PTA people

The PTA works hard to deliver safe, customer-focussed, efficient and cost-effective public transport services. The team members are united by a shared commitment to the PTA’s vision, and by an understanding of the value of the services we provide to all West Australians. At the same time, the PTA recognises the importance of attracting, developing and retaining the right people in the right jobs to maintain and exceed the high standards of service delivered each year.

In the PTA Strategic Plan, the Our People strategy represents our commitment to managing our people effectively. The PTA expects and seeks the best of its people, but recognises the need to reward effort and support development in order to get the best. The PTA also promotes and supports a positive work environment for all current and potential employees.

In addition to following public sector standards in human resource management, and approved procedures in the management of its people, the PTA has achieved higher levels of transparency, consistency and efficiency through the review and streamlining of processes as part of the onePTA program. This was launched in 2010 and continues to deliver improvements for the PTA - the workplace experience impacts on employee engagement, motivation, commitment and performance.

onePTA promotes a united purpose for PTA employees and supports a strong culture of respect, recognition, integrity, safety and sustainability. Phase one improvements focussed on processes and systems such as streamlining recruitment, improving performance reviews and development planning, increasing employee access to information and establishing a Learning Management System (LMS) to coordinate and simplify the management of learning opportunities. Over the next 12 months, the focus will shift to management skills and capabilities, and the influence of corporate and individual values on employee behaviour and the workplace environment.

The last Employee Opinion Poll was conducted in 2009. The results demonstrated improvements in many areas of the PTA since 2006. The PTA will poll employees again in early 2012 and is keen to assess the impact of the improvements achieved through the onePTA program.

The PTA is engaged in a broad range of activities and employs a diverse workforce. Job roles and career paths are offered in direct transport service provision, front-line customer service, planning, infrastructure design and delivery, maintenance, trades, project and contract management, security and a wide range of professions. As at June 30, the PTA employed 1470 people.

Strategic People Management

Workforce planning and development remain a key focus. Workforce planning provides a strategic framework to help identify future capability needs, and the challenges we face in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. In this context the PTA develops strategies to attract and recruit new employees and develop the capabilities of its existing workforce.

The Graduate Recruitment Program remains an important vehicle to attract and retain high-calibre individuals for eventual appointment to key leadership roles in the PTA. It started in 2002 and has provided a pool of talented employees. It will be maintained as a key strategy in a competitive employment market.

Additionally, the PTA has a focus on youth - the 2011 youth intake includes a greater number of school-based and other trainees following our successful partnering with Sevenoaks College and the Rocky Bay Employment Service.

Learning and Development

As well as engaging trainees and employing people with tertiary qualifications, the PTA has refocussed its learning and development function to help build the capabilities of its existing workforce. The People and Organisational Development Learning and Development branch helps divisions identify current competency needs and align these with appropriate training providers.

The L&D team has been working on further initiatives identified within the onePTA program to improve the development of all PTA employees. This is seen as a key aspect of retaining employees and ensuring the safe and effective delivery of services to our customers. Key initiatives include:

• Development of a new performance development review process to increase two-way communication between managers and employees and ensure consistency across the PTA
• A leadership framework to provide all leaders with the skills and tools they need
• Development and conduct of a number of mandatory online training modules
• Consolidation of a number of IT systems to ensure consistency for safety training and track access permits
• Implementation of a new learning management system to comprehensively capture information about training undertaken by employees. The system enables a stronger connection between the performance development and planning process and employee development needs, and is now being used to book various courses

As a registered training organisation (RTO), the PTA provides quality training and assessment activities in compliance with the Australian Quality Training Framework. As an RTO, we are scoped to issue Certificates II, III and IV in Transport and Logistics (Rail Operations). Activities undertaken as an RTO include:

• Working in partnership with Polytechnic West to assess and accredit all PTA’s overhead catenary maintainers
• 52 supervisors received OHS training for operational supervisors in conjunction with our Safety and Strategy Directorate through the Workplace English Language and Literacy program
• Transit officer re-qualification training was updated in accordance with our ongoing enhancement process
• Training was conducted for passenger ticketing assistants and customer service staff
• Training and assessment materials were developed for Transwa railcar and on-train employees and train control operations
• A training package was developed for Train Control staff
• A contract was developed and awarded for two training organisations to work in partnership with the PTA to provide training, assessment and qualification services relating to rail safety accreditation, and track maintenance

The branch has implemented a new Learning Management System (LMS) to increase access to, and the recording of, learning activities.

Training was delivered to:

Labour Relations

The remuneration and employment conditions for PTA employees are governed by registered industrial agreements and, in the case of railcar drivers, an Enterprise Order.

Diversity

The PTA continues to implement initiatives to meet its representation and distribution objectives for each diversity category in its Equity and Diversity Management Plan 2010-2012. Through its Reconciliation Action Plan the PTA continues to contribute to reconciliation by raising the organisational profile and awareness of indigenous issues to improve respect, relationships and opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

A cooperative arrangement has been put in place with Sevenoaks College to provide work experience placements for indigenous and socially-disadvantaged youth. The PTA also engages with the Public Sector Commission and Rocky Bay Employment Service to employ people with disabilities.

Health and Lifestyle

The PTA has a comprehensive health and lifestyle program available to all employees. This concentrates on changing habits and educating employees to make healthy lifestyle choices. Components include good eating habits, food and health awareness, physical activity for employees and their families, and sponsorship of participation in community events.