Page 5 - Journal 2018B FINAL

Greg Cole, SASTA Executive Officer (retired)
Iremarked to our Education Officer and my successor Kate Dilger recently, I don’t think I have planned for very much at all in my entire life, and
certainly not my period of employment with SASTA.
In September 2007 I had just completed a contract as Executive Director for the Australia Day Council which was responsible for organising the city of Adelaide’s celebrations on Australia Day which included a breakfast at Government House, Australia Day Parade for 2,000 people and some formalities and festivities at Elder Park.
Although I was contemplating retirement, a sixth sense must have encouraged me to apply for a couple of jobs which included the SASTA Executive Officer position.
If I had a crystal ball, I would have known that a financial crisis was imminent, and that twelve months later on 15 September 2008 the fourth largest investment bank in the USA, Lehmann Brothers, would collapse, along with my superannuation nest egg!
With two jobs applied for I scored the jackpot with two interviews; the first of which was the SASTA position and I wasn’t at all confident that the interview had gone well. The second job interview was a little while later at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour for a national CEO role at another not for profit association. Unlike the SASTA interview I pretty much understood the questions being asked but the Vice President at the time didn’t like my answers. I learnt a valuable lesson at that interview which was not to disagree with a prospective employer if you desperately need a job.
Within minutes of the interview finishing and traipsing across the Pyrmont Bridge, reflecting upon my foolishness, I received a phone call from my referee Julie who seemed quite positive that I was going to receive an offer of employment with SASTA. By the time I reached George Street the heavens had opened up and it was bucketing down, and I had to answer another phone
call! Finding a doorway for shelter I took a call
from SASTA’s consultant offering me the job as Executive Officer which I accepted.
I started working for SASTA in December 2007. The previous Executive Officer had already left
the organisation in September just after the Office Manager in August so there was a bit of catching up to do, in addition to moving SASTA to new office accommodation.
We ended up co-located with ACHPER
national at Port Rd, Hindmarsh, next door to an ‘entertainment venue’ and across the road from the Education Development Centre, which was handy.
So with a new ‘home’ for SASTA the next item
on the agenda was to recruit an Office Manager and I was fortunate in being able to persuade my former colleague at the Australia Day Council, Kristy Cummins, to accept the role. 5 years later SASTA purchased its current property on Henley Beach Rd at Torrensville and embarked upon an expansion program that entailed the development of resources including trial exams, workbooks and consultancy services that would, in turn, generate income to employ additional staff.
With an income stream that has almost doubled over the past 11 years, owning its own premises, and staff numbers that have increased from 2
to 3.4 full time staff SASTA is well placed to ‘go
to the next level’. What that might mean could possibly include a mentoring program for early career teachers by retired members in partnership with SASTA, schools and perhaps their governing organisations such as the Department, AISA and CEO. Another opportunity for SASTA would be
to organise holiday revision seminars during the school holidays for Year 12 students. Currently, the demand for these seminars appears to be very significant however the cost of participating for students and their families is quite expensive so perhaps it is time for a not-for-profit such as SASTA to enter the market?
After nearly 48 years in the workforce which
has included 7 jobs in 9 locations in and around Adelaide, I’m looking forward to having a break with no future plans, confident in the knowledge that SASTA is in good hands with a supportive board and staff members that will take the organisation forward. I wish SASTA and everyone associated with it all the very best for the future.
Number 02 / 2018 | 3
Epilogue