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History

BUSY At Work is a division of BUSY Inc. a not-for-profit community organisation incorporated under the Queensland Government.

Since 1998 BUSY At Work Apprenticeships Services has played a key role in growing Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships numbers throughout Queensland and is currently the largest contracted supplier of Australian Apprenticeships Services in Queensland.

Staff Profiles

BUSY Inc

Vivienne Mallinson
CEO

Vivienne became CEO of BUSY Inc. in 1994 having joined the organisation in 1991. Vivienne is both well known and highly regarded within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry. Her leadership is driven by a passion for training and a desire to create sustainable pathways for the socially disadvantaged.

Vivienne became involved in training in the 1970s and has worked in both the public and private sectors. Vivienne’s experience has allowed her to develop relationships with all key stakeholders including employers, apprentices, training organisations and Federal/State Governments.

Vivienne is a member of the Queensland State Government’s Training and Employment Recognition Council and has been involved in a number of State working parties.

Vivienne is the Chairperson of the National Association of Australian Apprenticeship Centres, representing Queensland Australian Apprenticeship Centres and also a board member of the Australian Apprenticeships Training Information Service at a national level, which is a source of information for stakeholders throughout Australia in the VET sector.

Paul Miles
Deputy CEO

Paul has been with BUSY Inc. since January 2007 and is responsible for all operational aspects of BUSY Inc. including BUSY At Work, BUSY BEAT, BUSY Employment Solutions as well as deputising for Vivienne Mallinson.

Paul began his career in Law, however retrained as an Accountant within the Energy industry and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). In between leaving the Energy Sector and joining BUSY, Paul worked within the Financial Services industry for major Banking and Insurance organisations in both Australia and the UK.

Maria Mallinson
Strategic Innovation Divisional Manager 

Maria joined BUSY Inc. in 2007 as Compliance and Performance Manager. This included the management of the Learning and Development Team, internal auditing, Compliance and administration of BUSY’s internal database. In June 2008 she took on the role of Project Manager. In May 2009 she took on the position of Strategic Innovation Divisional Manager. This encompasses Learning and Development, Compliance, management of BUSY’s internal database and BUSY Project Office. Maria is also BUSY’s Workplace Health and Safety Officer.

 The Strategic Innovation Division objectives are:

· To research, develop and investigate feasibility of potential business opportunities to complement the current business.

· To ensure compliance within each division of BUSY Inc

· To develop, enhance and maintain BUSY’s internal database

· To ensure that all staff have the skills and up to date knowledge to perform their roles.

· To provide management with the required reporting mechanisms to enable ongoing analysis of the business.

Maria has over 25 years experience working for the British Government within the benefits system specializing in Training and welfare to Work initiatives. She also worked briefly for Centrelink before joining a Job Network where she worked in various roles for 4 years prior to joining BUSY.

BUSY At Work

Debra Van Der Togt
Executive Officer - Service Delivery

Debra joined BUSY in April 2007 to oversee the service delivery division of BUSY At Work so that BUSY both attains and exceeds its compliance key performance indictors under its contractual obligations to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Debra has a broad range of managerial experience in both the public and private sectors. This experience includes seventeen years with the New Zealand Department of Works and Income, as well as time with Job Services Australia.

Rod McShannon
General Manager - Business Relations

Rod McShannon joined BUSY in 2008 to drive initiatives to market the benefits of the apprenticeships and traineeships to stakeholders throughout Queensland. He has held senior positions with two of the largest Registered Training Organisations in Australia and is highly regarded as a result of his experience in the VET industry over the last ten years.

Rod has had hands on application with a broad scope of training packages and this allows him to provide understanding across many sectors and clients.

What does BUSY do?

As an Australian Apprenticeships Centre, BUSY is contracted by the Australian Government to deliver free Australian Apprenticeships Support Services to employers, job seekers, existing workers, schools, Job Services Australia, Registered Training Organisations, Group Training Organisations and other interested parties.

These FREE services include:

• Providing quality information, advice and assistance on Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Marketing and promoting Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships to the community.
• Assisting with the completion and lodgement of Australian Government paperwork.
• Assessing and paying employer and Australian Apprentices and trainees claims for Australian Government incentives.
• Providing comprehensive claims reporting.
• Visiting employer workplaces to undertake the sign-up and induction process.
• Working closely with Job Services Australia, Group Training Organisations and Registered Training Organisations. 

BUSY Mission Statement

In order to promote employment opportunities through Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships BUSY At Work Apprenticeships Services will:

• Commit to skilling Australia’s workforce through Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Promote Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships as a respected and valued career pathway.
• Promote skills development for existing workers.
• Dedicate attention to accurate and timely record management.
• Be the Australian Apprenticeships Centre of choice for industry across Queensland.
• Be a leading Australian Apprenticeships Centre nationally, through its role as a member of the Australian Apprenticeships Alliance.

The BUSY Difference

• Unbiased Advise - BUSY is the ONLY fully independent, not-for-profit Australian Apprenticeships Centre in Queensland. With BUSY devoted to delivering Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships support services, you can be assured that you are receiving unbiased assistance and advice when it comes to choosing a Job Services Australia, Group Training Organisation or training provider.
• Continual improvement - BUSY At Work Apprenticeships Services reinvests all profits back into the organisation to continually increase the level of servicing and support provided to clients.
• Marketing Assistance - BUSY has a dedicated Marketing team who will work with you and your team to develop customised internal communication materials to assist you in promoting the benefits of undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship or traineeship to your staff.
• Online Reporting - BUSY utilises leading edge information technology which ensures that your claims for Australian Government incentives is turned around as quickly as possible and that you have access to comprehensive online reporting, allowing you to better manage and track your entitlements.
• Service Capacity - With over 160 staff and dedicated customer service and operations centres, BUSY has the proven capacity and systems to service every clients needs, irrelevant of the size of the organisation.
• Dedicated Account Managers - Larger clients have access to a dedicated Account Manager who will provide customised support and assistance to meet the organisations specific  requirements.
• Widest Coverage in Queensland - BUSY has the widest coverage of offices across Queensland, with 14 offices located in key metropolitan and regional areas. If you are unable to visit a local office, a BUSY staff member will visit you at your workplace.
• Australia Wide Servicing - BUSY is a founding member of the Australian Apprenticeships Alliance, which is a group of key Australian Apprenticeships Centres working together to provide employers with a complete nation wide Australian Apprenticeships and traineeships solution.
• Through the establishment of a national model, the Australian Apprenticeships Alliance is able to deliver a consistent level of servicing, including access to a centralised web portal system, allowing a single point of access for employers who have Australian Apprentices and trainees managed in multiple regions.
  Whether you are a national company or operate across a number of States or regions, we can link you with our Alliance partners to access this comprehensive service.
• Training Funding Maximiser - BUSY has developed a unique ‘Training Funding Maximiser’ assessment tool which ensures that each client is made fully aware and has access to all potential government incentives and assistance available to them, taking into account their current and future skills requirements.

Australian Apprenticeships Centres Code of Conduct

The Australian Apprenticeships Centres Code of Conduct applies to all Australian Apprenticeships Centres and their staff and represents the minimum standards to be applied in all their dealings with employers, Australian Apprentices and other interested parties. It aims to ensure the delivery of high quality support services with high standards of ethical behaviour exhibited to all parties concerned.
In adhering to the Code of Conduct, Australian Apprenticeships Centres must:

• Be open and honest at all times.
• Be respectful and courteous in their dealings with all clients.
• Inform clients of their rights, obligations and entitlements.
• Ensure that provision of information is current, accurate, impartial and consistent.
• Ensure that advice about training options, particularly National Training Packages, best reflects the training needs of the employer and the Australian Apprentice.
• Adhere to the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive Programs Policy and Administrative Guidelines when determining eligibility and processing claims for Australian Apprenticeships Incentives.
• Refrain from making false or misleading statements to employers and Australian Apprentices in relation to eligibility and processing claims for Australian Apprenticeships Incentives.
•  Be easy to contact by telephone, facsimile and e-mail during normal business hours as well as maintaining easily accessible premises.
• Respond quickly and accurately to requests for information.
• Treat complaints seriously and learn from them.
• Comply with obligations under laws such as the Privacy Act 2000, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Trade Practices Act 1974.
• Not seek or accept fees, benefits or advantages either directly or indirectly from employers, Australian Apprentices or other interested parties for services funded by the Australian Government.
• Make available to any interested person details of the controls and arrangements put in place to manage conflict of interest matters where such conflicts exist.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge in respect of all Australian Apprenticeships but particularly Training Packages available within industry sectors.
• Ensure that a positive reputation and outlook for Australian Apprenticeships is promoted to State and Territory Authorities, other key stakeholders and the community.