Fingerprint Me, Ducere: online study with career coaching

A partnership by youth academy Fingerprint Me and education provider Ducere will help young people move to employment.

Fingerprint Me Youth Employment Academy founder and executive director Peter Coronica.

Young Australians will be able to combine online study with career coaching and mentoring following a partnership between the Fingerprint Me youth employment academy and education provider Ducere. The program will help young people move from education to employment, and provide counselling to students studying online degrees.

Fingerprint Me chief executive Peter Coronica says the academy provides career coaches, councillors and mental health specialists to help young people move to long-term jobs.

Fingerprint Me’s independence will ensure the best outcome for students and higher employment rates, Ducere’s Omar de Silva says.

Studies have found young people are likelier to engage in online education than previous generations but may be missing out on the support that live learning environments can provide.

Bigger bonuses

Morgan McKinley’s 2015 Commerce and Industry Bonus Survey has found 77 per cent of professionals working within the sectors received a bonus in the past financial year, and 45 per cent say their bonus was higher or significantly higher when compared with the previous financial year.

Morgan McKinley Australia associate director of finance and IT Matt Jacobs says it is important to make sure the bonus component of remuneration packages offered to top candidates is competitive.

“Many organisations have become leaner through the global financial crisis and in several cases are beginning to deliver better results in comparison to a few years ago, which is also having a positive impact on bonus payouts,” Jacobs says.

The survey found 48 per cent of respondents were satisfied with their payout, but 52 per cent were neutral or dissatisfied with their bonus. Almost three-quarters of respondents received a bonus of up to 20 per cent of their annual salary, and about a quarter received between 20 per cent and 70 per cent of their salary in bonus.

Communicating skill

The Public Relations Institute of Australia will team with Innovation & Business Skills Australia to create a suite of Australian qualifications for the communications and public relations professions.

PRIA general manager Graham Le Roux says the associations have spent 18 months consulting with members, communication educators and human resources representatives to establish skill and competency sets for future PR professionals.

“We need to ensure that our education and training framework is mapped to the skill set that can deliver on the productivity, innovation and performance expectations,” Le Roux says.

He says the partnership will strengthen PRIA’s alignment with accredited public relations and communication universities, launch a professional framework for PR and communication professionals, and a professional development program.

Mobile call

Skillsoft research has found mobile learning enhances employee efficiency, improves business results and reduces staff turnover.

Skillsoft regional director Rosie Cairnes says while mobile learning is in its infancy in Australia and New Zealand, it is set for rapid growth.

Of the organisations Skillsoft surveyed for its State of Mobile Learning in Australia and New Zealand report, 28 per cent have already adopted mobile learning, while 38 per cent are planning to.

The research shows a disparity between the learning opportunities favoured by employers and those desired by employees, with organisations focused on compliance and product knowledge while staff want software training and leadership development.