Denise's CV: August 2011

Résumé of DENISE CORSCADDEN

Email: denise.corscadden@tafensw.edu.au

Mobile: 0400 150 621

Highlights of Qualifications/Experience:

· TAFE Teacher, Sydney Institute - Business Administration Programs in Administration & Office Technology Section, Petersham College

· TAFE Teacher, Sydney Institute - Teacher, Learner Support and Course Coordination in TAFE vocational programs for students with intellectual disabilities

· Instructor at Capilano College for three years in the Adult Special Education Department

· Self-starter and pro-active, able to work autonomously or within a team

· Personally organized, creative, imaginative, intuitive and resourceful

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills; accomplished report writer and administrator of business documentation

· Facilitated group training on diverse subjects, including business development, sales and marketing, customer service, education and training and personal achievement

· Excellent motivator of both individuals and participants of training sessions

· Computer proficient in current Windows and other software applications and the Internet

· Current NSW Drivers Licence and motor vehicle

Skills and Abilities:

GENERAL MANAGEMENT and FINANCIAL

· Closely involved with several major project launches, development and management

· Able to see the ‘big picture’; excellent negotiation, problem-solving and decision-making skills

· Highly numerate, with extensive accounting, financial management and budgeting experience including current MYOB and co-director of family small business for three years

· Supervised and developed various teams of up to nine people

MARKETING and SALES

· Achieved 1^st position in sales and financial results for Shell AutoCare and ShellShops franchises in two states of Australia

· Forecasted and exceeded ShellShops franchise budgets, rising from $1m to $3m over 3 years

· Won four marketing incentive programs

· Developed a real estate Relationship Marketing program and trained management, franchisees and staff

· Created new opportunities for businesses and franchises to grow through new ventures and increased numbers of franchisees and their customer bases

· Started and developed own business consultancy over a two-year period and built a reputation for quality service and creating repeat business

FACILITATION and TRAINING

· Sourced employment positions and trained and supported young people and adults with disabilities to maintain employment and lead more satisfying and productive lives

· Arranged job placement and conducted work supervision for adults with individual barriers to employment. Placed such people in entry-level job positions and participated in their work skills development alongside employers

· Developed and delivered curriculum in Work Skills and Occupational Health and Safety, Customer Service Skills and Application, Occupational Interests/Skills Assessment and Development and Job Search/related skills

· Designed workshops and developed course content for training programs since 1986, in many subjects including career management and development, educational subjects and job search

· Program delivery as an educator to clients, management and staff for over 20 years

Work Experience:

· TAFE teacher, Sydney Institute, Sydney 2005 - present

· Training & Development Officer, Employment Solutions, Sydney 2003-2004

· Faculty Instructor, Capilano College, North Vancouver, BC, Canada 2000-2003

· Employment Counsellor, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, BC 2000

· Part-time Ski Instructor, Cypress Mountain, BC 2000-2001

· Volunteer Ski Instructor (disabled skiers), Whistler/Blackcomb Ski School, BC 1998-1999

· Contract Accountant, Racom Sales and Co-operative Wholesale Society, UK 1998

· Senior Career Transition Consultant, Reddin Consulting Group, Sydney 1996-1997

· Team Leader (contract accountant), A.M. Corporation, Sydney 1996

· Franchise Development Manager, Elders Real Estate Ltd., Sydney 1995-1996

· Self-employed, Retail People Resources, Sydney 1992-1994

· NSW ShellShop and Roadhouse Manager, Shell Australia, Sydney 1990-1992

· Various Marketing Management positions, Shell, Sydney, Canberra and Perth 1977-1990

Education and Professional Development:

· Certificate IV in Training & Education, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute 2011

· Diploma in Business Administration, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute 2010

· Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute 2009

· Certificate II in Business, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute 2009

· International English Teacher Certificate in TESOL, Sydney 2008

· Industrial First Aid, Sydney 2003

· OH&S Training, BC Federation of Labour, British Columbia (BC), Canada 2003

· Instructional Skills Workshop, Capilano College, BC, 2001

· Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level 1 and Instructor for Skiers with Disabilities, Whistler, BC, 1998

· Certificate in Adult Education, Australian Institute of Management/University of Technology, Sydney, 1993

· Train The Trainer, Australian Institute of Management, Sydney, 1986

· Final, Part 1, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK, 1974

· Degree: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) (Hons), Queen Mary College, University of London, UK, 1973

Plus, many training courses in management, computing and business skills, whilst with Shell Australia and other large organizations and other personal and professional development programs throughout working life, including Workforce Development at Sydney Institute

References available upon request

Denise Corscadden - Self Statement

I was employed by TAFENSW Sydney Institute, as a part time casual teacher, following a panel interview by Head Teachers for Students with an Intellectual Disability at Randwick College in February 2005.

I previously worked from 2000 to 2003 as a Special Education Instructor at Capilano College in Vancouver, Canada, where I taught Customer Service, OH&S and Employability Skills on two programs to students with disabilities and other barriers to employment. While there, I undertook OH&S training conducted by the BC Provincial Federation of Labour, to increase my knowledge and update qualifications in this area. My experience in Capilano College was a major reason for my success in gaining TAFE employment.

I first worked for Head Teacher, Cassie Sheehan, at Petersham College on a customised Office Skills Course as a Work Placement support teacher from April to June 2005. I have continued in a similar role in many industry placements that students have completed as part of their customised courses in Office Skills, Retail Skills and Kitchen Skills throughout the succeeding years, until July 2009. In this role, I organised and conducted the instruction and demonstration of work tasks and checked constantly for understanding and training needs, leading to improved performance. I also liaised with workplace supervisors, their staff and often other contacts in HR or management of that organisation. As well, I supported the student to fit in to the work environment by encouraging all elements of student inclusivity, to ensure success in their work placements. At the end of the placement, the worksite supervisor completed a Report which, together with my own report determined the student’s success in their assessment. Before, during and after each placement, ongoing reviews by myself and other teachers formed a essential part of the job-readiness success of each student and the success of future students in similar placements.

The purpose of the Office Skills Course, 9071, was to enable the students to acquire the necessary skills to get an entry-level job in an office. At all times, I and all teachers in the Intellectual Disabilities Section worked within the VET policy and quality frameworks. We worked very much as a team and were focused on giving our clients (both students and the people and organisations with which we worked, such as worksites, client advocates and employment agencies) the very best service we could, in all our programs.

At the beginning of 2006, I became a classroom Learner Support Teacher (Unit CAT29999D) in the Computer Skills part of the Customised Office Skills course, working alongside the subject teacher, Lily Tasevski. I also supported a student later on at a worksite on this course. Due to the declining health of the Head Teacher and the Office Course coordinator (Barbara Nance) later in Semester 1, I volunteered to take on more of the role of coordinator and also Learner Support teacher in the Office Skills subjects, alongside subject teacher Annette Leverett (Administration & Office Technology). The role of a learner support teacher is to ensure that each student is supported according to his or her training/learning needs to achieve maximum participation and success in the course or subject.

The adaptations that are made are individual, ongoing and assessed for improvement of understanding and outcomes. Many students came from NESB and had a variety of issues that affected their abilities. I practiced both inclusivity and acknowledgment of students’ diversity in their contribution to classes. In workplacements, I developed individual strategies to support particular students’ needs (15) and to monitor learning and improve work practices.

Also in workplacements I undertook Risk Assessments of the worksites, in accordance with TAFE SI policy and would only approve worksites, as coordinator, which had proper OH&S policies and practices in place. I informed each student, during their first day in class at work, what the OH&S procedures and practices were in place. I have a long background in being aware of safety in the workplace (I worked for the highly safety-conscious oil company Shell, for 15 years) and I am both observant of and responsive to potential workplace hazards. I also covered their Rights and Responsibilities, including how to make a report or complaint of any incidents, including potential harassments.

In Semester 2, 2006, Fiona Shearman became Acting Head Teacher for the Office Skills Course and I became the Course Coordinator (from Barbara Nance) and Workplacement Coordinator (from Annette Leverett). Together, Fiona and I ran courses in Semester 2, 2006 and in Semesters 1 & 2 in 2007. I followed a time line for the Course set-up and the Course itself, which I modified to suit each semester’s program. In this, I provided information to a variety of people and organisations, before, during and after the course, either on the phone, in writing or in person (e.g. during interviews, at enrolment or during exit interviews). I completed training records at the beginning and end of each course (funding was supplied by the Get Skilled Program and Reports had to be submitted on time to secure funds) and all reporting requirements/results in conjunction with my head teacher. Course content was evaluated and modified as required (e.g. brought up to date).

Another Office Skills Access course was also coordinated by me in Semester 1, 2008 and run largely independently of head teacher involvement, after the appointment of Mimi Teacher as Head Teacher at Petersham at the beginning of 2008. As Workplacement Coordinator from 2006 to 2007, I sourced and arranged work placements for students for Office Skills’ work experience, in consultation with Fiona Shearman, while she was at Petersham. I refer to Recognition Process Checklist for Head Teachers completed by Fiona Shearman for all my time working with her. In 2008, when Fiona had left, I sourced worksites and placed students in consultation with some of the other teachers involved in the Office Skills program who were familiar with workplacements.

During the time I was coordinator from 2006 to 2008, I was also the Learner Support Teacher in the Office Skills classes with subject teacher Donna Chrisostomos (who took over this role from Annette Leverett) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. In Semester 1, 2007, I joined Fiona in teaching on a Tuesday morning also (covering Accessing TAFE Services, Individual Learning Plans and Preparation for Work Placement subjects), eventually taking over that role completely in Semester 2, 2007 and Semester 1, 2008. The students were from diverse ethnic backgrounds with different educational levels and had various intellectual and other disabilities (such as neurological - e.g. epilepsy/seizures and Tourette’s Syndrome and physical – e.g. vision impairment and cerebral palsy).

At the beginning of 2008, it became compulsory to convert modules (4) previously taught in the Office Skills course 9071 to Units of Competency. Consequently, I converted the four Modules, that I taught, to Units, (4) writing the Assessment Criteria and validating them with Head Teacher Mimi Teeger. The following Units were written in the new format by me and are stored in Network Shares in the DisableIntellect Folder:

NSWTETH202A - Access Support Services in a Diverse Study Environment

NSWTTRP101A - Plan for Education and Employment

NSWTSFM205A - Apply technical and employability skills in the workplace

NSWTSFM202A - Participate in work placement or work experience

In this, I had to analyse and interpret the competency standards of the training package and design suitable assessments, as well as modify the structure of these units and the content to meet the new standards.

Also, over the last five years I have provided other Learner Support and/or Workplacement Support for a number of students with an intellectual disability within Sydney Institute:

Kitchen Assistant students (three work placements, in 2006, 2008 and 2009 in the Mercure Sydney Hotel kitchen), through Petersham College/Building E Ultimo (customised courses).

Retail Certificate 1 & II students at Ultimo and St George Colleges from 2005 to 2008 in workplacements at various retail stores including Target, Big W and Best & Less (customised courses)

Hospitality students at Ultimo (learner support) in Coffee Shop and RSA courses, 2008 (mainstream courses)

TVET Students - (classroom learner support in Certificate II Hospitality and Pastry Production), 2009 (TVET courses). For these courses I wrote special student notes based on the activities of the class each week (21 & 30). The notes were easy to understand, broke down complex ideas or processes into simpler concepts or steps and took account of the individual students’ support needs, English and reading comprehension etc. The pastry chef (hospitality teacher, Dannielle Tyler) gave my notes to all the students in her class, not only the ones I was supporting, as she thought they were very helpful and informative.

I evaluate the students’ performance against the training package criteria for every session I am with students. This is an ongoing activity. I provide initial and ongoing information and advice on training and/or assessment services with all my classes.

Also, I worked as a teacher providing Learner Support for various students with a disability at Ultimo College in ad hoc courses in Hospitality, Vehicle Upholstery and Printing, 2005 to 2009 (mainstream courses).

At the end of 2008, I obtained a TESOL Teachers License through Australasian Training Academy, which I am currently upgrading to a Certificate IV.

In Semester 1 2009, Acting Head Teacher Administration & Office Technology Section, Annette Leverett, appointed me to teach Course 8561C3OPF Office Practice to Certificate III Business Administration students and I also taught this in Semester 2 .

Since commencing employment in 2005, I have taken every opportunity to attend professional development courses through Sydney Institute Workforce Development.

I completed both a Certificate II in Business through RPL and my TAA Certificate IV during Semester 2, 2009.

During 2010, I have been working for the Administration & Office Technology Section at Petersham College. I have taught and assessed 5 Office Practice units to both Certificate II and Certificate III students in Semester 1 and Semester 2 and computer subjects to Certificate II in both semesters – Use Business Technology, Access and Use the Internet, Communicate Electronically, Organise Schedules (Outlook) and Communicate in the Workplace.

I have also taught OHS workshops to Certificate II and III students (co-teacher) in both Semesters and the same workshops, alone, to students enrolled in a Certificate II Business course for students with a psychiatric disability. As well during 2010, I provided some tutorial Learner Support to a student with a psychiatric disability enrolled in a mainstream Financial Accounting course at Petersham College and to students with an intellectual disability undertaking assessments in a Warehousing and Logistics Certificate III course at St George College.

For the last eight weeks of Term 4 2010, I was one of four teachers on a customised fast track Certificate II in Business course for clients of Mission Australia, in which 15 students were enrolled. I delivered the following units: Handle Mail, Participate in OHS Processes, Complete Daily Work Activities and Participate in Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices, by means of an integrated attendance pattern.

At the end of Term 4, I also completed a Diploma in Business Administration, in which I was enrolled from the beginning of the year, comprising 9 units of competency.

In 2011, semester 1, I upgraded my TAA Cert IV to the new TAE Cert IV through TAFENSW Sydney Institute, Sutherland College. I also have been teaching similar courses and subjects to students in Certificate II in Business and Certificate III in Business Administration, including another Certificate II course for Mission Australia clients (six units, including the four above and Process & Maintain Workplace Information and Use Business Equipment), followed by Certificate III in Business Administration: units Write Simple Documents and Organise Schedules. I am also teaching Organise & Complete a Job Application & Interview, in which I also mapped the competencies criteria for this unit for my Section.

As well, I have taught two 6-week commercial courses thought Leichhardt Council to students of Sydney Secondary College, Balmain Campus (Introduction to a Certificate II in Business, comprising units Use Business Technology, Access & Use the Internet and Communicate Electronically) and Leichhardt Campus (Organise & Complete a Job Application & Interview and create an E-Portfolio)

Denise Corscadden