Professional Development and Short courses
Professional Development courses are short courses that can provide you with comprehensive and in-depth knowledge on a particular subject. Some Professional Development courses provide a pathway to our Professional Diploma and Certificate programs. See the Pathways to Diplomas tab for more information.
Click on the title of each Professional Development course for more information about that course and when it is running. We offer Professional Development short courses in the following areas:
Business essentials
Accounting for Managers
1 day
Acquire the skills and knowledge to manage financial performance within an organisation.
Business Writing Skills
1 day
Write clear, concise business documents your audience will read, understand and respond to.
Carbon Accounting
2 days
Prepare your business for a carbon constrained economy and the new greenhouse gas emissions legislation.
Identify, Assess and Manage Risk
1 day
Learn how to identify, characterise, and assess risks.
Manage Quality Customer Service
1 day
Develop competitive advantage through excellence in customer service.
Marketing for Managers
1 day
Select and implement the right marketing mix for your organisation.
Project Management Essentials
2 days
Develop the skills to complete a project on time, to budget and within the project specifications.
The New Sales Professional
2 days
Modern opportunities to selling for those new in a sales and business development role.
Leading and Managing
Contract Risk Management
2 days
Learn the essence of successful contract risk management.
Creating High Performing Teams
1 day
Learn how to establish performance goals and plans for your team and provide the necessary support.
Developing Leadership Qualities
1 day
Lead your team with passion and influence.
Emotional Intelligence for Leaders
1 day
Gain insight to think intelligently about your own and others' emotions.
Essential Skills for the New Manager
2 days
Develop skills and knowledge to perform in a leadership role.
Human Resources Management Essentials
2 days
In two days, learn the broader functions of HR in organisations and develop your management skills.
Leading Innovation in the Workplace
1 day
Innovation is a powerful tool that can help unlock business and people potentials.
Managing for Maximum Performance
1 day
Learn how to motivate your people so they can achieve their potential.
Managing Legal Contracts
2 days
Acquire the skills and knowledge to manage financial performance within an organisation.
Personal Effectiveness
Conflict Management in the Workplace
1 day
Learn how to deal effectively with conflict, dominant personalities and barriers to effective communication.
Dealing with Difficult People
1 day
Develop strategies for managing stressful environments and challenging people.
Negotiation Skills
1 day
Achieving positive outcomes while maintaining relationships.
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
1 day
Overcome your fear and present with confidence when speaking to a group of any size.
Stress Resilience and Worklife Balance Concepts
1 day
Learn ways to become more resilient and manage stress.
Time and Priority Management
1 day
Learn how to manage yourself and your workplace and identify development opportunities to take your next career step.
Women with Influence
1 day
Some people watch what happened, some wonder what happened and others: make it happen.
Computing Skills
Writing Website and Intranet Content
1 day
Perfect for anyone who needs to write, re-write, or edit their organisation's website or intranet.
DreamWeaver
2 days
Familiarise yourself with this popular web publishing program.
Microsoft Access courses
1 day
Microsoft Access courses for beginner and intermediate users.
Microsoft Excel courses
1 day
Microsoft Excel courses for beginner, intermediate and advanced users.
Microsoft Word courses
1 day
Microsoft Word courses for beginner and intermediate users.
Microsoft Powerpoint courses
1 day
Learn to design slides, flyers and slide shows enhancing colour and animations to captivate your audience.
Microsoft Outlook courses
1 day
Bring your Microsoft Outlook skills and knowledge up to an intermediate level.
Microsoft Project courses
1 day
Microsoft Project courses for beginner, intermediate and advanced users.
MYOB courses
Varies, see course information
Learn the most effective and efficient ways to use this popular accounting program.
Project Management incorporating Microsoft Project
2 days
Fully utilise Microsoft Project to complete a project on time, to budget and within the project specification.
About our courses
Our Professional Development courses are designed to offer you practical application within a work environment and enhance your skills and knowledge in areas such as finance, leadership, coaching and sales management and other business disciplines. Projects can be applied to your current work, providing you with practical outcomes.
Pathway into a Professional Diploma or Certificate
Certain Profressional Development courses can provide pathways into a Professional Diploma. Which means you have the option of formalising your study with a nationally recognised qualification when you are ready. For more information see the Pathways to Diplomas tab.
Customised workshops
Swinburne has been offering professional development to individuals and companyies for many years and since 2002, well over 1500 businesses – public and private, national and international – have engaged with Swinburne to deliver customised in-house courses that are designed to achieve results.
Our Professional Development courses can be delivered in your workplace, at one of our campuses, or a blend of delivery modes with online support. Examples and information provided in the courses can be tailored for your organisation or industry. In fact, offering tailored training and development programs that specifically suit your business needs is key to our approach.
Taster programs
To meet new trends and industry demands we continually add new courses to our suite and offer taster programs. At these taster programs you have the opportunity to meet our facilitators, engage with industry experts and take advantage of our regular networking opportunities.
To keep informed about upcoming taster programs and networking opportunities please register for our newsletter or send an email to industrysolutions@swin.edu.au to be added to our e-mailing list.
Pathways into Professional Diplomas and Certificates
Below is a list of all the Professional Development short courses that can provide a pathway into a Professional Diploma or Certificate upon satisfactory completion of the assessment criteria. An explanation follows the table.
| Professional Development workshop | Equivalent unit of competency | Unit of competency code | Assessment price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting for Managers | Manage budgets and financial plans | BSBFIM501A | $100 |
| Business Writing Skills | Write complex documents | BSBWRT401A | $100 |
| Conflict Management in the Workplace | Manage conflict | PSPGOV508A | $100 |
| Creating High Performing Teams | Ensure team effectiveness | BSBWOR502B | $100 |
| Developing Leadership Qualities | Provide leadership | PSPGOV511A | $100 |
| Identify, Assess and Manage Risk | Manage Risk | BSBRSK501B | $100 |
| Leading Innovation in the Workplace | Build and sustain an innovative work environment | BSBINN502A | $100 |
| Manage Quality Customer Service | Manage Quality Customer Service | BSBCUS501C | $100 |
| Managing for Maximum Performance | Manage people performance | BSBMGT502B | $100 |
| Marketing for Managers | Establish and adjust the marketing mix | BSBMKG502B | $100 |
| Project Management Essentials | Manage Projects | BSBPMG510A | $100 |
| Self Coaching for Success | Manage personal work priorities and professional development | BSBWOR501B | $100 |
FAQ
Below are some answers to some common questions regarding pathwaying from a Professional Development course to a Professional Diploma or Certificate. Click on the question to see the answer. If you have a different question, please contact us.
Where can I find more information about Professional Diplomas or Certificates?
To view more information on our range of Professional Diplomas and Certificates, as well as seeing which units form part of which qualifications, please visit our Professional Diplomas page.
I notice each course/unit has two titles. Which is correct?
The title in the first column is the name of the Professional Development short course. By themselves, Professional Development courses are unaccredited short courses that can provide you with comprehensive and in-depth knowledge on a particular subject.
The title in the second column is the name of the unit from the certificate/diploma, which is set by the VET Quality Framework and forms a unit of competency for that qualification.
So if I complete a Professional Development course I can get credit for that unit in a diploma?
Yes, but there are some things to consider.
An additional assessment piece must be satisfactorily completed for you to be considered competent in this unit. Just attending the Professional Development course without passing the assessments will not grant you credit for this unit.
If the diploma or certificate course you choose does not include the unit you have completed as part of its outline, then you will not gain credit towards your course for that unit. To check what units are part of each course, please visit our Professional Diplomas and Certificates pages.
Most importantly, this pathway option is only available to students entering the Professional Diplomas or Certificates. Pathways into any other program offered by Swinburne would be considered on a case by case basis and entry cannot be guaranteed.
If I complete multiple Professional Development courses and their related assessments, can I get credit for each of them?
Yes. The same requirements listed in the previous answer will also apply to each unit you are seeking credit for.
Will I be missing out on anything if I just register for the Professional Development course?
This is the unique relationship between Professional Development courses and Professional Diplomas and Certificates, as compared to other TAFE qualifications offered by Swinburne.
The majority of Professional Diploma and Certificate units are delivered in workshop format, with each workshop being whole-encompassing and self-contained in terms of the information provided.
There are some units that are delivered across consecutive sessions or have prerequisite requirements. These provide diploma and certificate students with skill progression and development. These units are not offered as Professional Development courses.
Which course or unit title will appear on my certificate?
Upon successful completion of the Professional Development course you will receive a certificate confirming your attendance in the course with the title as in the first column.
Upon successful completion of your Professional Diploma or Certificate, your will receive a testamur which will include the unit title as in the second column.
What will my grade be on my diploma or certificate transcript?
All of these units are competency based. So you will be resulted as either competent or not-competent instead of a graded result.
What assessment do I need to complete to gain competency?
Assessments vary by course. Your facilitator can provided more information.
When do I have to choose if I want to undertake the additional assessment or not?
There is a three week time period in which to submit the assessments for the unit, so you would need to register in time to be able to achieve this. We recommend that you register for the assessment within one week of the workshop.
How and when do I pay for the assessment?
You will receive an invoice shortly after registering for the assessment. Payment is due within 30 days of the invoice.
I attended a short course with Swinburne in 2012 (or earlier). Can I just complete an assessment and gain the same benefit?
Please contact us on 1800 633 560.
"Cyril Jankoff [facilitator] is relentless in his research to ensure that students and classes benefit from the latest thinking and the most relevant case studies. This commitment to excellence is evident in all his teaching and programs, ensuring practical insights and guidance for those who attend."
Tim Cummins | Founder & CEO IACCM | Accounting for Managers