
TAFE NSW National Centre for Emergency Management Studies
The National Centre for Emergency Management Studies (NCEMS) is a signature department within TAFE NSW, committed to providing quality professional development and nationally recognised qualifications focused on practical crisis management skills and leadership in public safety.
Enrol now for the
Basic Wildfire Awareness Course
NCEMS programs are categorised into two streams – Professional Development and Formal Qualifications.
Formal Qualifications
The formal qualifications to be offered by NCEMS include an Advanced Diploma Public Safety (Emergency Management) and the upcoming Graduate Diploma in Crisis Leadership, and are nationally recognised by ASQA.
Professional Development
Our professional development programs are written and delivered by industry leading practitioners, using their years of experience and personal expertise to share lessons learnt and help the next generation of emergency managers tackle natural and man-made crises.
Courses – Semester 1 - 2021
Professional Development
Working with Spontaneous Volunteers
Practical skills and tools for success for incident controllers and their respective agencies, local councils and other support organisations to encourage, coordinate and provide meaningful opportunities for spontaneous volunteers in a safe and supportive manner.
Critical Incident Messaging
Develop confidence in communicating under pressure. Learn to apply high quality crisis communication skills, via radio, TV and print mediums as well as social media. Practical scenarios from recent large-scale emergency incidents experienced by Australian and NZ communities.
Commanding Under Pressure
This program provides a safe and inclusive environment where participants will enhance the personal attributes and professional strategies needed to help them deal with difficult people and situations, inspire creative problem solving and step up to command teams under pressure.
Delivering Multi-Agency Exercises
From the creation of realistic simulated exercise environments, to how to determine relevant and attainable objectives as well as highlight the essential follow-up steps for making formal recommendations to key stakeholder to inform success and address areas for improvement.
Inter-Agency Liaison Officer
For personnel who represent their agency in a support capacity in incident management teams and emergency operations centres, teaching them the skills required to make decisions regarding the resources they have at their disposal.
Accredited Units of Competency
Basic Wildfire Awareness
Do you provide support services at wildfires or at planned burns? This course provides relevant knowledge to respond safely if you encounter wildfire or a planned burn in the landscape. You will learn the key technical terminology used, safety practices and covers key elements of the Australasian Inter Service Management System (AIIMs) and emergency protocols.
Political Acumen for Emergency Management
Are you involved in working with communities and the sector to plan for, respond to, or recover from emergencies and disasters? Political Acumen for Emergency Management can support you to navigate the political environment during these phases of a crisis.
Business Continuity Planning
Major disruptions to business arise from both dramatic crises and from escalation of routine management failures within an organisation. Business continuity plans can help to manage risk and ensure resilience when faced with a disruptive event.
Multi-Agency AIIMS
3 day program developing core knowledge and adaptable skills on the application of AIIMS and how it applies to an “All Hazards, All Agencies” approach to managing emergency incidents. Includes sessions on human factors, incident communication and leadership and teamwork.
Exercise Management for Emergencies
Develop the skills to plan, design and manage emergency management exercises. Suitable for people working in an industry or an organisation that focuses on multi-hazard emergencies requiring a multi-agency response, such as hospitals, local governments, airports, emergency services.
Prepare High-Level Written Communication
Designed for those required to write high-level documentation in formats such as formal business cases, grant applications, policies and procedures, media releases and ministerial responses, with specific reference to key operational documentation for emergency management organisations.
Planning for Complex Incidents
Planning for complex incidents requires an ability to quickly assess risk, develop strategies to resolve incidents and communicate effectively. This program is based on the role and responsibilities of the Planning Section as determined by the Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS).
Community Safety Messaging
Are you involved in developing and organising public safety programs or campaigns that support communities and individuals to stay safe in emergencies and disasters?
Community Safety Messaging will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to support that process.
Our Teachers
The NCEMS team:
- Create positive and inclusive learning and assessment experiences for all learners, taking into consideration the needs of the individual, adapting to the environment in which they work.
- Lead and innovate industry best practice in emergency and crisis management.
- Actively contribute to the development of programs of excellence, continually building and growing a suite of ‘sought after’ educational curriculum; including bespoke programs.
- Embrace innovation and technology in our programs of work.
- Continue to grow abilities, skills and knowledge by maintaining personal educational levels related to contemporary emergency management practices, across Australia and in the International arena.
- Provide expert advice and maintain ongoing support to NCEMS alumni and customers through post-learning online and networking forums.
- Respect others and work to the expectations of all TAFE NSW staff as related to workplace legislation, organisational policies and procedures.
Our Commitments
We share a commitment to supporting regional communities, volunteer retention and recruitment, environmental sustainability, vocational succession planning and post-course networks for alumni. More information on each of these commitments can be found in the NCEMS 2020-2023 Strategic Plan.
Our Learners
Applications for learning are open to both individuals seeking to upskill and progress their own professional development, as well as organisations looking to support the development of their workers with an agency-specific learning program.

The whole Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) experience, including sacrifices made along the way, has been nothing short of personally rewarding and inspiring. You took a group of wide-eyed and keen individuals and guided them into Emergency Management practitioners who are not only qualified, but adept and committed.
I would certainly and definitely encourage and endorse other persons within the emergency services, or other organisations, who are thinking of pursuing additional qualifications to look no further than NCEMS.
Ne cede malis – Yield not to misfortunes.
Matt Daniels – Graduate – November 2019
Contact Us
Phone: 02 6058 2730
Email: NCEMS@tafensw.edu.au
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