Richard Palmer is a high impact educational leader and vocational expert with over three decades of experience in the training and assessment sector. Holding a Bachelor of Education (Adult and Vocational Education) and a TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, Richard bridges the gap between complex andragogical theory and practical, industry standard application.
As the former Director of Palmers Education Pty Ltd, Richard managed every facet of a Registered Training Organisation, from curriculum design to high level assessment and evaluation. His leadership extends to significant state and nation wide roles, including serving as the South Australian State Manager for CMC Training at Work, where he oversaw the development of hundreds of trainees and modelled best practice facilitation for his staff.
Richard is a specialist in Action Learning, with a proven track record of delivering results in high pressure environments. A standout achievement includes his work on the OSHC Upskills project, where he successfully steered 69 graduates to their qualifications through expert skills recognition (RPL) and gap training.
Beyond his technical mastery of platforms like Moodle, Webex, Teams and WordPress, Richard brings a unique, creative energy to his training sessions. Drawing on his background as a professional musician and entertainer, he excels at creating dynamic, engaging, and memorable learning environments that resonate with diverse audiences across the VET, business and community services sectors. Whether lecturing at TAFESA or designing bespoke corporate workshops, Richard remains a passionate advocate for lifelong learning and professional excellence.

TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (Advanced Training and Assessment)
2026

TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
2019

TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills
2014

TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
2011

Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management
(Specialising in Volunteer Management)
2010

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40104)
2006

Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training
2002

Bachelor Education (Adult and Vocational Education)
2001

Advanced Diploma in Community Services (Children’s Services)
2001

Diploma in Community Services (Child Care)
1997

Teaching and Learning –Including Workplace Training Category I
(qualification needed to lecture in TAFE in 1996)
1995

Trained Reviewer of Quality Improvement and Accreditation
System of Child Care
1995

CONTRACTOR AND EMPLOYEE FOR HEALTHY BUSINESS TRAINING ACADEMY (RTO # 30831)
From November 2022 – 2026
Train and assess the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training.

DIRECTOR – PALMERS EDUCATION PTY LTD
From 2009 to 2022
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Directing company including vision, promotion, marketing, liaising with relevant bodies, research, writing, delivery, assessment, evaluation of sessions, parchment distribution
☑ Financials including invoicing and the follow up of amounts owing.
☑ Establishment and maintenance of multiple platforms within own designed website.
☑ Negotiating venue locations for sessions.
☑ Setting up sales opportunities, making sales presentations, negotiating and securing sales, follow up to enable repeat business.
☑ Designed and implement Action Learning based learning, covering professional development topics specific to community based and corporate clients, plus personal development topics.

QUALIFICATIONS I DELIVERED AND ASSESSED WITH RTO 40388- PALMERS EDUCATION PTY LTD (29/4/2011, TO 5/6/2014)
• TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
• CHC10208 Certificate I in Active Volunteering
• CHC20208 Certificate II in Active Volunteering
• CHC30608 Certificate III in Active Volunteering
• CHC30708 Certificate III in Children’s Services
• CHC51008 Diploma of Children’s Services (Outside school hours care)
• CHC50908 Diploma of Children’s Services (Early Childhood education and care)
• CHC60208 Advanced Diploma of Children’s Services

TRAINING MANAGER – NORTHERN VOLUNTEERING SA INC
From 2008 to 2012
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Develop and manage grant submissions for ACE, PPP, Community Benefit SA, VSA and NVSA projects
☑ Manage recruit and induct paid and unpaid staff from the training, the
promotion and referral officer teams, anything pertaining to training
☑ Liaise with TAFESA for the Advanced Diploma and Active Volunteering courses.
☑ Research the funding requirements, and keep professional relationship with government funders
☑ Manage the training team duties, while having close consultation with the Executive Officer
☑ Provide visionary direction for future developments of Northern
Volunteering SA
☑ Plan, design, present and evaluate volunteer and volunteer management workshops both at the NVSA training rooms as well as off site at requested venues.
☑ Model and guide best practice facilitation skills and knowledge for paid and unpaid staff from NVSA.

CONTRACT TRAINER/ASSESSOR – PRACTICAL OUTCOMES PTY LTD
From 2008 to 2011
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Contracted as a Trainer Assessor for Certificate IV Training and Assessment
☑ Contracted as a Trainer Assessor for Cert III to Advanced Diploma levels of Children’s Services
☑ Contracted as a presenter for projects.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STATE MANAGER – CMC TRAINING AT WORK PTY LTD
From 2005 to 2008
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Developed the client base of trainees and participants within metropolitan and rural South Australia (approximately 400-500 participants over the three years).
☑ Develop and maintain strong networks with Australian Apprenticeship Centre’s, industry and enterprises within the scope of registration of Certificate III to Advanced Diploma in the areas of Children’s Services, OSHC,
Family Day Care, Frontline Management, Training and Assessment.
☑ To develop trust and confidence in participants resulting in outcomes of repeat business.
☑ To manage staff, trainees, marketing and the daily running and strategic planning of the company within South Australia
☑ To role model the skills required by staff by also having trainees/ participants of my own, to know the complexities that my staff are finding daily, therefore being able to give accurate, clear and up to date guidance.
☑ Facilitating the training and assessing of the Certificate IV in TAA, Advanced Diploma in Children’s Services, and training the trainers

LECTURER – TAFESA
From 1995 to 2005
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Prepare course outlines, session plans and PowerPoints for the classroom sessions
☑ Present training sessions appropriate to a variety of adult learning styles with relevant quality adult learning principles.
☑ Present training in TAFE building locations and Child Care Centres.
☑ Evaluate the sessions and seek participant’s perspectives to assist moderation processes.
☑ Assess assignments and in the workplace.
☑ Document results and forward to Coordinators.

OSHC PROJECT OFFICER – DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
2005
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Contribute; by assisting Out of School Hours Care staff, School principals and Governing Councils and District Leaders in management and staffing allocation.
☑ Assess and monitor the standard of care, offering advice and support.
☑ Liaising with other agencies, including NetworkSA, InclusionSA, FACS etc.
☑ Assist in developing Policies and procedures required to meet the Children’s Services Act.
☑ Contribute to the Management, Marketing and Promotion of the Out of School Hours programs
☑ Develop and provide training for Out of School Hours staff to assist in their professional development.
☑ Design and implement HUB meetings with visiting speakers for OSHC
practitioners, North and East South Australia.

OSHC UPSKILLS PROJECT – DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
From 2003 to 2005
Key Responsibilities:
☑ Assisting OSHC Directors to achieve the Diploma of Community Services (Children’s Services) with an OSHC focus, before the National Standards requirement of only qualified practitioners working in qualified positions
☑ Conduct skills recognition (RCC, RPL) and gap training assessment
☑ Oversee other assessors to complete expectations before the desired due date.
☑ Set up databases appropriate for quality outcomes for the project.
☑ Providing up to date reports to the steering group.
☑ Achieving higher than expected outcomes, of 69 graduates within the
project.
☑ Motivating all training OSHC stakeholders into the project. This included TAFESA, The Gowrie Training Centre, NetworkSA, Economic Solutions (Spike training), Trainset (Mandatory Notification), and St.John First Aid training.

CURRICULUM PROJECT OFFICER – SECONDED TEACHER LEVEL 2 – EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM DIRECTORATE
From 2001 to 2003
Key Responsibilities:
☑ To write a curriculum document ready for publication for the Family Day Care market, using predominantly the SACSA framework. The document was published as the ‘Family Day Care Planning Resource’.
☑ Research current local, national and international publications.
☑ Develop database for the collation of research and drafts.
☑ Plan the meetings and respond to the current findings and perspectives of the steering committee and writing group.
☑ Prepare and conduct a pilot of the document around the state of South Australia.
☑ Evaluate the project.
☑ Prepare the document ready for publication.

REMAINING EMPLOYMENT OVERVIEW
☑ Family Day Care DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES – Family Day Care Fieldworker and Training Coordinator 1997- 2005
☑ Swallowcliffe Schools OSHC Director 1998
☑ Yawarra Community Child Care Centre Level 5 Team Leader Child
Care Worker 1995-1997
☑ Self-Employed (Ricky and Pete) Children’s Musical/Drama Entertainer 1991-1995
☑ Gilles Plains Community Child Care Centre – Unqualified to Level 5 Team Leader Child Care Worker 1987-1991
☑ Lady Emma Child Care Centre
Para Hills West Community Child Care Centre
St.Francis Community Child Care Centre
Lurra Community Child Care Centre
Rainbow Child Care Centre
– Volunteer, Relief and Unqualified Child Care Worker 1986-1987
☑ Gilbertsons Grain and Fodder Store – Store Hand 1985-1986

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