Leadership the key to local government’s future
Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell today encouraged local government chief executives and senior officers to embrace professional development programs such as the Australian Applied Management Colloquium.
Opening the Australian School of Applied Management's local government information seminar, Mrs Powell said councils needed highly-skilled leaders in key positions to meet the challenges facing the sector.
"We know the importance of education, training and professional development in attracting and retaining the best and brightest in local councils," Mrs Powell said.
"In the years 2010 and 2011, 250 Victorian local government employees completed the comprehensive Australian Applied Management Colloquium program – that's another 250 people who now have honed their management skills, right here in Victoria.
"It's good to see a number of councils are now employing the Colloquium as part of their strategies to build the talent in their organisations.
"The program blends a variety of theoretical components with real hands-on learning to turn out highly effective leaders and managers, with new skills translating into benefits for not only individual councils but the sector as a whole.
"The highly successful scholarship initiative will be running again this year, and today's information session is to encourage local government leaders to apply for it," Mrs Powell said.
Mrs Powell said the Coalition Government was always looking for new ways to build the capacity of the local government sector and the individuals working within it.
"We're looking to create a positive future where local councils will grow and thrive in sustainable and appropriate ways," Mrs Powell said.
