TAFE NSW National Centre for Emergency Management Studies

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.

1. 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.
2. For business organisations – programs in Business Continuity Planning, Political Acumen and High-Level Written Communications may be of interest.
3. 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.
4. 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.