The decline in volunteer numbers for emergency service organisations In Australia is significant and ongoing. The demands of paid employment, shifts in the way people interact, changes to personal priorities, continued evolution of technology and cultural globalisation have all impacted on the time available, and importance people place on volunteering in their community.
TAFE NSW 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.
Qualifications
This course will help you develop or improve your skills in undertaking senior emergency management responsibilities at an organisational level. This includes management of and planning for an incident, emergency or disaster; prevention of, preparedness for, response to and recovery from such events; stakeholder engagement; undertaking senior management responsibilities for managing multi-organisational teams and activities.
STUDY TYPE
Combination – on campus, online and workplace training
DURATION
3 years
COST
$9,500.00
Professional Development
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.
This course is perfect for anyone working in emergency management, local government, community development, relief and/or recovery, and not-for-profit organisations with a community focus.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face
DURATION
8 hours
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.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to define situations and their impact on the community, identify key information to support public safety, develop public safety messages for an incident, and skills to build and maintain key media and communication groups.
This course is ideal for anyone working in organisations within emergency management, local government, community development, relief and/or recovery, and anyone with an expectation to liaise with media gencies to represent their organisation as an official spokesperson.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face
DURATION
16 hours (2 days)
COST
$650.00
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.
Equip yourself with skills in applying reflective self-leadership strategies for resilience, creating effective and agile teams, managing complex incidents and providing stategic leadership during crisis and change.
This course is perfect for anyone with the responsibility to lead people and organisations during times of crisis, emregency or risk in government and non-goverment environments (such as executive roles, emregency services leaders, health and safety managers, environmental protection and mitigiation officers and business continuity managers).
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face
DURATION
32 hours
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.
This short course will help you to determine the need for an exercise, how to develop an exercise activity, identify exercise components and documentation, and deliver and execute the exercise plan.
This course is perfect for anyone working in emergency management, local government, community development, relief and/or recovery, and not-for-profit organisations with a community focus.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face
DURATION
16 hours
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.
You will learn the roles and responsibilities of a Liaison Officer, how to communicate with diverse stakeholders, how to complete accurate and timely situation reports, build confidence in verbal briefings and gain skills in maintaining accurate records.
This course is perfect for anyone working in emergency management, local government, community development, relief and/or recovery, and not-for-profit organisations with a community focus.
STUDY TYPE
Connected classroom – off campus
DURATION
8 hours
COST
$420.00
Accredited Units of Competency
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.
This course is the minimum requirement for non-firefighting personnal who provide support services (e.g. heavy plant operation, media, welfare and evacuation support) during wildfires and planned hazard reduction burns
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and direct credit are available through application.
STUDY TYPE
Online, Self-paced.
DURATION
6 hours
The key to effective crisis management is the ability to connect with other agencies, share resources and develop innovative solutions to problems. Communities are best supported through strong relationships, consistent and open communication and established professional networks.
STUDY TYPE
Online - 3 × connected classroom sessions via MS Teams
DURATION
6 weeks
COST
$580.00
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.
This course will equip you in developing political acumen, an understandin of how to build alliances and the ability to influence key-decision makers and negotiate to enable better community safety outcomes.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and direct credit are available through application.
STUDY TYPE
Online or face-to-face study options
DURATION
10 weeks
This unit the skills and knowledge required to gather, assemble and disseminate timely, tailored and relevant information to the community and media and if the Incident Controller requires and can also include government, incident personnel and their organisations.
STUDY TYPE
Online - 3 × connected classroom sessions via MS Teams
DURATION
10 weeks
COST
$1,000.00
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.
Learn about business continuity awareness, how to plan and help an organisation identify barriers and determine how the organisation can achieve their objectives.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and direct credit are available through application.
STUDY TYPE
Online or face-to-face study options
DURATION
10 weeks
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.
Throughout this course, you will learn about the AIIMS principles, incident management and planning, various fucntions (including control, planning, intelligence, public information, operations, investigation, logistics, finance) and gain sought after skills in communication and leadership.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face
DURATION
3 days
COST
$800.00
Includes student license fee of $150.00 and AIIMs 2017 manual ($50.00) from AFAC
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.
Enhance and develop your skills in a practical and challenging emergency management situation before, during an after a disaster event.
This course is suitable for people working in hospitals, local governments, airports, seaports, utlites, manufacturing industries and emergency services organisations.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face workshop with online learning
DURATION
10 weeks
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.
Gain skills in preparing for high-level communication, critically analysing other positions and preparing persuasive written communication.
This course is suitable for people who work in an all hazards industry or have an aligned emergency management role.
STUDY TYPE
Online – 3 × connected classroom sessions via MS Teams
DURATION
10 weeks
COST
$750.00
This Unit focuses on the application of emergency management concepts, principles, and jurisdictional emergency management arrangements to organisational policies and procedures. It can provide an induction or refresher to those employed in the sector ensuring consistency around state and national policy and procedures while providing local and regional context.
STUDY TYPE
Online - 3 × connected classroom sessions via MS Teams
DURATION
10 weeks
COST
$750.00
PUAOPE025 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).
Gain skills in preparing for high-level communication, critically analysing other positions and preparing persuasive written communication.
This course is suitable for people who work in an all hazards industry or have an aligned emergency management role.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face - Wollongong
DURATION
5-day workshop. 9th - 13th May 2022
COST
$1000.00
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.
This course includes an exploration of human behaviour, psychology, media, advertising, program implementation and evaluation. You will obtain skills and knowledge to determine community public safety education andawareness requirements, and how to develop and implement programs to address those needs.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and direct credit are available through application.
STUDY TYPE
Face-to-face workshop with online learning
DURATION
10 weeks
Showcase
Volunteerism Policy
Regional Communities Strategy
NSW regional towns are suffering extensive economic losses as farming communities struggle after the worst fire season in the state's history, flooding, storms, a mouse plague and COVID-19; resulting in less funds to spend in local business.
Environmental Strategy
As technology continues to drive the innovative development of education and business practices, the natural environment and its resources continue to be impacted upon. When planning and delivering learning programs, it is vital that NCEMS takes into consideration not only the needs of stakeholders, but also prioritises protecting, sustaining and enhancing the human and natural resources that will be needed for future generations.
Testimonials
“Having worked as an Emergency Manager for the past 36 years, TAFE NSW and the National Centre for Emergency Management Studies (NCEMS) offers me a way to continue to engage and participate after retiring from permanent employment. With NCEMS, I work flexibly as a facilitator and supporter of critical learning in Public Safety. I am able to share my personal and professional experiences from the coalface, helping others to continuously improve their own practices and make the most of lessons learned from past incidents. The most rewarding aspect for me is being part of the collaborative, collegial learning that is a key feature of NCEMS programs, whether they are delivered in the traditional face-to-face way, or in the growing ‘virtual classroom’ environment.
I highly recommend NCEMS programs as a way to discover new skills, learn from previous experience, to challenge yourself and to network with other emergency management professionals.”
Greg Murphy ESM – September 2021
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
The past two years of back-to-back disasters have shown us how important it is to be prepared for when things don’t go to plan. Whether its personal survival during a natural disaster or the ability of a business to keep trading through a disruption to service, emergency management training helps people plan for how to keep safe and be ready and resilient for any difficult challenges.
Emergency management training is available to a range of different audiences, from first response emergency services personnel, to small business owners and individuals with an interest in how to prepare for and recover from disasters. There is no ‘one size fits all’ training in emergency management. Rather a series of different skills courses and qualifications to support students in building their knowledge and ability to keep themselves and their families/work teams safe and their organisations functional. Students can study online, face-to-face or via connected (blended) programs with the National Centre for Emergency Management Studies.
There are loosely four streams of learning that may be of interest to new students.
- For emergency services personnel – training in the Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) and then moving into a specialised program related to the functional roles of Public Information, Operations, Planning, Logistics and Control. Additionally, programs such as Inter-Agency Liaison Officer and Exercise Management will help support the way we work with others during times of crisis.
- For business organisations – programs in Business Continuity Planning, Political Acumen and High-Level Written Communications may be of interest.
- For leaders – A Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Public Safety (Emergency Management) can formally recognise their capacity to manage difficult situations and large teams during crises and in their day-to-day roles.
- For support staff – Those working alongside emergency services personnel, but without the need for formal qualifications or skills, may be interested in Basic Wildfire Awareness to ensure they are able to stay safe when looking after vulnerable animals and people during disasters.
Emergency management is usually used in reference to the coordination of efforts to respond to natural or man-made disasters where they have an impact on a geographical location, community or industry. For example, the preservation of life and protection of property from fires and floods, biosecurity threats, terrorist attacks, pandemics, plagues etc.
Incident management is the specific tasks and activities completed by emergency management personnel to respond to the urgent needs of communities during one specific disaster or crisis.
Crisis management is the term that is used interchangeably across different industries, however it generally refers to disruptions to technology and communications services. For example, an IT department may use a crisis management team to manage the intranet or payroll system in the event it goes offline.
NCEMS courses are scheduled at varying times throughout the year but are also capable of being delivered on demand. To find out when courses are commencing, please contact our team.
Depending on the course, duration can vary from 8 hours through to 10 weeks.
NCEMS delivers training in multiple formats, including in-person, online via connected learning, or through a blend of both. Training can be offered at more than 130 TAFE NSW locations in NSW, or delivered interstate and overseas via connected learning. To learn about tailoring a solution to meet your organisational needs, please speak with our team.
Certain courses are delivered in a connected learning format. Students with a connection to internet and video conferencing software may complete the course from any location. Sessions are facilitated online and at set times over the course timetable.
Speak with our team regarding course commencement dates, or for tailoring a solution to meet your specific organisational requirements.
Yes, our team can tailor training solutions to meet organisational needs. This includes in-person training, online training, or training delivered through a blend of both.
Teachers are recruited from within the public safety sector, ensuring that NCEMS learners are provided with current information and shared experiences from actual professional practitioners. As employees of TAFE NSW, teachers meet the highest standards expected by ASQA and the NSW Department of Education. All teachers hold a minimum of Certificate IV in Training & Assessment (TAE), coupled with industry specific qualifications, making them subject matter experts in their individual fields.