Ah, internships. Everyone knows how important they can be at the beginning of anyone’s career. Being an intern is a unique opportunity. It is when students start a long journey towards their dream career and go through a big transformation of thoughts, beliefs, posture and attitudes that are very likely to define the future of their professional lives. This is their opportunity to see years of studies and theories put into practice. This is when they understand what is really like to be an engineer, an accountant, or whatever profession they have chosen. And that is probably when they realise if they have made the right choice. An internship is usually students’ first contact with a work environment, and having a positive experience will be decisive in a promising future. The benefits for students are so numerous and somehow obvious, that it may be hard to realise why a student wouldn’t be interested in going through this experience. Employers however, may find it hard to see the benefits on their side, thinking about the time they have to spare for an intern in the office. What they might fail to realise is that this can be an enriching experience for both the employer and the intern. Who wouldn’t want to have a qualified individual working for you, with fresh knowledge, just waiting for an opportunity to use it? Who wouldn’t want someone who is eager to work and learn everything about your business? Not to mention an intern can be a freshly new perspective over your old processes and procedures and perhaps they can have a better idea for that thing you have always done this way… Besides, college graduates belong to a generation that is very technology savvy and they definitely learn fast! What’s more, what a wonderful experience it is to teach someone how to do something and pass on your knowledge and skills to someone else. The whole process of teaching and explaining will improve your communication skills (something that every professional, despite their experience should work on) and it might make you realise that a few of your processes are idle and perhaps useless. Having an intern will give you the opportunity to rethink your organisation, your routine. It will bring innovative ideas and contribute to a changing work environment. Let’s not even mention here that such employees are of very low cost for the company and might be a good solution for the help you need with the low budget you have. Last but not least, how great would it be for you to contribute positively to someone starting their career? We have all started at some point, and you might remember someone who taught you a lot when you were young and eager to start your professional life. Why can’t you be this someone in someone else’s life? And how great would it be if they left your company praising you and your team and giving the word of mouth marketing we all know is very effective. How great is it to have people wanting to work for you? Or better yet, what if you make your intern an employee and save yourself the time and costs of recruitment, selection, induction and training? What are you waiting for? Become a host company! We can help you put the right people in the right place! Contact us! admin@mckkrs.com.au

We get  a lot of enquiries and there seems to be a lack of clarity as to who should be included in the training under Training Benchmark B – Only Australian workers or both Australian and non-Australian workers? In this regard, we would like to confirm our understanding that any expense incurred by the business on structured training as per the requirements of Training Benchmark B will be counted towards training expenses as long as Australian workers are included in the Provision of Training. This means that under Training Benchmark B, training can be provided to both Australian and non-Australians workers. However, please note that training expenditure will not count towards Training Benchmark B if the training is undertaken ONLY by persons who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents. Therefore, employers must ensure that at least one Australian citizen or permanent resident is included in the training. We hope that clarifies, and let us know if we can help you meet your Training Benchmark B requirements. If you want to be updated on hints and news from McKkr’s Training, follow us on twitter and Like our Facebook Page. support@mckkrs.com.au 02 4626 1002

What’s Training Benchmark B? As per the Department of Immigration regulations, in order to be able to sponsor overseas workers, Australian companies have to commit to spending 1% of their total annual payroll in Training. This commitment lasts for as long as the sponsorship nomination is valid (usually three years). Who needs to be trained? Australian permanent residents or citizens. They can be employed by your company full-time, part-time or even on a casual/contract basis. As a bonus for you, McKkr’s can train your non-Australian staff as well in the same session. Notes: Australian Permanent Resident or Citizens must attend. Sessions with Non-Australians can still be done, but they won’t count for Training Benchmark B Requirements. How often is the Training done? Depending on the amount spent on training for this year, McKkr’s will deliver the Training Course/ Courses to your staff. Each course can last from 4 to 6 hours. If your organisation has more than one course for this year, they should be done on separate days. You can request a change of courses before the Training Session is conducted, as per the needs of your organisation. How can we pay? Payment can be done via bank transfer or credit card. The amount is calculated based on the total annual payroll of your company. You will receive an invoice along with the Training Plan. Companies trading for less than 12 months do not necessarily need to pay when the Training Plan is done. However, to be compliant, they need to make the payment before the company completes 12 months trading. When will Training be done? Once payment is done, McKkr’s team will contact you to arrange date and time of your Training Sessions. We will offer you the available dates we might have in our own Training venue, or alternatively, if you are able to provide a proper room for Training in your facilities, the trainer can be sent there. A third option would be doing the course online via Skype. Once date, time and attendees are confirmed you will receive a Booking Confirmation from McKkr’s. Notes: Training Sessions can be changed or postponed 48 hours prior to booking. McKkr’s will not arrange new Training Sessions for “No Show” if alternative arrangements are not made within 48 hours before training. If a new session needs to be arranged, fees may apply. Is this just a “one off” commitment? No. As a sponsor, you must meet the training benchmark requirement every year that you are a sponsor. Sponsors are expected to fulfil this commitment during their period of approval as a sponsor. Sponsors who do not continue to meet the Training benchmarks during their period of approval, may be barred from sponsoring overseas workers or have their approval as a sponsor cancelled. McKkr’s will contact you again next year to recalculate your training expenditure based on the gross payroll of your business. You will be requested to pay for Training and the training sessions will be conducted for that fiscal year. If you have any questions, please contact our team. support@mckkrs.com.au 02 4626 1002

If you are an employer in Australia, you may already know that finding a good employee for your workplace can be quite difficult. First of all, your job listings and advertisements may go unanswered. Maybe you are in a rural area, or work in a specific industry. For example, there is a shortage of local workers willing to do agricultural industry planting or harvesting and processing vegetables and fruit. Even when applicants do exist, they may not have the qualifications or the relevant experience for the job. In fact, there’s many things that could go wrong when looking for a skilled worker in Australia. So what can you do? The good news is that there is a way to get that right person for your workplace. How about looking outside of Australia? Chances are, you will be able find skilled workers with the right qualifications or experience. There are two visa subclasses that are relevant to in this case: Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (subclass 186) is for skilled workers from outside Australia or skilled temporary residents who currently live and work in Australia. Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (subclass 457) allows a business to employ someone from outside Australia in a skilled job in Australia. The catch… Of course, both programs have eligibility requirements which should be taken into account. Also, the Australian Government currently encourages employers to invest in corporate training by using it as a requirement for 457 sponsoring visas. As such, companies wishing to sponsor an employee will have to meet Training Benchmark A or Training Benchmark B. For more information regarding 457 and 186 visas, or Training Benchmark requirements and procedures – give us a call on 02 4626 1002. We are always happy to help!  

Everyone is different. We have different interests, opinions and desires. Factors like ethics and personality contribute to this greatly. But very few would actually say no to the power to always (or I should say, maximise the chances to) get what you want. This is where the term ‘Negotiation’ comes in. When people hear the word ‘Negotiation,’ most automatically think of a stringent business setting. Endless debate over the numbers, highly-technical words and the almost cliché handshake at the end… This is probably the image that comes to mind for most people. And while it may not be entirely false, there is so much more to negotiation than just that. For one, negotiations can occur within any aspect of life, not just in the business world. In one end of the spectrum, two world leaders discussing a peace treaty during times of war can be considered negotiations. On the other end of the spectrum, you deciding what to do on the weekend with your mates is also negotiation. The truth is we negotiate all the time. The principle behind negotiation is rather simple. Essentially, you are directing the other person towards their final decision. This will allow you to come out on top, but the other person should still believe that they got a fair deal. So it’s all about finding the common ground. If done correctly, it can be a very powerful tool. But much too often it is avoided, misused or under-appreciated. If you are interested in developing professional Negotiation Skills, please feel free to contact us on support@mckkrs.com.au or (02) 4626 1002. We can help you better understand the negotiation process, such as understanding the opponent and how to settle for more. We are happy to help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkiz-P54QoY