City Committed to Career Development

The awards, held at the Burswood Convention Centre, recognise innovation, excellence and exceptional achievement in all areas of sport and recreation in Western Australia.

Manager Health and Lifestyle Services Todd Cahoon said this award recognised the high level of professional development that occurred within the City of Melville’s Lifestyle Services. “The strong commitment we have to long-term professional growth is demonstrated in the large number of staff who have been developed from front-line positions to team leader and coordinator roles,” he said.

“The professional development of our people over a number of years has paid dividends for both staff and the organisation. This is displayed most clearly through the impressive length of service of our staff and the varied roles they have had the chance to be involved in during their time with the City’s Lifestyle Services,” he said.

Fourteen members of the service area submitted testimonials to the Department of Sport and Recreation detailing the various career opportunities they had been able to explore. One of the testimonials came from Programs Manager Peter de Lang, who said he had progressed a long way in the eight years he had been at the City.

Mr de Lang said his previous roles had included Gym Instructor, Health Club Team Leader, Group Fitness and Wellness Coordinator, Health Club and Memberships Coordinator, and Acting Centre Manager. “I have also completed the City’s Leadership Development Program and am now involved as both a mentor and a mentee in its Mentoring Program,” he said.

Director Community Development Christine Young congratulated Lifestyle Services on its well-deserved award and added that its commitment to professional development formed part of a City-wide approach to its people. “This commitment starts at the very top of our organisation through our Corporate Plan and filters all the way through to each service area,” she said.

Note: The City of Melville won the ‘People category’ for its Human Resources (HR) practices at the 2009 Australian Business Excellence Awards held in Brisbane in June.