About Us
Essential Personnel is a not for profit organisation with four core areas of operation. Our business mission is to lead the way in the development of employment, training and support services for people with barriers. We provide our clients with equal access to vocational, lifestyle and employment opportunities.
Essential Personnel (EP) has been supporting people with disabilities for the past 23 years with at least a thousand people with disabilities registered and supported at any given time. The staff have facilitated many positive and life changing improvements for clients. Their commitment combined with the sustainable business model they use, has established EP as the leading training and employment service provider in the Illawarra Region
With branches that service the Illawarra region as well as the Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands, and Southern Tableland,; and with outreach training services in the Hunter, Clarence Valley, Central West, Riverina and Far North Coast Regions; EP holds valued status in the business community as an organization with a proven track record and is considered an asset to the greater Illawarra region and beyond.
Essential Personnel (EP) has been supporting people with disabilities for the past 23 years with at least a thousand people with disabilities registered and supported at any given time. The staff have facilitated many positive and life changing improvements for clients. Their commitment combined with the sustainable business model they use, has established EP as the leading training and employment service provider in the Illawarra Region
With branches that service the Illawarra region as well as the Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands, and Southern Tableland,; and with outreach training services in the Hunter, Clarence Valley, Central West, Riverina and Far North Coast Regions; EP holds valued status in the business community as an organization with a proven track record and is considered an asset to the greater Illawarra region and beyond.
History
Essential Personnel was established in the Illawarra region by the Commonwealth Government in 1986, and commenced as a regional service specifically to assist people with intellectual disabilities. It was one of the first CETPs (Competitive Employment Training and Placement Program) in Australia. With the injection of State funds in 1990, the agency commenced offering a service to jobseekers with other disabilities. The funding of two specialist programs for deaf/hearing impaired clients and for people with acquired brain damage followed soon after. In 1995, additional funding was received for a high support needs program at Wollongong.
Funding was also received for two (2) pilot programs specifically Job Placement Program (National) (1995 - 1996) and Employment Skills Development Program (State) (1995 - 1997). Regional offices in the Shoalhaven and the Southern Highlands were established in 1990-1991. A further regional office was established in Goulburn in late 1994.
From the 1 July 2005 EP’s open employment program moved from being funded by the Department of Family and Community Services to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) entitled Disability Employment Network (DEN). In 2002 EP was successful in gaining DADHC funding in 2002 for the ATLAS Program for 2002 school leavers which was named ‘The Fresh Project’. EP now has three (3) discrete programs and its training arm Essentra. The ATLAS funding was separated into two programs entitled the Community Participation Program (CP) and the Transition to Work Program (TTW). Essential Personnel was also successful in gaining a Mature Workers Program funded by the Department of Education and Training (DET) in September 2002 ceasing on 30 September 2004.
Funding was also received for two (2) pilot programs specifically Job Placement Program (National) (1995 - 1996) and Employment Skills Development Program (State) (1995 - 1997). Regional offices in the Shoalhaven and the Southern Highlands were established in 1990-1991. A further regional office was established in Goulburn in late 1994.
From the 1 July 2005 EP’s open employment program moved from being funded by the Department of Family and Community Services to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) entitled Disability Employment Network (DEN). In 2002 EP was successful in gaining DADHC funding in 2002 for the ATLAS Program for 2002 school leavers which was named ‘The Fresh Project’. EP now has three (3) discrete programs and its training arm Essentra. The ATLAS funding was separated into two programs entitled the Community Participation Program (CP) and the Transition to Work Program (TTW). Essential Personnel was also successful in gaining a Mature Workers Program funded by the Department of Education and Training (DET) in September 2002 ceasing on 30 September 2004.
Strategic Plan
Essential Personnel's Strategic Plan was initially developed in 1994 following full staff consultation. A review then took place for a further three (3) years (1996-1998), followed by a further review and staff consultative process resulting in the 1998-2000 Strategic Plan. In September 2003 a new Key Result Area was added to our Strategic Plan 8.6 Family Support.
All Strategic Planning now reflects and builds on the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard performance-based management system, which commenced in early 1999. It is considered to be a dynamic document which guides the current and future needs of the organisation and its staff and requires regular reviews.
All Strategic Planning now reflects and builds on the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard performance-based management system, which commenced in early 1999. It is considered to be a dynamic document which guides the current and future needs of the organisation and its staff and requires regular reviews.
Values and Beliefs:
Essential Personnel operates under a quality system, which incorporates policy, relevant standards, procedure manuals, internal and external auditing, continuous improvement practices, and document control.
- EP believes in and practices equal opportunity and delivering equitable and ethical services to all its clients.
- EP takes pride in its professionalism and strives for excellence in all aspects of its service delivery through competent, qualified and dedicated staff.
- EP values and encourages networks and partnerships within the community through integration, participation and education.
- EP recognises the importance of being accountable in all aspects of its service delivery and business practices.
- EP offers a flexible service which is responsive to each individual.
Quality Assurance
Essential Personnel operates under a quality system, which incorporates policy, relevant standards, procedure manuals, internal and external auditing, continuous improvement practices, and document control.We are certified to the Internationally recognised ISO9001 Quality Assurance Standards and the Disability Service Standards (DSS). Additionally Essential Personnel RTO, trading as Essentra Learning is a Registered Training Organisation which meets the requirements of the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF).
