A Baulkham Hills storeman turned sales engineer has credited TAFE NSW for helping him upskill throughout his 19-year stint at a leading hydraulics company and is urging others looking for a career promotion or career change to do the same. 

Mark Wilkinson has completed three courses at TAFE NSW during his career, which have helped him climb the ranks at his employer, Southcott. He is now undertaking an Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management in pursuit of a promotion to a managerial position.  

Leadership and management skills are highly sought after by employers, with a TAFE Enterprise Skills and Australian Business Report revealing almost half of businesses identified management and leadership training as a top area of focus for training investments last year.

Mark said the various courses he studied at TAFE NSW throughout his career have been crucial in making sure his skills were up-to-date for career development.  

“Working in the industry for 19 years has meant that many of the skills I started with have become antiquated as the industry advances, which is why I turned to TAFE NSW to ensure I had the relevant skills needed to take the next step in my career.  

“The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management has provided me with the practical skills required for leading diverse teams, managing a budget, as well as developing financial and operational plans, which are skills that can be applied to any industry,” Mark said. 

“At Southcott we truly value the knowledge and skills our employees bring to the company, which is why we are constantly investing in training for staff, giving them the opportunity to take their career to the next level.” 

A report by the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that as many as 375 million workers—or 14 percent of the global workforce—would have to switch occupations or acquire new skills by 2030, with the economic impacts of COVID-19 accelerating the need to upskill or reskill.1 

TAFE NSW Team Leader in Business Services, Karen Robertson, said the Leadership and Management course provided practical skills highly sought after by employers. 

“The nationally recognised Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management equips students with the tools and strategies they need to lead an organisation to success,” Ms Robertson said. 

“These are skills employers are looking for, particularly off the back of a pandemic where leadership and management have been paramount to a business’ ability to operate.” 

TAFE NSW runs leadership and management courses from a Certificate IV level right up to the Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management. 

To find out more about TAFE NSW leadership and management courses, visit https://www.tafensw.edu.au/courses/business-and-management-courses or call 131 601 

Media contact: Jessica Cortis TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner, 0456 170 211.