Professional Edge - Issue Two

1Issue 02 April 2014

2014: A GAME CHANGER FOR COMMUNITY PHARMACYMORE CHALLENGES AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES

FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS

TACKLING THE BIG ISSUES FOR OUR MEMBERS

RESEARCH, DESIGN AND INNOVATION

RESPECT, RECOGNITION AND REWARD

2Publishing Details

Professionals Australia (registered as the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia).

GPO Box 1271, Melbourne, 3001. Level 1, 163 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne, VIC 3205. Telephone: 1300 273 762 Email: [email protected] Web: professionalsaustralia.org.au

Professionals Australia Board of Management

President Bill JacksonSenior Vice President Andrew RussackVice President Maria FuchsVice President Col HackneyVice President Andreas MarquardtSecretary Robyn PorterTreasurer Olaf ReinholdChief Executive Officer Chris Walton

Professional Edge

Professional Edge is published by Professionals Australia.Editorial contributions and feedback welcome. Contact [email protected] for electoral comment is taken by Chris Walton, 1/163 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne, VIC 3205.The pages of Professional Edge are open to contributions from all members and from other sources. Comment in these pages does not necessarily reflect the opinions or polices of Professionals Australia or its officers.

Creative Commons Licence

The text of Professional Edge, being the magazine, is licensed under Creative Commons. The images cannot be republished without prior permission. www.creativecommons.org

Printer

Offset Alpine Telephone: 03 9821 4442

This will be our final print edition of Professional Edge. From here were moving to online publishing.

However, if you wish to receive a print version in future, just let us know via:[email protected] President, Bill Jackson

Cover Engineer and Professionals Australia member Adam Bills and the future of automotive engineers on page 26

3Cover Engineer and Professionals Australia member Adam Bills and the future of automotive engineers on page 26

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Contents

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Tackling the Big Issues for Members

Waste in Infrastructure Delivery

2014: A Game Changer for Pharmacy

Tackling the Big Issues for Members

Member Satisfaction Survey: What you told us

Professionals Australia Member Benefits 2014

Its Time to Stop Waste in Infrastructure Delivery

Managing Effective Feedback

2014: A Game Changer for Community Pharmacy?

Employment Outlook: Engineering

Employment Contracts: What you Need to Know

Science Experiences the Inefficiency Dividend

Many Languages, One Voice: Its Time to Value Practitioners

Surveyors: The Challenge Ahead

Professional Women: Join our Network

Still Fighting for the Future of Automotive Engineers

Professionals Working Later in Life

Ambulance Managers and Professionals: A Case Study

Brisbane City Council: A Case Study

Making the Most of Your Member Advantage

Architecture Student Delivered a win by Professionals Australia

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WorkplaceAdvice & Support

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4 Professionals Australia

Professionals Australia is advocating for Australia to use the capacity of our world-class engineers, scientists and other professionals to build a better future for the country, through new niche specialised industries. As the manufacturing sector declines, the mining boom slows and we move to a knowledge-based economy one which increasingly depends on the development and application of knowledge and technology we need to plan for and build future industries using the expertise of highly skilled technical professionals.

We want science and technology to be recognised and valued in the eyes of the community and by government and for there to be appropriate levels of investment in research and development to allow for industry to grow and diversify. Scientific and technical innovation is a key driver of productivity improvement and maintaining our global competitiveness its time we valued it. Building our science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capability will take long-term planning and commitment but developing our skills base in these areas will ensure we can meet the demands of increasingly technology-intensive roles across industries.

Our pharmacist and translator and interpreter members deserve a fair go, and were campaigning for better wages and conditions. These highly-skilled professionals remain grossly underpaid and undervalued by their employers.

Throughout this magazine, youll see how we are working on behalf of individuals and each of our professions around issues of respect, recognition and reward.

As well as advocating for you and your profession, we support you at work and in life.

In this edition youll find a compendium of our member benefits for the coming year. Services have been added, refined and enhanced to reflect what you have told us in the Member Satisfaction Survey in December last year.

We can help you individually with workplace advice and support, a range of tailored benefits and inside information. We believe that to change an industry our voice will be stronger, and our results better, if we work together. By focusing on the significant issues faced in the country, and helping the community realise that professionals are critical to the solution, well achieve improved recognition and reward.

Lastly, this is our final print edition of this magazine. We recognise that many members prefer electronic communications. If you wish to receive a print version of the magazine in the future, e-mail us at:

[email protected]

Tackling the Big Issues for Members In this edition youll find that were taking on the issues that matter to members and the challenges that matter to our country.We believe that you - our members - are the key to a prosperous Australian economy beyond the mining boom and through building new innovative industries. You are fundamental to the effective delivery of infrastructure and essential services that Australians rely on everyday.Thats why we believe you deserve greater respect, recognition and reward.

We believe you deserve respect, recognition and reward.

Scientific and technical innovation is a key driver of productivity improvement and maintaining our global competitiveness its time we valued it.

Bill Jackson, National President Chris Walton, CEO

5Were now Professionals Australia

Professionals Australia

This change was designed to build stronger professional divisions that could deliver better professional identity and advocacy for members.

It was a change that reflected the evolution of our organisation over many years, as we grew to include and represent many different professional groups.

CEO Chris Walton explained this significant change as, much more than just name change, it represents a shift to a stronger commitment to solve the issues that Australias professionals face everyday.

This change was a suggestion that came from the members, and was determined after research showed many benefits for a new identity.

As Professionals Australia, we have introduced a raft of new services and support. Weve listened to members and introduced webinars, industry briefings, economic outlooks and specific services for individual professions.

Under our new banner, we are also working to promote the needs of our professional groups such as professional women, translators and interpreters, IT professionals and professional surveyors, to ensure all professionals achieve better recognition, respect and reward.

www.professionalsaustralia.org.au

In October last year, APESMA became Professionals Australia.


Members overwhelmingly found our industrial services performed at or above their expectation, with 85 per cent reporting their satisfaction.

You told us that you want us to focus on:

Salaries not keeping pace with the market;

Managers not understanding areas of professional expertise and de-professionalisation;

Australian investment in infrastructure, research and innovation.

This has already commenced through the offer of industry briefings, employment outlooks and dedicated websites with tailored content for each profession and key industries.

Every year we survey our members to find out how we can support you better. This year, you told us that you want us to focus on core business representing professionals in the workplace and advocating for professions to the community and governments.

Member Satisfaction Survey

Thats what youve told us, and in this magazine and in months to come, you will see that we are working to improve what we do. As an organisation by members, for members, you set the direction.

85.7% of respondents thought that our industrial services performance was as or above expected.

85.2% of respondents rated our member discount services as being at or above expected.

77.4% of respondents rated the value for money Professionals Australia represented as being at, or above, their level of expectation.

90.8% of respondents described Professionals Australia staff as very helpful, or helpful.

While the survey showed overwhelming support for the name change, some people felt the change from APESMA to Professionals Australia had resulted in a loss of some professional identity. We want to ensure members realise that every profession now has its own identity and governance structures to support them. You can see our new divisions on P5.

You also told us that you were interested in both continuing professional development schemes and an affordable and reputable accreditation scheme for professionals. Were currently preparing mechanisms, schemes and apparatus to offer these services to professionals.

As weve said in the past, Professionals Australia believes in registration, particularly for engineering but it must be affordable and of the highest quality. At its best, it ensures competence, protects the integrity of the profession and builds the standing of professionals in our community.

We acknowledge that in times of increasing economic stress, fees for any organisation are an issue. This year our fees (set by National Board) will remain in line with CPI growth and rise by only 2.75 per cent. Its worth remembering that fees are tax deductable.

We are working to offer webinars to allow remote access to our seminar program. We are moving to a greater use of electronic communications for our members and more tailored content to industries.

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To explore our expanded range of services, and our new professional identities, visit: www.professionalsaustralia.org.au


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8Our services - what we offer

1. Workplace Advice and SupportIn the course of your career it is likely you will need advice at some point. We are your insurance for those times. Professionals Australia provides workplace support to members to through:

Workplace and industrial law specialists who are able to provide advice and support, including negotiation. In addition, through our own legal team, we can provide legal representation;

Contract reviews - our legal team can check your contract terms and conditions, and protect you from potential problems down the track;

Industry salary reports and calculators so you can know your market value and get paid what youre worth;

Negotiation of collective agreements or Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs);

As a registered organisation, Professionals Australia has access to state industrial tribunals and Fair Work Australia to handle grievances and disputes;

Industrial advocacy to protect and improve the underpinning award safety net and through the enforcement of the National Employment Standards; and

A network of trained, experienced Professionals Australia Workplace Representatives to support members in many workplaces;

2. AdvocacyWe want to make sure professionals get the respect, recognition and reward they deserve, and we need to make sure our members voices are heard. Although we are strictly non-party political, our members are often directly affected by political decisions. We make sure members concerns are listened to by decision makers across Australia, including industry leaders, senior bureaucrats and politicians.

We advocate strongly for our members to help create a better future for their industry and ultimately their workplace and profession through:

Regular public comment on policy;

Our Professional Edge email and magazine;

Surveys of our membership to find the issues that affect members, ensuring we reflect their views;

Workplace bulletins, enabling members to stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments;

Submissions to government advocating on behalf of our members;

Campaigns to change public opinion and sway decision makers;

Building alliances with like-minded groups;

Production of reports, materials and videos; and

Lobbying politicians and other decision-makers.

Professionals Australia Member Benefits 2014We provide support, advocacy and advice - for every stage of your career so you can get on with making a vital contribution to our community and the nations economy.

Our values what we stand for

Professionalism - We believe in the value of professionals and professionalism.

Strength - We passionately stand up for what we believe in. Together, we cannot be ignored.

Integrity - We are an honest member owned and driven organisation.

Member Benefits 2014

We advocate strongly for our members to help create a better future for their industry and ultimately their workplace and profession.

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3. Career Support The progression of your career is essential to getting the recognition and reward you deserve. Members are able to access a wide range of tools designed to support you in developing your career, no matter whether you are graduating from university, in the middle of your career or heading towards retirement.

We assist through:

Insightful guides on a range of topics tailored to every stage of your career;

An engineering employer directory;

Employment outlooks and industry briefings;

Help with performance appraisals and in preparing for interviews;

Advice on improving your resume, including a resume builder and review service;

A jobs board and access to Bayside employment services;

A website to review employers and see what they are really like before accepting the job;

University vists and lectures about the realities of work, the role of Professionals Australia and student membership;

A range of scholarships and mentoring programs;

Professional development through our partnership with the Chifley Business School;

Detailed information and resources on moving to and being a successful self-employed contractor or consultant;

Free seminars in each state on career progression and employment issues; and

Moving to Management a series of resources and articles.

4. Financial Edge We want you to get ahead and improve your take-home pay and retirement income.

We offer:

Financial planning advice;

Annual income tax guides;

Free seminars and videos on financial issues;

Professional indemnity insurance, saving significantly on premiums for many contractors and consultants;

Our Member Advantage program, offering members access to more than 1600 discounts including savings in:

Travel airline clubs, car hire, hotels, and travel insurance;

Dining and entertainment movie tickets, 2 for1 and discount dining, experience packages, theme parks and golf fees;

Shopping groceries and petrol, gift cards, magazine subscriptions, electronics, car buying, computers and IT; and

Financial credit cards, financial planning, insurance, including health insurance.

5. Professional Recognition

In some states members need accreditation to be recognised as a professional. In addition, members need continuing professional development to maintain their professional edge.

To better support members we offer:

Continuing professional development for pharmacists, through convenient online access to quality CPD recognised by the Pharmacy Board of Australia; and

The capacity to implement accreditation processes for professionals.

Members of our Workplace Advice and Support team. Left to right: Joanna, Danijel, Lauren, Michelle, Belinda, and Michael.

To find our more and maximise your membership, visit:


Or call our membership hotline on:1300 273 762

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Engineers

Adequate engineering capacity can save governments money. Its a fact.

Recently, Professionals Australia made submissions to the Federal Governments National Commission of Audit and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Infrastructure costs, that provided proposals to deliver value for taxpayers by restoring engineering capacity.

We believe that we need to lift the standing of engineers, make their work understood, value the profession and ensure that governments have the capacity in place to deliver projects. We know we can save taxpayers money by making sure infrastructure projects are properly scoped, designed and managed.

Thats the way to get engineers the respect, reward and opportunity they deserve.

The Federal Government must ensure that when they invest taxpayers money in infrastructure, it is not wasted. Unless they take urgent action to improve their management of infrastructure delivery, they will watch state, territory and Federal Governments waste billions of taxpayers money over coming years. They have become uninformed purchasers of infrastructure and lack necessary internal procurement management expertise.

Professionals Australias National Campaign Director Bede Payne said, The problem is that there are now too few engineers in the public sector. Over a relatively short period of time, thousands of public sector engineers have been deemed surplus to requirements.

Governments now rely on the private sector to tell us what we should buy and how much we should pay.

Government are asking their agencies to cut corners, resulting in engineers being placed under enormous pressure to get by without adequate support or staff.

Professionals Australia has argued that if a government allows for a situation to arise where there is a shortage of infrastructure delivery expertise in its ranks, it is rendered an uninformed purchaser. In many jurisdictions, this is now a sad reality.

This leads to waste, project over-runs and increased costs while driving adversarial behaviours between the public and the private sectors.

It results in disputation and costs for industry and government amounting to up to $7 billion per annum in Australia, according to the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation.

Government just doesnt have the skillsThe Federal Government funds states, territories and local government through grants for infrastructure. Billions of which is now being wasted. Governments around Australia lack the requisite expertise to deliver projects on budget and on-time. There just arent enough engineers in government organisations to scope, design and manage projects. As governments cut staff to trim costs, theyre cutting their engineering expertise further and further. Its penny wise, pound stupid.

We can all think of an example of a project which has been delayed or delivered over budget, be they ticketing systems, roads or rail.

Its Time to Stop Waste in Infrastructure DeliveryInvestment in engineering delivers better value for taxpayers money.

Waste in construction due to disputation =

$7 billion per annum

Whats become apparent through a vast array of research is that government has allowed this situation to arise because they lack in-house expertise to deliver projects. The Senate Committee that examined these matters in 2012 reported, It is a matter of historical record that, during the 1980s and 1990s, the public sector began to outsource infrastructure and other engineering work to private industry. It went further, saying, that public sector capability to act as an informed purchaser and adequately scope and oversee large infrastructure and construction projects has been severely eroded over the past decades.

Government knows they dont have the skillsAround Australia, governments have heard evidence that their lack of skills are driving waste in infrastructure. They hear the evidence, agree with the statements and then shelve the advice. They just cant or wont bring wasteful state and territory bureaucracies to heel, or cant face up to their own lack of capacity to manage assets and infrastructure delivery.

In 2012, the Victorian Public Accounts and Estimates Committee took advice from experts Evans and Peck that said, Skills and competencies are below a level that is desirable to achieve good outcomes on major public infrastructure projects in Victoria. This is caused by a deterioration of commercial and technical expertise in the public and private sectors, evidenced by a shortage of skilled and experienced people in project development and delivery in both the public and private sectors.

The Australian National Engineering Taskforce (ANET) explains: A lack of engineering capacity within agencies necessarily results in outsourcing work to the private sector.

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It means that the agency becomes an uninformed purchaser and drives inadequate scope and design, which can have severe consequences.

The BER Taskforce, a Senate Inquiry, senior Defence personnel, industry and advocates are all in agreement that government is not an informed purchaser and that this situation is causing waste in infrastructure delivery. Engineers know theres a lack of skillsWhat is of greatest concern is that engineers those at the heart of scope and design agree. A recent Professionals Australia survey found 80 per cent of engineers agree with a recent Senate Inquiry finding that governments no longer have sufficient in-house expertise to avoid wasting huge amounts of public money.

While the private sector is picking up work because of this lack of internal capacity, more than 80 per cent of engineers believe the private sector is suffering from the lack of capacity in the public sector.

Perhaps of greatest concern, engineers believe that the lack of in-house capacity is causing waste (93 per cent), project delays (94 per cent) and more than 70 per cent believe it has the capacity to endanger the public. What does it cost?Columnist Judith Sloane wrote in The Australian that the cost of building infrastructure is far too high - 20 per cent to 30 per cent above what would be regarded as reasonable, which accords with Blake Dawsons research that large projects ran at least 20 per cent over-budget.

According to the latest ABS data, $32.9 billion was spent in the last year on infrastructure by governments. If 20 per cent is being wasted because of poor scope, design and disputation, were wasting more than $6 billion per year. A better way forwardProfessionals Australia believes that private sector involvement in the delivery of infrastructure brings massive benefit. It has the potential to maximise the use of taxpayers dollars, deliver innovation and to improve our capacity. That potential remains unfulfilled, because governments dont have the expertise to work with them and dont know what theyre buying. A huge backlog to meet we need the skillsInfrastructure Partnerships Australia estimates a backlog of $770 billion in infrastructure investment, while the Commonwealth Government is bearing a bill of $5.6 billion to repair damage incurred due to recent natural disasters. We have to make sure we get the way we deliver infrastructure right.

Theyre not considered as intrinsically linked.

This is a problem for both the public and the ultimate decision makers: government. We need a series of practical, no-cost measures to see us get value for money from our infrastructure spend.

Its not just us, many stakeholders agree.

Building the Education Revolution (BER) Taskforce Final Report

There is a correlation between capacity to leverage existing public works capacity and their overall value for money outcomes. The report outlined a decline in engineering capacity in the public sector and said, rebuilding of capacity in several roads agencies may represent a cautionary tale and may be an indication that a significant level of in-house expertise is beneficial in ensuring that governments get value for money over the life of an asset.

Blake Dawson

52 per cent of respondents (drawn from across sectors, public and private) in 2008 said they, felt their project was not sufficiently and accurately scoped prior to going to market. This caused cost overruns (61%), delayed completion (58%) and disputes (30%), with 26% of the $1 billion+ projects surveyed being more than $200 million over budget.

Defence

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said in response to the Rizzo Review in December 2011:

We have for far too long viewed engineering as an overhead and not as a mission enabler.

Question to engineers:

Do you agree there is virtually no in-house (government) engineering capacity?

No

Yes

Government Administration

and Defence

Transport and Storage

Construction

Electricity, Gas, and Water Supply

Manufacturing

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

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Our proposals to stop the waste 10. That the Commonwealths Procurement Unit conduct a detailed examination of

current procurement models in Australia and assess the merits, suitability, longer term consequences of, and relative risks associated with, each method across all ranges and scope of projects. This research should inform the development of baseline requirements in procurement for Commonwealth funded projects by providing a portal through which procurement methods are assessed on a project-by-project basis.

11. That for all Commonwealth-funded projects, procurement criteria and incentives should be utilised to support and encourage additional training in successful bidders, including the revival of graduate programs and cadetships.

Additionally ANET recommended to the 2012 Senate Inquiry:

That the Department of Finance and Deregulation reviews the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines to ensure that the government is an informed purchaser of engineering infrastructure and that appropriate advice is provided in relation to procurement decisions that require specialist technical knowledge (Recommendation 7).

That the government consider how it can encourage commonwealth contractors to provide graduate and cadetship programs through its procurement processes (Recommendation 9).

www.professionalengineers.org.au

Question: Does the private sector suffer from poorly scoped or designed projects?

NoYes

Government Administration and Defence

Transport and Storage

Construction

Electricity, Gas, and Water Supply

Manufacturing

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Construction and transport are the worst sectors for poor scope and design.

Question: What do you think this lack of in-house engineering capacity is causing?

Government does not need to look far for a series of solutions that have the support of industry, employee and employer groups.

ANET has made a raft of recommendations to government which await implementation.

Key among them (as they relate to procurement) were:

2. The Commonwealth Government increase its engineering capacity to ensure that it is an informed purchaser of engineering infrastructure, in-line with the recommendations of the Building the Education Revolution Implementation Taskforce and establish a small Procurement Unit, residing within the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

3. The Commonwealth Government, through its Procurement Unit conducts an audit of its procurement capability across all agencies.

4. The Commonwealth Government take to the relevant Standing Council of COAG a proposal that all states and territories conduct their own audit, to ensure that the community is receiving value-for-money in infrastructure delivery.

5. The Commonwealth Government put in place a series of requirements for baseline engineering competence and capacity in jurisdictions, including local government, for the management of projects funded by the Commonwealth Government.

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Get involved with EngageYou can make a difference. See our practical, cost-saving measures implemented. Visit:

www.professionalsaustralia.org.au/campaigns/engage

It has the potential to endanger the public

Delays

Waste

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

73% of engineers believe lack of internal engineering capacity could endanger the public.

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Managing Effective Feedback

Inviting feedbackA managers performance is as much dependent on feedback as anybody elses. Furthermore, managers are much better-placed to help others lift their work performance when they have experienced feedback processes that work. Constructive feedback from your manager is part of the equation but you can also benefit greatly by obtaining feedback from the people who report to you and from people external to the organisation.

Soliciting, as well as receiving feedback, enables you to enquire about aspects of your performance that others might find difficult to raise. It also signals to others your interest in better understanding aspects of yourself that they might have assumed you already know well enough. The ability to invite feedback has a particularly important place in settings where feedback processes are not part of the culture.

The keys to being in a strong position to invite feedback from anyone with whom you are associated at work are:

Asking open and targeted questions; Acknowledging feedback; Avoiding a defensive reaction; Feedback preparation; and Checking the return on your investment.

Asking open and targeted questionsThis means asking questions in a way that invites more than a yes or no answer and being specific about the sort of information that would be helpful. For example, a response to What did you understand to be the key messages in my presentation yesterday? is likely to yield far more helpful feedback than a simple How did I go yesterday?

Acknowledging feedbackInviting feedback does not mean that you are obliged to act on it but people are far more likely to respond to a future request if they feel they have been helpful. A simple thank you - thats given me a new perspective on things acknowledges the response without making a commitment to do anything. It also paves the way for soliciting more feedback further down the track.

Avoiding a defensive reactionWhen youve asked for feedback and its less positive than you hoped for or openly critical, its important to resist any urge to defend your position. Anothers perspective can cast light on your own blind spots and be a basis for valuable learning if you are open to it.

When managers are skilled in soliciting feedback about their own performance, people around them at work are more likely to see feedback for what it is - a valuable source of learning and an aid to professional development - and to solicit feedback themselves.

Managers and Professionals

Are you investing enough time in feedback? Robust conversations about performance between managers and employees have the potential to facilitate individual and organisational growth the challenge is engaging in positive feedback practices. Dr Janet Fitzell discusses practical ways to improve your use of feedback.

Feedback makes a significant contribution to workplace performance. It can equip individuals and groups with a valuable source of insight into their effectiveness, how they are perceived by others and how others are impacted by them. Done well, feedback fuels peoples motivations, helps them develop professionally and provides impetus for continuous improvement by individuals and the organisation as a whole.

Without adequate feedback, performance easily gets misaligned, and frustrations grow both for managers and their staff.

Having a rigorous formal performance review cycle in place and in use is an important vehicle for feedback at work.

Crucial too, is the informal feedback that acknowledges a job well done or provides constructive advice about needed improvement. But feedback is only truly effective when managers take the lead in ensuring that sufficient time is devoted to it.

There are two aspects of feedback that tend to receive less attention than they deserve: managers inviting feedback about their own performance, and giving enough attention to their feedback preparation. Performance can only be optimal when managers make sure they invest sufficient time in these activities.

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Trusting and respectful relationships

Trust and respect between colleagues, including when it is the manager you are asking, allows feedback to be provided without fear of adverse consequences.

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Feedback preparationFeedback is far more likely to be helpful to individuals and beneficial to the organisation as a whole when you have devoted enough attention to your preparation. Where formal feedback is concerned this should include:

Ensuring that the people who report to you are aware of the organisations performance management processes and the role of feedback in particular. They should understand the potential for them to contribute. For example, best practice in formal performance review provides ample opportunity for staff members to assess their own performance as well as be assessed by their manager.

Making sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the process, including how to deal with a situation in which a staff members self-assessment is significantly at odds with your own.

Careful preparation before the meeting to ensure that you are clear in your own mind about your assessment of the persons performance and that you have specific examples to help substantiate your feedback.

Setting aside sufficient time for the formal review meeting and making sure that you will be free of interruptions. Your investment in feedback is diminished when staff are left with the impression that you consider it less important than other aspects of your role.

When you have a number of performance reviews to complete, making sure that you create a manageable workload for yourself. Trying to undertake back-to-back reviews with no allowance for one or more to run over and without planned breaks to help you give each person the attention they deserve, is likely to produce disappointing results.

Creating an environment that is conducive to conversation between you and each staff member. This means being in a frame of mind for listening to what they have to say and being ready to participate in a constructive conversation that is helpful to them and to you, whatever the nature of the feedback under discussion.

Checking the return on your investmentThe questions in this section have been designed to help you think about your own approach to giving, receiving and inviting feedback. Answer them honestly and then give some thought to whether there is scope for improvement. A supportive colleague or external coach can provide a good sounding board for your ideas.

1. Thinking about the performance of people reporting to you; to what extent are they meeting or exceeding the expectations you have set?

2. How do they know whether or not they are meeting your expectations?

3. When was the last time you asked for feedback on your own performance at work? From peers? From your manager? From the people who report to you?

4. (Depending on your response to question 3) what did you learn from that feedback?

5. Thinking about the people who report to you, when was the last time you informally acknowledged something they had done well? And what did you say or do?

6. What did you observe about their reactions? Immediate? And later?

7. With the benefit of hindsight, would you have said or done anything differently?

8. Bring to mind recent feedback you offered to a colleague or staff member reporting to you about an aspect of their performance that you felt needed improvement. How did they react? Immediately? Once they had chance to reflect on your feedback?

9. With the benefit of hindsight would you have done or said anything differently?

Informal feedback also merits preparation without preparation, such feedback will be ineffective, and can often be detrimental. Informal feedback works best when you:

Provide the feedback in a timely way. For example if you want to offer feedback about changed behaviour, offer it as soon as possible after you observe an incidence. Doing this well means investing time in being a keen observer of people at work.

Have at your disposal a repertoire of expressions from which to compose an affirming feedback statement including when you are feeding back about needed performance improvement. For example; I noticed that ... and Im impressed by ... followed by something specific about what you have observed.

Provide informal feedback regularly and with genuine intent. Most people have a finely-tuned insincerity detector.

Use unambiguous language. For example, if you want to point out an area needing improvement, avoid the old sandwich method of prefacing constructive criticism with a compliment and following it up with another compliment. It might feel easier to be offering twice as many compliments but the risk is that only the compliments are heard!

www.professionalsaustralia.org.au/groups/managers

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This year also heralds the start of negotiations toward a new Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement (CPA 6) the framework negotiated between the Government and the Pharmacy Guild that determines how $15.4 billion worth of taxpayers money is allocated across pharmacy.

We believe that community pharmacists need to have a strong voice in both these processes, so that we end up with a viable pharmacy model that supports consumer health and decent salaries and conditions for community pharmacists.

We will be advocating actively and loudly for the ideas and needs of community pharmacists to Government and throughout the community. We know that community pharmacists can play a big role in improving the health outcomes for patients. We need change so that we can unlock the professional knowledge and capacity of community pharmacists.

However, heres the rub. Reform in community pharmacy is long overdue in Australia. We are well behind comparable western countries who have embraced new ways of working. We know we can deliver more to patients. We believe it is time for politicians and policy makers to adopt new models, with better value for their investment and better outcomes for the community.

So, community pharmacists have a choice: You can watch the industry continue to deteriorate or, you can seize this opportunity and help shape a better future by supporting our campaign.

www.professionalpharmacists.com.au

2014: A Game Changer for Community Pharmacy?Never before has community pharmacy been faced with more challenges - or had more opportunities to address the problems it faces. President of Professional Pharmacists Australia Geoff March explains why 2014 is a make-or-break year for community pharmacy.

As any community pharmacist will tell you this is a profession with its challenges.

Here is what we know. Salaries are going backwards. Working conditions are being eroded. And the new normal is that community pharmacists work longer, harder and regrettably, without much hope for career progression.

Community pharmacists now have to dispense more, and care for patients less. Simultaneously, pharmacy owners stare down reduced profits, as price disclosure provisions accelerate and bite. At the same time a steady stream of young pharmacy graduates scramble to find a job, any job.

So, what is most at risk from these systemic failures? Reduced patient care? The loss of satisfying career opportunities? The loss of expertise as pharmacists leave what is almost an untenable profession? The answer unfortunately is all of these things, and more.

However, this year we have a one-in-ten year opportunity to reshape community pharmacy - a profession that so many of us believe can provide much more.

Our first opportunity for change is in the Fair Work Commissions (FWC) review of the Pharmacy Industry Award, the law that sets the base pay and conditions for community pharmacists.

Decisions made by the FWC will have long lasting impacts on the sustainability of the profession, how pharmacists work and what they get paid. Putting it plainly, pharmacists need to get active and break the shackles of fear to make submissions and voice concerns. This is an opportunity pharmacists cannot afford to miss.

Pharmacy

President of Professional Pharmacists Australia, Dr. Geoff March

The Professional Pharmacists Australia Future of Pharmacy survey marks the first step in our campaign to see the Award improved and the CPA changed.

Tell us what you want to see in the future of pharmacy.

Fill in our Future of Pharmacy survey at:

www.professionalpharmacists.com.au

15

16 Employment Outlook: Engineering

IntroductionWeve all heard about the skills crisis in Australia but what does it really mean for Australian engineers? Our thoughts might turn to the mining boom, to fly-in-fly-out workers or to professionals moving their families to Western Australia or overseas in an attempt to further their careers. In this Employment Outlook, we attempt to make sense of Australias labour market from an engineers perspective, including a quick historical rundown, and the current situation where the jobs of the future will be found.

Historical snapshotIf you were an engineer in the 1980s, chances are you may have been accepted into a public service role immediately upon graduating from university. There you would have gained experience on a variety of public projects while you worked under some of the best engineers in the country. You might have gone on to become a senior government engineer until your retirement, or you may have moved into the private sector or formed your own business.

Since the 1990s however, an engineers career has not been so straightforward. Jobs have been moving from the public to the private sector, employers tend to hire only candidates with the industry standard minimum five years experience, engineering work doesnt often come in the form of a permanent role and there can be a strong pull towards non-engineering occupations.

Jobs growthEngineers skills have been in strong demand over the past decade thanks in large part to the mining boom, and government investment in infrastructure.

Employment Outlook:EngineeringFollowing the employment outlook for technical professionals that we released last year, many members contacted us to ask for information specific to their profession. In response, the first profession well be covering in depth is engineering. In coming months, well be producing employment outlooks for other professions.

The nature of engineering work is set to change in the coming years however, as the mining industry moves towards a less labour-intensive phase and manufacturing and building activity weakens.

Figure 1 shows rising levels of engineering employment in recent years.

The sectors, the industries and the rolesEngineering is not governed by a single labour market for homogenous engineering skills but numerous labour markets conditioned by specific engineering skills and experience levels.

Figure 2 shows the distribution across industries of engineering professionals employed in 2013.

The minerals and energy and building sectors have generated a high proportion of engineering activity and value in recent year.

Mining contributed 9.6 per cent of Australias GDP in 2012-13, industrial and commercial building grew by 12 per cent per year for the last decade and in that time, engineering construction also increased by 17 per cent per year. Of these sectors however, mining and petroleum are the only areas where recognised skill shortages remain.

The work outlookEngineering employment levels seen over the past few years may not be sustainable, especially in the resources sector and automotive and food processing industries. But while demand for engineering skills in some sectors is now easing and media attention has been focussed on recent manufacturing job losses, the outlook for engineers in Australia remains positive.

Table 2 (on page 18) shows actual and projected engineering job growth in Australia by occupation.

400,000

350,000

300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Figure 1: Employment levels for engineering professionals 20032013

Accomodation and Food ServicesArts and Recreation Services

Administrative and Support ServicesHealth Care and Social Assistance

Retail TradeRental, Hiring and Real Estate Services

Other ServicesEducation and Training

Wholesale TradeTransport, Postal and Warehousing

Information Media and TelecommunicationsFinancial and Insurance Services

Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste ServicesMining

Public Administration and SafetyManufacturing

ConstructionProfessional, Scientific and Technical Services

16

17

Where the work isThe publicity surrounding the mining and resources boom and the sheer value that the sector generates for our economy may give the impression that the bulk of engineering professionals are working in the resource rich states. In fact, census data tells us that more than 60 per cent of engineering professionals are working in engineering roles in NSW and Victoria (as seen in Figure 3). Resources states, Queensland and Western Australia, follow with a combined 30 per cent and the remaining states make up only around 10 per cent of engineering employment.

What the work isPresent demand for engineering skills is coming chiefly from mining, manufacturing, defence and civil infrastructure.

Civil infrastructure

The current geographic distribution of engineering jobs looks set to continue with the nations largest civil infrastructure projects commencing in our most populous capital cities as seen in Table 1. The Australian Workplace Productivity Agency (AWPA) estimates that there will be jobs for up to thousands of professional and paraprofessional engineers on large infrastructure projects, such as road and rail, electricity, water and telecommunications infrastructure, in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Manufacturing

We are starting to see an increasing need for highly qualified engineering professionals in emerging industries as well as in established industries which traditionally relied on a higher number of low skilled workers. Manufacturing is already moving towards advanced technologies and knowledge-intensive services like robotics, biotechnology and bioscience.

Mining

The Australian resources boom is transitioning from an investment phase, which is construction intensive, to a production phase which is all about operations. The transition is expected to result in a decline in resources investment and construction but an increase in resources sector operations activity and production. AWPA predicts that because of the transition, employers will require high-level specialist operators with engineering skills to fill roles that require deep and relevant experience.

Between April and October 2013 there was a decline in resources projects at the committed stage (from 73 to 63 projects) but a record $30 billion was generated from 18 completed projects. The latest available figures reveal an additional 162 advanced projects, meaning that a skilled mining workforce will continue to be in high demand for some time, after this tempting hiatus.

Figure 2: Percentage of engineering labour force

Figure 3: Distribution of the engineering workforce by state (2006 & 2011)

Accomodation and Food ServicesArts and Recreation Services

Administrative and Support ServicesHealth Care and Social Assistance

Retail TradeRental, Hiring and Real Estate Services

Other ServicesEducation and Training

Wholesale TradeTransport, Postal and Warehousing

Information Media and TelecommunicationsFinancial and Insurance Services

Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste ServicesMining

Public Administration and SafetyManufacturing

ConstructionProfessional, Scientific and Technical Services

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

NSW

Victor

ia

Quee

nslan

d SA WA

Tasm

ania NT AC

T

2006

2011

90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0

Project Name Number of Jobs*

NSW North West Rail Link 16,000

WestConnex motorway

10,000

Victoria Regional Rail Link 5,600

East West Link 3,200

Port of Melbourne redevelopment

1,100

Table 1: Major projects and associated jobs created in NSW and Victoria

17

18

Defence

Defence requires specialised and distinct engineering skills. In 2013 there were 48 major defence projects underway across Australia, including the most complex naval ship construction program undertaken in Australiathe Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers project currently underway in South Australia. Defence projects also include procuring a new submarine fleeta project that will require significant engineering skills.

The global engineering marketMany European countries place a high value on engineering skills20 per cent of all university graduates in Finland gain engineering degrees, 55,000 students in France graduate with engineering degrees each year and Germany is home to Europes largest engineering labour force, with more than 1.94 million workers in engineering-related occupations. Despite this strength, after the worst of the GFC, even Germany saw record shortages of engineers (76,400 vacancies). Australia accepts a substantial number of European engineers into its workforce each year, and this was particularly so immediately after the GFC when they made up 23.1 per cent of all newly arrived engineers.

Asian nations are producing well over half of all engineering graduates globally. Consequently the global share of the engineering education market in western countries has dropped significantly in recent years. This is especially the case in the USA, although a large proportion of engineering degrees there continue to be awarded to non-US citizens.

Such changes are also apparent in the global employment market. For instance, almost half (49.7 per cent) of all overseas-born engineers working in Australia today are Asian-born while only 5.3 per cent are born in the Americas. Prior to the 1990s, the largest proportion of overseas-born engineers working in Australian was from Europe, which has now fallen to second place at 27.9 per cent.

Vacancy rates and migrant labourAustralia has relied upon imported labour for its engineering projects for decades and Australian Government policy has favoured migrant labour as the main solution to engineering labour shortages during the recent resources boom. Its not surprising then that there are almost as many overseas-born engineers (78,986 or 48.2 per cent) employed in engineering in this country as there are Australian-born engineers (84,926 or 51.8 per cent).

By contrast, foreign workers represent only five percent of the German engineering labour force.

The high level of overseas-born engineers is only part of the story though. Some of these professionals may have arrived with their parents as children. Others are working under Australias temporary work (457) visa program and many have applied for permanent residency under our skilled migration schemethis group combined has been steadily increasing since 2003-04 when only 5206 visas in total were granted to engineers. In 2011-12, the number of temporary visas granted to engineers increased by 3220 (46 per cent) on the previous year, a new record.

These numbers could be set to increase further. In 2013, the Government proposed changes to the way in which Australia grants temporary work visas to tertiary-qualified professionals. Existing labour market testing ensures that temporary labour is brought in from overseas only if there is a genuine shortage of qualified Australian citizens and permanent residents to meet short-term requirements. These changes, by contrast, would exempt engineering occupations from the labour market testing criteria currently associated with the temporary visa program.


Occupation Number of jobs (2012) Actual new jobs created (2009 - 2013)

Actual % growth (2009-2013)

Projected new jobs created (2013 - 2017)

Projected % growth to 2017

Civil engineering professionals

43 500 3800 10.7 600 1.4

Industrial, Mechanical

31 000 7700 27.0 500 1.5

Electrical engineers 25 100 11 400 75.4 1000 4.1

Engineering managers

21 800 na na 900 13.3

Mining Engineers 12 700 na na 200 1.3

Telecommunications Engineering

12 500 na na 1400 11.1

Aircraft Maintenance Engineers

10 900 na na 200 2.2

Electronics engineers

6800 na na 600 8.2

Chemical and material engineers

5900 na na 700 11.9

Other Engineering 10 700 na na 800 7.2

Table 2: Engineering employment, actual (2009-2013) and projections (20122017)

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19Employment Contracts

Michael Butler, Director Industrial Relations, Workplace Advice and Support

You told us in the 2013 Professionals Australia Member Satisfaction Survey that the most important service was individual workplace advice and support.

You also told us that within that category, assistance with employment contracts was a greatly valued component of our service.

To help you further, I asked the members of the Workplace Advance and Support team to provide their most commonly given advice regarding this fundamental employment document.

This brief insight into employment contracts is just the beginning if you wish to know more, or require specific advice and support, please reach out to Workplace Advice & Support (WAS) for assistance.

So what is my number one piece of advice? Always get it in writing. Too often we have members call claiming their employer has reneged on a verbal agreement.

Despite any personal ties you may have with an employer, always make sure you get all agreed conditions down in writing.

Employment Contracts: What you need to knowOur legal eagles in the Workplace Advice and Support team took some time to give you their best piece of advice on what to look for before you sign your next employment contract.

www.professionalsaustralia.org.au/support

It is important to carefully examine restraint of trade clauses. While these need to be reasonable and the courts will apply this test if a former employer attempts to enforce them, you should read such a clause carefully before you sign the contract and raise any concerns or queries which you may have . After all when you sign a contract you are agreeing to its terms.

- Joanna

Get advice from Professionals Australia to see if you are covered by an enterprise agreement or award. Many times we encounter situations where employers are not aware that their professional employees are covered by an enterprise agreement or award. As a result the provisions in the employees employment contract dont meet the requirements of these legal instruments that cover them.

- Jacki

If your written contract is not comprehensive there may be other documents which will be very important such as letter of appointment, company policies etc. Keep copies of everything related to your employment.

- Lauren

Where possible, incorporate your position description and key performance indicators into the contract. This prevents an employer from ambushing you with extra duties and deliverables.

- Jack

Try to get as many workplace policies incorporated into your contract as terms of your contract this way if there is a breach of a policy its also a breach of your contract and may give you stronger legal standing.

- Michelle

Get any variation to your contract in writing, signed by both parties (you and your employer) date it and annex it to your original contract.

- James

Be mindful of implied doctrines which constitute almost every contract. These are what the jurisprudence calls so obvious that they go without saying. One such doctrine is that of mutual trust and confidence, good faith obligations and duty of care these implied doctrines are mutual.

- Danijel

Dont consent to unilateral variations of your contract call PA for advice before you consider consenting either expressly, implicitly or by conduct.

- Belinda

Director Industrial Relations, Michael Butler

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20 Science

For the first time since 1931 we do not have a Minister for Science. On top of this, we are getting daily reports of continuing cuts across science organisations.

Recently released of figures show Australia has one of the lowest levels of government support for R&D and development in the world.

Professionals Scientists Australia CEO Chris Walton is concerned by these figures and believes there needs to be a shift in thinking.

Recent figures from the OECD show that Australias investment in R&D is well behind countries it would count as contemporaries for advancement and scientific endeavour.

These OECD numbers show R&D funding in the US as 0.22 per cent of GDP, in the UK it is 0.14 per cent, while Australia only commits 0.09 per cent.

This current level of funding places us 20th out of 26 countries on the OECDs patent quality index.

More disappointing is that in innovation efficiency, Australia is currently ranked 107th in the world, said Mr Walton.

Investment, nowWe know that investment in science and R&D leads to technological and societal advancement. We see that it is important to make the connection between the investment and productivity improvements across the economy, said Mr Walton.

There has always been an under-valuing of science and research in Australia. This current level of investment in R&D shows this clearly.

Australia is now dangerously close to losing its position as a high-wage, high-skill economy, and we are now beginning to slip behind many middle-wage economies such as Malaysia, South Korea and the Czech Republic, said Mr Walton.

These factors have led Professionals Australia to have very real concerns about the direction of the current government in valuing science and its contribution to policy development, productivity and economic growth.

Following the historic failure to appoint a Science Minister, Professionals Australia conducted a survey of its membership. The responses are being used to finalise a policy paper to frame a campaign to get scientists the respect, reward and recognition they deserve.

Key among the findings of the survey were that more than 93 per cent of respondents thought that having a Science Minister was very important or important and nearly 90 per cent felt that science was devalued by disaggregating it across several portfolios. Nearly 84 per cent identified funding constraints as the main issue facing science in the next three years, with strategic and sustainable funding being a key issue respondents wanted Professionals Australia to advocate for.

Respondent comments were incisive, with some describing cuts to the science budget as an inefficiency dividend due to the impact on our ability to drive productivity gains. Technological advance has been identified by prominent economists as one of the key drivers of productivity gains and economic growth.

We believe that not only is funding for research and development too low, but that its unfair that scientists are stuck on a merry-go-round of grants applications of which the vast majority are unsuccessful, said Mr Walton.

For more information visit www.professionalscientists.org.au

Science Experiences the Inefficiency DividendOur global counterparts have recognised the importance of research, innovation and scientific endeavour, yet in Australia, our capacity is being stifled.

Professionals Australia and the Research Alliance

In 2013, Australias research and science community joined together to form the Research Alliance, of which Professional Scientists Australia is a signatory.

The Alliance comprises more than a dozen groups, including the peak bodies in science, higher education, social sciences and humanities, as well as our most eminent scholars and our most recent Nobel Laureate, Professor Brian Schmidt.

The Research Alliance is interested in the big picture for Australia, and the central role science and all other forms of research can play in a flourishing future.

The Alliance is committed to a set of fundamental principles that will secure a smarter, more productive and resilient future for Australia.

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Research Alliance Fundamental Principles

1. Invest strategically and sustainably Governments must support planned, stable and appropriate investment in research over the long term, which is essential if we are to tackle large, complex problems and embrace opportunities facing Australia.

2. Build our research workforce get and keep the best To ensure we attract and retain the best researchers we must offer appropriate conditions. Career uncertainty means that many leave research or leave Australia to seek a stable future

3. Build a productive system and get the most out of it Governments must set a stable and sustainable funding framework for infrastructure (buildings, equipment and the technical experts to keep them operating) especially for national facilities.

4. Be among and work with the worlds best Global collaboration is more necessary than ever with the rise of international research, commerce, communication and other systems that transform our lives and opportunities. Our best researchers must work with the best globally.

5. Bring industry and academia together When industry and researchers work together effectively we innovate and multiply our strengths. We must ensure there are clear and reliable policy incentives that facilitate deep and sustained collaboration between industry, public sector, university and research institutes. We must harness national talent to create knowledge, opportunity and new jobs.

6. Expand industry research Governments need to create an environment which encourages industry to invest more in research and which makes Australia an attractive place for international companies to undertake research. Innovation underpinned by research and development improves industrial productivity and is critical to ensuring strong growth.

7. Invest in our best research and our best researchers Government has a clear role in setting priorities for research, and in supporting research which underpins discovery. The independent expert assessment process should be used to identify excellence and to coordinate the best researchers, research programs and groups.

21

Professional Scientists Australia President, Robyn Porter

Translators and Interpreters

Many Languages, One Voice: Its time to value practitioners Government outsourcing of language services has created an environment where cost is imperative and the quality of service provided by translators and interpreters is undervalued.

Many Languages, One Voice campaign director Bede Payne talks about the challenges and changes needed to reshape the language services industry. Over the last two years translators and interpreters have come together to speak with one voice and drive reform in the language services industry.

The Many Languages, One Voice campaign, has already achieved great success, creating a foundation for the campaign to grow.

Over the past few decades, the language services industry has fundamentally changed, both in terms of its economic structure and the demographic of its workforce.

The industry is interesting in that it reflects experience of the immigration cycle.

For instance, the translators and interpreters that work with communities who arrived in Australia in the post-war period, are largely employed in health care settings because ageing communities have greater health needs. While practitioners that work with communities in the process of arriving and settling, largely work in immigration services.

When you consider that translators and interpreters provide services to over 70 language groups across legal, health, education and government settings, the breadth and complexity of the work is remarkable.

At the same time, the way services are being provided is undergoing significant change.

Previously, language services were offered directly through government. Now, services are outsourced via agencies.

Through outsourcing, decisions about the allocation of translators and interpreters become focussed on financial imperatives, rather than on quality to ensure communities get appropriate access to proper healthcare, justice, education and government services.

Mr Payne explained that We, as a community, expect access to these services.Translators and interpreters work to ensure migrant and deaf communities have access in the same way.

Right now we are seeing language services agencies drawing on translators and interpreters from the same pool of practitioners. This results in a daily battle between agencies to find and allocate a practitioner for each appointment. It means theres no certainty in the system and as a result, no workforce planning.

This has created a market where agencies compete on the basis of lowest price and where quality and standards are put to one side. This market doesnt demand quality, and by not demanding quality, the market undervalues the service translators and interpreters provide, said Mr Payne.

Reshaping the language services industry would deliver benefits to governments and the community.

An improved industry would see higher quality practitioners increase community access to government services, which would reduce long-term costs. Consider the cost, waste and lack of justice of legal mistrials that could be avoided by using quality language services in legal settings.

This is not just an issue of winning professional recognition for translators and interpreters, but one of ensuring the market has capacity to cater for increasingly complex and diverse demand as the number of languages increases.

We believe that government contracts need to be awarded based on quality of service and that overall costs should take precedence, over the lowest direct cost.Its time for translators and interpreters everywhere to get involved. Its time for the fragmentation that plagues the industry to be broken by the people it hurts most the practitioners.

My Payne believes that practitioners have a key role in helping fix their industry.

Professionals Australia has reached out to other industry associations to help build a partnership in the image of our campaign, Many Languages, One Voice.

The partnership aims to bring representative bodies together so that we can all work towards changing the industry for the benefit of all.

As an industry we need to sign up students and practitioners, lobby politicians, work with business and communities.

We will continue to support practitioners legally and industrially, particularly by providing modern CPD and education opportunities that will work to increase pay and recognition.

Make no mistake it is only if translators and interpreters actively support our campaign, that will we have a strong enough voice to argue for the changes needed, said Mr Payne.

Together, we need to work to create a language services industry that supports the professionals that work in it and delivers better service for communities.

www.translators.org.au

22

23

IT ProfessionalsAustralia

Professional

AustraliaArchitects

Professionals

LGEAAustralia

Translators and

AustraliaInterpreters

ProfessionalContractors and ConsultantsAustralia

Collieries

Association

Professional

AustraliaEngineers

Professional

AustraliaManagers

Professional

AustraliaScientists

ProfessionalPharmacistsAustralia

Bede Payne is Professionals Australias National Campaign Director. He is working collaboratively with members to implement the Many Languages, One Voice campaign.

23

24 Surveyors

According to Professionals Australias Senior Organiser, Llewellyn Rees, there has been a significant decline in the understanding of how important surveyors are in the building and construction industry.

Professionals Australia has a strong group of surveyor members. What we are hearing from these members, is that there has been a shift in focus from quality as the number one driver for contractors, to cost reduction, said Mr Rees.

The pressure to keep costs down in the construction industry is forcing changes down the food chain that result in lowest cost tendering, which increases risk and lowers quality.

This is having an effect on build quality, delivery and the professional standards and future of the surveying industry, Mr Rees said.

Surveyors: the Challenge ahead

As experts in building legislation, technical codes and construction standards, surveyors often act as the realists in the construction industry, by providing practical advice to architects, engineers, town planners and builders throughout the design and construction phase.

Without proper consultation from surveyors, building and construction projects are far more likely to face increasingly expensive setbacks, which could have been avoided.

On countless occasions surveyors are brought into a project after something has gone wrong and the developer is in strife and all too often, the solution to fix the problem, is far more expensive, than the cost of getting a surveyor in at the beginning of the process, Mr Rees said.

And this type of thing is starting to happen more and more as developers are more and more focussed on cutting costs.

We are working to give surveyors a voice in the building and construction industry. As the building market has flattened, surveyors have found themselves fighting the shift from focus on quality, to focus on cost.

At the end of the day, developers need to ask the question: Is the risk of a failed project, worth saving a few bucks here and there?


Professionals Australia Senior Organiser, Llewellyn Rees

24

25Professional Women

Professionals Australia advocates strongly for gender equality in the workplace.

We believe that greater participation and status of professional women in engineering, science and other technical professions is a not only an important goal, but it is now a business imperative.

Our survey of professional women shows that there is much room for improvement. This is not only an issue of opportunity for women. Industries must address issues of culture, flexibility and career progression, to ensure the talents of half the population are utilised.

Through Professionals Australias Professional Womens network, we actively represent the issues and concerns of professional women through participation at and input into, a range of highly regarded forums.

The current Professional Womens Coordinator is Sarah Andrews, Professionals Australia Director South Australia.

Professionals Australias Women in the Professions: The State of Play report concluded that priority attention was needed to address workplace culture in male dominated professions to remove barriers to the full participation of professional women in the workforce.

In The State of Play, 47.4 per cent of respondents said that their career progression had been affected by workplace culture and 71.6 per cent of engineer respondents said taking parental leave was likely to be detrimental to their career.

Nearly 40 per cent of respondents had experienced bullying, 38 per cent had experienced discrimination and 20 per cent reported experiences of sexual harassment. Nearly a quarter of respondents expected to leave their profession within five years.

Professionals Australia is advocating for greater gender diversity in contractor teams and in all government infrastructure projects.

Join our Professional Womens networkWith the challenges of retaining talent in many professions, there is now a compelling business imperative for organisations to maximise the vital contribution of professional women.

To get involved in the Professional Womens network or to discuss the issues affecting you and other women in your workforce, visit:

www.professionalsaustralia.org.au/groups/professional-women

Together we can shape the future.

25

26

Recent announcements of the end of automotive manufacturing in Australia have left many wondering what the future will deliver for workers and businesses that serve the industry.

Professionals Australia has argued that while the loss of manufacturing is bad, we cant afford to lose the innovation capacity provided by our world-class automotive engineering sector.

We are in active discussions with State and Federal governments on how to maintain our engineering and design capacity in Australia at Toyota, Holden and Ford and to build new high-value industries that will support a modern, prosperous Australia.

Professionals Australia CEO Chris Walton said, What we must do, for the long-term prosperity of the nation, is focus on high-skill, high-wage specialist industries so that we maintain our standard of living. Australia cannot and should not try to compete with low-wage, low-skill economies.

Isolation is no longer an excuse in a technologically globalised world and government should work with industry to find niche markets where we already hold some capability. Automotive engineering and design is one such sector, Mr Walton said.

Professionals Australia believes that government should make every effort to retain the automotive engineering capacity we have and in doing so, aim to build a Centre of Excellence that performs work to serve global markets.

Establishment funds should also be made available to automotive engineers wishing to establish businesses servicing the global automotive industry, while innovation funds could assist establish a range of diverse, highly specialised niche industries.

Mr Walton believes that Australia should look to Germany as an international examplar of an economy which has implemented appropriate support measures to deliver robust manufacturing sectors.

The evidence for supporting investment in automotive engineering exists, and Professionals Australia advocates for consideration of this evidence by Australian governments.

Engineering must come off the Skilled Occupations ListRecent figures show a collapse in internet advertised vacancies for engineers year-on-year, approaching 55 per cent in January this year, with the figures in many disciplines much more stark.

Professionals Australia has advocated to the Federal Government that they examine disciplines of engineering on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) impacted by automotive closures, and remove them, so as to allow for our members to have the best chance at local employment.

Still fighting for the future of automotive engineersAuto-engineering in Australia is a key driver of economic innovation. Professionals Australia is hard on the case for an innovative Australia.

Engineering

The SOL defines which industries are in shortage where employers can sponsor entrants from overseas to fill positions.

Mr Walton said, The maintenance of a highly skilled engineering workforce in Australia is key for a full range of industries that rely on the design skills which only these technical professionals hold.

By bringing science to life, engineers enable the delivery of vital services in every walk of life from infrastructure to IT and telecommunications.

As our importation of engineering labour over many years should have taught us, engineers are highly educated global professionals, able to move to meet demand.

With the departure of high-end manufacturing and the allied industries it enables, we also will see the departure of some of the most vital human capital we have, unless we implement practical public policy measures.


Left to right: Holden auto engineers and members, Maria Tilling, Scott Gibbins, Adam Bills, Winson Ng.

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27

Professionals working on Tell your storyAre you a professional engineer between 55 and 70 in the workforce? Swinburne University wants to hear from you.

Professionals Australia supports members through every stage of their career. To improve our understanding of how to better support members working in later life or transitioning to retirement we are supporting Swinburne University PhD student, Alison Herron, recruit participants to her project:

Professionals working in later life: personal experiences and changing contexts.

The purpose of Alisons research is to explore the experience of late working life from the perspective of professional engineers.

Swinburne University PhD student, Alison Herron

Get involved

To be a part of this project, or to find out more information, contact Alison at:

[email protected]

At present, there is very little collective knowledge about how professional engineers are experiencing their career in terms of diversity of the working arrangements, the constraints and limitations they face and the opportunities presented to them.

This study aims to contribute valuable knowledge about these personal experiences and influences on individual professionals continuing engagement in the workforce.

Alison will provide Professionals Australia with feedback about the findings, which will help us build a clearer understanding of what working life is like for engineers in late career.

The study will involve Alison conducting one-off interviews with 40 professional engineers over the next six months.

This is your opportunity to tell your story and contribute to a more complete understanding of what its like to be working in the current economic and social climate.

As the official education provider of Professionals Australia, Chifley Business School offers a suite of Management Postgraduate qualifications to all members to support their professional development.

Programs include the Master of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration (Technology Management) amongst a range of other postgraduate qualifications.

THE MBA FOR PROFESSIONALS AUSTRALIA MEMBERS

Call us NOW on 1300 244 353 for further information and to access exclusive member rates.

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28 Case study: Ambulance Managers and Professionals Association

In 2010, Professionals Australia (as APESMA) negotiated the previous three-year EBA for Ambulance Managers and Professionals in Victoria. The result was a three year agreement that included a 12 per cent increase for members, among other improvements.

That agreement expired in September 2013 and negotiations for a new agreement are currently stalled. While this may be cause for concern, considering it is now seven months since the agreements expiration, it is very similar to our starting point in 2010.

With the Victorian Government facing an election in November, it is now intentionally stalling all public sector bargaining.

Even without the pressure of an election year, consider how long it took for our teachers and nurses to reach agreements? And consider that paramedics are still not close to finalising their agreement.

This inertia is being caused by a number of factors; primarily, the Victorian Governments inability or refusal to approve Ambulance Victorias (AV) Log of Claims. What we do know it know that these delays disadvantage our members.

Professionals Australia has been working with AMPA members to develop a Log of Claims. The Log of Claims was produced based on feedback received during meetings, direct input and a survey.

The Log of Claims has been unanimously accepted at all meetings.

Our organisers understand these complexities (including the importance of timing) and our strong and active membership exerts unity to ensure the government listens to our voice.

Professionals Australia is pursuing every means to engage Ambulance Victoria in an attempt to commence bargaining. We have presented ourselves and our members as professionals. We continue to work to good faith bargaining guidelines and carry the expectation that Ambulance Victoria will operate in the same manner.

However, to date, that same goodwill has not been reciprocated.

Ambulance Victoria is running out of excuses to enter negotiations. To ensure these negotiations achieve the recognition, respect and reward our members deserve, we need all Ambulance Managers and Professionals to get active and get involved.

For more information visit www.professionalsaustralia.org.au

Case study: Ambulance Managers and Professionals It is time for Ambulance Victoria to get their priorities in order. We are doing everything in our power to commence bargaining, yet AV continues to avoid coming to the table. Its not good enough. The time for action is now. Sharelle Herrington

Victorian Director, Professionals Australia

Get involved

There are three ways you can get involved:

1. Speak to an AMPA representative in your workplace

2. Attend the next meeting at your workplace

3. Contact Senior Organiser, Llewellyn Rees on 03 9695 8840

Details are available online at:


Director Victoria, Sharelle Herrington

28

29Case study: Brisbane City Council

Case study - Brisbane City Council (BCC)

27 November 2012

The campaign continued which forced the council to reveal the details of the types of contracts and numbers of people employed on them following claims that BCC is not bargaining in good faith.

It is clear all these contracts are very similar, if not exactly the same.

Following the petition, Professionals Australia members sign bargaining agent forms which would require the CEO to meet each individual member on their collective claim to have common law contracts amended to reflect that they are to be read in conjunction with the award and EBA. To prove how important this issue is to all the professionals at BCC.

Other engineers at the council begin signing these bargaining agent forms and joined Professionals Australia.

Members vote to take action to turn up to a joint consultative committee to present the CEO with the prospect of re-negotiating 114 contracts individually.

Council CEO is taken back by engineers standing together.

Professionals Australia wins exchange of letters for Engineer Leadership Group to include Professionals Australia.

When presented with the prospect of having to negotiate 114 contracts individually the CEO says, There is no way I am going to individually negotiate individual agreements. The council decides to recognise Professionals Australias claim.

Professionals Australia members win improved consultative processes and further opportunities to improve reward, recognition and respect for BCC engineers.

Industrial Commission does not grant arbitration and calls on parties to continue to conciliate despite industrial action ballots.

As a result of being at the table, Professionals Australia wins compensation for the removal of the Income Protection insurance. This is applied to people on common law contracts, bringing them in line with all other employees at the council.

Brisbane City Council gives an undertaking to change the award to recognise common law contracts so that employees remain in the industrial system. A great win for professionals at council.

18 December 2012

1 March 2013

4 March 2013

21 March 2013

16 July 2013

8 October 2013

Professionals Australia now has approximately 60 members currently working in an engineering or management capacity at Brisbane City Council. When the employer, BCC, threatened the workforce with a re-structure, putting many of our members jobs at risk, Professional Australia members stepped up to take on the challenge.

When presented the prospect of negotiating every contract individually, the CEO gladly accepted the members proposal to have their common law contracts treated similarly to an EBA. This led to negotiations, which led to improved conditions for all Professionals Australias BCC members. We work with members to deliver respect, recognition and reward using all the tools at our disposal.

The timeline below details the steps we took with members to deliver a result for professionals at BCC.

Brisbane City Council (BCC) announces a restructure of their workforce which will significantly reduce the councils engineering capacity and impact on the lives of engineers. This is the first our members hear of it. The council believes that because members all are on individual contracts, they arent entitled to enterprise bargaining provisions and conditions around the restructure.

During the consultative process, the engineering workforce is frozen out, meaning they will have no say about the future of their jobs.

Professionals Australia members join forces and request to meet with the council executive team to talk about this problem.

Professionals Australia takes the case to all engineers at council, including non-members. Together they are stronger, it clearly effected all those on common law contracts at BCC

To gather support, Professionals Australias engineers launch a petition to demonstrate the how many engineers are concerned about process.

The council CEO begins to take the concerns of engineers more seriously when presented with the petition, forcing a meeting between Professionals Australia and the Engineer

Documents

Professional Edge - Issue Two