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PSNAP Professional Development Program

Professional development and training for surveillance practitioners is essential for individuals, surveillance programs and the public good. These activities improve national abilities to undertake surveillance, capture the information and use the data effectively.

About

The National Plant Biosecurity Surveillance Professional Development and Protocols Projects are coordinated and delivered by Plant Health Australia and are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The objectives of the Projects are to enhance and strengthen Australia’s surveillance capacity and capability to identify priority plant pests that impact on plant industries, environment and the community.

The Plant Surveillance Network works closely with the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment,  the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, Australian state and territory governments, Plant Health Australia, CSIRO and international institutions to identify professional development opportunities for its members.

The PSNAP Professional Development Program aligns to the National Plant Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy.

The program has been developed to:

  • learn new and develop existing skills
  • keep up to date with best practices
  • promote ideas for new projects
  • expand contacts and networks
  • establish mentoring opportunities
  • facilitate industry succession planning.

Structure

The PSNAP Professional Development Program includes:

1.     Surveillance Residential Program

The PSNAP Surveillance Residential Program (referred to as Surveillance Residentials) has been established to enhance the national capability and capacity to detect plant pests by developing the skills of individuals. Those working in plant health surveillance will gain essential skills and knowledge through experiences they would not otherwise have access to in their own organisation. The program also allows participants share their ideas and experiences, leads to greater collaborations and builds on existing networks.

Refer to the Surveillance Residential Program page  for more details.

2.     Training workshops

Skills-based training workshops are delivered to PSNAP members that focus on specific elements of plant health surveillance, such as development and use of National Surveillance Protocols, data standards, data collection, survey design, sample collection (i.e. how to collect, bag and label samples), use of field triage guides.

Training workshops are advertised through the Events page of the PSNAP website.

If you have an idea for a training workshop please contact the PSNAP Coordinator (PSNAP@phau.com.au) and fill in the PSNAP Training Project Proposal.

3.     Annual Surveillance Workshops

The Annual Surveillance Workshops (ASW) provides the opportunity for PSNAP members to come together to exchange tips and techniques, share knowledge and find out what other surveillance personnel are doing and experiencing in their jobs.

Refer to the Annual Surveillance Workshop page for more information.

Contact

Email the PSNAP Coordinator at PSNAP@phau.com.au if you have any questions, ideas or suggestions for the Professional Development Program.