Episode 14 - Strategic Workforce Planning

Dan Harrison

Alright, so, today we're digging into proactive workforce planning for our Anangu Lands schools—something that, if you ask me, can make or break a whole school year. Look, I used to think, maybe a bit naively, that you just put out an ad when someone leaves. But, uh, after a couple of wild mid-term scrambles, I learned you gotta think two, even three years ahead—no joke, especially out here where staff turnover can feel like the seasons.

Evelyn Carter

Oh, it’s so true, Dan. And, I mean, it’s not just about filling seats, is it? It’s about knowing which skills we’ll need, which roles we're likely to be short on, and factoring in those unique mobility patterns. We talked a bit about those mobility surprises in an earlier episode, but it’s still easy to underestimate the impact, isn’t it?

Dan Harrison

Absolutely, Evelyn. A while back at Pipalyatjara, I remember—we’d mapped out our likely gaps using this big visual staff map, honestly just butcher paper and sticky notes. But we looked at maternity leaves, ongoing study, those who were pretty open about wanting a change... and, honestly, it made a world of difference when we realised a part-time teacher was gonna need to step back mid-term. Instead of panicking, we’d already lined up someone, and, well, avoided a complete scramble—probably saved a few grey hairs, to be honest.

Liam Warragul

I love that example, Dan. And it lines up with what I’ve seen too: if you wait for a crisis, you’re already behind. The data tells us so much if we actually track it. Sometimes it’s simple stuff, right—spreadsheet, maybe more recently a bit of Google Sheets action with colour-coding. Or even just a big wall in the staff room to visualise who’s on what contract and what might be coming up. Nothing fancy, but it works out here.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, and shared tools make it easy for everyone—not just the principal—to get a sense of where things are heading, too. If there’s one thing I’d say: it’s gotta be collaborative. Otherwise, you miss gaps only someone else might see coming. I reckon that’s key.

Evelyn Carter

And it’s keeping those conversations open—bit like what we said about professional learning in Episode 9, right? Everyone sees the puzzle a little differently.

Evelyn Carter

So, building on that, I want to talk about the other piece of the puzzle: growing leadership from within. If you’re always looking outside for your future leaders, you’re missing out. Honestly, some of the most inspiring shifts I’ve seen came from people who had already been in the room for years but just hadn’t considered themselves ‘leaders’—yet.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, I’ve seen that too. Folks who know the school and community inside out, they just need a little nudge—a bit of structured encouragement.

Evelyn Carter

Exactly. I ran this workshop a couple years back and there was a classroom support worker—bit shy, always behind the scenes. With a bit of role shadowing and, I’ll admit, probably too many phone calls from me—she started stepping in to co-teach. Bit by bit, you could see her confidence grow, and by the end of the term, she was leading small groups and running yarning circles. I mean—it’s not a fast process, but it’s so powerful.

Liam Warragul

It’s awesome. Those folks already have credibility, which is huge out here. We talked a bit about the Growing Our Own program, what, back in Episode 3? That worked because it focused on people who were already embedded in Anangu communities, building them up over time. Succession planning isn’t just about ticking boxes, is it?

Evelyn Carter

No, exactly. It’s about identifying strengths—sometimes before the person even sees them in themselves. Giving those quiet leaders a runway, letting them shadow, offering bite-sized mentoring, just like we covered with coaching new educators in the last episode.

Dan Harrison

Mentoring and shadowing. It just lowers the stakes—they can try things, learn, muck up a bit, and get better in a safe way. And honestly, our best succession plans have always come from leaders nurtured right here, who truly get what matters both for the school and the community.

Evelyn Carter

And it keeps the culture strong, too. You’re not resetting the learning curve every time someone steps up.

Liam Warragul

Let’s flip it one more way—the role of the wider community in all this. Out bush, recruitment by spreadsheet only gets you so far. The way the community wraps around new educators, that’s massive for retention.

Evelyn Carter

It’s those networks, right? The way local coordinators, families, even the footy club get involved.

Liam Warragul

Yeah! Actually, this reminds me—when I was up in Arnhem, there was this one year, and new teachers just couldn’t quite settle in. Then someone had the bright idea to bring them along to the local footy comp—probably just so we could make up player numbers, to be honest! But that one afternoon shifted everything. Suddenly, those teachers were part of the group—eating, laughing, even getting roasted when they dropped a sitter. Family members recognised them, which made every interaction at school or in the shop easier. It turned recruitment from a process into a relationship.

Dan Harrison

I love that, Liam. And it’s similar here—the Anangu coordinator is often the bridge. They know if someone’s a good fit, who might need an extra welcome. And if you get families on board from the start—maybe a cuppa and a yarn, not just the formal induction stuff—it sticks. That retention goes past the contract period.

Evelyn Carter

And it’s proactive partnership, not just ticking a ‘consultation’ box. It comes back to what we’ve been saying across this whole series: sustainable, effective teams are built on authentic relationships, shared decision-making, and valuing local wisdom.

Liam Warragul

And I reckon, just quietly, that’s what makes leading for impact out here so unique—and rewarding.

Dan Harrison

Alright, before we go, just quickly—the big takeaways for leadership teams: What’s your process for forecasting staffing a couple years out? How are you supporting current staff for future roles? And are you leaning on your local networks for recruitment, or is it just emails and ads?

Evelyn Carter

Such good questions, Dan. Thanks everyone for tuning in, and as always, if you’ve got stories or questions—reach out, we love hearing from you.

Liam Warragul

Yeah, cheers for listening—look after each other and catch you next episode.

Dan Harrison

Thanks team, thanks everyone, and see you soon.