Skills Education Presenters
Experts in their fields of interest
Allison Miller
Allison Miller is the Director and Lead Consultant of Digital Capability, an organisation which specialises in cutting edge online learning and online business strategies and solutions.
Allison has a Master of Learning and Development (Organisational Development), Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Bachelor of Education (Secondary Business), Diploma of VET, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Diploma of Business, Certificate IV in Business Administration and Certificate III in Government.
Allison has been involved in education and training for over twenty-five years as an educator, e-learning leader and innovator, and as a disruptive change manager. Allison also helps businesses take advantage of opportunities in a digital world through supporting them to think strategically when using digital technologies.
Allison also leads ePortfolios Australia – a professional network which aims to support the use of e-portfolio practice in Australia and beyond through professional development activities and the sharing of research, resources, ideas and practice. In this role, Allison works with individuals from leading educational institutions, both within Australia and in Europe, New Zealand and North America.
Allison specialises in building digital capability in organisations and individuals through action-based learning techniques which utilise creative thinking, collaboration and problem-solving techniques. Allison also uses e-mentoring and e-coaching techniques to develop digital mindsets which embeds digital-first thinking.
Allison also helps educational organisations ensure that their training and assessment is effective, engaging and compliant, especially online.
Allison uses her extensive education and experience to ensure her clients use strategic thinking on e-designs and e-implementations, basing her information on tried and tested current, as well as emerging, digital capability and business development strategies.
Allison’s wide-ranging project management experience ensures the projects she is involved in are successful by being well planned and managed, and that the right stakeholders are consulted, engaged and involved to ensure project goals are achieved.
Allison’s current educator experience includes facilitating fully online, post-graduate ICT programs which enable international students to gain Australian workplace and business experience for the Australian Computer Society. She is also a DeakinCo. Credential Assessor, assessing credentials in a broad range of professional and business areas, up to and including the Master/Expert level. Allison also has experience delivering accredited online training and assessing in the areas of the Diploma in VET, Diploma of Training Design and Development and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for Swinburne University of Technology, as well as the Certificate II in Business up to Diploma of Business and the Diploma of Business Administration for TAFE SA.
Contact and connect with Allison:
Chemène Sinson
Chemène is the founder and Principal at Blackwater Projects, an independent practice that provides advice, products and services related to ‘best practice’ learning and assessment that leads to improved performance.
Chemène has been actively involved in VET since 2000 and specialises in TAE qualifications. She draws on her diverse experiences as elite athlete and coach, schoolteacher and vocational trainer to deliver engaging and impactful TAE programs. She has written TAE materials that more than 100 RTOs have used since their first release in 2010. Chemène supports experienced facilitators and assessors with their ongoing professional development and is a sought-after speaker at conferences and special events.
Chemène works with her professional network to remain informed of the latest research and trends in learning and performance around the world.
Contact and connect with Chemène:
David Jepsen
With over 25 years’ experience as a practicing CA, David Jepsen is the Founder and Principal of RTO Accountants. David started his career at KPMG, moving onto mid-tier accounting firms and commercial roles with Citigroup, Zurich, CBA and others in Sydney and London before setting up an accounting practice in 2001. Offering commercial and realistic advice, David believes the foundation for business success is built upon strong, trusted and lasting client partnerships.
David is commercially minded and works collaboratively with clients to develop strategies and solutions for complex business challenges. Having worked in accounting firms as well as public and private businesses, David has a breadth of experience in accounting, taxation, business advisory, financial control and CFO roles, ensuring his clients receive top-level, expert advice.
With extensive experience working with RTOs and training businesses, David has been heavily involved in advising and negotiating the sale of training businesses.
A passionate Rugby fanatic, David played and had extensive involvement at both Randwick and Woollahra. While his playing days are behind him, he still loves and avidly follows the game. David also takes part in various other sporting pursuits, including yoga, running and competing in ocean kayak races.
Contact and connect with David:
Ian Whitehouse
Ian is an experienced executive and currently the CEO and Managing Director of Digital Coaching and Consultancy Pty Ltd and Director of International Business for 888 Fortune Enterprise Pty Ltd.
Ian has worked in a number of other senior roles including as a Director and CEO/PEO of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Regional Manager Compliance for the Australian Skills Qualification Authority (ASQA), Accredited Business Advisor for Enterprise Services Tasmania and as a Master’s lecturer for the School of Information Systems and Computing and the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania.
Ian holds a number of qualifications including in Applied Computing, Education, Management and Leadership and is a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.
Contact and connect with Ian:
LinkedIn | +61 0421 102 393
Marc Ratcliffe
Marc Ratcliffe is a multi-award-winning trainer, author and education entrepreneur. He is the CEO and founder of MRWED Training and Assessment and has been involved in the VET Sector for more than 25 years. Marc is a strong advocate for "edu-tainment" and believes that learner involvement and fun are integral to student success.
He continues to be an in-demand conference speaker and workshop facilitator, having presented at more than 50 conferences in a dozen countries in the past decade. He has also presented training-related workshops internationally in the UK, North America, Africa and Asia and is one of only two people in Australia certified to deliver Bob Pike’s Train-the-Trainer Boot Camp, the world’s most respected train-the-trainer program.
Contact and connect with Marc:
W: mrwed.edu.au
Mick Gwyther
Mick commenced e-learning while working with disadvantaged learners in the Victorian ACE sector in the mid-1990s.
He began mentoring ACE teachers around digital teaching and learning in 1998 before setting up an RTO.
Now part of Yum Studio, he oversees a variety of coaching, mentoring and training programs to assist educators and RTOs to introduce learner centred approaches to digital learning.
Michael is also a digital learning writer, designer and digital facilitation coach and VET trainer.
Contact and connect with Mick:
Tamara Simon
Tamara Simon is Australia’s Only Dedicated RTO Business Coach helping overwhelmed RTO Owners and CEOs manage their growing RTO business.
Tamara is all about the HOW so her sessions are known for practical ideas you can immediately implement and some tough love when needed.
Her energy and understanding of the challenges facing anyone running an RTO as they juggle managing their time, staff, systems and compliance AND growing the business is evident in her stories and ability to problem solve on the go.
With 24 years of VET and business management experience including FITAB’s CEO, Tamara’s mantra is “if you don’t like compliance and don’t like change, then don’t work for an RTO or be one”.
Tamara has provided numerous firsts for the VET sector including:
Her acclaimed RTO business book: The Five Little RTO Pigs
RTO Grow - Australia’s Only PD Program providing information and tools to manage and grow an RTO business (12 modules)
Coach In The Corner - The Only Business Coaching Membership Program for those running (and aspiring to run) an RTO business
Tamara’s leadership was recognised as a Queensland Finalist in the Telstra Young Business Women’s Awards and IML’s Excellence Awards; and receiving QITC’s ‘Leadership in VET’ Award.
Contact and connect with Tamara:
Facebook | RTO Business Group on LinkedIn | Twitter - @TheBSI4U
Urszula Richards
Urszula (Ursh) Richards is the Director of Web Team Adelaide - a boutique website and marketing company - and is an educator/mentor for small business owners.
Urszula has overseen the development of hundreds of websites, and trained and mentored business owners over the last 10 years. She also has extensive experience in the VET sector delivering online and offline training as a lecturer in Community Services at Central TAFE (WA), and being a Learning Technology Mentor - providing lecturers and students alike with an introduction to teaching and learning online.
Urszula has seen first-hand how difficult it can be for business owners to navigate the digital ecosystem - especially for those not technologically inclined. She knows how vital it is to develop an understanding of the digital ecosystem to be able to engage with this framework and run a successful business. Which is why, most recently, Urszula was contracted as a business marketing advisor for City of Charles Sturt to provide a consultancy service for small business owners and to help engage the local business community. She implemented a part of the City's ‘Engagement with Business’ strategy through its Facebook Business page.
Additionally, Urszula recognises that marketing fundamentals, and how to implement them, must be embedded in learning and training because excellent technical execution does not necessarily mean customer engagement, conversion or results.
Included in Urszula’s considerable training experience is:
Eight years in curriculum development, and face-to-face and online delivery at Central TAFE (WA)
Eight years of creating and delivering training to various business-focused organisations such as the Polaris Centre, and Propel SA (formerly the Eastside Business Enterprise Centre)
Urszula has created the Online Business Roadmap to guide and support businesses to work through their specifics, to ensure that time, money and focus is spent on the right things, in the right order, and to avoid the very common experience of overwhelm in the digital environment which business owners face.
Urszula is currently working on the development of a toolkit with models and resources in the realm of business, marketing and technology.
Contact and connect with Ursh:
W: Onlineiq.biz
Michelle Charlton
Michelle first entered workplace training in 1993. Since then, she has worked for a variety of organisations of various sizes, in both the public and private sector. Michelle has a passion for learning and development and looks to cultivate and share this at every opportunity.
As the Principal of her organisation, Michelle works with her team to provide specialised VET and RTO support services including:
- Writing and resource development
- Assessment review
- Assessment marking
- Assessment validation
- Professional Development information and activities
Michelle is an experienced presenter and facilitator, a qualified trainer and assessor, and has industry qualifications and experience in project management, leadership and management, training and education, and business operations.
She holds tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Adult and Vocational Education, and Training and Development.
Contact and connect with Michelle:
W: specialisedvetservices.com.au
Facebook | VET PD Group on LinkedIn | Specialised VET Services on Instagram