From the Chief Operating Officer

Welcome to the April issue of the Didasko newsletter. This month we feature a new client, Transfield Services, and highlight some client success stories featuring Ansell Limited and Crown Services.

These case studies highlight our commitment to our clients’ success as we design learning solutions that add value to their business.

In this edition you can also discover new recruitment solutions, and read about Computer Power New Zealand and R&D innovations from our production team.

Last but not least we’re delighted to announce the release of our exciting new website which will be up and running by the end of this month.

   

Expansion of cleaning training in NSW

We are pleased to announce a major new client in NSW – Transfield Services.

Transfield Services is an S&P/ASX 200 company and a leading provider of operations, maintenance and asset management services across 11 industry sectors in Australia, NZ, Malaysia and the Gulf Region. The company has annual revenue over AU$1.5 billion and more than 14,000 employees.

Didasko’s contract with Transfield Services came about following their recent win of two new NSW Government contracts for cleaning NSW schools and government offices.

Chris Hynes, Didasko NSW Operations Manager, said: “We are delighted to have won the opportunity to work with an organisation such as Transfield Services. Winning this business reconfirms our standing as a market-leading RTO in the Asset Maintenance space and is a credit to the talent and dedication of the Didasko team.”

The Didasko Asset Maintenance team, led by Mario Paola in NSW, have built and maintained a reputation for excellence for Didasko in training delivery, customer service and reliability which proved the decisive factor in attracting this new client.

Transfield Services’ new contract covers 297 schools, 146 government offices and brings to the Company almost 900 cleaning employees. This will translate into significant new entrant traineeship opportunities for Didasko.

Transfield Services recognises the importance of valuing its people and views its employee’s skills as one of the company’s greatest assets. Transfield Services continually improves its employees’ skills to ensure it remains safer, more reliable and more innovative for their clients.

Didasko looks forward to working with Transfield Services over the coming months and hopes to add significant value to their team from our more than 10 years experience in asset maintenance training.

Pre-trained candidates = No job vacancy downtime

With marketplace skills shortages impacting the availability of suitable candidates, new solutions and recruitment strategies are needed.

Didasko People Solutions can be your external Recruitment Coordinator to search, recruit and pre-train in selective service industry vocational streams. We refer a shortlist of motivated matched candidates to you before you select and hire your Traineeship level entry positions.

Your benefits:

• Reduces your recruitment pressures and headaches
• Delivers ‘just-in-time’ recruitment to backfill sooner
• Higher skill level application from new recruits
• Higher retention ratios of new recruits

For new traineeship positions recruited and trained through Didasko:

No invoicing until 90 days = Cost Neutral

Email Chris Curtis or phone (03) 9573 3900 to discuss your customised recruitment options.

Didasko People Solutions – Placing career motivated candidates

Crown Casino

Background

The Crown Entertainment Complex on Melbourne’s South Bank is a leading Australian entertainment venue and one of the largest and most diverse entertainment resorts in the world. Crown is the number one tourist destination in Victoria, attracting more than 15 million visitors a year.

Crown approached Didasko Learning Resources for a training solution to standardise their washroom and general cleaning across the entire facility.

Solution

Didasko worked with Crown to develop a training solution that encompassed a multimedia CD-Rom training tool, in-house training sessions and associated printed material.

The client-branded multimedia CD-ROM consists of 33 screens of multimedia content including Macromedia Flash animation, video, audio and animation. The text was developed by Didasko in consultation with Crown, incorporating the client’s standard operating procedures and occupational health and safety information specific to the enterprise.

Didasko also developed a 2-hour ‘blended learning’ program. The CD-ROM content is projected onto a screen in a training room and the trainer delivers the content to a group of about 10 students per session. The training program also includes an informal group assessment/validation.

Didasko designed and produced visually compelling print materials including posters for display in cleaners’ rooms and cards containing key cleaning procedures that are inserted in the employee’s card holders for easy reference.

In summary, Didasko added significant value to Crown’s initial project brief by designing a training and resource package that reinforces the training through five mechanisms:

• Innovative multimedia learning resource
• In-house blended training, incl. practical activities
• A2 posters placed in each cleaners room
• Business card size SOPs placed in cleaners’ ID card holders
• Design of cleaning supervisors’ inspection schedule

Our training solution is supported by Crown’s internal monitoring systems that include a trainee database that shows what training has been done and allows supervisors to identify areas where refresher training may be needed.

Feedback

Feedback from both the client and its employees has been extremely positive. Following successful pilot programs, the client has arranged for its entire cleaning workforce to undertake the training program. DLR was also contracted to develop further training resources, extending the standardisation of cleaning to other areas of the facility.

Computer Power office is moving!

As part of Computer Power’s infrastructure upgrade, the Christchurch office is moving to an improved facility. Located in the city centre, the new office will allow the company to better serve its existing student population and meet future educational requirements.

As well as providing a more modern facility, the office contains a purpose-built seminar and IT training room. This room will allow Computer Power to pursue corporate training opportunities in Christchurch, and be available for hire by organisations seeking a professional training venue.

“The students and staff are excited about the move,” said Kate Deans, Computer Power Area Manager, “the new facility will offer a great environment for students, and allow us to meet the room hire needs of our corporate customers.”

From 10 April the Christchurch office will be located at:

Computer Power (NZ) Limited
Anthony Runacres House
Ground Floor
145–147 Worcester Street
Christchurch, New Zealand
Ph: +64 3 963 0033

Didasko’s latest R&D initiatives

At Didasko we place a high value on ongoing research and development. We’re constantly working on ways to make our learning resources more engaging, fun and interactive. This adds up to better quality learning and improved learning outcomes for learners.

Having a focus on innovation drives our team’s creative thinking and energy and leads to better products, services and customer fulfillment.

A recent innovation has been our use of Macromedia® Captivate™, a software program that allows you to create interactive simulations and software demonstrations in Macromedia® Flash™ format.

Highlighting the benefits of this new tool, Andrew Hall, our lead Instructional Designer said:

“Captivate™ allows us to open learners’ eyes to a world of learning content dressed up with sound and movement. Learners are dropped into simulated real world situations – they are then prompted to apply their knowledge and think their way out. The result is practical application learning that is closely linked with the role they perform day in day out.”

Using Macromedia® Captivate™ is a step forward in making our learning resources more interactive and engaging. It also allows us to create content that seamlessly integrates into Learning Management Systems.

With higher quality, richer interactive tutorials, demonstrations and e-learning components, the real winners are the learners, who will enjoy better learning experiences and improved learning outcomes.

Ansell training program

Ansell, a global leader in healthcare barrier protection, approached Didasko to develop a marketing information resource for its occupational business segment.

Didasko worked closely with Ansell to develop a branded marketing information tool that promotes a proprietary value added service to Ansell clients.

We structured the existing text content into a format suitable for a multimedia CD-Rom, fulfilling the client’s need to provide a broad range of information on Ansell, including company overview and service ethos.

Didasko also produced video, photography and animation to enhance the content. The result is a CD-Rom marketing tool that is visually appealing, interactive and informative, conveying a strong message of the client’s commitment to and expertise in matching their products to customer needs.

With the acceptance of the resource nationally the product has been slated for distribution in the US and a translated version for the Asian market. Didasko has undertaken further resource development with the client including a DVD marketing tool for trade shows.

New website coming soon!

We’re pleased to announce that our new website will be up and running by the end of April. You will be delighted by the fresh new colour schemes, branding and design.

The new website will show how Didasko is Improving life through access to innovative learning.