PTA People

At 30 June 2006, there were 1,053 full-time-equivalent staff members of the PTA.

Strategic People Management

The People Reference Group, which was formed in June 2004, continued to provide advice directly to the PTA Executive on key people strategies. This included significant input into the formation of the 2006 Employee Opinion Poll, consideration of new corporate initiatives, recommendations on leadership matters and internal communication.

To ensure continuing expertise and skills are available to meet the PTA’s business objectives, key strategies in the PTA’s Building Capability Workforce Plan were implemented, such as a succession management strategy, an individual development planning process, mentoring guidelines and phased retirement options.

The PTA is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving greater workforce diversity. The strategies in the PTA’s Equity and Diversity Management Plan 2004-2006 identify and set priorities to improve equity and service delivery through increasing diversity. The Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment commended the plan as a best practice example of planning in this critical area, with the PTA providing an overview of the planning process at a Diversity Forum held by the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity.

Innovation is a key driver of sustainable business performance. The PTA developed an internal interactive software program harnessing employee suggestions for improvement in processes, systems and customer service. Since the inception of the program in 2005, more than 120 employee-initiated suggestions have been received and assessed.

Workforce Planning

To meet its future business objectives and to ensure it has the required ongoing skills and expertise, the organisation began a process of reviewing the workforce plan and new strategies will be progressively implemented in the forthcoming year.

Performance and Development Plans

The Performance and Development Plan (PDP) process ensures a link between the strategic and operational plans, and the key tasks and projects being carried out by individuals. The revised process for salaried staff and new format for wages employees resulted in a marked increase in the PDP usage rate. Training in the PDP process and performance management was delivered on-line, utilising flexible, self-paced e-learning courses.

Leadership Training

The third intake of supervisors and managers commenced Front Line Management training in 2004/05, including the completion of work-based projects relating to operational issues. Upon completion in 2005/06, participants received a Certificate IV in Business (Frontline Management), ensuring that PTA managers hold nationally-recognised qualifications.

The inaugural PTA Leadership and Development Program was undertaken with a group of middle and senior managers. The program was tailored to meet the specific needs of PTA managers. It is designed to consolidate existing management skills and develop the more strategic skills associated with planning, leadership and workforce planning. On completion, participants received an Advanced Diploma of Business Management.

As a result of a management development project undertaken by the Organisational Development Team, the PTA developed a Professional Development Capability Framework. The competency elements in the framework will assist managers and supervisors identify development needs, and serve as a guide in planning future development programs and training courses.

Developing a Learning Organisation

Apart from the co-ordination of access to a wide range of professional development courses for PTA employees, the Study Assistance Policy provides significant support with fees and paid time off for employees to pursue both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. The policy includes provision for a Chief Executive Scholarship fund of $20,000 per annum.

Employee Engagement

The PTA surveyed all its employees in May 2006 through an “opinion poll” conducted by an external polling organisation.
Analysis of the results showed that the levels of engagement, trust and respect improved significantly since the last survey in 2003. The PTA accomplished a rating in the top quarter of 180 public and private organisations across Australia which were used to compare employee job satisfaction, motivation, commitment, pride and willingness to recommend the PTA as an employer.

The results were subsequently made available to all staff through briefings by senior managers. The PTA Executive also made a commitment for continuing attention to the areas of priority action identified by staff.

Public Sector Standards in Human Resource Management

The PTA advertised for 221 recruitment processes in the last financial year. No substantiated breaches were found against any human resource standard.

Healthy Living

Following a corporate wellness program first delivered in 2003, the organisation continued to provide access to professionally-delivered fitness assessment and training for PTA employees. This program was complemented with health promotion information and activity programs such as gym circuits and yoga.

PTA people were encouraged to participate in charity-related activities. During the year, about 130 staff participated in the Asthma Foundation Bike Hike, Radio Lollipop, Loud Shirt Day for Telethon, Activ Foundation City to Surf and the Fremantle Triathlon.

Competency-Based Training

The PTA is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) whose purpose is to provide quality training and assessment services for the PTA in compliance with the Australian Quality Training Framework and established best practice guidelines.

The PTA RTO is scoped to issue Certificates II and III in Transport and Distribution (Rail Operations) from the TDT02 Transport and Distribution Training Package.

A number of initiatives were undertaken by the RTO in 2005/06. These included:

  • Implementing the Janison database to facilitate the centralisation of training records from across the organisation.
  • Launching PTA On-line in June 2006 to provide online learning opportunities for all staff.
  • Developing and reviewing competency profiles for Signal Technicians and Maintainers, Overhead Catenary Maintainers, Passenger Ticketing Assistants and Transit Guards.
  • Delivering and administering re-qualification training for a number of operational areas.
  • Managing the $1.5 million training contract for Transperth Train Operations.

In 2005/06, the RTO team developed, delivered and reviewed competency-based training programs for the following courses:

  • Transit Guard training (new employees and re-qualification)
  • Urban Railcar Driver training (new employees and re-qualification)
  • Customer Service Assistants
  • Passenger Ticketing Assistants
  • Counter-terrorism
  • SmartRider

Training Summary


This commitment to training was recognised by the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training and PTA was presented with the 2005 Australian Training Award for excellence in Transport and Logistics.

The PTA was also recognised by the Western Australian Department of Education and Training for outstanding achievement in vocational education and training as a finalist in the 2005 Western Australian Training Excellence Awards (Large Employer of the Year).

Professional Development Training

A wide range of professional development training and education opportunities is offered to all employees through the WELL program. Courses offered include:

  • Computer training (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
  • Report writing
  • Successful meetings
  • Managing work priorities
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Workplace trainer and assessor

Labour Relations

The Organisation reviewed and modernised the Railway Employees Award and the Government Railways Locomotive Enginemen’s Award [now titled Public Transport Authority Railcar Drivers (Transperth Train Operations) Award 2006] to ensure that they are easy to understand and support workplace efficiency. The awards were then ratified in the State Industrial Tribunal.

Arising out of the award review and modernisation, the Organisation also created a new award amalgamating all the occupational groups in Transwa under a single industrial award titled Public Transport Authority (Transwa) Award 2006. It too was ratified by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The PTA also successfully negotiated five separate enterprise agreements that removed restrictive work practices which had been major sources of industrial disputation with unions. The five agreements are:

  • Public Transport Authority Railcar Drivers’ Agreement 2006 (covering railcar drivers engaged in Transperth Train Operations);
  • Public Transport Authority (Transwa) Enterprise Agreement 2006 (covering all wages employees including railcar drivers, road coach operators and passenger service assistants engaged in Transwa);
  • Public Transport Authority Railway Employees’ Enter-prise Agreement 2006 (covering wages employees employed in Transperth Train Oper-ations division and Network and Infrastructure division);
  • Public Transport Authority Railway Employee (Trades) Enterprise Agreement 2006 (covering all wages employees with trade qualifications); and
  • Salaried Officers’ Certified Agreement (Public Transport Authority) 2006 (covering all salaried employees of the Public Transport Authority).