The public sector's most popular courses taken with IPAA NSW

IPAA NSW’s ten most popular professional development courses were attended by more than 4,500 people in the 2023/24 financial year. So, what were the ten IPAA courses that your public sector colleagues most feel they needed?

1. Writing Briefs. We ran this course for more than 1,200 people. Brief writing is a core public sector skill because of the unique role that the sector plays in advising political leaders. But more fundamentally, good brief writing is about being able to simplify and condense complex issues in a way that helps decision-makers understand your ideas clearly and take action: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250213P1

2. Project Management Fundamentals. Delivered more than 50 times in the year, the course offered practical project management tools and techniques to manage projects effectively in the public sector on time and within budget: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250204P1

3. Writing With Clarity. The issues, processes and policies that public sector writers communicate are almost always filled with acronyms, jargon and statistics. Writing clearly is a learnable skill and with this course being delivered more than thirty times in the year, it’s a skill the sector is clearly serious about building, from colleagues to community stakeholders and is now at our reduced 2025 price: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250624P1

4. Finance For Non Finance Professionals, not surprising this came in at number four given that understanding the fundamentals of budgeting and financial management are becoming ‘must haves’ for an increasing number of public sector positions: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250220P1

5. Present With Confidence, so maybe the joke about people’s fear of public speaking is still true… but it doesn’t have to be that way! This course will show you techniques to help you to overcome anxiety, structure your presentations, and deliver with poise and professionalism: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=AGLCOM2

6. Telling a Compelling Story. Data can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it, but it can also end up as a confusing mash up of charts, tables, and graphs. This course shows you how to transform raw data into narratives that engage and persuade: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250513P1

7. Negotiation and Influencing Skills. In a working world that increasingly requires new partnerships, building alliances, community engagement and stakeholder management, people who are strong negotiators or influencers will rise to the top. This course will give you the confidence to apply a range of negotiation skills using case studies, role plays and self-reflection with your fellow learners: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=AGLNEG1

8. Policy Development Fundamentals. Policy is the basic agreed principles by which a government is guided. It shapes the way that services are delivered and government investment decisions made. If you are new to policy in the public sector, this course will help you to develop the research and analysis tools that are essential for developing and supporting policy initiatives: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250211P1

9. Building a Credible Business Case. A good business case helps a decision-maker to understand a problem or opportunity, consider options, analyse costs, understand benefits and risks, and ultimately make an investment decision. This course will give you the foundational skills needed to develop a business case that meets the requirements of the NSW Treasury Business Case Template and is eligible for submission to a Gateway Review: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=AGLNEG3

10. Policy Development Advanced. Policy development doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This course will help you understand the impact of the political system on policy making, and the importance of internal and external consultation in achieving policy objectives: https://www.nsw.ipaa.org.au/Web/Events/Event-Display.aspx?EventKey=20250402P1

Did IPAA NSW contribute to your growth this year? What achievements are you proud of, and what capabilities did you develop? We want to hear from you!

Take a look at all of our courses for 2025 and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!