Recently, the Institute hosted a series of events featuring Josh McKenzie from Development Beyond Learning. Josh spoke about recruitment, retention and professional development of staff. 
 
Josh gave us an insight into why people behave the way they do. Read on, it’s an enlightening experience! 
 
Who am I? 

• At the age of 10, I was connected with instant capacity to the rest of the world with the internet, email and online chat in the family room at home. I know how technology works so please don’t try and teach me how to use email.

• At the age of 14 I remember sitting up late on a Tuesday night and sending an SMS to my best friend as I watched 2 airliners crash in to the World Trade Centre on September 11. It was live on TV and looked surreal - like a new computer game or a Hollywood blockbuster.

• The War on Terror has been going for 1/3 of my life, the war in Iraq for ¼ of my life. I know exactly what war looks like because every TV station gave live coverage from inside military units 24/7 for the first month of the war.

• Until the last election, John Howard has always been Prime Minister of Australia. Either a very well respected Bill Clinton (who cheated on his wife, but no-one seems to care) or a very disrespected George W Bush have been the President of the United States.

• I had to google ‘recession’ to find a theoretical meaning. The only Australia I know is one of high growth, high employment and high opportunity where educated or skilled people like me are short in supply and high in demand.

• At the age of 21 I am entering the corporate world amidst 30 year lows in unemployment (In December 2007 4.5 per cent) and one of the strongest Australian dollars in a long time.

• There is a lot of talk in the media about Australian families feeling the pinch on rising petrol prices and interest rates which I don’t really understand – I live at home with my parents and younger sister and plan to keep it that way! Life is good!