Q&A about New Reflections' Professional Development Training Programs for Ayers Rock Resort
Anna White, Group Manager Learning & Development Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia
Can you share your organisation’s needs and expectations when it comes to Professional Development training programs?
Voyages expect quality, interactive training, that engages the learner and gives strategies to use in the workplace. We want training to be a worthwhile use of our staff's time and for them to feel valued as an important part of our team providing excellence to our customers.
How would you describe your experience with New Reflections?
Professional, high-quality training, with a high care factor about the learners' experience. Easy to work with and great communication.
Which positive effects do you witness after the training workshops?
Staff feel valued and supported in their professional development as leaders.
What is the participants’ feedback?
Always very positive, enjoy the hands-on interactive approach.
You personally attended the leadership training suite, what is your general opinion?
This is why we have continued to engage Maud as I can personally recommend the training to our teams from my experience which was excellent.
What are your main motivations for renewing your engagement with New Reflections from one cohort to the next?
To keep the learning going. Maud had made the initial connection and knows the location. It would be great to offer extended learning to previous students. We have tried to workshop the sessions in between which has not really been successful due to our high turnover of staff.
Would you recommend our workshops to other organisations? Why?
Yes, as it is engaging, flexible, and students have to think for themselves, definitely not death by PowerPoint. Maud delivers content and topics on the latest issues in the workplace and is happy to work with you on content design specific to your needs and feedback from attendees.
About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia - Ayers Rock Resort
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is owned by the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) and manages tourism and resorts on their behalf. We have a strong commitment to social responsibility and strive to give back and support the people and communities in our regions and throughout Australia. All profits from our business activities are used to support Indigenous training and employment.
Voyages offers experience-based holidays in spectacular wilderness locations, including Ayers Rock Resort in the iconic Red Centre and tourism facilities in Mossman Gorge, located in tropical Queensland. Our goal is to offer getaways that people just can’t enjoy anywhere else: enriching experiences, incredible natural beauty, and a suite of activities and attractions that appeals to every traveller who’s seeking a new kind of adventure.
“When it comes to writing the story of Ayers Rock Resort, it’s hard to know where to begin. Of course, there’s the elephant in the room...or, rather, the giant rock in the desert. Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognized – and respected – landmarks, a place of cultural and spiritual significance.
There’s the host of accommodation options, from a lavish resort to outback camping. There’s more than 100 unique activities, tours, and experiences to mix, match, and customize your perfect holiday. No two days here are the same. And our story isn’t complete without the characters: the people who make everything happen here at Ayers Rock Resort."
Ayers Rock Resort Talents who attended the Professional Development Training Program
The Ayers Rock Resort team includes hospitality professionals recruited from all over the World and Indigenous employees from local communities, some of whom have passed through the ranks of our visionary training and employment program.
Professional Challenges to Address
The Ayers Rock Resort team is made of incredible professionals from all over the world. The remote location creates both opportunities and challenges as it encourages internal nominations and promotions while also creating a high level of turnover.
To offer the best employee experience and ensure excellent services to all guests, it is essential to engage the teams and their leaders in professional development learning solutions.
New Reflections' Solution provided in this Professional Development Training Sessions
From day one, New Reflections understood the reality of the teams and tailored the best learning programs.
We initially engaged with the leaders through a tailored leadership training suite focusing on 4 main pillars:
Emotional intelligence
Time management as a stress management tool
Leadership and management toolbox to delegate, motivate, coach, and develop effective teams
Constructive feedback
Since the first cohort, we travelled a few times to deliver the same program as well as new professional development programs to the extended teams:
Time management as a stress management tool
Conflict management and difficult people
Positive thinking in the workplace
Advanced communication skills
Customer service
Inclusion and cross-cultural training
Confidence building and self-compassion
Future opportunities
We are now organising the next programs to support the leaders and their teams.
In our next trip, New Reflections will also engage in pro-bono activities to deliver training programs to Real Jobs candidates who are working with Voyages from the local NPY communities.
