Profile - Ranee Wheat
Competencies
Ranee has developed expertise in a range of areas from rehabilitation counsellor/office manager and employment consultant to psychologist/team leader. This varied experience has given her a broad understanding of industry requirements and a capacity to quickly grasp the most relevant aspects to be addressed. Her assessment skills and the ability to implementing practical solutions have been honed over a number of years working with people from diverse backgrounds
Her psychological approach, which focuses on the individual within the workplace, allows her to effectively manage change as it is often the individuals who have negative responses to change.
Experience
Ranee's career has been governed by both her own self development and the changes in industry. In the 1980s Ranee managed the local office of the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service which aimed to assess and implement employment and re-education options for injured or disabled workers.
For many years she worked in the recruitment within the Commonwealth Employment Service, providing pre-selection interviewing and matching employers' requirements to job seekers skills. In 1990 she recruited for the Gordonstone Mine in Emerald which at that time was at the forefront of a competency based approach to recruitment within the mining industry. She then began working directly with industry with responsibility to drive implementation of changes in training to national competency based training in the early 1990s. She was involved in the development of training packages and tendering for delivery of training to national standards. Her background in employment and industry has allowed her to develop a practical and down to earth approach to workers from a range of industries.
An interest in the individual's response to change led her to retrain as a psychologist while working in the employment industry. She has since worked as a psychologist at the Capricornia Correctional Centre including as a team leader. During this period the Department opened a new jail and Ranee was responsible for ensuring a smooth transition for staff and prisoners. Change is very difficult for incarcerated men and often triggers a range of emotional and behavioural problems. Management of change is crucial in this environment and minimising suicide and self harm was a principal responsibility. During the period she worked at the jail there were no suicides and the number of self harm incidents were minimised. This was largely due to her careful training of staff and consistency of approach. Ranee has a calm and careful manner and this has been her strength in workplace situations where she has been able to motivate others to manage critical incidents and conflict in a constructive manner.
She left the jail to open her own practice and has developed a diverse clientele. This includes those with mental health problems, relationship difficulties, stress and trauma reactions, employees experiencing workplace conflicts and training staff in change and stress management.
Ranee's background in the employment sector and her work within the difficult environment of a correctional centre has developed her skills to work with people in a range of workplace settings. Her compassion and care is an attribute which is able to sharpen the technical skills she has gained over many years in a range of industry areas.
Qualifications
Central Queensland University
- 1996/97; Bachelor of Arts (honours)
- 1991-94; Bachelor of Arts; psychology and sociology majors
Academic awards
1995 - Faculty of Arts medal for outstanding academic performance in the Bachelor of Arts course
Faculty of Arts book prize, awarded to the graduating student achieving the highest GPA in the Bachelor of Arts course
Professional Membership and Industry associations
- Registration: Full registration with the Registration Board of Queensland
- Member of the Australian Psychological Society
- Secretary of the CQ Branch; 1998-1999, 2000-2001, 2003-05
- Member of Australian & New Zealand Assoc. of Psychiatry Psychology & Law
- Assoc. Member of Capricornia Division of General Practice
Major projects
| Client | Project details |
| Department of Corrective Services | Team building Developing an effective team in a stressful and challenging environment, reducing staff turnover with consistent high levels of work output. Training Training correctional and professional staff in suicide prevention strategies and maintaining high levels of care; no suicides in 7 years. Assessment and delivery of clinical training, specifically sex offender programs Change & resource management Manage transition to new jail for psychologists and counselling staff and maintain high level of care for the prisoners |
| Relationships Australia
| Development and delivery of training seminars to agencies and community groups, and gaming establishments
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| Dept Employment Education Training & Youth Affairs | Preparation of competency based training modules requiring analysis of industry, jobseeker and union requirements Dept representative on industry committees promoting training to employers and monitoring compliance to training requirements
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