Press Release Dreamworld Invests in team members’ futures with launch of new Training Academy

[Parkz News]

Dreamworld Invests in team members’ futures with launch of new Training Academy

As part of Ardent Leisure’s ongoing commitment to be a leader in all aspects of theme park operations and safety, Dreamworld has established a Training Academy to deliver continued learning and development opportunities to its team members.

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[webslave]

...so they are now running their own RTO?  Jesus, could this park get any cheaper and nastier?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

What other headlines could work here?

• DREAMWORLD ANNOUNCE S NEW ALL-FEMALE STAFF TO ENCOURAGE VISITATION IN THE TEENAGE BOY MARKET
• DREAMWORLD ANNOUNCES WET T-SHIRT CONTEST TO ENCOURAGE MALE VISITATION
• DREAMWORLD ANNOUNCES IT HAS HIRED 6 NEW BLIND RIDE OPERATORS. E-STOPS NOW MARKED IN BRAILLE
• KENNY KOALA HOLDS ROSE CEREMONY. BELINDA BROWN RECEIVES A ROSE.
        RELATED: 6 CONTESTANTS CALL PROGRAMME 'RIGGED'
• DREAMWORLD MAKES ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT. IT WASN'T A RIDE, SO NOBODY CARED.
• DREAMWORLD ANNOUNCES IT HAS BEEN 83 DAYS SINCE SKY VOYAGER WAS SUPPOSED TO OPEN.

2 minutes ago, webslave said:

...so they are now running their own RTO?  Jesus, could this park get any cheaper and nastier?

The way I read it was they'd engaged an external RTO to operate it for them...

[webslave]

Quote

“Our team members are our most valuable resource, therefore it’s important for us to ensure they have the skills needed to succeed in their career at Australia’s biggest theme park,” Mr Osborne said.”

Yeah, that's what everyone was interested in at the AGM...  Give us a break.  Until they work out how to build apartments on top of them they will never be considered their most valuable resource.

[New display name]

Nothing else has worked so it's time to play the distraction card.

 

In a couple of years these newly highly trained staff will be unemployed. 

[red dragin]

So, they've previously engaged a trainer and used a room onsite. 

They've now installed a sign over that room, rounded up some staff (in very cheap, thin shirts) and done a media release. 

Must have employed a former political media adviser.

[Brad2912]

I’ve heard that the first subject covered at the Training Academy is how to print, laminate and display “attraction closed” signs 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Brad2912

[New display name]

2 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

I’ve heard that the first subject covered at the Training Acedemy is how to print, laminate and display “attraction closed” signs 

I could teach that.

[Brad2912]

The second lesson is an online program run by this fellow...

 

his name is Push, the E-Stop.

topics covered include:

- what does an e-stop look like?

- where is the e-stop?

- how do you press an e-stop?

[red dragin]

Third lesson is "how to submit a re-zoning application".

[New display name]

8 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

The second lesson is an online program run by this fellow...

 

his name is Push, the E-Stop.

topics covered include:

- what does an e-stop look like?

- where is the e-stop?

- how do you press an e-stop?

The first lesson should be how not to buy shit rides.

[Jobe]

Hmm. Will this be linked to the Ponds institute? 😳

[StingRay]

Wow. Such a great political campaign.

[Levithian]

You guys are being a little harsh. This is perhaps the first sign of the park even attempting to be proactive and implement something thats probably going to be recommended in the coroners findings, well before the state government bangs their drum about training standards. 

If it means the staff actually get a proper orientation and theres some form of competency based training thats actually delivered and signed off on, then it can only be a good thing. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

9 hours ago, Levithian said:

If it means the staff actually get a proper orientation and theres some form of competency based training thats actually delivered and signed off on, then it can only be a good thing. 

Quite the contrary. I know an organisation that has their own RTO to deliver competency based training. The assessments are a joke. Participants are assessed, and if not competent, they are given the opportunity to re-attempt the assessment after receiving additional instruction.

I find many can go away, get some one-on-one, and come back and do it perfectly - they're just copying what they've been shown. It doesn't demonstrate competency, or retention. Especially when the participants are asked to demonstrate their knowledge several weeks later, and can't.

For me, giving ride operators a piece of 'nationally accredited' paper that says they know what they're doing doesn't get past the fundamental issues at play at the park - their training and procedures should have already been adequate (and they obviously weren't), and there's no nationally recognised package on ASQA's books that teaches you how (for example) to operate a gyro swing properly. Or any other amusement device for that matter. Not specifically anyway. There might be general learnings, but as each ride is unique, you can't cookie cut the process. Staff at dreamworld (and not the RTO) will still be responsible for the front-line teachings of how to actually operate each ride... which means this 'academy' does nothing to demonstrate whether ride operators are adequately trained to do their jobs properly.

This changes nothing.

[New display name]

1 hour ago, AlexB said:

Staff at dreamworld (and not the RTO) will still be responsible for the front-line teachings of how to actually operate each ride... which means this 'academy' does nothing to demonstrate whether ride operators are adequately trained to do their jobs properly.

This changes nothing.

I 100% concur.

Safety perception isn’t Dreamworlds only problem.

 

I believe everything DW are doing to get people back into the park feels like smoke and mirrors.

Before the accident even though DW looked neglected we, all thought at least DW safety would be up to scratch so we continued to go and hold out that DW would change things around.

After the events we realised DW’s safety had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

I see the train down for 6 months.

I see HWSW down for 6 months.

I see Buzzsaw down for 8 months.

I see TOT down for 6 months.

I see Wipeout which apparently until recently had another 10 years in her gone.

I see SV empty.

A man only needs travel to Facebook land to see the negative comments like “I went to the DW and half the rides are closed”.

None of this promotes DW in a good light and frankly the place feels like a used car lot within one dodgy deal away from going under.

The buzz you get going to a theme park can not be found at DW.

 

EDIT for afterthought.

DW entertainment quality “AKA dancers” I can see at my local shopping centre.  (This is not theme park)

 

When I go to a theme park I want to see & enjoy experiences that I can't do outside the gates.

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Skeeta

[red dragin]

1 hour ago, AlexB said:

Quite the contrary. I know an organisation that has their own RTO to deliver competency based training. The assessments are a joke. Participants are assessed, and if not competent, they are given the opportunity to re-attempt the assessment after receiving additional instruction.

Queensland Rail? They've just gotten sprung for basically the same thing.

A driver passed a red signal. The investigation revealed that he failed testing he'd passed three times previously.
Further investigations discovered that many drivers where answering questions almost the same as the marking sheet used to test them.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

2 hours ago, red dragin said:

Queensland Rail?

No, but this is just further evidence that the RTO process should not be held up as the SOLE proof of competency.

[HussRainbow87]

So are they training their staff to properly manage shaded areas. That will look good on a resume.....

[themagician]

VRTP should definitely have this sort of thing 

[New display name]

Lesson 1 - Deploy finger

Lesson 2 - Locate target

Lesson 3 - Press button

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by Skeeta

[Evie]

At the rate they’re haemorrhaging longtime/senior attractions staff, I don’t know who they think they’re going to have left to “invest” in.

[Spotty]

19 hours ago, themagician said:

VRTP should definitely have this sort of thing 

VRTP's training is very thorough for their ride operators, speaking from experience. Mind you this was nearly 7 years ago now but even then it was a very full on day (or 2 - 3 depending on the ride). And if you didn't feel comfortable after your training, they would give you more until you did. I'm not sure what their training is like now, but i'd only assume it's been improved even further than what it was back then. I can't comment on Dreamworld's training as I never worked in attractions there so I can't compare. But I have no issue trusting VRTP's training procedures at all.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

See, even though I know that once you understand the basics, each ride's operation really does only take a day or two to understand (it does of course take a bit longer to master) - but publicly, saying "he only received one day's training" will shock and horrify Joe Public.

 

As for not feeling comfortable, and being given more training - I wonder how much longer that would have gone on before they decided "this guy isn't gonna cut it - let's let him go and find someone who knows what they're doing" that could, in itself, be an indication of a safety issue.

[themagician]

I’m not doubting they have the knowledge for the job at VRTP, it’s more the spirit and service. A lot of the staff won’t even speak to you when you interact with them in some way, whether that’s entering the park, loading a ride, or even ordering food.