummified remains wearing earrings dates back 5,300 years. The remains of Otzi (the oldest mummy ever discovered) was found in 1991 by tourists on the border of Austria and Italy, and he was found to have pierced ears! It is believed Otzi lived around 3,300 BC!

While earrings were believed to be worn decoratively and as part of cultural practice, primitive tribes also wore them for superstitious reasons. People believed that demons could enter the body through the ears, and certain metals deterred them. So, it seems earrings were also protection against possession!

Historians believe nose piercings, an ancient form of body art, date back to 1500 BC! During the 16th century, the tradition was brought to India from the Middle East by the Mughal emperors.

 

Would you like to become a piercing professional? Our piercing course, Introduction to Body Piercing, will allow you to gain entry to this exciting and popular industry.

Lead Like A Boss

What is Agile Leadership?

Essential to business change, Agile leaders have the foresight and humility to understand they can’t tackle organisational problems alone. They work with individuals who love learning, inspire them to improve, and provide them with ample opportunities for development.

Agile leadership is based on concepts that support business transformation, and many of these are covered in any leadership development program. They include:

Encouraging action

Those who lead by example and engage in their own development not only drive and promote change, but inspire others. They work on themselves through action rather than words. They also exhibit empathetic and humble traits by demonstrating virtues like kindness, care and compassion. 

Quality thinking

Meaningful action results from high-quality thinking, and Agile leaders look at problems from different angles. They obtain input from those close to the problem to ensure they are in touch with reality when making decisions. They also allow for their own ‘thinking time’ in order to focus on the highest priorities that need tackling.

Effective feedback 

Although it’s sometimes seen as a negative experience, Agile leaders obtain feedback that is useful, timely and meaningful. This allows them to respond to the suggestions made in order to close the feedback loop. When giving their own feedback, they ensure that it is honest, open and respectful.

Finding meaning and purpose

Agile Leaders focus on building and sharing a common purpose, and their vision for change is applicable and meaningful to the organisation. They are aware of what is in the hearts and minds of their team and then work to align and unify those values to leverage inspired action.

The importance of emotion

Emotion is an important part of the human experience and something Agile leaders understand well. They encourage their team to work with their emotions to achieve more of their potential. They also encourage innovation and creativity by being open, honest, accessible and transparent.

Encouraging leadership

Realising leadership potential lies in everyone is vital to helping teams adapt and learn.  Agile leaders develop these capabilities by providing opportunities for people to display leadership. This is often achieved via mentoring and allows an organisation’s Agile culture to thrive.

Empowering individuals

Agile leaders recognise people work best when they are engaged, energised and enabled. They balance the needs and challenges of an organisation and recognise empowerment comes from exerting leadership behaviour that is based on the notion of continual change.

Communities that collaborate

One of the important roles of an Agile leader is to provide communities with the tools to operate efficiently, but allow them to function autonomously within their boundaries. They understand that positivity, generosity and gratitude are important to healthy work environments and encourage continual learning and development.

Fostering a culture of ideas 

Those that are close to a problem often know how best to solve it. Agile leaders are open to the ideas of all employees regardless of their position. They take time to listen to the opinions of others and encourage a continuous flow of creativity in order to solve problems and allow for improvement.

What is Mindful Leadership?

Learning about Mindful leadership is an important part of any leadership development program. It can be defined as ‘the cultivation of clarity, focus, compassion and creativity in the services of others’. Basically, it’s about being willing to put the interests of others before ourselves, and the notion of managers leading without ego.

Those who practise Mindful leadership are often more innovative, have better decision-making skills, improved strategic thinking, and foster integrity that inspires true greatness in others. It involves:

Leading by example

A Mindful leader doesn’t expect others to do things they are not willing to do themselves. They are aware their attitudes and behaviour will influence the culture of both the organisation and their team. A failure to do this can cause a deterioration of trust, and a disconnect between leaders and their employees.

Offering constant recognition 

Everyone likes to be recognised and appreciated for their hard work on a regular basis — and not just with a pay rise! Employees who are consistently supported by a Mindful leader will be more engaged, and more willing to support the philosophies and growth of an organisation. They will also be open to seeing negative feedback as an opportunity to improve.

Leading with humility

Humility doesn’t mean you think less of yourself, it means you think of yourself less! It is certainly not a sign of weakness, and a Mindful leader is able to recognise their own weakness and is not afraid to ask for help when they need it. It also means they are open to receiving not-so-positive feedback and look at how they can improve their own shortcomings.

Communicating with compassion

Words are very impactful and Mindful leaders are able to communicate in a compassionate way while also being aware of their own emotions. Communication should be beneficial, honest and thoughtful in order to enhance the likelihood that it will be received well and result in a positive outcome.

Balancing emotions

Mindful leaders are able to reflect on their thoughts, behaviour and actions and improve their emotional intelligence. This allows them to be sympathetic to other’s needs and concerns and understand their perspectives. It also increases awareness and allows leaders to control emotions rather than be controlled by them.

 

Enhance your management capabilities by gaining an in-depth understanding of how to build and lead successful teams with one of our Management and Leadership online courses.

 

 

Negotiate Watertight Contracts With Our Procurement Courses

Procurement is essential to many industry sectors, from private enterprise to government departments. And because it revolves around valuable cost-saving measures, procurement professionals are in high demand!

In our Procurement Specialist Program you will study how to effectively manage the procurement, purchasing and contract management processes within departments or organisations — both big and small. You’ll explore how to navigate the procurement process, identify procurement requirements, conduct procurement activities, and assist with supplier selection and performance management.

Basically, you’ll learn to love the sound of ka-ching!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking procurement courses include:

  • Learning about plan purchasing including how to prepare invitations and quotes or tenders
  • Exploring retail purchases and legislative requirements
  • Studying how to evaluate sources, identify suppliers and prepare invitations to offer
  • Gaining insights into policies and procedures
  • Understanding how to conduct briefings and prepare recommendations to purchase
  • Learning how to obtain specialist expertise and evaluate offers
  • Exploring purchasing performance, the evaluation process and purchasing criteria
  • Studying purchasing requirements and how to purchase goods and services
  • Understanding purchasing strategies and limits and specialist purchasing roles
  • Learning about selection discretion and how to purchase goods and services
  • Studying direct, credit card and online purchases
  • Understanding supply agreements, quotes, formal tenders and approval for purchases
  • Learning how to select suppliers, make the purchase and receive goods
  • Exploring invoices, receipts, advices and petty cash vouchers
  • Gaining insights into project procurement management
  • Understanding how to determine procurement requirements
  • Learning about contracts and how to plan purchases and acquisitions
  • Exploring how to delegate authority and determine inputs and project scope
  • Studying a statement of work and a make or buy analysis
  • Gaining insights into contract types, planning and terminology
  • Understanding how to select sellers, evaluate criteria and determine a seller rating
  • Learning about seller performance and how to contract audit
  • Studying how to negotiate contracts with suppliers without prejudice
  • Gaining insights into negotiating issues and determining desired outcomes
  • Understanding document contract requirements and how to draft, prepare and finalise them
  • Learning about trade practices, consumer protection and sales of goods legislation
  • Studying how to monitor supplier performance
  • Gaining insights into the four key aspects of evaluation
  • Understanding supplier performance and non-conformance
  • Learning about ethical practices and how to conduct an external customer audit
  • Exploring quality importance, information security and privacy principles
  • Studying the purpose and qualities of goods and services
  • Gaining insights into push and pull inventory management models
  • Understanding effective negotiations and cost-saving strategies
  • Learning about procurement planning and procedures
  • Exploring outputs, evaluation and the approval process
  • Studying the supplier selection process including evaluation and screening
  • Gaining insights into audits and records management

 

And more!

Top Five Procurement Trends for 2020

Procurement courses can prepare teams to face ongoing challenges including tough competitors, volatile markets and increasing production costs. However, keeping up with trends requires fast adaption and ensures teams can deliver products or services on time and to a high standard. So what are the top five procurement trends for 2020?

#1 – Thinking Green

As of 2018, 33 per cent of all greenhouse gas pollution in Australia was due to electricity and 18 per cent due to transportation — and both areas are crucial components to supply chain networks. Progressive companies are starting to adopt processes and systems that reduce their carbon footprint. A climate-focused strategy when planning supply chains has also helped them to identify sustainable resources.

#2 – Circular Supply Chains

These are increasingly replacing traditional linear supply chains, which move in three steps — from manufacturing to distribution to the final destination. In the future, a fourth step will be added, known as a ‘recycling/reusing’ dimension. In this step, products that are not sold (and may have been once thrown away) will be put back into circulation wherever possible. It also enables businesses to save costs and stay compliant with waste disposal laws and standards

#3 – Globalised Outsourcing

Trends suggest that moving forward, 80 per cent of manufacturers will have multi-country operations, and there will be a need for competent and skilled workers. In order to bridge gaps in the emerging workforce, more companies will outsource certain processes to overseas countries. The highest outsourcing areas include distribution and logistics, manufacturing, finishing and packaging.

#4 – Transparency

Consumers are becoming more vocal about the treatment of workers, environmental impacts, and the overall ethical nature of the products they are purchasing. More companies will join the trend to be transparent about all aspects of their supply chain, from product conception right through to delivery. In the future, it’s likely that consumers will also expect companies to provide details about their processes to appease their buying choices.

#5 – Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is slowly being adopted in areas such as sales, marketing, HR and project management. In the area of procurement, it will affect management, production and customer experiences. AI will be used to anticipate events that could be disruptive to procurement processes and predict shifts in demand. The most obvious impact of AI will be large-scale automation which will increase productivity and efficiency.

Government Procurement Practices

Those who study procurement courses often find themselves working in the public sector — at a national, state or local level. The main difference between public and private sector procurement is in the area of funding. Budgets in the public sector are more likely to be preemptively delegated and distribution tougher to alter.

For example, at the Australian Government Department of Finance, there are two main principles. The first is that officials must seek to achieve value for money in accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs). The second is that they must ensure they conduct procurements within their entity’s relevant Operational Guidelines and Accountable Authority Instructions

In terms of practice, there are seven steps:

Step 1: Plan the Procurement

  • Identify the need and determine the objectives.
  • Detail a clear scope of requirements.
  • Consult the Central Procurement Area for advice where appropriate.
  • Seek specialist advice where appropriate.
  • Research the market to understand restraints and capabilities.
  • Ensure probity arrangements are considered where appropriate.
  • Document relevant justifications and decisions.
  • Understand and incorporate Australian Government transparency requirements.

Step 2: Scope of the Procurement

  • Determine whether the goods or services to be purchased are subject to coordinated procurement arrangements that must be used.
  • Determine if the relevant entity already has a panel that could be used.
  • Consider whether there are opportunities for cooperative procurement.
  • Undertake detailed research of the market if appropriate.
  • Estimate the value of the procurement.
  • Where procurements are unable to be reliably valued, they must be treated as if they are over the relevant threshold.
  • Unless a specific exemption applies, entities must comply with the Division 2 – “Additional Rules For Procurements At or Above the Relevant Procurement Threshold”.

Step 3: Determine the Procurement Method

 An Open Tender

  • This involves a one-stage (ie. Request for Tender), or multi-stage (eg. an Expression of Interest followed by a Request for Tender) open approach to the market.
  • The ‘default’ for all procurements should be valued above the relevant thresholds (ie. $80,000 for non-corporate Commonwealth entities)
  • The Open Tender must be advertised on AusTender.

A Limited Tender

  • This involves procurement based on quotes being sought directly from one or more suppliers.
  • It includes what was previously referred to as ‘sole source’ and ‘select’ or ‘restricted’ source procurements.
  • It can be undertaken for any procurement under the relevant thresholds where it represents value for money.
  • It can only be used for procurements above the relevant thresholds where it is specifically allowed by the CPRs
  • The value and reasons for the direct source must be documented.

Step 4: Prepare to Approach the Market

  • Put in place appropriate governance arrangements.
  • Identify the contract characteristics of your procurement.
  • Prepare the tender evaluation plan and request documentation that appropriately incorporates Procurement Connected Policies.
  • Where applicable, include:
    • consideration of relevant regulations and/or frameworks;
    • application and verification of standards;
    • the consideration of broader economic benefits of the procurement to the Australian economy.
  • Seek delegate clearance/approval to approach the market.

Step 5: Approach the Market

  • Notify the market – for open tenders this involves (as a minimum), publishing the opportunity on AusTender.
  • For open tenders, ensure the minimum time requirements of the CPRs are met.
  • Include essential information (eg. closing time, lodgement mechanism, evaluation criteria and methodology, process rules, contact officer and the possibility of an industry site visit, briefing, and/or mid-term review) in the request documentation to enable suppliers to develop and lodge competitive and compliant submissions.
  • Include a draft contract and statement of compliance in the request documentation.
  • Use appropriate limitation of liability and standard contract clauses where available.
  • Do not use unnecessary mandatory language (i.e. ‘must’, ‘will’), jargon and acronyms from the request documentation.
  • Ensure clarifications or additional materials are made available to all potential suppliers in a timely and equitable manner.
  • Do not materially change the evaluation plan after the opening of submissions.

Step 6: Evaluate Submissions and Conclude the Tender Process

  • Deal with unintentional errors in tenders in accordance with the CPRs.
  • Deal with late tenders in accordance with the CPRs.
  • Ensure the procurement process is/was fair, equitable and will stand up to scrutiny, including that the evaluation is conducted in accordance with the Tender Evaluation Plan.
  • Ensure the process is consistent with the CPRs, including in relation to handling complaints.
  • Undertake a financial viability assessment(s) of the preferred supplier(s) if necessary.
  • Provide sufficient documentation and information to the delegate to enable them to make an informed decision.
  • If required by your entity’s Accountable Authority Instructions, obtain delegate approval in accordance with s18 of the PGPA Rules and two signed copies of the contract (one for the entity, the other for the service provider).
  • Advise unsuccessful tenderers and where requested provide a de-brief.
  • Report contracts valued at $10,000 (GST inclusive) and over on AusTender.

Step 7: Manage the Contract

  • Develop a contract management plan to assist the entity to understand and implement obligations under the contract.
  • Assess contract extension options on a value for money basis in accordance with the terms of the contract.
  • Ensure compliance with the Supplier Pay on-Time or Pay Interest Policy.
  • Appropriately consider and, as appropriate, issue contract variations.
  • Consider any obligations that survive the contract end-date or termination of the contract such as confidentiality.

 

Source: 2020, Procurement Process Considerations, Australian Government Department of Finance

 

Keen to positively contribute to an organisation’s bottom line? Our Procurement Specialist Program will enable you to confidently contribute to your organisation’s procurement process and join the cost-saving crusade!

 

Broaden Your Earth Science Career With Our Geology Courses

Geology courses study of the earth, rocks, the materials from which the earth is made, the structure of those materials, and the processes that cause them to change over time. It is a science that has practical relevance and diverse applications across many industries, from construction and mining to farming and environmental management.

Our Certificate of Geology will teach you about minerals, rock types and the nature of chemical change. You will also learn about the nature and scope of geophysics in today’s world and the practical applications of geology.

You can then leverage your knowledge in a variety of ways including managing groundwater and mining, understanding and predicting geologic natural hazards, locating underground deposits of specific minerals, and determining the appropriate engineering work in the construction of dams and other infrastructure.

Rock on!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking geology courses include:

  • Learning about the methodology and applications of geology
  • Exploring the basic chemistry of rocks
  • Studying minerals and mineraloids
  • Gaining insights into mineral groups and the formation of minerals
  • Understanding silicates
  • Learning about the table of significant elements
  • Exploring igneous rocks and their classification and texture
  • Studying sedimentary rocks and their formation, texture and features
  • Discovering metamorphic rocks and their formation and classification
  • Gaining insights into recrystallization
  • Examining foliated rocks and non-foliated rocks
  • Understanding Pauling’s rules on crystal structures
  • Learning about igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary and hydrothermal minerals
  • Exploring structural geology including its features
  • Gaining an understanding of tectonics and geodynamics
  • Studying folds, boudins, foliations and lineations
  • Gaining insights into designing tectonic models
  • Understanding measurements, linear features and planar features
  • Learning about displacement, the orientation of forces and the magnitude of stress
  • Exploring data acquisition and data synthesis and analysis
  • Studying the types of minerals and how to identify and classify them
  • Discovering crystal form, colour and lustre and transparency and cleavage
  • Gaining insights into fracture and tenacity, specific gravity and hardness
  • Understanding silicate minerals, orthosilicates, sorosilicates and cyclosilicates
  • Learning about tectosilicates, inosilicates, phyllosilicates and non-silicate minerals
  • Exploring sulphides, halides, oxides, borates, sulphates, phosphates and carbonates
  • Studying geobiology in terms of the earth’s gases and the metabolic diversity of organisms
  • Gaining insights into the metabolic approaches
  • Examining oxygen-producing (photosynthetic) bacteria
  • Understanding greenhouse gases, underwater bio-physical processes and coral reef formation
  • Learning about soil biology, microbiome, chemical environment and the biophysical soil processes
  • Exploring geophysics including seismology, tectonics, hydrology and glaciology
  • Studying geothermetry, geomagnetometry, petrophysics and mineral physics
  • Gaining insights into plate tectonics theory

And more!

Five Superb Examples of Australia’s Geological Past

Australia is often thought of as an ancient yet relatively dormant geological continent, with activity limited to a steady drift northward of a few centimetres per year. However, our country’s past is far from sleepy — something you’ll discover by studying geology courses! Here are five places where our extreme history is literally written in stone.

#1 – Woodroffe Thrust-Mann fault, Central Australia

A drive along the Stuart Highway from Darwin to Adelaide may seem like a relatively uneventful journey. Miles of flat country is occasionally interrupted by dry creeks and low hills, however, hidden beneath the surface lies something quite spectacular.

Just north of the town of Marla, the Earth’s mantle rises up 30 kilometres below the surface along a fault system known as the Woodroffe Thrust-Mann fault. And most astonishingly, this subterranean mountain is so big that it actually warps the Earth’s gravity field! This is because the mantle is much denser than your typical continental crust. In fact, the difference in gravity is so dramatic, it is known as the largest continental gravity gradient anywhere in the world.

#2 – Lake Acraman, South Australia

Located on the slopes of the northern Eyre Peninsula, Lake Acraman today shows no signs of its cataclysmic past. However, its circular shape gives everything away. The lake is actually the eroded remains of a giant 580-million-year-old meteorite impact crater that was estimated to be up to 90 kilometres wide, and one of the largest craters ever identified.

Experts say the impact energy would have been equivalent to more than five million megatons of TNT. That’s enough to produce a global catastrophe that could produce seismic shocks, super-hurricanes and tsunamis! Material that was ejected from the crater has been identified more than 300 kilometres away in the Flinders Ranges. How? Pulverized rock fragments and shatter cones here feature a distinctive sedimentary layer known as an ‘ejecta horizon’.

#3 – Supervolcano, South Australia

The largest active supervolcano on the planet, The Yellowstone Caldera, is found in the USA’s Yellowstone National Park. But even it is dwarfed by the remnants of a much older beast, found in the Gawler Ranges. The region contains a lava field that stretches for 500 kilometres in diameter with a total lava volume thought to be as high as 500,000 cubic kilometres. That’s enough to fill Sydney Harbour around a million times over!

What is even more remarkable, is that the lava reached temperatures above 1000 degrees celsius that erupted around 1600 million years ago. The most extreme consequence of the phenomenon was that it produced the world’s largest hydrothermal deposit — an amazing ore system filled with huge quantities of silver, gold, copper and uranium. Within the region, Olympic Dam contains around 9 billion tonnes of ore which is a by-product of the ore-forming fluids associated with the ranges’ volcanic system.

#4 – Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Given that this area is known for its hot humid climate, it’s almost inconceivable that around 650 million years ago, this area was once blanketed by freezing ice. The evidence gathered by geologists are the glacial rocks found here that were deposited close to the equator and at sea level. This discovery forms the basis for the theory that the entire planet was once covered in ice sheets up to several kilometres thick (a scenario called Snowball Earth).

Around 635 million years ago, global glaciation was thawed by a sudden reversal to warmer temperatures. Here, the event is marked by the transition of glacial sediments to a distinctive sedimentary rock that formed in a warm sea, known as dolomite.

#5 – Murray River: Victoria/South Australia

This ancient watercourse and Australia’s longest river has produced some of the deepest submarine canyons ever found. Found far beneath sea level near Kangaroo Island, they reach depths of over 5000 metres and lengths of over 80 kilometres. To put that into perspective, they are tall enough to swallow the Grand Canyon whole and greater than twice the height of Mt Kosciusko!

They were produced when the Murray River existed far beyond the present coastline when sea levels were much lower and the continental shelf was dry land.  One of the largest and deepest, Sprigg Canyon, was discovered by geologist Reg Sprigg in 1947 and has walls over two kilometres high.

 

The Different Types of Geologist

Geologists help us understand the earth and its inhabitants, and they seek to understand the planet we live on including the forces that act upon the earth and the biology of its ancestral inhabitants. However, there are a variety of sub-categories those who have studied geology courses can specialise in. These include:

Environmental Geologist

Environmental geologists focus on understanding the earth and human interactions with the land. They forecast geological impacts on the environment due to the effects of industrial and urban expansion. They also look for solutions to environmental issues by observing and investigating erosion, flooding, pollution, earthquakes and natural hazards.

Engineering Geologist

These geologists investigate the chemical and physical properties of soil and rocks. They often work as advisors to public and private companies on geological and environmental issues. This information is used to ensure dams, bridges, structures, tunnels are roads are structurally sound when constructed. In terms of the civil planning aspect of the role, some knowledge of civil engineering is required.

Marine Geologist

Marine geologists focus on the interplay between oceanography, geology and marine biology. Their work generally involves studying landforms beneath the ocean like beaches, ocean floors, estuaries, large lakes, coastal rivers and the shallow shelves/slopes that surround the continents. They may also focus on the processes that occur beneath the ocean including earthquakes, volcanic activity and plate tectonics.

Planetary Geologist

Planetary geology is the study of the geology of the planets and their moons, comets asteroids and meteorites. These geologists may investigate the make-up of the solar system, impact craters, planetary volcanism, the structure of the moon and how planets were originally formed. By working with specimens gathered from space missions, or by analysing photos, they can begin to understand the history, climate and topography of other planets.

Economic Geologist

An economic geologist is concerned with the formation and extraction of earth materials that are currently or potentially may be valuable mineral resources, including oil, gas, minerals and ore deposits. Their primary objective is to locate profitable deposits and to figure out how to extract them.

Petroleum Geologist

These geologists focus on oil discovery, production and possible oil deposits or traps. They analyse sediment deposits in faults, oceans and rock folds, and often determine where to drill by locating prospects within a sedimentary basin. Their data may be obtained from geophysical surveys or by working closely with those who drill cuttings and rock formations.

Geomorphologist

Geomorphologists study how the earth’s surface is morphed (or sculpted) by landslides, streams, wind and glaciers. By documenting and mapping these landforms and how water, air and ice have affected them, they can better understand how and why they formed. This can give them insights into past climate changes and processes.

Geophysicist

A geophysicist studies the inner workings of the earth, with a focus on the fluid and physical properties, to gain a greater understanding of continental formation and processes that happen because of it (such as earthquakes). Some geophysicists also focus on finding iron, oil, copper and other deposits of minerals that are created by the earth’s movement and the compression of materials.

Geohydrologist

These geologists study the distribution and properties of natural underground water reservoirs, the movement of water through reservoirs, and their capacity to store water. They also investigate the cycles of drawing out water from the reservoirs for human consumption as well as water replenishment via precipitation.

 

From mining and farming to construction and environmental management, broaden your earth science career with geology courses such as the Certificate of Geology.

 

 

 

8 Signs You Have a Fixed Mindset!

What’s the best way to adopt a growth mindset? One way is through mindset coaching to identify where you have fixed mindset tendencies, so you can work towards fostering a mindset geared towards growth. Everyone lives somewhere on a mindset continuum, and knowledge to continually self-assess helps you to live your best life.

If you want to achieve greater productivity and success in your career and personal life, developing a growth mindset is a good start!

Growth Mindset Coaching Began with Carol Dweck

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, created in her insightful Mindset: The New Psychology of Success — an inquiry into the power of conscious and unconscious beliefs, and how growth mindset coaching can have a significant impact on all aspects of an individual’s life.

Subsequently, Carol Dweck and colleagues came up with the term ‘growth mindset’ over 20 years ago. The psychologists were inspired to investigate the theory after becoming aware of students’ differing attitudes about failure. Dweck noticed that while some students recovered quickly after experiencing failure, others were devastated by even the smallest of setbacks.

As a result, the ‘fixed v’s growth mindset’ was born following their study of the behaviour of thousands of children and became used to explain the underlying belief systems people have about learning and intelligence.

Basically, the theory goes that when people think they can increase their intelligence or ability, they become motivated to exert effort that makes them stronger. So, when those with a growth mindset put in extra time and effort, it leads to higher achievement.

Fixed V’s Growth Mindset – Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Lives

A fixed mindset

The belief is that basic abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed traits that cannot be changed.

A growth mindset

A theory that prescribes the fact that talents and abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.

Neuroscience Proves Growth Mindset Gains

Advances in neuroscience are demonstrating that the brain is malleable, and as such prove the theory that a growth mindset is possible.

Interestingly, recent research on brain plasticity has shown how connectivity between neurons can alter with experience. So, with practice, neural networks can grow new connections, reinforce existing ones, and build protection that speeds the transmission of impulses.

How is this relevant to growth mindset coaching?  This research proves that individuals can increase neural growth through the actions they take. So, in learning, students that ask questions, study and maintain their physical wellbeing (through nutrition, exercise, and sleep hygiene) can improve their ability to succeed.

These neuroscientific discoveries highlight the link between mindsets and potential achievement. Accordingly, when people believe that their brains can change, they behave differently – a recipe for success.

Signs of a Fixed Mindset

Do you identify with any of these traits? If so, you’ll benefit most from growth mindset coaching.

  • Believe intelligence, ability and talent are fixed
  • Think effort is useless
  • Believe failure defines you
  • Hides flaws
  • Avoids challenges
  • Ignores feedback
  • Thinks feedback is criticism
  • Threatened by others’ success

Do you have an in-built ability to foster a growth mindset? If you demonstrate all of these traits naturally – you’re lucky, you’ve got a growth mindset mentality! But if you don’t identify with these characteristics, don’t worry, you can learn.

Signs of a Growth Mindset

  • Believe intelligence, ability, and talent can be developed
  • Considers effort is the key to success
  • Thinks mistakes are an essential part of learning
  • Sees failure as an opportunity
  • A belief that failure is temporary
  • Invites feedback
  • Views others’ successes as inspiration

 

Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Whether you think you can, or you can’t – you’re probably right’? It’s a saying that perfectly expresses the power of the growth mindset.

So, if you’d like to do better, whether professionally or personally, consider the role your mindset plays in your ability to achieve your goals. Do you believe that you can improve, or are you stuck in a fixed mindset that keeps you trapped in a career or a life that doesn’t fulfill you?

8 Courses to Study for a Pandemic-Proof Career  

There is no doubt that all Australians have been affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in one way or another.

Restrictions limiting movements, the cancellation of non-essential procedures and the shutdown of businesses and schools have been difficult to navigate.

But those hit hardest in terms of their livelihood are in specific industries with travel, tourism and hospitality bearing the brunt of the restrictions designed to slow the curve and keep everyone safe.

If you’re in one of these industries, you might be considering your options. Perhaps you are thinking about changing careers, and if so, you are looking at the career opportunities that remain steady during a pandemic.

One of the most obvious choices is health care and human services industries, which will not only remain relevant during COVID-19 but will continue to experience strong growth after the pandemic.

 

Industries Directly Impacted by COVID-19

In mid-March, 60 per cent of Australian businesses reported that they had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The industries directly hit by the pandemic are those that were forced to shut down, and include hospitality, air travel, tourism, entertainment, and recreation.

 

Hospitality

Few industries have been hit as hard as the hospitality industry during the pandemic. It’s an industry that felt the impact immediately and will most likely be the last to recover.

Air Travel

The pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation industry due to travel restrictions that all but shut down national and international travel. Revenues have been drastically reduced and as a result, there have been massive job losses.

Tourism

Tourism came to a grinding halt due to travel and movement restrictions as many countries attempted to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The United Nations World Tourism Organization estimates that worldwide international tourism may decrease by as much as 30 per cent in 2020.

Entertainment

The film, theatre and television industries are vulnerable to the pandemic as they require people in small spaces both in making a production and in viewing it. As such, the Australian entertainment industry has been impacted considerably in the past six months.

Sport and Recreation

The community sport and active recreation sector have suffered significant revenue losses since the start of the pandemic. Sporting associations, club sport and leagues have incurred substantial financial setbacks.

These industries are bound to bounce back eventually, but until a vaccine is found they are industries that remain vulnerable. If you’re looking for a pandemic-proof career move, take a look at jobs in health care, counselling, and human services.

Careers in Health Care, Counselling & Human Services

If you’re considering a career change due to COVID-19 job loss, these professional development courses are the perfect pathway into a pandemic-proof job that’s in-demand now and into the future.

 

Certificate of Medical/Legal/General Transcription

This all-inclusive professional development course equips you with the knowledge and skills to work as a general transcriptionist as well as specialising in the medical and legal sectors. This gives you the competitive edge in the transcriptionist field as your certification is transferable across industries.

Learning Outcomes

  • Increase keyboarding speed and accuracy
  • Produce texts from audio
  • Write complex documents
  • Understand medical terminology
  • Discover complex legal documents
  • Produce texts from notes
  • Learn about confidentiality, privacy, and security in a medical and legal environment
  • Understand legal terminology

Certificate of Health Care

Do you have a desire to work in a helping profession? Would you like to start a career in one of the most in-demand and secure industries? Yes? Then this is the course for you.

The Certificate of Health Care is an online professional development program that will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to work effectively in the dynamic health care environment with clients, staff, visitors, and suppliers.

Learning Outcomes

  • Communicate with internal and external clients in a medical environment
  • Use advanced medical terminology
  • Learn effective communication skills
  • Support delivery of client care services
  • Learn knowledge of anatomy and physiology
  • Identify the function of the body in the health care context
  • Provide first aid response, life support and management of casualties

 

Certificate of Home and Community Care

This online professional development course will provide you with the foundation knowledge you need to work in a personal services or community care role. You will gain the skills and knowledge required to work effectively with clients, family members, staff, visitors, suppliers, and others to meet established work requirements.

The Certificate of Home and Community Care will give you the confidence to successfully fulfil responsibilities as a personal care assistant, transport support worker, home maintenance provider, domestic and food services provider and other community service positions.

Learning Outcomes  

  • Provide home and community support services
  • Communicate and work in health and community services
  • Meet personal support needs
  • Provide individual support
  • Facilitate the empowerment of older people

Certificate of Medical Business Administration

Are you ready to launch your career as a practice manager? Whether you currently work in a medical setting or want to change careers, this online professional development course will give you the confidence to pursue a career in medical administration.

The Certificate of Medical Business Administration is designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and skills required to understand and carry out all tasks relating to business administration and practice management in a medical setting.

Learning Outcomes

  • Manage health billing and accounting
  • Medical terminology
  • Maintain patient records
  • Confidentiality, privacy, and security in the medical environment
  • Prepare and process medical accounts
  • Assist in controlling stocks and supplies
  • Contribute to the health and safety of self and others

 

Introduction to Pathology Assistance

Introduction to Pathology Assistance an online professional development course designed to give graduates the knowledge and skills required to prepare for work within a pathology and specimen collection environment.

Learning Outcomes

  • Operate efficiently within a pathology and specimen collection
  • Perform venous blood collections
  • Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures
  • Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately
  • Identify and respond to clinical risks in pathology collection
  • Operate effectively within a pathology testing environment
  • Receive and prepare samples for testing

 

Certificate of Aged Care Counselling

The Certificate of Aged Care Counselling is an online program that will help you to understand the physical and psychological challenges of people as they age, and determine solutions to assist, including offering support services.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand aging
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Deterioration of health
  • Support services
  • Enablement techniques
  • Grief and loss counselling
  • Debilitation and terminal illness
  • Losing a loved one
  • Ethics and intervention

 

Certificate of Child & Adolescent Mental Health

The Certificate of Child and Adolescent Mental Health is an online program that will explore the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions and treatment options available for young people.

Learning Outcomes

  • The nature and scope of mental health
  • Childhood depression
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Tic disorders
  • Brain disorders – injury and disease
  • Disorders
  • Environmental problems
  • Problems of adolescence
  • Holistic and alternative approaches to treatment

Certificate of Community Services

If you have a passion for helping others in your community this online professional development course will help launch your career as a Community Services Worker.

The Certificate of Community Services will provide you with the knowledge and skills to provide a range of programs, services and interventions for individuals, groups and the community.

Learning Outcomes

  • Facilitate the interests and right of clients
  • Assess co-existing needs
  • Recognise and respond to crisis situations
  • Use communication to build relationships
  • Work with diverse people
  • Work legally and ethically
  • Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships
  • Reflect on and improve own professional practice
  • Develop, facilitate, and review all aspects of case management

 

Are you ready to explore your career options after COVID-19 job loss? There are hundreds of professional development courses covering a multitude of industries. Simply visit and enrol online to find your new direction today.

Forensic Science Courses Amp-up Your Legal Know-How!

Also known as criminalistics, forensic science is the application of science to civil and criminal law. And the legal system widely recognises the role of forensic science — particularly in criminal offender trials — because when scientific techniques are used, there is little scope for injustice or bias.

Our Certificate of Forensic Science course is ideal for anyone considering a career in law enforcement or criminal law, including those working in investigative journalism, legal offices, the security industry, and even those who would like to pursue a career in crime writing!

It will give you a fundamental understanding of the nature and scope of forensic science, including techniques like fingerprinting, anthropometry and bloodstain analysis. You will learn about evidence collection and analysis, the types of physical and biological evidence, and specialist forensic services like pathology, psychology and anthropology. You will also study criminal profiling and intelligence, criminology and psychological theories, the ethical issues involved in forensic psychology and how to present evidence in court.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking forensic science courses include:

  • Learning about the nature of forensic science
  • Understanding the origins and principles of forensic science
  • Exploring field and laboratory sciences
  • Studying digital services
  • Gaining insights into digital services
  • Examining forensic medicine
  • Understanding forensic science and law
  • Learning about scientific principles
  • Exploring feature comparison methods
  • Gaining insights into the applications of forensic science to law
  • Understanding what evidence is, its use and the types of physical and biological evidence
  • Learning about evidence and its relationship with the law
  • Exploring evidence collection and the chain of custody
  • Studying crime scene investigations
  • Understanding first respondents, scene assessment and the collection of samples
  • Learning about the completion of a crime scene
  • Exploring the purpose of the analysis of evidence
  • Studying the principles underlying analysis
  • Gaining insights into the types of evidence including laboratory evidence
  • Understanding statistical and laboratory analyses
  • Learning about specialist forensics
  • Exploring civil versus criminal courts
  • Gaining an understanding of the types of forensics used including digital and electronic forensics
  • Studying forensic pathology, anthropology and psychology
  • Gaining insights into criminology and the psychological theories behind it
  • Understanding cognitive theory and moral development
  • Learning about personality, intelligence and children and crime
  • Exploring psychological disorders and crime
  • Studying mental health disorders and mental health and criminal offences
  • Gaining insights into the types of disorders, including personality disorders and crime
  • Understanding mental health in children and crime
  • Learning about conduct disorder and oppositional defiance disorder
  • Exploring criminal profiling
  • Studying the role of a forensic psychologist and a psychiatrist in profiling
  • Examining police and statistical profiling and the applications of profiling
  • Understanding profiling typologies and the problems with profiling

… And more

 

The History of DNA Profiling

DNA (which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid) is found inside almost every cell in a human’s body and is unique to individuals. DNA profiling is the process of determining an individual’s DNA characteristics, and in criminal investigations, is a forensic technique that compares criminal suspects’ profiles to DNA evidence to assess the likelihood of their involvement in a crime. Forensic science courses delve into the fascinating world of DNA evidence, but how did profiling come about and how does the process work today?

The use of DNA as a material for the identification of an individual first came about with scientific advances in the 1980s. American biologist, Rd. Jeffrey Glassberg filed the first patent covering the direct use of DNA variation for forensics in 1983.

Meanwhile, in the UK, geneticist Sir Alec Jeffreys was independently developing a DNA profiling process in conjunction with two members of the Forensic Science Service (FSS). It was first used forensically in solving the murder of two teenagers who had been raped and murdered in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986. In the inquiry, the DNA contained within blood samples obtained from around 5000 local men, resulted in the exoneration of a man — Ian Kelly — who had confessed to one of the crimes. It also led to the conviction of a man — Colin Pitchfork — who had coerced Kelly to stand in for him when providing a blood sample.

A co-worker reported the deception to the police and Pitchfork was arrested. His blood was sent to the lab for profile development and his profile matched the DNA left by the murderer. This confirmed his presence at both crime scenes and he subsequently pleaded guilty to both murders.

These days, to make biological samples into a format where they can be compared between people, samples must undergo a multi-step process. In criminal investigations, DNA is extracted from samples at crime scene items. The first step is to ‘break open’ any cellular material present in the sample to release the DNA into a solution. From there, it is purified and the small amount of DNA left over, if existing, is replicated in the areas that are unique to individuals. Via a computer database, it is then output as a graph with peaks known as an electropherogram. The peak positions are then converted into a series of letters and numbers — the DNA profile.

 

A Day In The Life Of Forensic Scientist

Dr Charles Connnor is a biological examiner, authorised crime scene examiner and DNA scientist at Forensic Science Service Tasmania (FSST). With a medical research background, including a PhD in medicine and Honours in virology and microbiology, Dr Connor began working at FSST in 2002 and now performs a number of roles at the organisation’s lab. A snapshot into his ‘typical’ day offers some insights into the work he performs and inspiration for those keen to undertake forensic science courses.

The FSST is based in the South of Tasmania with a team of 32 staff. The biology team receive around 3000 cases a year, which equates to around 7000 items that need examining. He works closely with Tasmania Police on major crime scenes such as woundings, murders and sexual assaults, and provides expertise on scientific testing and bloodstain pattern analysis.

In the lab, his day generally begins with the review of a crime scene file that gives him some context into what is alleged to have happened and what might have happened. With that information, he then examines items, applies specific tests and takes samples for DNA profiling.

Once DNA has been profiled, it’s then a matter of comparing a reference sample from a known person to the crime scene profile. If the DNA profiles are exactly the same, it is called a DNA match. DNA matches can also be found by running the profile through two computer databases — one local and one national. There are around 27,000 unique reference samples on the local Tasmanian DNA database and over 980,000 on the national database.

Dr Connor believes there has been much improvement in DNA profiling over the past few years. Testing has become more reliable, sensitive and robust. It has also gone from the statistical chance of someone matching a profile being in the millions to the septillions (that’s a number with 24 zeros!)

New Developments in DNA Evidence

Several new techniques have been developed in the past decade that has increased the way DNA can be used as part of the criminal justice process. These include: 

Familial Searching

A DNA profile can demonstrate genetic relationships when the profiles are matched on the basis of the number of STR markers that are shared. For example, a parent is expected to share half of their STR markers with their children, because half of a child’s genetic code is received from each parent. Familial searching is used in criminal investigations where DNA evidence is found at a crime scene and a match can’t be established with any of the DNA profiles held on databases. However, these partial matches may be identified, and may indicate the DNA profiles of genetic relatives, and can provide new leads and a greater chance of identifying suspects.

Kinship Matching

Based on the same principles as familial matching, in kinship matching family members voluntarily submit samples of their DNA to investigators. Often used in natural disasters involving multiple fatalities where unidentified bodies are involved. If a partial match is found, it signifies a link to a family member and can reduce the time required to identify bodies.

mtDNA Profiling

Mitochondria are structures within our cells that are responsible for the production of energy. Each mitochondrion has its own DNA, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited, and identical between maternal relatives and siblings. This type of profiling can be used to provide greater specificity in familial searches where a number of partial matches are obtained. It can also be used in the identification of degraded samples such as skeletal remains, where there may be insufficient nuclear DNA to create a profile.

Y-STR DNA Profiling

The Y chromosome is a sex-determining, paternally inherited chromosome. Y-STR profiling can be used to narrow familial searches where a number of partial matches are obtained. It can also be used to distinguish between female and male DNA in sexual assault cases where samples taken from the victim are mixed, and where it is difficult to obtain an accurate profile of the suspect.

Our Certificate of Forensic Science course will arm you with the skills to embark on a career in forensic science or gain new specialised skills to advance in your area of career expertise.

Understand the Mind With Our Criminal Psychology Course

The origins of criminal behaviour can be explained by a variety of different theories. Understanding them can give you valuable insights into the thoughts and behaviours of those who cross the boundaries of what is acceptable in society today. Ideal for youth workers, counsellors, welfare officers, support workers, psychologists and those in the security, legal and crime prevention professions, our Certificate of Criminal Psychology will develop your understanding of how psychology is used in crime prevention and law enforcement.

You will learn about the scope and nature of psychopathology, and how learning disabilities and mental disorders are connected to the crime. You will also study how psychology can affect interactions with the police and in the courtroom, and take an in-depth look at how gender and age are associated with crime.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a criminal psychology course include:

  1. Learning about the definitions of crime and the consensus view of what crime is
  2. Exploring the conflict and interactionist views of crime
  3. Studying the scope of criminal psychology and what criminal psychologists do
  4. Gaining insights into profiling
  5. Understanding the courts and the correctional system
  6. Learning about the psychological approaches to understanding crime
  7. Exploring biological explanations of crime
  8. Studying phrenology, genetics, eugenics and the XYY chromosome model
  9. Gaining insights into twin and adoption studies
  10. Understanding nature, nurture, family influence and the environmental explanations of crime
  11. Learning about rational choice theory
  12. Exploring types of aggression and the Drive, Freudian, social learning and biological and evolutionary theories
  13. Studying the types of aggression including against outsiders and in species and humans
  14. Gaining insights into environmental influences on human aggression
  15. Understanding familiarity, reinforcement, imitation or modelling and aggression and culture
  16. Learning about other aggressive factors due to pain, frustration and alcohol
  17. Exploring murder, sexual assault, pursuit behaviour, stalking and false stalking syndrome
  18. Gaining an understanding of mental disorders and crime
  19. Studying the meaning of learning disabilities and crime
  20. Gaining insights into sex offences and people with learning disabilities
  21. Understanding crime and intelligence, IQ testing and modern intelligence testing
  22. Exploring learning disabilities and crime
  23. Learning about the scope and nature of psychopathology
  24. Studying personality disorder
  25. Gaining insights into psychopaths and how people become psychopaths
  26. Understanding heartless and emotionless people and the treatments available
  27. Learning about the scope and nature of gender and crime studies
  28. Exploring rates of crime
  29. Studying murder and violence
  30. Gaining insights into prostitution

…And more!

Five Serial Killers Caught Using Criminal Profiling

Serial killers can often be difficult to track due to their high intelligence and disconnection to legal boundaries and law enforcement. Also known as behavioural analysis, the criminal profiling aspect of psychology offers those in law enforcement practical tools they can use to apprehend serial criminals. Formalised in the mid-1970s, criminal profiling involves creating a person’s profile, which is then used to connect seemingly unconnected incidents they may have been involved in. It’s a fascinating process you’ll understand well after completing our criminal psychology course!

#1 – George Metesky

Also known as the Mad Bomber of New York, Metesky was an American mechanic and electrician who terrorised the city for 16 years during the 1940s and 50s. Resentful and angry about a workplace injury he suffered years earlier, he planted over 30 explosives around the city. These were placed in storage lockers, phone booths, toilets and even cinemas. At least 22 of these exploded, injuring 15 people.

Frustrated by their lack of success in apprehending the culprit, police consulted the Assistant Commissioner of Mental Hygiene for New York State, James Brussel. Brussel built a psychological profile after reviewing crime scene photos and letters Metesky wrote to a newspaper. He was finally apprehended, found to be legally insane and committed to a state mental hospital in 1957.

However, in 1973, the US Supreme Court ruled that a mentally ill defendant could not be committed to a hospital operated by the Department of Correctional Services unless a jury finds him dangerous. Because he was committed without a jury trial, he was transferred to a hospital outside the correctional system. Doctors determined that he was harmless, and because he had already served two-thirds of the 25-year maximum sentence, he was released in December of that year. He returned to his home in Connecticut and died 20 years later at the ripe old age of 90.

#2 – Ted Bundy

Born in 1946, Bundy’s killing spree spanned hundreds of miles across America during the 1970s. Charismatic and handsome, he would typically approach his victims in public places and impersonate an authority figure or feign disability or an injury before knocking them unconscious. He also broke into dwellings at night and bludgeoned his victims to death as they slept, and decapitated at least twelve victims and kept their severed heads as mementos. He was jailed in 1975 for aggravated kidnapping and attempted criminal assault before engineering two dramatic escapes and committing further assaults, including three murders.

In 1978, two FBI specialists created a profile which assessed his psychological makeup, known movements, victim selection and killing patterns and placed him on the Top 10 Most Wanted list. They posted information and canvassed the public and he was recaptured in February of that year. He received three death sentences for the Florida homicides and before his execution in the electric chair in 1989, confessed to 30 homicides. The true number of his victims is unknown and possibly higher.

#3 – Joseph Paul Franklin

Following an abusive childhood, Franklin gravitated to the control and dominance that white supremacy offered, and his murder spree spanned the late 1970s and early 80s. His first violent attack was in 1976, and his crimes escalated in severity over the next several years. Robbing banks across the country to support himself, the FBI’s clever criminal profiling led to his capture in 1980.

He was eventually convicted of several murders and received two death sentences as well as six life sentences. He also later confessed to the attempted murders of civil rights activist Vernon Jordan and magazine publisher Larry Flynt. Both survived their injuries, however, Flynt was left permanently paralysed from the waist down.

After spending 15 years on death row awaiting execution for the 1977 shooting murder of Gerald Gordon, he was executed by lethal injection in November 2013. Because he repeatedly changed his accounts of some of his crimes, and in some cases was not charged, to this day, nobody is really sure of the full extent of Franklin’s crimes.

#4 – Wayne Williams

Spanning 22 months from 1979, a series of apparently connected murders occurred in Atlanta in the US. Behavioural analysis indicated they all fitted a certain profile — they were all young, African-American men taken in public areas during daylight. Williams first became a suspect in 1981 after a police surveillance team suspected something had been thrown from a bridge into the Chattahoochee River, a site where several victims’ bodies had previously been discovered. The first car to exit the bridge belonged to Williams, and when questioned, he gave an alibi that later turned out to be false which raised suspicion.

Two days later, the body of Nathaniel Cater was discovered and the medical examiner ruled he had died of suffocation. Police speculated that it was Williams who had murdered him and thrown him into the river. He consequently failed three polygraph tests, and fibres and hair retrieved from the body of another victim, Jimmy Ray Payne, were found to be consistent with Williams’ car, home and dog. Co-workers also told police they had seen Williams with scratches on his arms and face which police believed could have been inflicted by his victims during a struggle.

He was arrested in 1981, and in February 1982, a jury found him guilty of the murders of Cater and Payne and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Over the years Williams requested retrials — in the late 1990s and in early 2004 — however both were denied, and he continues to serve out his sentence in Telfair State Prison. Police believe that Williams is also responsible for at least 23 of the 30 Atlanta Child Murders that occurred between 1979 and 1981, however, he has never been tried, and most of the cases have now been closed.

#5 – Andrew Cunanan

Born in California in 1969, as a teenager, Cunanan identified as gay in high school and soon after began having liaisons with wealthy older men. He was known to have murdered five people during a three-month period in mid-1997.

His killing spree first began with the murder of this close friend, Jeffrey Trail, who he beat to death with a hammer. His second victim was David Madson with whom he’d had a previous relationship that ended in 1996. The pair were seen socialising together two days after Trail’s murder and Madson’s body was eventually discovered on the shores of Rush Lake with gunshot wounds to the head.

Two days later, Cunanan drove to Illinois and murdered prominent real estate developer Lee Miglin. He was found with hands and feet bound and his head wrapped in duct tape. Cunanan had slit his throat with a hacksaw and stabbed him more than twenty times with a screwdriver. Although Miglin’s family maintained that his killing was a random attack, experts argued that it is unlikely he would have bound and tortured him without some motive.

Five days after that, Cunanan shot and killed caretaker William Reese with the same gun he had used to murder Madson. However, unlike his other victims who he seemingly killed for personal reasons, experts believed he murdered Reese for his pickup truck, which he used to drive to Florida.

A month later he was listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, however, eluded authorities for the next two months. On 15 July, he murdered 50-year-old Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace, on the front stairway of his Miami Beach mansion. He used the same gun that was used in the murder of Madson and Reese.

Driven by the need to live a life of luxury, experts believe he may have suffered from an antisocial personality disorder, characterised by a lack of empathy and remorse. Pressure from an intensifying manhunt led to Cunanan taking his own life, with police finding his body on a luxury houseboat on July 23. He had a gunshot wound to the head.

 

Gain a solid understanding of criminal psychology and learn to navigate and support the complex nature of your fellow humans with our Certificate of Criminal Psychology course.

Business Psychology Course A Valuable Asset 

Business psychology courses are valuable professional development across many industries and careers, from business coach to customer service manager and even marketing executive. What do these diverse careers have in common? They all need at least foundation knowledge in understanding people and their behaviour.

If you want to develop your leadership, marketing, and business coaching skills, our Advanced Certificate of Business Psychology is perfect for you. This course will provide you with business psychology knowledge and skills to gain an understanding of the behaviour of both employers and business users.

You will learn about marketing psychology, which explores buyer behaviour or the motivations of people as consumers. You’ll also discover how to help clients develop strategies to achieve goals and build their business potential as a business coach.

On completion of this course, you will have a foundation knowledge of how and why people behave in certain ways, specifically in the workplace and as consumers.

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes achieved by this business psychology course include:

  • The Gestalt Approach
  • Explaining Behaviour
  • Knowledge of Brain Processes
  • Personal Interpretation of a Given Situation
  • Business psychology terminology
  • Developmental and Interactive Expressions of Behaviour
  • Nature versus Nurture
  • Influence of Environment on Learning Behaviour
  • Modelling and Conformity
  • Classical and Operative Conditioning
  • Reinforcement & Punishment
  • Mature & Immature Temperaments (e.g. Sanguine, Melancholic, Choleric, Phlegmatic
  • Maslow’s Model of Self-Actualisation
  • Ways of Seeking Applicants
  • Types of Interview
  • Ways of Selecting Staff
  • Scope and nature of marketing
  • Reasons for marketing
  • Types of customers: loyal, discount, needs-based, wandering, impulse.
  • Economic, economic, personal, apathetic shoppers
  • Understanding reward options: rational, sensory, social, ego satisfaction
  • Market segmentation
  • Internal influence on perception and personality
  • Internal influences – motivation and awareness
  • Social influences
  • Consumerism
  • Communication and persuasion
  • Nature and Scope of Business Coaching
  • Improving productivity
  • Marketing
  • Improving business resource management
  • PBL Based Project
  • Significance of knowledge of interviewing and assessment
  • Incentives and motivational strategies
  • Productivity and marketing strategies
  • Theoretical information to derive sensible solutions
  • Initial business coaching assessment for a specified business
  • Actions for improving and sustaining the level of performance

 

What is a Business Psychologist? 

A business psychologist is a coach with specific insights to help individuals, teams, and workplaces operate more efficiently. Their unique skill set is also valuable to executives and managers in leadership positions to help them build and manage successful teams that achieve business goals.

Business psychologists can specialise in many areas from organisational psychology, clinical psychology, community psychology and marketing psychology. At the heart of the profession is the ability to understand people and how they intersect with a business system and others. To put it simply – they are people experts.

 

Business Psychologist as Business Coach

As a business coach (or career coach), business psychologists focus on why individuals thrive (or don’t survive) in certain business situations or careers and offer support. This support is provided in leadership, teamwork, and business success.

Leadership

Help executives and managers hone their leadership style and abilities through leadership coaching. Businesses psychologists help leaders to identify and improve on their weaknesses and capitalise on strengths to lead successful teams

Teamwork

Conduct assessments, facilitate meetings and provide training to teams to help improve business outcomes.

Business Improvement

Carry out business or organisational audit to identify barriers to success, such as cultural barriers or system inadequacies that lead to lost productivity and retention of employees.

 

5 Careers That Benefit from Business Psychology

Several careers would benefit from business psychology skills, but the following are the most obvious. If you work in any one of these roles, a professional development course in business psychology is valuable for you.

 

  1. Human Resources Professional 

Human resource professionals must have expertise in dealing with people, from recruitment to resolving workplace disputes and taking disciplinary action – psychology plays an integral role in this career.

 

  1. Marketing Executive 

Marketing executives who understand and can predict why people think and behave in specific ways and how they make purchase decisions are valuable. If you work in marketing, a business psychology course will help you progress your career, especially in advertising, sales, research, training, and consumer advocacy roles.

 

  1. Professional Development Coach 

Executive coaches, career counsellors or businesses coaches are responsible for making significant improvements in a person’s career or business. If you want to pursue a career as a coach, business psychology courses will provide the skills and knowledge to help people reach their business, career, and life goals.

 

  1. Customer Relationship Specialist 

Customer satisfaction is a major priority for all businesses. As a result, businesses are investing in customer service specialists with expertise in resolving customer complaints with customer retention being the desired outcome. A background in business psychology is helpful for this role to understand human behaviour develop programs that encourage customer loyalty.

 

  1. Recruitment or Training Specialist 

The success of any business relies on the recruitment and the retention of the right people. Professional recruiters and training specialists are critical to identifying the skills, knowledge and personality traits that fit not only the role but also the organisational culture. It’s easy to see why a recruitment professional or training specialist would benefit from a business psychology course, and why a business would value these unique skills.

 

Are you interested in adding a business psychology course to your professional development portfolio? Enrol in the Advanced Certificate of Business Psychology today and discover how to be a people expert. 

 

Beautiful Gardens Bloom with Our Home Gardening Course

Gain the confidence to create and maintain a beautiful and economical green space with our home gardening course! All you need is a green thumb attitude and knowledge to begin planning and planting a home garden you can be proud of.

It’s not easy to create and maintain a garden like a pro, but it is possible when you know why professional gardeners make certain choices and decisions. 

So, if want to develop your gardening skills, spark your creativity, and save money, our Certificate of Home Gardening course is ideal! 

In this online course, you will learn practical gardening skills so that you can cultivate your garden just like a professional at a fraction of the cost.

You will also learn about the different type of plants, soil and nutritional requirements of gardens and lawns, and how to control pests and weeds. 

This gardening course will also cover landscape design techniques, and how to create indoor and outdoor gardens, including vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens.

Learning Outcomes

You will achieve the following learning outcomes in this home gardening course: 

  • Identify plant health problems and know treatments
  • Know the plant naming system and how plants are classified
  • Understand the effect of soil structure and texture on plant growth
  • Comprehend plant terminology and planting methods
  • Learn plant pruning requirements and methods
  • Know plant nutrition requirements
  • Understand soil conditions and when they require improvement
  • Recognise a range of pests and diseases and the methods of control
  • Recognise a variety of weeds and know various control methods.
  • Know a range of garden styles and the history behind them
  • Have knowledge of landscape construction techniques
  • Understand the elements and processes of landscape design
  • Understand various propagating techniques
  • Propagate plants by multiple methods
  • Understand the soil preparation and requirements to establish or renovate a lawn
  • Know lawn maintenance requirements.
  • Understand needs, including environmental and nutritional aspects of growing plants indoors (including hydroponics and greenhouses).
  • Know how to select plants suited to growth indoors
  • Develop knowledge of vegetable growing procedures and requirements.
  • Have knowledge of a range of fruits and berries suited to the home garden
  • Have knowledge of a variety of commonly grown herbs and flowers

6 High Protein Plants to Grow at Home

Whether you’re a vegetarian or simply want to boost your protein intake via plant sources for health reasons, these plants pack a powerful punch. Discover tips on how to help them grow and be inspired by the recipe idea.

  1. Spinach 

Spinach is a true superfood that’s high in protein and packed full of nutrients and antioxidants. Darkly, leafy greens like this one are essential for skin, hair and bone health – providing protein, iron, vitamins and minerals!

Growing tip – Spinach does best when growing in moist, nitrogen-rich soil.  

Recipe idea – Spinach, pear and parmesan salad 

  1. Kale 

Kale is a member of the cabbage family and is excellent in salads and smoothies. It’s also a superhero food that comes in green and purple with a powerful protein punch! Kale contains fibre, antioxidants, calcium, vitamins C and K, iron and many other health-promoting nutrients!

Growing tip – Kale grows well in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. 

Recipe idea – Healthy green juice  

  1. Quinoa 

Pronounced ‘keen waa” this super grain is popular for its nutty flavour, versatility and nutritional profile. It’s also packed with protein, fibre and various vitamins and minerals – and is gluten-free!

Growing tip – Plant in spring by sowing seeds slightly covered with soil in uniform rows. Keep the seeds moist until the seedlings sprout! 

Recipe idea – Quick halloumi and grain salad 

  1. Sunflower 

Sunflowers are beautiful, so they add a glorious pop of colour to any garden, but their seeds are also good for you! Sunflower seeds make for a nutty, crunchy protein-packed snack on the go.

Growing tip – Sunflower seeds can be started indoors. When planted outside, they are tolerant to heat and drought but make sure they’re never waterlogged. 

Recipe idea – Ronnit Hoppes seed brittle

  1. Broccoli

It’s not the most popular veggie on the dinner plate, especially with the kids, but this mean green packs a powerful protein punch.  

Growing tip – The most foolproof way to grow your broccoli is to grow them from seedlings. 

Recipe idea – Jamie Oliver’s quick green pasta

  1. Hazelnuts 

Hazelnuts are rich in dietary fibre, folate and are an excellent source of vitamin E and healthy fats.

Growing tip – Hazelnuts are the easiest nuts to grow – perfect for the nervous first-timer! They are generally grown as a bushy shrub and can be kept to a manageable size with regular pruning. 

Recipe idea – Hazelnut brownies 

 

The Indoor Garden 

Whether you love or loathe the outdoors, you can enjoy a beautiful garden! The indoor garden gives you green space inside your home or office and provides many benefits.

You might be particularly keen on creating an indoor garden if you live in an apartment or spend a lot of time indoors for work. 

Having an indoor garden has the following benefits:

  • Boosts your mood
  • Reduces stress and fatigue 
  • Cleans indoor air by reducing toxins, increasing humidity and producing oxygen 
  • Fragrant plants naturally perfume the air 
  • Enhances productivity 
  • Promotes restful sleep 

 

6 Best Indoor Air Purifying Plants

The best indoor plants for purifying the air include English ivy, snake plants, spider plants, and chrysanthemums.

  1. Flamingo Lily

Appreciated for their bold, exotic looks, the Flamingo Lily is an excellent choice for any houseplant-lover looking to add a pop of colour to their home.

  1. Aloe Vera 

A beautiful addition to your home, Aloe Vera has many uses such as relieving heartburn, keeping fruits and vegetables fresh and soothing skin irritations.

  1. Pineapple Plant

Have you ever thrown out the top of a pineapple? Next time keep it – you can grow your own pineapple plant!

  1. Peace Lily

The Peace Lily is one of the most popular, hardiest and most attractive of the smaller indoor plant varieties.

  1. English Ivy

A traditional houseplant, English Ivy remains trendy thanks to its easy-going nature, elegant style and versatile stems.

  1. Chrysanthemums

The official flower of Mother’s Day, these colourful plants are perfect for indoors as they require little care, other than watering, good soil and drainage.

 

Eager to make gardening more efficient, exciting, and full of possibilities? Put that green thumb to work with the guidance of a home gardening course like our Certificate of Home Gardening.  

Change Management Courses Turn Negatives Into Positives

Change is a fact of life. And in today’s dynamic business world, while it can be disruptive at first, organisational change can reap enormous benefits. From restructuring the workforce to launching new products, the successful management of change ensures companies remain competitive.

Our Certificate of Change Management is ideal for managers, directors, supervisors, team leaders and those who are keen to develop or refine their skills in leading and sustaining change in an organisation. You will learn about the different types of organisational change, how to overcome resistance, and the tools and techniques required throughout the change cycle. 

You will also study how to communicate change to different groups, remove obstacles that can hinder a collaborative transition process, and how to engage, motivate and support employees in order to make the change last. Get ready to turn resistance into acceptance with this change management course!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a change management course include:

  • Recognising the key initial outputs of a change initiative and the RACI status of stakeholder groups
  • Learning how to assess the level of stakeholder discomfort in relation to a proposed change effort
  • Exploring the questions used to assess the effectiveness of vision of a proposed change
  • Studying the sequence of steps required to assess the skills needed to support organisational change
  • Examining how to determine an organisation’s readiness for sustainable change
  • Learning about stakeholder analysis and the key initial outputs of a change initiative
  • Exploring how to assess discomfort, vision, skills and the keys to change
  • Studying how to match the sources of employee resistance to change to examples
  • Examining how to match types of change resistance to actions for dealing with them
  • Understanding how to identify tactics for overcoming obstacles to change including inertia
  • Learning how to recognise appropriate ways to communicate change
  • Exploring how to recognise tactics for effectively leading change in your organisation
  • Studying how to overcome resistance and the obstacles to change
  • Examining how to introduce, communicate and lead change
  • Understanding which key elements of change need to be communicated to different groups
  • Learning how to employ strategies to make change easier and reduce discomfort
  • Exploring how to recognise how to reinforce skills and make change last
  • Studying how to leverage performance management methods to make change last
  • Knowing what and how to communicate
  • Gaining insights into making change more comfortable
  • Understanding how training can facilitate change
  • Learning how to sustain planned change and how to institutionalise change
  • Studying how to keep employees motivated during change
  • Recognising the common signs of stress in employees
  • Understanding how to reduce employee stress during times of organisational change

And more!

 

Types of Organisational Change

There can be a variety of factors that lead to change within an organisation, and one of the major challenges is how to reduce the potential for employee resistance. This will ensure employees understand why change is important to the company’s future. Here are the main types of organisational change — some of which you will cover in our change management course.

Total Change

This involves change in an organisation’s vision and is required when it is faced with criticalities including growing competitive pressures, long-term business failure, the failure of management or leaders, or disagreement about employee an organisational values.

Fundamental Change

This type of change relates to the redefinition of an organisation’s mission or vision. It may be required during extremely volatile circumstances like a failure in leadership, a decline in productivity or due to the current business environment.

Operational Change

This kind of change becomes a need or requirement when an organisation is faced with competitive pressures. The focus here is on the improvement in the quality or delivery of products or services in order for the organisation to gain a competitive edge.

Strategic Change

Strategic change is usually implemented at the organisational level and can include a change in management style. This kind of change usually has a cascading effect on the entire company and often has a marked influence on the company’s overall performance.

Directional Change

This type of change may come about because of rapid changes in governmental policies or control. These can include pricing structures, and import/export and tax policies. Directional change can be required when an organisation lacks the capacity to implement their current strategies effectively or if new strategies are required.

Incremental Change

Incremental change is implemented at the micro-level, and changes are adaptive in nature and implemented or introduced gradually. It is based on the assumption that changes will result in even bigger changes, and it creates adaptive mechanisms for meeting the organisation’s ultimate vision.

Reactive Change

These changes take place in response to an event or a chain of events. It usually occurs when there is a decrease or increase in the demand for the company’s products or services. It can also be a response to a crisis due to technology advancements or changes.

Anticipatory Change

This is a change that’s implemented with prior anticipation, and organisations may either undergo incremental changes or change the organisation from its existing state to a desired futuristic state and deal with the process of transition afterwards.

Planned Change

Planned change is also regarded as developmental change, and it is implemented with the objective of improving current operational strategies. It can include organisational restructuring, team building, enhancing employees’ technical expertise or the introduction of new products or technologies.

Happened Change

This kind of change is unpredictable and usually takes place as a result of the impact of the external factors. It is usually profound and can be traumatic as its consequences are out of direct control and often unknown. It happens when an organisation reaches a plateau in its life cycle and can be impacted by social or political events.

 

How to Motivate Employees in Times of Change

One of the most difficult aspects of working through change is managing the ‘human’ side of the business. This is because people are fundamentally resistant to change, as it can bring about fear, doubt and indecision. So how can you prepare, manage and motivate your team?

Explain the reasons

One of the quickest ways an employee’s motivation can be depleted is because they don’t understand the reasons for the change. If an organisation is going through a transformation, everyone should understand why it’s happening, and what to expect in terms of challenges, benefits and outcomes.9

Detail the repercussions

When employees are faced with changes in their organisation, most will immediately wonder how it will affect them. However, most won’t actually ask the question, which can lead to frustration and disillusionment. Leaders should take the time to explain to employees how the change will impact them and how the business will support them.

Communicate well

Communication can be the make-or-break factor when it comes to keeping people motivated during periods of change. The reasons should be clearly explained and regular updates provided to check how employees are coping. Questions and concerns should also be promptly addressed as the situation progresses.

Be honest

There is no point selling a negative change as a positive one — employees will see through it, and be less inclined to come on-board. If the change is negative, be honest about why it’s happening and why it’s necessary. If it will have short-term negative effects that will lead to positive results, be upfront about that as well.

Consider individuals

Remember that everyone is different. Some will immediately understand the reasons for change and others take some time to come around. Give employees the freedom, resources and time they need to come to terms with it and support those who are struggling. If there are those that continue to undermine the process, don’t be afraid to be direct with them. Study our change management course and you’ll find out more!

 

Our Certificate of Change Management will give you the confidence to apply leadership and change management principles so you can successfully implement strategies for organisational change success.

 

 

 

Enhance the Digital Journey

Top UI/UX Trends for 2020

Website design trends come and go, but when creating a website, UI and UX (via a UX design course) are both integral to the success of a product or experience. Here are some of the top UI/UX trends for 2020.

Meaningful Content

Website design is increasingly focused on narrative and meaning as opposed to emotion and sensation because it helps to convey the essence of an organisation and its brand values. Unique visual design is essential, but content via digital storytelling is what truly engages viewers. A true connection means they are not just browsing — they want to be part of a brand’s story as well.

User Customisation

Providing a tailored and customised experience to users means you have a strong understanding of their needs. With UX and UI, customisation can be integrated on a range of website assets, including via navigation. When navigation is woven logically into an organisation’s ‘story’ and flow of information, engagement will be even more optimised.

Uninterrupted UX

If you are designing an E-commerce website, it’s important to consider a customer’s purchase journey. For example, how many pages do they have to scroll through in order to finalise their purchase? Too many pages can cause friction in their user experience, negatively divert their attention and even lose you the sale. Uninterrupted UX will ensure every piece of information the user needs about the product or service and how to acquire it, is easily accessible.

Data Visualisation

More and more businesses are focusing their website branding strategies on the use of visual data that is not only aesthetically pleasing but interactive as well. Data visualisation is not just about including charts and graphs to make data more digestible, it can also provide a ‘wow’ factor that will increase engagement with your target market.

Artificial Intelligence

The importance of AI continues to grow and AI assistants are becoming increasingly common …  hello, Smart devices! Just as DIY services like Squarespace and Wix have done, AI will increasingly become part of the web designer’s toolbox. An example – a designer creates a storyboard and feeds it to an algorithm. The algorithm then applies constraints to the storyboard and comes up with several template options. The result? The UX/UI designer is able to make more creative decisions and incorporate the technology across a variety of applications.

Augmented Reality

As new technologies arise, UI/UX trends are going above and beyond what is expected. Virtual reality (VR) is a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world and is already being used in entertainment systems like video games. Augmented reality (AR), however, adds a virtual layer onto the world we live in — something Microsoft refers to as ‘mixed reality’.

 

What is Customer Journey Mapping?

Customer journey mapping visually illustrates customers’ needs, perceptions and processes throughout their interaction and relationship with a brand. Often studied as part of a UX design course, it is all about leveraging the customer experience (CX). This will provide insights via core metrics, identify opportunities to optimize your CX, and diagnose CX issues. It can also help you identify where new products or services can improve existing customer journeys, or create completely new ones.

Most customer journeys fall into one of four categories:

  • Onboarding ‑ for example, opening an account or taking out insurance.
  • Maintaining ‑ for example, changing your address or calling for technical help.
  • Using or owning – for example, using a smartphone or making an insurance claim.
  • Renewal – for example, renewing services or subscriptions.

How To Identify Customer Touch Points

Analysing all of the touchpoints a potential customer has before, during and after an interaction with your brand plays a big part in customer journey mapping. It includes things that you directly influence, but also those controlled or influenced by third parties. This is because regardless of whether you are responsible for it, it still affects the customer experience.

Key questions to ask include:

  • How did they access you? For example, your customer may find you through social media, advertising, online reviews or even by old-fashioned word of mouth.
  • What did they do with you? For example, it could be navigating your website, visiting a store or interacting with your call centre or sales assistants.
  • What did they afterwards? This might include querying product details, requesting a return or product support, subscribing to EDM’s, or filling out a customer feedback survey.

 

Once you map every touchpoint in a customer’s journey and collect feedback from each of them, it will be easier to spot pain points along the way and then work towards improving their experience.

How To Create A Customer Journey Map

Let’s look at an example of a customer wanting to take out a mortgage for a property. Customer touchpoints (in bold) could include:

  1. A customer sees an ad from their bank detailing an attractive interest rate. Further research on the bank’s website prompts them to further investigate a mortgage.
  2. An online mortgage calculator confirms the repayments are affordable, so they go to their local branch for a meeting with their bank manager.
  3. Their queries are answered, so they return home and fill out an online application form.
  4. They receive an email from the bank saying their application has been accepted, and they are invited to complete a full application
  5. The customer fills out a full application form online and submits it, and an email is sent to them saying their application has been received.
  6. However, some of the required information is missing, so a contact centre agent calls them to explain what information they still need to provide.
  7. Eventually, the mortgage application is approved and the customer receives a letter with a mortgage offer.
  8. Once the property purchase process has been completed, the customer then receives a final confirmation of the mortgage via email including details of the direct debit process and conditions etc. The process is now complete.

So that’s a total of 11 touchpoints. For many homebuyers, there will more depending on the bank, its process and the details involved — right up until the point of purchase. After that, there may still be communication about monthly statements, changes to interest rates, and other customer queries.

How To Fix Pain Points And Where

You might have a satisfied customer in terms of their attitudinal, affective, cognitive and behavioural response. Their satisfaction may also be evident via a Net Promoter Score (NPS) or a Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSAT). But how many other prospective customers found the website confusing, the application process too complicated, or customer service that did not meet their expectations … so they gave up?

This is why journey mapping is essential. By gathering feedback at each touchpoint, you can start to understand how each one contributes to the overall experience. And by being able to pinpoint specific pain points along their journey, you will be able to make improvements at the points it really matters.

Analysing these alongside your core CX metrics, you’ll be able to identify improvements that will have the biggest impact on their overall experience, and the impact on your organisation’s sales, conversion rates and customer lifetime value. Something you’ll learn the value of when undertaking a UX design course!

 

Are you passionate about IT? Discover our range of online courses in Information Technology & Microsoft. 

Starting a Consulting Business – Tips

Starting a consulting business can be daunting, but becoming a business consultant in Australia is a growing and promising career path. However, possessing expertise in the field of business does not guarantee work as a consultant. It is crucial to understand that you may need to source your own clients or partner with larger companies that provide consulting services to secure work opportunities.

Working as a business consultant can be both lucrative and rewarding, but it may also mean working with multiple clients with varying needs. Therefore, before taking the plunge, you should consider several factors to ensure a successful career in this field.

Firstly, you must have a thorough understanding of the industry and the skills required to be a successful business consultant. Secondly, you should be aware of the competition and the demand for business consultants in your area. Thirdly, you should have a clear understanding of the services you will offer and the fees you will charge for your services.

Lastly, you need to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as you’ll be working with different clients and stakeholders, and you need to be able to effectively communicate your advice and recommendations to them.

Starting a consulting business requires carefully considering these factors to increase your confidence and your chances of success.

Legals

Depending on your area of specialisation and the types of consulting services you’ll be offering, there may be certain legal requirements you need to adhere to. These include choosing the right business structure — as a sole trader, partnership or company. Each has pros and cons that will affect the future operation of your business, including tax consequences.

You’ll need to apply for an ABN for tax purposes, and professional indemnity insurance is also recommended. This protects small businesses and covers legal claims that other third parties may make, such as a breach of duty or negligence.

Qualifications

Certain regulated industries may require formal qualifications; however, a Certificate of Business Consulting will establish your credibility and expertise with clients. It’s also worth applying for professional memberships and industry accreditations to keep up to date with developments in certain industries.

Company Structure

Once you’ve determined your business structure, you should also consider how you see your business expanding down the track. You may want to start small—with just you in a home-based office—and hire additional staff at a later date. If this is in your business plan, consider their tasks and where they will work.

For example, you may wish to hire another specialist or someone who can help out with admin so that you can concentrate on servicing your clients. You’ll also need to consider several key responsibilities as an employer when starting a consulting business.

Lifestyle

If you have formerly worked for a large organisation and are about to embark on starting a consultancy business solo, things will change! Running your own business means you will be responsible for everything from fixing internet issues to covering expenses, paying super and managing how and when you invoice for your services.

You also won’t receive income for time off work — so paid annual and sick leave won’t be an option. You’ll need to weigh up whether your lifestyle and personality can cope with these factors and learn to be disciplined and organised to effectively manage your workload.

Target Market

The best consulting services in the world are no good to anyone if there is no market for them, so understanding who will pay for your expertise is crucial. Are you looking to service individuals, large organisations, or global corporates? And how will this work logistically? If you want to service clients face-to-face, you’ll need to factor in travel expenses and confirm whether clients are willing to cover these costs.

Your Brand

The idea of branding your business can be intimidating. However, establishing it will solidify how your clients see you and form their opinion of your business. Your brand should also stand out from other consultancy services in terms of your unique selling proposition (USP).

Then, it’s all about finding the most effective ways to communicate your USP to prospective clients, i.e. marketing yourself! This can be done by an engaging website, a unique marketing campaign or a memorable social media feed — whatever will make your potential customers think of your services before your competitors.

Once established, you should also consider registering your business name to protect your brand (such as your logo and intellectual property).

Networking

Building and maintaining relationships with current and potential clients is essential to guaranteeing a consistent flow of work when starting a consulting business. However, networking is also vital to your success as a small business owner, regardless of the types of consulting services you provide. Professional networks will introduce you to various practices, give you new opportunities to learn and promote positive connections and collaboration.

Once your business grows and your reputation is solidified, contributing to thought leadership in your area of expertise (via article writing or blog posts, for example) can enhance your kudos even further.

Billing

Different types of consulting will require different rates, and determining these can be challenging. Charging too little will make it harder to make your business financially viable in the longer term, and charging too much may deter clients from working with you. Do your research on your competitors, compare ‘apples with apples,’ and base your rates around being competitive.

You will also need to factor in your expenses, including tax and super contributions. Invoicing terms should be agreed upon, including the timing of payments. If projects are lengthy, consider charging an upfront fee that is paid before work commences to cover your ongoing costs.

Small business consultants can help companies identify problems, recommend solutions, and ultimately cut costs and increase revenue in slowing economies. Business and management consultants are also employed in virtually every industry—either full-time or as freelance consultants—including the banking, mining, retail, logistics, healthcare, government, and media sectors.

Certificate of Business Consulting

Certificate of Business Consulting

Certificate of Business Consulting

If you’re starting a consulting business, our Certificate of Business Consulting will help you hone and market your expertise to prospective clients to leverage positive outcomes. You will study presenting, report writing, communication, and negotiating skills, as well as emotional intelligence and leadership. With Seek projecting job growth of over 24 per cent in the next five years (and a salary package of up to $120K!), now is the ideal time to consider a consultant career.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking consulting courses include:

  • Learning about professional practice for consultants
  • Exploring the pros and cons of being a consultant
  • Studying what’s needed to be a consultant and how to get started
  • Gaining an understanding of codes of conduct
  • Understanding the methods of entering business and deciding where to work
  • Studying how to plan a consultancy
  • Learning about equipment, start-up finance, and set-up costs
  • Exploring business structures
  • Gaining an understanding of insurance
  • Studying how to prepare a business plan and pro forma
  • Gaining insights into knowing what to charge
  • Understanding available work time and how to convince clients of your fee value
  • Learning how to set up your consultancy practice
  • Exploring how to find clients and market a consultancy practice
  • Studying how to establish a press kit, network and communicate
  • Gaining insights into keeping accounts and records
  • Understanding how to source documents
  • Learning how to handle timesheets and invoices
  • Exploring how to generate business and keep it
  • Studying how to use agents and brokers
  • Gaining insights into subcontracting other consultants and support services
  • Understanding how to gain references from clients and propagate referrals
  • Learning how to obtain references from clients
  • Exploring how to write tenders and articles
  • Studying how to close a deal
  • Gaining insights into leveraging successful client relationships and keeping clients
  • Understanding how to deal with clients who say no
  • Learning how to maintain your consultancy practice
  • Studying how to hire staff and expand your business
  • Gaining insights into creating passive income
  • Understanding how to work in a changing world

… and more!

The Most In-Demand Consultancy Skills

If you’re still considering what consultancy work is right for you, it’s worth remembering that the types of consulting careers for those with the right qualifications depend on the sector involved. However, these days, those with project management, financial modelling, data science and analysis, process improvement, and business transformation skills are becoming increasingly sought after. According to Business Insider magazine, here are the most commonly requested consultancy services in Australia by industry.

  • Large corporations – process improvement, project management, business transformation, financial modelling, and data science and analysis.
  • Aviation – Data science and analysis, due diligence and customer segmentation.
  • Banking – Project management, business transformation and process improvement.
  • Mining and metals – Project management, tendering, and procurement strategy.
  • Logistics and supply chain – Business analytics, process improvement and supply chain management.
  • Media – Marketing strategy, lead generation and data science and analysis.
  • Retail – Digital transformation, data science and analysis and IT project management.
  • Telco – Change management, Big Data and  e-Commerce
  • Healthcare – Process improvement, data science and analysis and project management.
  • Financial services – Change management, e-Commerce and due diligence.
  • Insurance – Change management, project management and business strategy.
  • Government – Big Data, digital transformation and process improvement.
  • Consumer goods – Process improvement, cost reduction and marketing strategy.

 

Starting a consulting business is exciting. With our Certificate of Business Consulting, you can confidently leverage your strategic know-how and help improve the financial and operational health of a wide range of businesses!

 

Become An Expert Tree Doctor With Our Arborist Course

Also known as a ‘tree doctor’, an arborist is committed to the cultivation of healthy trees. They also diagnose and treat tree disorders relating to nutrition, pollution, disease and soil contamination. Our Certificate of Advanced Arboriculture follows on from our introductory course and is ideal for gardeners, tree doctors, farmers, horticulturalists, or anyone with a tree-focussed career or hobby.

In this in-depth and comprehensive course, you will learn how to strengthen weak trees, perform tree surgery, and fell diseased or unsafe trees. You will also study how to select the appropriate trees for certain conditions; plant, stake, water and fertilise different varieties; and prune, cable and brace damaged tree limbs. Make tree-hugging your career!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking an arborist course include:

  • Gaining an understanding of soil, water and watering methods
  • Studying climate and slope serration
  • Gaining insights into planting techniques and planting at the right time
  • Understanding how to transplant trees including large trees and deciduous trees
  • Learning about direct and spray seeding and pruning at planting
  • Exploring wattling, pocket planting and planting on arid sites
  • Studying local regulations and how to match a tree to the site
  • Gaining insights into temperature and acclimatisation
  • Understanding fire damage, fire-resistant trees and how to treat foliage burn
  • Learning about air pollution and tree growth, and pollutant tolerant and intolerant trees
  • Exploring soil contamination, soil chemical composition and pollution and toxic reactions
  • Studying wet and dry soil tolerant trees and the symptoms of drought-stressed trees
  • Gaining insights into the biological controls of pest and disease and using pesticides safely
  • Understanding tree nutrition and fertilisers
  • Learning how to strengthen weak trees including trimming techniques
  • Exploring thinning, bracing and temporary props
  • Studying bolting, guy wires, cabling and the rodding technique
  • Gaining insights into how to control damage caused by plants
  • Understanding tree damage and tree root problems
  • Learning about trees that cause problems with drains
  • Exploring how to limit root problems including root pruning
  • Gaining an understanding of trees and aquifers
  • Studying poisonous trees and trees and power lines
  • Gaining insights into tree felling and stump removal
  • Understanding tree evaluation systems and how to calculate a tree’s value
  • Learning about tree felling methods and saws, axes, winches and chain saws
  • Exploring the different methods of removing stumps
  • Gaining an understanding of how to protect trees and national tree registers
  • Studying risk assessment, duty of care and how to keep a worksite safe
  • Learning about the tolerant plant species and what to plant where
  • Exploring species suitability, and the influence of trees on buildings
  • Studying harsh environments, and how to protect trees from sun, frost and wind
  • Gaining insights into fencing and mulching
  • Understanding soil degradation and saline, lime and acid-tolerant trees
  • Learning how to design and establish a tree plantation
  • Exploring windbreaks, windbreak design and how to choose a windbreak species
  • Studying how to produce drawings to scale

… and more!

The 10 Tallest Trees in the World

Trees get the best of both worlds — their roots taste the soil, while their upper reaches soak up the sun and sometimes touch the sky. And although they are far from the lofty heights of Jack’s beanstalk, these beauties are still pretty impressive … and not just to an arborist!

#10 – King Stringy

This brown top stringybark (Eucalyptus oblique) is located in Tasmania and stands at over 86 metres tall.

#9 – Unnamed Alpine Ash

This 87.9-metre-tall Eucalyptus delegatensis is located in the Florentine Valley in southern Tasmania.

#8 – Neeminah Loggorale Meena

Also known as the Mother and Daughter Tree, this Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) is over 90.7 metres tall.

#7 – White Night

Standing at over 91 metres tall, this manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) has called the Evercreech Forest Reserve in Tasmania home for over 300 years.

#6 – Unknown Yellow Meranti

Located in Borneo, this Shorea faguetiana is over 94.1 metres tall and found in the Danum Valley Conservation Area.

#5 – General Sherman

At over 95.7 metres tall, this giant Sequoiadendron giganteum can be found in California’s Sequoia National Forest.

#4 – Raven’s Tower

Located in California’s Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, this Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) towers to a height of over 96.7 metres.

#3 – Doerner Fir

Vying for 2nd spot, this coastal Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) can be found in Coos County in Oregon and is over 99.7 metres tall.

#2 – Centurion

The world’s tallest known Eucalyptus regnans tree (at over 99.82 metres), can be found in the Arve Valley in Tasmania.

#1 – Hyperion

The granddaddy of all lofty trees, this remarkable Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is over 115.92 metres tall and is found in Redwood National Park, California. It is so tall that you can’t actually see its top!

Six Fascinating Facts about Trees

For almost 400 million years, trees have provided us with food, shelter and shade, however, they are often taken for granted. Here are six fascinating facts that may elevate your appreciation of them … and perhaps even inspire you to become an arborist!

  1. Trees like to live locally

Across the planet, over half of all tree species come from the one country, and the countries with the highest number of local tree species are Columbia, Brazil and Indonesia. However, Australia also has its fair share, with over 800 different species of Eucalypt native alone. Some of the other more common natives include emu bushes, acacia and grevillea.

  1. Trees really aren’t that old

Although the Great Basin bristlecone pine (Methuselah) found in California is over 4851 years old, trees have only existed for the last 90% of our planet’s history. In fact, the first plants only flourished around 470 million years ago. And while this seems extraordinary, earth has been around for over 4.5 billion years!

  1. Although, some trees are pretty old!

The earliest known tree was called Wattieza and was found in the region we now know as New York. Existing around 385 million years ago, it was a leafless, fern-like plant that was around eight metres tall. The oldest known tree in Australia is found in Tasmania. Named King’s Holly, it’s been around for over 43,000 years.

  1. Tree roots can go deep

Generally, tree roots only go as deep as the first 45 centimetres of soil. However, hickory, pine and oak trees can grow roots longer than six metres in the right conditions. One wild fig tree discovered in South Africa had roots that reached over 121 metres deep.s

  1. Some trees repel enemies

 Some tree species emit chemicals into the air to attract the predators of their enemies. For example, apple trees under attack from caterpillars will often release chemicals into the environment to attract hungry birds. Some can even send airborne signals to other trees in the area to alert them to an incoming insect attack.

  1. Trees can save you money

Trees provide shade as well as releasing up to 400 litres of water into the air every day. This can impact the costs of heating and cooling by as much as 50%. So, hire an arborist to look after your trees — you’ll be saving cash and the planet at the same time!

Famous Arborists

Noteworthy ‘tree doctors’ are found throughout history and in a variety of countries. Here are some of the more famous ones worth researching for your upcoming career as an arborist!

  • John Chapman. Born in 1774, pioneering orchardist and nurseryman Chapman introduced apple trees to large parts of regional America. He is more commonly known as Johnny Appleseed.
  • Francis A. Bartlett. Bartlett graduated from the Massachusetts Agricultural College before founding his scientific tree and shrub care company, the Bartlett Tree Expert Company, in 1907.
  • Alex Shigo. Known as the father of modern arboriculture, Shigo was a biologist with the United States Forest Service. His studies of tree decay have advanced many modern-day arboricultural practices.
  • Sebastian Junger – Before becoming a journalist and filmmaker and penning his book, The Perfect Storm in 1997, Junger was an arborist in Massachusetts.
  • Chuck Leavell. Author of the children’s book, The Tree Farmer, Leavell was appointed to the Georgia Land Conservation Council in 2006. He has also been the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones since 1982!
  • Cass Turnbull. An author of gardening and pruning books, Turnbull was also the founder of Plant Amnesty, an advocacy group that educates the public about harmful pruning techniques.
  • Ben White. White became an environmental activist and a ship’s officer for the Sea Shepherd Conversation Society after falling from a tree while working as an arborist.
  • Mark Hartley. Actively involved in the forming of the Australian National Arborist Association, Hartley was instrumental to the introduction of the Standards Australia AS 4373-1996.
  • Callum David Michael Grant Peck. Peck is an expert in the field of arboriculture and is credited with the eradication of the invasive plant, gorse, in the remote north and northwest Tasmania.

 

Expand your knowledge of tree care and maintenance with our Certificate of Advanced Arboriculture and watch your career flourish!

Editing Courses Can Enhance Your Career

Editing courses enhance your ability to communicate well in writing, which is a skill valued across every industry. Whether it’s proofreading a textbook or creative content writing for a website, employers value writing and editing skills.

Perhaps you want to become a professional editor, or maybe you simply want to improve your own writing, whatever your desire, editing is an important skill and an asset to your resume.

Fortunately, writing is an acquired skill that can be improved with practice. The Certificate of Editing and Proofreading is a comprehensive online professional development program that will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to edit and proofread copy for a variety of formats.

When you’ve graduated the Certificate of Editing and Proofreading, you can continue your education to master your skills in the Certificate of Editing and Proofreading (Advanced). 

Learning Outcomes  

In these editing courses, you’ll develop a solid grasp on the theory and principles of professional editing and proofreading and will achieve the following learning outcomes. 

  • Principles of editing and proofreading
  • Types of editing
  • Setting priorities
  • Editing symbols
  • Style guides
  • Proofreading tips and tools
  • Plagiarism 
  • Interpersonal skills for editors 
  • Editing for a variety of mediums
  • Print and online content 
  • How to find editing work
  • How to sell and market your services 
  • The production processes 
  • Overview of who does what in publishing 
  • Mechanics of clear writing 
  • Assessing manuscripts 
  • Copyediting
  • Editing headlines 
  • Proofing graphics
  • Editing and design 
  • Legal and ethical issues in publishing 
  • Copyright 
  • Reporting restrictions 
  • Law and the internet 
  • Electronic publishing 
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Image manipulation 
  • Designing with photos 
  • Editing terminology 
  • Traditional and modern editing 
  • …. and more 

 

Careers to Explore in Writing and Editing 

When you study editing courses, there are many career opportunities available across multiple industries, from content writing to journalism. 

Online Writers & Editors 

The proliferation of websites has created many opportunities for those skilled in writing online content. Whether you’re hired to create content for a business’s website, or you craft your own as a blogger – there’s a huge demand for talented writers with the ability to write SEO articles. 

Key skills include:

  • Research and writing
  • SEO/keyword research 
  • Create SEO-friendly copy
  • Secure relevant images 
  • Edit copy 
  • Conduct interviews 
  • Use CMS’s to publish content 
  • Promote content on social media 

 

Technical Writer 

A technical writer is responsible for researching and writing on technical subjects for articles, manuals and reports. If you’re an expert in a specific field and you undertake writing and editing courses, you’ll be in demand as a technical writer.

Key skills include:

  • Research and writing and technical topics
  • Writing articles, manuals and reports
  • Co-ordinate images
  • Production of a document
  • Write updates on procedures
  • Secure expert content
  • Interview experts
  • Use industry-specific terminology
  • Use technical documentation software

 

Proposal Writer 

A proposal writer often works in sales, consulting or large organisations. This type of writer’s primary purpose is to create an opportunity for business development through proposals and bids. They work closely with sales teams, marketing and advertising professionals and product design experts.

Key skills include:

  • Research and writing
  • Proofreading documents and projects
  • Adhere to tight deadlines
  • Word-processing
  • Document design
  • Knowledge of industry terminology

 

Journalist 

Journalists must have a curious mind, research know-how and sharp communication skills. Journalists write for television, radio, web and print publications. 

Key skills include: 

  • Research and writing 
  • Fact-checking 
  • Interviewing 
  • Write to word limits
  • Adhere to style guides 
  • On-page SEO ability (web content) 
  • Editing and proofreading 

 

Editor 

An editor is the ‘manager’ of the publication material, whether for a magazine, website or other publication. They select and prepare copy for publication and are in charge of maintaining editorial policies and plans. 

Key skills include:

  • Journalism experience/knowledge 
  • Editing and proofreading
  • Management 
  • Fact-checking 
  • Adhere to style guides 
  • Content writing 

Advertising Copywriter 

Advertising copywriters are creative and sales professionals who use words to work magic in advertising. Copywriters can work for advertising agencies, public relations firms or independent businesses to create the copy for advertising and promotional collateral. 

Key skills include: 

  • Creativity 
  • Writing 
  • Content writing 
  • Deadline-driven 
  • Draft concept pitches 
  • Cool under pressure 
  • Marketing or advertising knowledge  

 

Marketing and Communications Specialist 

Writers working in the marketing and communications field create programs and communication collateral. Their written work is primarily used to promote an organisation and its products or services. Writing for brochures, flyers, fact sheets, promotional literature, annual reports, and press releases are common in this job. 

Key skills include:

  • Writing and editing 
  • Proofreading 
  • Marketing/business knowledge 
  • Content writing 
  • SEO-content ability 

 

5 Vital Qualities Editors Need to Succeed 

Taking an editing course is an excellent way to hone your editing and proofreading skills, but in addition to theory, you’ll also need on the job experience. If you have the following five

qualities, you have what it takes to become an editor!

 

  1. Knowledgeable

If you want to become an editor, it’s crucial to invest in your education. Editors require knowledge on a range of subject matter to make meaning of content. An editing course is an excellent starting point, but to become an editor for a major publication, you’ll also need higher education and/or on-the-job experience. 

 

  1. Detail-Oriented 

Do people say you’re a noticer? Editors need a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy in all content, whether it’s for a magazine or company website. After all, the reputation of a publication and/or a business is at stake. 

 

  1.   Collaborative 

Editors are generally in charge, but they also need to work as part of a writing, design and management team. As such, you’ll need to work well with others and be able to collaborate and accept constructive criticism. 

 

  1. Highly Literate

Editors need to know all the rules of language, have an extensive vocabulary and need to know how to spell. Editing requires skill and speed – so being knowledgeable in grammar and spelling is vital. 

 

  1. Inspired 

Editors work with words to improve content, but they also need to work with ideas. Editors will receive hundreds of pitches from writers throughout their careers. It’s the ability to spot the good ones that sets great editors (and publications) apart.

 

Are you interested in gaining outstanding editing and proofreading skills? Study the Certificate of Editing and Proofreading and Certificate of Editing and Proofreading (Advanced) to make your way into this exciting industry today! 

 

Explore Plant Science with our Botany Course!

The knowledge learnt in botany courses can help individuals solve a variety of major issues that exist across our planet. These include helping to purify polluted soil and air, overcome food shortages, and reduce global warming. This course is ideal for anyone working with plants, from botanists, agriculturists, horticulturists and farmers to nursery workers, landscapers and even those in the ecotourism industry. 

In our Certificate of Botany, you will study the basics of plant science, including plant anatomy, physiology and morphology. In this fascinating botany course, you will also learn about the taxonomic classification of plants, the various systems in plants, the effects of growth manipulation, and how to harvest, store, transport and improve the shelf life of edible plants. Get that green thumb growing!  

Learning Outcomes 

Outcomes achieved by undertaking botany courses include:  

  • Learning about the taxonomic classification of plants 
  • Exploring plant taxonomy 
  • Studying botanical and horticultural nomenclature 
  • Gaining insights into the binomial system 
  • Examining botanical classification 
  • Studying plant cells and tissues 
  • Discovering cell components 
  • Gaining insights into plant growth 
  • Examining the types of plant cells 
  • Understanding primary and secondary plant tissues 
  • Learning about the specific vegetative parts of a plant  
  • Exploring stems, buds, roots and leaf structure and arrangement 
  • Examining morphological changes due to maturation 
  • Understanding common botanical terms 
  • Learning about flowers and fruit 
  • Exploring flower structure in terms of inflorescence 
  • Studying fruits in terms of simple, aggregate and multiple 
  • Discovering pollination and fertilisation 
  • Understanding how to overcome incompatibility 
  • Exploring seeds and the developing embryo  
  • Gaining an understanding of seed structure 
  • Studying seed germination 
  • Uncovering germination requirements 
  • Gaining insights into stimulation, inhibition and the propagation of plants 
  • Examining photosynthesis and growing plants  
  • Understanding chloroplasts in photosynthesis 
  • Learning about photosynthesis in controlled growing conditions 
  • Exploring artificial light and photosynthetic apparatus 
  • Studying light transformation into energy 
  • Understanding the stages of respiration 

… and more!  

 

Famous Botanists Throughout History  

The scientific study of plants helps us understand the effect of plants on animals and humans. And a number of botanists through history have had an enormous impact on the way botany is studied today. Here are some that will provide inspiration for anyone interested in studying botany courses. 

Paracelsus  

Born in 1493, Paracelsus was a follower of the spiritual influences of the cosmos on man and nature. A believer in the classic Greek elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, he believed that human health and in turn illnesses relied heavily on man’s harmony with nature. 

 

Carl Linnaeus 

Linnaeus is the father of modern biological classification systems, and after graduating from university, conducted numerous field studies where thousands of species of fauna and flora were identified, labelled and catalogued. He had a long and distinguished career until his death in 1778. 

 

Albrecht von Haller 

Swiss-born von Haller initially pursued a career as a physician and is credited with heralding modern-day physiology and neurology. However, his interest in botany also saw him collecting a large range of flower species, leading to his reputation as one of the most renowned botanists of the eighteenth century.  

 

Sir Joseph Banks 

An English botanist, Banks embarked on a voyage to the Pacific Ocean on the HMS Endeavour with James Cook in 1763. After returning with a major collection of specimens, he became an adviser to King George III on the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. The garden at the time was incomparable to any other botanical garden in the world. 

 

Robert Brown  

Born in 1773, Brown developed a passion for mosses and accompanied Sir Joseph Banks on an expedition to Australia, where he gathered most of the species he explored in his lifetime. His contribution to the field is considered monumental, and several species of plants have been named in his honour. 

 

Hugo von Mohl  

Von Mohl was a major figure in the emerging fields of plant physiology and anatomy in the mid-19th century. His research paved the way for the development of the plant cell theory. A professor of botany in Germany, he was the first to propose that new cells are formed by cell division, and also provided the first clear explanation of the role of osmosis. 

 

Ferdinand Von Mueller  

A German-Australian botanist who founded the National Herbarium of Victoria, Von Mueller was one of Australia’s most prominent 19th-century scientists. He was appointed government botanist for Victoria by Governor Charles La Trobe, travelled extensively on scientific expeditions, and is credited to have discovered nearly 800 new species in Australia. 

 

Jagadish Chandra Bose  

Born in 1858, Chandra Bose was the first person to prove that plants have the ability to feel pain and affection. His highly sensitive instruments were able to detect the minute responses by living organisations to external stimuli. He was recognised as the first modern scientist of India by the Royal Institution in London.  

 

George Washington Carver  

Often referred to as the Father of chemurgy (which is the industrial and chemical use of organic raw materials), Carver encouraged the growth of alternative crops. Passionate about helping poor farmers increase their productivity, his work played a significant role in the revival of the agricultural economy in the late 19th century.  

 

Agnes Arber  

Born in the UK in 1879, Arber learnt the art of illustration from her father, which she applied to plant anatomy and morphology. As one of the eminent botanists of her time, her significant research work, including her work on floral structure, has formed the basis of a range of developments in plant science. 

 

Marie Stopes   

Born in 1880, Stopes was a British palaeobotanist who studied the influence of plants in relation to the evolution of life. She was the first female science academician at the University of Manchester, and the youngest person in Britain to attain a doctorate degree from the University College London. 

 

Birbal Sahni  

Sahni earned a doctorate from the University of London in 1919 and was a pioneer in palaeobotanical research (the study of fossil plants). He became the Head of the Botany Department of the Lucknow University in India, and founded what is now the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in 1946. 

 

Janaki Ammal Edavaleth Kakkat 

Born in India in 1897, Ammal was a botanist best remembered for her work with sugarcane. An expert in cytogenetics (the genetic content of genes in cells), her work led to new findings on the evolution of species. Her research played a vital role in choosing plant varieties for cross-breeding in order to produce the sweetest sugarcane.  

 

Lynn Margulis  

Margulis was born in the US in 1938 and as a biologist, completely altered the concept of how life came about on Earth. She eventually became the Distinguished Professor of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts. As a staunch evolutionist, her theoretical paper on mitosing cells is now considered as the landmark argument in endosymbiotic theory.  

 

Australian Fossil Reveals New Plant Species 

Searching for new plant species is an undertaking that scientists around the world aspire to. And a recent discovery by a student at Flinders University has provided fresh inspiration for botanists, and for all those who are interested in undertaking botany courses.  

The fern-like species discovered is believed to be among the earliest plants on earth and thought to have existed in Australia over 359 million years ago. It was unearthed after PhD student Antoine Champreux undertook a fresh examination of a fossil that was discovered in the 1960s by amateur geologist, John Irving. Found on the banks of the Manilla River in Barraba NSW, the fossil was unearthed by a major flooding event in 1964, however, it remained in storage for more than 50 years. 

The fossil dates back to a time when Australia was part of the super-continent Gondwana, and although diverse fish species existed in the oceans at this time, continents had no dinosaurs or flowering plants. Well-preserved fossils from this era are extremely rare, and its condition allowed Champreux to observe the walls of million-year-old cells. The plant was named genus Keraphyton (for the Greek name for the horn plant), and the species Keraphyton mawsoniae, in honour of Professor Ruth Mawson, a distinguished Australian palaeontologist who died in 2019. 

 

Use your understanding of how plants grow to solve some of the complex biological issues of our rapidly changing world with a botany course, such as the Certificate of Botany! 

e-Commerce Courses Critical to Business Survival

Do you want to start an e-commerce business? Savvy entrepreneurs who wish to enter the lucrative e-commerce world have a lot to learn about this exciting industry. And if modern enterprises are to survive and prosper, knowledge and skills in e-commerce are vital to success.

e-Commerce courses, such as The Certificate of E-Commerce, are ideal professional development for new online business ventures or for anyone wanting to monetise a website.

The Certificate of E-Commerce is an online professional development course designed to provide you with an understanding of e-business, e-commerce and its associated technologies.

 

Learning Outcomes 

In this e-commerce course, you’ll discover the foundations of online commerce and the elements that are central to an electronic marketplace.

  • Develop effective sales strategies for online business success
  • Learn a range of Internet marketing strategies
  • Optimise sales for your online business 
  • Use targeted marketing and customer acquisition and retention strategies
  • Create value for your online customers
  • Manage an Internet sales and marketing budget
  • How to build online credibility
  • How to use social media tools for customer engagement
  • Discover the foundations of HTML, web design and web content principles
  • Develop e-marketing communications
  • How to protect a business 
  • Warranty and conditions 
  • Legal issues (privacy, consumer protection, copyright, patents) 
  • Consumer laws and manufacturer and sellers’ liability
  • Automating supply of goods, services, and cashflow 
  • Payment gateways
  • Drop shopping and outsourcing 
  • Change management and corporate structure 
  • Web analytics 
  • Information currency Vs cash currency 
  • Insurance 
  • …. and more 

 

e-Commerce boom after COVID-19?

E-commerce and professionals in this sector are likely to be the big winners during and post-COVID-19 according to digital marketing expert Mitchell Kelly.  

“Digital marketing specialists, Shopify and WordPress developers, graphic designers, UX and CRO specialists are all likely to be in demand.

“The reason for this is that slow adopters to online shopping are now being forced to switch their shopping behaviour online.”

 Mr Kelly says that while most people under 40 are comfortable shopping online, others have been resistant to switching their shopping behaviours.

“With in-store shopping options shrinking, many of these people have had no other option but to switch their shopping online.

 “The longer this drags out, it becomes more likely that these individuals will maintain their online shopping habits going forward even after this crisis ends.

 “With this in mind, there’s a strong chance that the overall e-commerce market will be much larger once the world negotiates COVID-19.”

 As a result, e-commerce stores will thrive, and the market will increase, particularly drop-shippers, explains Mr Kelly.

“This will lift demand for graphic designers and front-end developers that specialise in e-commerce friendly CMS (content management systems) like WordPress and Shopify.

 “Bigger retailers are likely to push more marketing dollars into their online stores to capitalise, which will mean a greater need for digital marketing specialists and UX and conversion rate optimisation specialists that can increase the return on investment of an online store.”

 

e-Commerce Platforms for Business 

If you’re looking for an e-commerce platform, consider Weebly, Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, Square Space which each have strengths and weaknesses to consider when setting up an e-commerce business.

Weebly 

Weebly is a website and e-commerce service founded on the belief that anyone should have the tools to take their business from idea to launch to growth. This platform claims to make it easy to build a professional, mobile-optimised site and to grow a business with integrated marketing and advanced analytics.

Shopify 

Shopify is a subscription-based e-commerce platform that can help you to develop a website and use their shopping cart to sell, ship, and manage your products. This software allows access to a simple administration panel where you can add products, process orders and enter data.

Wix 

Wix Stores allows you to sell your products and get paid online. You can also market your brand further by designing a customised logo using Wix Logo Maker and get discovered in search engines with Wix SEO Wiz. 

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a flexible, open-source e-commerce solution that’s a plug-in for WordPress. It is designed for small to large-sized online businesses using WordPress. It’s popular for its simplicity to install and customise and has a free base product.

Square Space  

Whether you’re a new venture or an established brand, Square Space’s powerful platform can help your business to grow. The simple software platform offers a service building, hosting and monetising. It’s pre-built website templates and drag and drop feature makes creating webpages a breeze.

 

Booktopia – Australian e-Commerce Success Story 

Booktopia is an Australian online bookstore founded in 2004. The company is a family business owned by brothers, Tony and Simon Nash and their sister, Elana Traurig and her husband, Steve Traurig.

What started as a side project for the Nash siblings with little more than a $10 budget, a dream and a lot of hard work – has now become a $100 million-dollar e-commerce success story.

The company now employs over 200 staff, stocks $150,000 titles have donated over $750,000 in cash and books to literacy-based projects. 

From humbling beginnings – it took three days for their first book sale to come through – to having an item sold every six seconds, Booktopia is an e-commerce success story and an inspiration to those considering an e-commerce business. 

 

Are you interested in starting an e-Commerce business? Study an e-commerce course such as the Certificate of e-Commerce and gain foundation knowledge about this exciting and rapidly-expanding industry today! 

 

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