Privately owned public transport company takes Large Employer of the Year award
Transit Australia Group (TAG), Queensland’s largest privately-owned public transport operator, has been presented ‘Large Employer of the Year’ at this year’s Queensland Training Awards.
TAG conducted an 18-month-long survey of the company’s training needs, which resulted in the People Excellence Program – a program designed to “improve the performance of the organisation and encourage new and existing workers at all levels to develop a dynamic and successful career”.
After investing $2.7 million into the program, TAG offers about 25 different courses ranging from entry-level training to senior management education, which all 1400 employees are able to access.
As well as a driver training course, the People Excellence Program also includes training for senior management in the ‘Six Sigma’ methodologies, which use data to weed out issues within – and therefore improve – industry processes.
Transit Australia Group CEO Michael McGee says the program is part of TAG’s hopes to create a workplace culture of self-improvement.
“It’s great to receive formal recognition for developing an innovative training program that challenges the norms of the transport industry,” he says.
“For example, by training our staff in six sigma methodology and other advanced data-analysis tools and techniques we will continue to push standards by better identifying and tackling challenges and opportunities to improve performance.”
He also points out the program is providing more opportunities for indigenous Australians, and is also bringing more women into the industry.
“Our partnerships with various training organisations across Queensland offer people the opportunity to achieve fully subsidised qualifications as well as practical experience, increasing their employment prospects at the end of their courses,” McGee says.
“We are proud of the role we’re playing in closing the employment gap for many sections of regional communities and developing a workforce that is both diverse and dynamic.”
The 2016 National Training Awards, which TAG now has the opportunity to represent Queensland in, will be held on November 17 in Darwin.