Communication skills for Australian public service agencies

Courses are $450 including GST for a one half-day course, and $990 including GST for a two half-day course. That is per participant, and it covers the live sessions, the electronic fillable workbook and any activities between sessions. Prices are the same for every agency.

Courses run as either one half-day or two half-days. A half-day is three hours of live facilitation, so a one half-day course is three hours in total and a two half-day course is six, delivered across two separate days rather than back to back.

All courses are delivered virtually via Microsoft Teams. Face-to-face options can be arranged for team sessions. Virtual sessions are scheduled as half-days so they fit around a normal workday, and participants join from wherever they usually work.

Yes. Because every course is delivered virtually via Microsoft Teams, participants can join from any state or territory, and from home or the office. There is no travel, no room booking, and no difference in price or content by location.

Yes. Course content aligns directly with the Australian Government Style Manual, so what participants practise in a session is what their agency expects of them at their desk. That covers structure, tone, plain English, and the conventions the Style Manual sets for government writing.

Writing for the APS is the starting point for graduates and new starters. It covers government writing requirements and how to develop an effective government tone. From there, Plain English and Grammar and punctuation build the underlying skills that every other course assumes.

Writing for the APS is about writing in a government context — the conventions, the tone and what the reader expects. Plain English is about writing clearly for any reader, including the public, ministers and senior managers. New starters usually take Writing for the APS first.

Writing briefs covers planning, drafting and finalising briefs for senior decision-makers. Responding to ministerial correspondence covers the structure of a ministerial response and the common mistakes to avoid. Both assume you already write confidently; if that is not the case, start with Plain English.

Most courses cap at 20 participants. Some are deliberately smaller because they need more individual practice: Presenting in a virtual environment caps at 10, Provide feedback on writing at 16, and Manage and develop writing skills in teams at 12.

You can pay by card when you register, or choose to be invoiced. Choosing invoice sends you a confirmation immediately with a reference number, and the invoice follows separately. Either way you receive a tax invoice showing the GST component and MPA Consulting's ABN.