RMITin3 – Emma King, CEO of VCOSS

RMITIN3 - EMMA KING, CEO of VCOSS

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VISUAL: Intro plays featuring RMITin3 Logo and Emma and David talking in an interview setting. The room is lit by bright film lights.

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DAVID HAYWARD SPEAKS: So, Emma King CEO with the Victorian Council of Social Service welcome and here we are at your headquarters at Exhibition Street just up the road from RMIT.

So what has changed the most in your industry in recent times?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: The community sector is a booming industry, so we've seen rapid growth particularly in the areas of disability, aged care, childcare and family violence so there's a real need for us to make sure that we have a really highly capable skilled workforce, working across each of these areas in a way that really we haven't seen before it's unparalleled.

DAVID HAYWARD: Okay, and why did you choose this field?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: For me, I love this field I think it has such a strong values and a strong ethics base. It's about people and I think that's one of the most special things about it. It's not a field that can be replace with robots it's about making sure that all members of our community can have a good life and that's really exciting so I can't see why you wouldn't want to choose this field.

DAVID SPEAKS: And a lot of change, but what do you hope would be one really big change that we're going to see in the next few years for the sector?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: Look, I think some of the key things we need to see in our sector to make them better places to be is actually to have the workforce up in skill that we need so that when we have clients with genuine choice and control, that they actually have choice and control.

I think we're at a really pivotal space in the NDIS and the disability space where we really need to make sure that the outcomes that are there for people are the best possible outcomes and again the NDIS is based around an ordinary life. I just think we can do a bit better than that I'm pretty interested in a good life and a great life.

DAVID SPEAKS: And if you were graduating into the industry right now what would be the advice you'd give to yourself?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: Well I would know that I'm heading into an industry where there is a job for life and that's one of the fantastic things about this area because it's growing so much faster than any other area in what in workforce overall so, the advice I'd give to myself is this is a job for life. Continue to continue to learn continue to grow. The capacity I think to gain micro credentials along the way to work across different workforces is huge and the value that you get in terms of working alongside people is really strong. So get a great job, enjoy working with people and remembering that this is a job for life there's a chance for lifelong learning here and a chance for a job for the future, so and obviously surround yourself with great alumni, great staff who are actually going to be with you through your journey throughout throughout the whole of your career.

DAVID SPEAKS: But now a bit of a personal question. If you didn't have to sleep what would you do with your extra time?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: Oh I think I'd exercise. I would definitely focus on I definitely focus on more time to exercise, eating well and more time with my family as well in terms of looking at the other parties outlook I love my job I'm very fortunate to work somewhere where it's a very strong personal connection for me in terms of having a strong values base a strong ethics base, it seems to me in terms of sitting with me for a very personal point of view as well but I'd always love more time with my kids and time to to be well and make sure I actually go for that swim in the morning and the things that I always want to do but I don't always quite manage to do it.

DAVID SPEAKS: And now one last personal question, what's been one thing you've learned in your career that has been most helpful to you?

EMMA KING SPEAKS: I reckon that you get the best results when you surround yourself with good people you can work collaboratively because the reality is my biggest lesson although I know that I most certainly don't have every skill set going around I have a particular skill set and as a CEO I want to surround myself with people who have got the other skills that I don't have and who were also going to be really frank in giving me really good robust advice so that we achieve the best we possibly can as an organisation so I want to have very good strong people around me so that we can achieve great things.

DAVID SPEKAS: Okay thank you very much Emma King CEO of VCOSS.

EMMA SPEAKS: Thanks David.

VISUAL: RMIT logo appears.