Workforce Development and Continuous …

1 ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL Education Culture and Sport Workforce Development and Continuous professional Development Policy Lead Officer: Andrew Jones Head of Service: Charlie Penman Version Number: Date: April 2012 Review Date: June 2015 Contents Section 1 Introduction and Purpose of Policy (Rationale) Section 2 Policy Principles Section 3 Expected Outcomes Section 4 Roles and Responsibilities Section 5 Links To Council Values and Priorities To Other Policies Section 6 Distribution and Publication Section 7 Review Section 8 Organisation and Responsibility Director Heads of Service/Service Managers/Head Teachers/Line Managers All Employees Section 9 Planning and Implementation Section 10 Communication Section 11 Strategic and Environmental Assessment Section 12 Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment Section

2 13 Approval Section 14 Agreed Review Date Appendices 1 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE OF POLICY (Rationale) The Education, Culture and Sport Service is committed to establishing and maintaining a highly skilled Workforce , with the knowledge, understanding and expertise required to carry out its duties. This policy sets out the aims and expectations of the Service with regard to developing its staff. It seeks to establish an agreed set of principles for Workforce Development and professional Development which will apply to all employees within the Service, and it explains the key responsibilities of managers and employees in implementing and maintaining those principles.

3 The Education, Culture and Sport Service consists of a wide range of staff groups and professions. This service wide policy aims to ensure a consistency of approach to Workforce Development and Continuous professional Development (CPD) across all areas of the Service, and to facilitate collaborative working and joint Development opportunities between different professions and staff groups. The policy applies to all employees within the Education, Culture & Sport Service. Links with the corporate Employee Development Programme The corporate Employee Development Policy applies to all Council staff, including those in Education, Culture and Sport.

4 The corporate Employee Development team provides a programme of Development opportunities which are aimed at developing the skills of all employees, regardless of their role, profession, or service they work in. This policy compliments the corporate policy by setting out our specific approach to professional Development for employees within the Education, Culture and Sport Service. The Service s CPD Team provides a programme of professional Development opportunities which focus on developing the knowledge and skills required by employees to fulfil their specific roles within the Service.

5 The programme therefore compliments, and does not replace, the wider corporate Development programme. 2 POLICY PRINCIPLES The following are the key principles which underpin all work relating to the professional Development of the staff within our Service: o Commitment to Staff Development The Education, Culture and Sport Service is committed to establishing and maintaining a highly skilled Workforce , through providing high quality, appropriate professional Development opportunities. o CPD is the responsibility of all All employees within the Service have responsibility for their own professional Development .

6 Individuals are expected to take ownership of their own learning and, with support, seek out appropriate opportunities for Development . Managers are expected to support and drive forwards as appropriate the professional Development of the individuals within their team, and of their team as a whole. o CPD can happen in many different ways It is recognised that there are many different ways to carry out professional Development , and CPD should be considered in its widest sense; the narrow view of training and Development taking place only in face-to-face workshops should be avoided.

7 Employees should be encouraged and given opportunities to take part in a wide range of appropriate CPD activities, such as coaching and mentoring, job shadowing, academic reading, and action research, in order to help them meet their Development needs. o Providing employees with the knowledge and skills they need to do their job The Education, Culture and Sport Service comprises a wide range of staff groups and professions, each with their own sets of knowledge and skills which they require in order to carry out their roles effectively. The Service will provide appropriate support to each staff group or profession, to ensure that employees skills are kept refreshed and up to date and to ensure that high standards of service are maintained.

8 A number of external bodies provide guidelines, frameworks and professional standards which specific groups of staff within our Service are expected to adhere to. For posts within the Education, Culture and Sport Service which are governed by external bodies, employees should already meet the relevant minimum standards before taking up their post. Should changes be made to the required standards after an employee has taken up post, and which require the employee to undertake further training, the Service will provide support for them to engage in appropriate CPD activities, in order to ensure that they meet the new requirements of the external body.

9 In the interests of Continuous improvement, colleagues will also be encouraged to undertake CPD activities which take them beyond the minimum required standards for their job, wherever possible. This will help us to maintain a Workforce which is highly skilled, well motivated, and able to provide high quality services to the people of Aberdeen. Links to relevant external bodies can be found in Appendix 1 of this policy document. o Opportunities for Development across teams and service areas The wide range of professions and staff groups which exist within our Service provide opportunities for teams and individuals with different experiences, knowledge and skills to work and develop together.

10 Where appropriate, the Service will support and facilitate joint training and Development activities, which meet shared CPD needs and which encourage closer partnership working between and across each of the service areas. o Sharing practice and making best use of staff expertise The Education, Culture and Sport Service places great value on the range and high quality of expertise that exists within its Workforce . Wherever possible, employees will be encouraged and given opportunities to share their knowledge and skills with colleagues, across all areas of the Service, and thereby contribute to the professional Development of others.