Wednesday, 26 Apr 2023
Meet the people answering your queries! Kimmy Bach and Jenny Nguyen discuss working at ACER, their advice for educators and what they’ve learned so far.
What do you enjoy most about working at ACER?
JN: At ACER, there are many professional development opportunities available, which let you hone your skills. I greatly enjoy my day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, and it’s always fun to see my technical and professional skills grow, based on the challenges from ACER. I’m also surrounded by a great team who provide excellent feedback and support in tackling obstacles.
KB: I have been working at ACER for almost 2 years so naturally I have been dipping my toes into a range of projects. I enjoy working with like-minded colleagues and their support for my personal and career development journey, as I continue to learn new things everyday, makes my job incredibly rewarding.
If you had one piece of advice for educators using our assessments, what would it be?
KB: I get this a lot, but there is no such thing as a silly question. The purpose of the Helpdesk is to provide schools with as much support as possible, whether you are just starting or have been analysing data for 10 years – we are more than happy to answer any questions you have so don’t be afraid to reach out.
JN: Agree – always ask questions! Just like how teachers always advocate for their students to ask questions, if any educators have any concerns about our assessments our team will always be happy to provide further support.
What is one product or feature you think is fantastic but not widely known about?
JN: Our Help page provides a lot of information and resources regarding our PAT Assessments and additional services such as Professional Development courses and Professional Learning workshops with our School Engagement Team. Our School Engagement team are made up of amazing individuals with extensive knowledge and background in education. And I highly recommend attending these workshops to get a greater understanding of our PAT Assessments.
KB: If you’re sitting on the fence and would like to try out an assessment to evaluate its suitability for your students, there is a free 30-day free trial offer available. The administrator of your account can activate this through the Store page by logging into your school’s online account. The trial allows you to administer the tests to as many students as required and will provide you with time to analyse the results using the different reporting features.
What have you learned from working in the Helpdesk team?
KB: We work collaborativelyso being quick to adapt and work proactively is really important.
JN: I've learned valuable interpersonal and technical skills from my experience in the team. These skills have helped me grow as an individual and reach my potential at work.
Find out more
Have a question you think Kimmy or Jenny could answer? If you use one of our online assessment services, reach out to our Helpdesk with any queries at oarssupport@acer.org or on 1300 232 123.