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Student Name: BALRAJ SINGH RANDHAWA

Student ID No.: 21638735

Unit Name: Human Resource Development

Unit Code: MNG00704

Tutor’s name: Ajay Kumar

Assignment No.: 1

Assignment Title:

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Executive summary
In today’s modern business era every firm is considering their employees
most important and valuable asset of their organisation. Which is leading
them to indulge in human resource activities to enhance their employee’s
potential up to maximum level. Beside this every origination has got their
own cultural values and beliefs. So HRD helps to build a skills and
knowledge to maintain the productivity of their employees.

This report deals with training programme carried out by AFMA in their
organisation. Starting with organisation AFMA is a fishery department of
Australia established in 1992 to look after fishery agriculture in Australia.
Further the report discusses the implementation strategy of AFMA in its
HRD programme. The implementation stage of HRD involves the
interaction of three major operations that are managing and coordinating
the programme, utilising micro skills and conducting learning objectives.
There are various methods of training including on job training and off job
training Now in the case of AFMA in order to implement the aim of a
skilled workforce that is responsive to change, current and future skills
gaps need to be identified. It is recognised that, while some training is
relevant across all levels of staff, other needs are specific to certain
levels, based on work requirements. This does not mean that staffs are
restricted to training within their current level but rather identifies the
minimum competencies expected of staff working at a given level. A
structured program, based on these groups and streams, will be
developed so that staffs have the opportunity to learn in a manner that is
appropriate and cost effective. Critique of their implementation has been
done sating that they should focus on job training method. Next
evaluation of AFMA has been discussed. Training evaluation is a very
important stage for a successful Training and Development (T&D)
programme, this activity is the most neglected and problematic. As a
result, T&D has been considered in many organisations as a waste of
money and time, a cost which needs to be minimised and is often
perceived as an ineffective process in which the HRD Plan will be
reviewed twice yearly at mid-year to review progress, and towards the
end of the year to assist in preparing the following year's priorities and
Plan. The review process will be undertaken in parallel with the annual
budgetary cycle and the performance management cycle. After this
critique about their evaluation has been given that they are not focusing
on their time constraint and cost factor. The issue of confidentiality,
informed consent, withholding training, the use of deception, and pressure
to produce results all impinge on the evaluative process has been stated.
At last recommendation about their improvement has been given as AFMA
should try to give preference to on job training method in which new
officials sit next to old and experienced official and learn from them while

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carrying out day to day activities. This would be effective as AFMA has a
well structured and planned training programme. AFMA should be
indulging in giving role play on their training programme that will help
their employees to tackle problem when occurred in real life situations

Table of contents:
Page No.

1. Introduction...................................................................................................
.......... 4
2. Implementation ............................................................................................
..........5
3. Evaluation ....................................................................................................
...........8
4. Recommendation .........................................................................................
..........9
5. Conclusion ...................................................................................................
........10
6. References ..................................................................................................
.......11

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Introduction
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) was founded in
February 1992. Their operations are governed by the Fisheries
Administration Act 1991 and the Fisheries Management Act 1991. These
laws created a statutory authority model for fisheries management
whereby day-to-day management of fisheries was vested in AFMA, with
the broader fisheries policy, international negotiations and strategic
issues being administered by a smaller group within the then Department
of Primary Industries and Energy (now the Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry). An important feature of the AFMA model is that it
enables the Minister with portfolio responsibility for fisheries to remain at
arm’s length from the day-to-day decisions on fisheries management.
Decision making is passed to an expertise based Board. In turn, the Board
is advised by a Management Advisory Committee (MAC) structure which
draws its membership from relevant stakeholder groups, including the
commercial fishing industry. HRD goes beyond the traditional concepts of
training and development through coursework. It should look at the
methods that are most appropriate for achieving the desired learning’s
and encompasses and includes, but is not limited to, on-the-job training,
placements, rotations, research, seminars, mentoring, coaching and
study. Indeed, without this broader framework, most training ends up as
wasted money. AFMA has a commercially-oriented work environment
requiring staffs who is client focused and outcome-oriented, able to
respond quickly to unforeseen changes, and able to develop options for
action through negotiation, liaison, and skilful communication as well as
recourse to regulation. AFMA has approached its employees by workplace
learning. Workplace Learning is that learning which derives its purpose
from the context of employment. It should address the needs and
interests of a variety of stakeholders including employees, potential
employees, employers and government. It is a process of learning which
enables individuals, employers and organisations to respond to the
changing nature of economic activity, contribute to improved efficiency

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and productivity in employment, meet the personal and career
development needs of individual. (AFMA, 2009)

Implementation Programme in
AFMA
The implementation stage of HRD involves the interaction of three
major operations that are managing and coordinating the
programme, utilising micro skills and conducting learning
objectives. There are various methods of training including on job
training and off job training Now in the case of AFMA in order to
implement the aim of a skilled workforce that is responsive to
change, current and future skills gaps need to be identified which
are discussed below:
• Current skills gaps are those skills and abilities that
AFMA needs in its people now but are either missing
or need development for fully effective performance.
AFMA's Performance Recognition Scheme will assist
with the identification of those staff whose skills
require development
• Future skills gaps are those skills and abilities that
AFMA will need in the next two to five years. By
identifying them now, AFMA can start to address the
needs in a structured and cost effective manner.
Once the needs have been identified, individuals
must be assessed as to their level of competence
and appropriate action commenced
These skills gaps are further broken down into corporate and job-
specific training needs:

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 • Corporate training needs are those skills that are applicable
across most or all of the organisation
• Job-specific training needs are those skills that are specific to
a particular area or position example legal skills, fisheries
management
It is recognised that, while some training is relevant across all levels
of staff, other needs are specific to certain levels, based on work
requirements. This does not mean that staffs are restricted to
training within their current level but rather identifies the minimum
competencies expected of staff working at a given level. A
structured program, based on these groups and streams, will be
developed so that staffs have the opportunity to learn in a manner
that is appropriate and cost effective. AFMA also recognises the
importance of preparing staff to undertake higher level work. This is
important from a succession planning perspective as well as
ensuring that high performance capabilities are developed.
Achieving this will benefit both AFMA and staff. The streams,
therefore, will address not only the skills required for the current
level but also those skills that may be needed for effective
performance at the next level.
It is recognised that, while some training is relevant across all
levels of staff, other needs are specific to certain levels, based on
work requirements. This does not mean that staff is restricted to
training within their current level but rather identifies the minimum
competencies expected of staff working at a given level. There are
five streams of identified learning competencies. These streams
are:
• management and leadership skills
• general skills
• information technology skills
• communication skills
• job-specific skills
A structured program, based on these groups and streams, will be
developed so that staff has the opportunity to learn in a manner
that is appropriate and cost effective. (AFMA, 2009)

Critique
As we can see from the above case AFMA has taken all the necessary
steps to implement its training programme in successful manner.
According to brooks there are number of considerations when deciding
how to structure training a training event before choosing the training
method, following are some of factors that are to be kept in mind while
training:

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 • The number of learners
• The aim and objectives of intervention
• The resources available
• Timescale
• Organisational demands

In AFMA above mentioned factors has been considered as we can see that
they have given focus on giving specific training to employees according
their job specifications. They understand meaning and benefit of off job
and on job training. But they are pursuing more of off job training.

In an off training a distinction is made here between learning or training

that occurs on the job that tales place off job. This is an oversimplification
since usually what is learned off job is transferred back to work. But
however according to Brooks in off job training organisation operate on a
menu of training programme from which managers choose. Selected
employees are told that they are going on a course and then hear no
more until they turn up at training centre. So off job training is not as
effective sometimes. Beside these AFMA is focussing on developing skills
such as information technology by means of e-learning which is a
computerised programme providing structured learning opportunity and
individual learners progress at their pace and providing feedback through
knowledge of their results. To implement a training there are some kind of
analysis which a company has to do. For example organisational strategy,
group level, Industry level, and Individual level. (Study guide,2009)

Evaluation
Although training evaluation is a very important stage for a successful
Training and Development (T&D) programme, this activity is the most
neglected and problematic. As a result, T&D has been considered in many
organisations as a waste of money and time, a cost which needs to be
minimised and is often perceived as an ineffective process. The majority
of the organisations evaluate their training programme usually there is an
absence of systematic and effective procedures for evaluation, and most
of the organisations rely on external providers to evaluate their T&D

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programmes. The most popular evaluation tools and technique used are
questionnaires, and the most common model used is the Kirkpatrick
model, however, the most common level of evaluation is the reaction
level. Implications for the findings of the current study and directions for
future research are discussed in the paper. (Rphrm, 2009) Below
paragraph explain how AFMA has considered their evaluation stage.

The HRD Plan will be reviewed twice yearly at mid-year to review

progress, and towards the end of the year to assist in preparing the
following year's priorities and Plan. The review process will be
undertaken in parallel with the annual budgetary cycle and the
performance management cycle.
The success of the HRD Plan will be assessed against the objectives
and performance indicators for each stream and group. Evaluation
will take place at three levels:
 The program level in terms of impact on productivity,
efficiency and program objectives.
 The level of the individual in terms of competency
development and improvement in work performance and
productivity.
 The delivery level in terms of the cost effectiveness,
efficiency. appropriateness of delivery and administration.

Critique
In this stage the most important thing is that whether the
learners have been qualified enough to cope up with the real
life situations. The evaluation of AFMA focused on the
competency and increasing of productive environment of
their employees but their cost were not justified by merely
stating there will still be a central budget administered by
Human Resources that will address corporate training needs
as well as other developmental opportunities such as study
and graduate training within this budget there will also be a
notional branch allocation to cater for individual
requirements, or identified needs specific to a branch.
Training conferences and seminars may also come out of
branch allocations. This will allow costs to be more accurately
allocated across the various fisheries. Data collection and
reporting will be the responsibility of the Human Resources
Section, to enable the review and evaluation of the plan.
Moreover there is issue of confidentiality, informed consent,
withholding training, the use of deception, and pressure to
produce results all impinge on the evaluative process. The

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 most important thing about E-learning i.e. the employees
sometimes do not complete the E-learning process they
complete one module and after that without any reading of
product attributes employee copy all the information from
internet and fill the questions. A normal task in E-learning of
any product took 10-15 minutes but due to without any lock
on other program a employee can fill the questions just in 2-3
minutes and complete the task to show the figure about
training program on the paper. They haven’t done enough
about timing of the training programme which is crucial now
days.

Recommendations
In this part I would like to recommend that AFMA should try to give
preference to on job training method in which new officials sit next to old
and experienced official and learn from them while carrying out day to
day activities. This would be effective as AFMA has a well structured and
planned training programme. AFMA should be indulging in giving role
play on their training programme that will help their employees to tackle
problem when occurred in real life situations. They have bit lengthy
training programme so they should focus on having time constraint in it
which is crucial now days. Even before implementation stage they need to
put more emphasis on the core phases like SHRD (strategic Human
Resource Development), need analysis, Design phase. They need to

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strengthen the operational and technical working skills in order to have
quality, efficient, competitive and sustainable National Agriculture and
Fisheries Education System (NAFES) in the country. In the evaluation they
haven’t clearly stated their budget which is vital as to look that cost
justifies the training programme or not. Employees need to give regular
feedback on training programmes with suggestion that how it can be
more tuned up for next time as new employees can gain hundred percent
benefits from it. They need to have some mentor and motivational
techniques so that employees can fully concertante on their job after
training.

Conclusion
At last I would conclude that AFMA has done well with their training programme
by focussing on developing various skills of their employees by their well
structured and organised training session. They have tried to learn and cover
from their past mistakes and have been continuously improving in their training
field. Moreover Human Resource Development (HRD) has been helping

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employees to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and
abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee
training, employee career development, performance management and
development, coaching, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition
assistance, and organization development. The focus of all aspects of Human
Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the
organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service
to customers.

References

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• About us, 2009, [online]. Available at
www.afma.gov.au/about/career/plan.htm[viewed on 11/10/2009]
• Delahaye, BL 2005, Human Resource Development: adult learning
and knowledge management, 2nd edn, Wiley, Brisbane.
• Delahaye, BL 2005, Human Resource Development, Study Guide, East
Lismore, NSW.
• Issue, 2009, [online]. Available at
rphrm.curtin.edu.au/2009/issue1/jordan.html viewed on 10/10/09.

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