Systematising Practitioner-Led Learning in Australian Public Service Capability Development

Systematising Practitioner-Led Learning in the APS 

The Australian Public Service (APS) operates in a dynamic and increasingly complex environment, where the ability to learn, adapt, and build capability is critical. While formal training plays an important role, much of the most valuable learning happens informally, through experience, collaboration, and reflection. Practitioner-led learning (PLL) captures this informal, experiential knowledge, drawing on the insights and lived expertise of public servants themselves. Despite its potential, PLL remains inconsistently applied across the APS and lacks the structure needed for broader impact. 

This research initiative explores how PLL can be systematised to support a more adaptive, skilled, and learning-oriented public service. Led by the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), in collaboration with the Centre for Policy Futures (CPF) at The University of Queensland and the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). Using a behavioural systems lens, the research investigates current practices, cross-sector models, and the organisational conditions needed to embed PLL into APS culture and systems. 

The CPF team, led by Dr. Morgan Tear, Dr. Liz Young, and Professor Greg Marston, brings expertise in behavioural science, organisational learning, and systems thinking. Their approach treats PLL not just as a learning and development challenge, but as an organisational behaviour issue, requiring attention to systems, norms, incentives, and change dynamics. 

This research will be useful for public sector leaders, learning and development professionals, and policy teams across the Australian Public Service (APS). It will provide practical insights into how peer-to-peer learning can be better supported and scaled, helping agencies build more adaptive, capable workforces. The findings will also benefit those designing or delivering training programs, by offering evidence-based strategies for embedding practitioner-led learning into everyday practice. 

This project takes a behavioural systems approach to practitioner-led learning (PLL), recognising it not simply as a teaching method but as a complex organisational phenomenon. PLL is shaped by the norms, incentives, and systemic behaviours embedded within public sector institutions. Rather than focusing solely on content or delivery, the project examines the conditions that enable or constrain Practitioner led and peer learning across the APS. It seeks to understand how learning emerges through practice, and how it can be supported and scaled through thoughtful design and system-level change. The applied research model guiding this work emphasises collaboration, shared ownership, and practical relevance, ensuring that insights are grounded in the realities of public service work and responsive to the needs of diverse stakeholders. This approach draws on cross-sectoral experience and is informed by a commitment to real-world impact across policy domains including employment, health, climate, and governance. 

This project will be conducted across three phases, each addressing a key research question: 

Phase One: How is PLL currently practised in the APS? 

The first phase of the project will focus on understanding how practitioner-led learning (PLL) is currently being used across the Australian Public Service (APS). The research team will speak with up to 20 APS staff, including those who have participated in PLL and those who haven’t. This will help uncover what encourages people to get involved, and what might be holding others back. 

The interviews will explore what motivates staff to share their expertise, what helps or hinders peer-to-peer learning, and how workplace culture, leadership, and incentives shape these experiences. The goal is to identify both the visible and hidden factors that influence how PLL works in practice. Early findings will be shared with the project steering committee to guide the next stages of the work. 

Phase Two: What models from other sectors could be adapted to the APS? 

In the second phase, the team will look beyond the APS to see how other industries, such as education, healthcare, consulting, and trades, support and scale practitioner-led learning. They will study 4 to 6 examples to understand how these sectors choose and support practitioner-educators, how they capture and share practical knowledge, and what systems help make learning sustainable. 

Rather than copying these models directly, the team will identify useful ideas and approaches that could be adapted to the APS. These findings will then be tested through follow-up conversations with APS staff to ensure they’re relevant and workable. A summary report will capture the key insights from this phase. 

Phase Three: What structures best support the systematisation of PLL in the APS? 

The third phase will focus on what’s needed to embed PLL more systematically across the APS. The team will review existing research to identify what helps or hinders informal learning at scale. This includes looking at organisational factors like culture and leadership, as well as individual factors such as motivation and confidence. They’ll also examine common risks, such as unclear roles or unequal access to learning opportunities. 

These insights will form the basis for a series of co-design workshops with the aim of mapping out what structures and processes are needed to support PLL in a way that fits the APS’s unique systems and culture. The outcome will be a practical roadmap to guide future implementation. 

This project will run over twelve months beginning in September 2025.