Blueprint Blogs

We often engage in unhealthy, overly busy work habits and then justify ourselves by saying “I’ll rest on the weekend”. We work ourselves into the ground, burn the social candle at both ends, get seduced by the addictive blue light of our screens at night, and often self-medicate with an alcoholic ‘reward’. It would take the 100-year rest of Sleeping Beauty to repair our systems under those conditions! Even the relaxing benefits of annual holidays only last for a few weeks before we are back on the ‘treadmill’ of work and life, potentially feeling exhausted and overwhelmed again.

Friday the 12th of August was the last date for those keen on contributing to the final version of the new TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to have their say. This date marked the end of the second Public Validation phase – and we know these contributions are reviewed and incorporated by the IRC/SSO working groups as the first Public Validation led to changes within both the unit content and overall TAE40122 packaging rules.

So, what happens next and what does this mean for the thousands of Trainers / Assessors happily working away within Registered Training Organisation around the country?

Should you hire a Life Coach or study our Personal Empowerment Qualification?

In the last 20 years since life coaching became an alternative to counselling and business mentoring, so many people have engaged a life or business coach to help them get ahead. The services they provide are incredible for helping you do just that.

But not all coaches are equal and not all Coaching Programs are effective. The industry is unregulated, so a person can pretty much do a weekend workshop and call themselves a life coach. For obvious reasons, this could affect the end game for you.

One issue with the coaching industry is the lack of industry standards around the formal training and qualifications of the coach. In an unregulated industry, it can be difficult to distinguish between a well-intentioned amateur, a glossy motivator with good marketing skills, and a qualified, experienced coach and mentor.

It’s no act of heroism going it alone when it comes to deciding on your career options or pathways, it can be costly and time consuming. Career change can be a minefield to navigate, especially for the inexperienced person and it may not be enough to just ‘google it’. We are in the information era and not all of the information we find is good, real or trustworthy.

In these uncertain times where there are more people changing industries than ever before, it’s important to get it right so you can secure a stable position in an industry that is here to stay. And more importantly, if we have learnt anything of late, it’s to find happiness and balance in our career choices.

Recently, my twenty-two-year-old son had a major motorcycle accident right when he was about to sign up for an apprenticeship in landscape gardening. After two years of rehabilitation, he found himself physically unable to resume where he left off in the chosen career. Destiny seemed to have a different plan for him. During this time, he was stressed and depressed with moments of anxiety and uncertainty clouding his judgement of what to do next. So, we arranged a Career Counselling session for him and it changed his life direction in ways we had never considered… For the best. He is now studying Environmental Science at university! So…

One of the things covered in pre-flight briefings is that we should put on our own oxygen masks before assisting others. The metaphor is clear – in order to help others, we need to take care of ourselves first. To do otherwise risks the safety and wellbeing of all parties.

Practically though, we rush around life attending to the needs of others, depleting our own energy , breaching our own boundaries and subjecting ourselves to emotional, physical, chemical and nervous system stressors. This negatively impacts our own wellbeing and overall wellness. On many levels.

Most of the time the human body is amazing at keeping up with life. Sometimes, however, stressful events and cumulative stressors prove too difficult for our bodies to handle and bounce back from. Our health, relationships, career, finances and general wellbeing are easily compromised when we are out of balance and out of energy.

Below is a summary of the different types of stress with common examples. By pragmatically appraising and dealing with the stressors that impact our experience, we can actively pursue activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health and wellbeing.

And why this is critical to your successful completion

It’s no secret that completing TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment involves a significant amount of work, and the quality of the learning resources and support available has everything to do with how easily you will complete the qualification. The TAE (training and assessment qualification) has a notorious reputation for being a must have qualification but it’s not easy to get… unless you enrol in a quality course and receive the right level of guidance to help you through.

Coaching, and in particular, Career Coaching has been trending in the past few years – and for good reason. Following the worldwide pandemic in 2020, we first saw an increase in redundancies across Australia in most industries. Then in 2021, recruitment and hiring professionals reported a 'talent shortage' and unemployment is now lower than it has been in years.

Life-altering events and uncertainty often stimulate internal reflection for people to really consider what is important to them and what matters most when it comes to their career. Reaching out for support from a Career Coach is often the boost people need when they are at a crossroad or stagnant in their work. They are better able to confidently move into a position that excites, stimulates, and is in alignment with a focused career pathway.

If you have been thinking about becoming a Career Coach, Advisor, or Guidance Counsellor, we can help you make this a reality. In this article, we have stepped out the 5 ‘must haves' to becoming a successful career professional.

Been hearing whispers of an upgrade to the TAE40116 program? Well, the rumours are true, it’s happening, it’s a fact. The new TAE40122 draft (which arrived in our inboxes on May 2, 2022) is in the public review process and is due for release in December of this year if all goes according to plan.

For the trainers of trainers in the VET sector, the last week has been abuzz with what’s new for TAE40122. The proposed new qualification requirements could impact trainers and assessors currently working in the sector and those with future aspirations include working in vocational education and training.

Recently, I decided to grow my own tomatoes, pumpkin and I've put in a passion fruit vine as well.  Now I can hardly wait 'till I'm picking my own fruit and vegies.