AYR COLLEGE STAFF DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Transcription

1 AYR COLLEGE STAFF DEVELOPMENT POLICY Document Author: Bette Hay Document Owner: Human Resources Union Representative: Signature Date HR Committee Approval: Board of Management Approval: Page 1 of 5 FinalVersion Date Effective: 06 April 2010

2 1. Policy Statement The aim of this Policy is to define Staff Development, describe how development needs are identified and met, and to clarify the roles and responsibilities of all staff in relation to Staff Development. Education is a people-intensive industry and the success of any educational organisation, in particular, is highly dependent upon the skills of its staff. The College employs a wide range of staff, all of which have a complementary role in ensuring that the experience bf our leamers is of the highest quality possible. The existence of a Staff Development and Career Review process is an explicit acknowledgement that we all can and need to develop. This acknowledgement implies an understanding and acceptance that current 'good-enough' practice is unlikely to sustain our present position. Future demands or challenges can be met through a close and effective relationship between the planning and delivery of staff development and the positive professional response to it. Ayr College relies on the knowledge, skills and behaviour of its staff to achieve its objectives and serve its clients, both internaland external. The College is committed to developing and training all staff to the standard necessary to achieve the College's objectives. This Policy is based on three principles: a) All staff members will have equal treatment in matters relating to development regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief. b) Ayr College invests in training and development to enable people to improve their performance, as individuals and ds team members, so that the aims, objectives and targets of the College (both strategic and operational) can be met. c) Opportunities are available to all to develop their potential (including the gaining of appropriate qualifications), to continue their professional development and to learn new skills relevant to their role. It is assumed that each and every member of staff has the willingness and the potential to develop. 2. Scope This policy applies to allthose directly employed by Ayr College. 3. Definition Ayr College recognises that Staff Development can take a number of forms and should be interpreted broadly. lt includes coaching and mentoring, on the job training, job shadowing, secondments, formal training courses, self-managed learning and e-learning. Page 2 of 5 FinalVersion Date Effective: 06 April2010

3 4. ldentifying Staff Development Needs Staff Development needs are identified at three levels: Strategic - as detailed in the College's Strategic Plan, which can be found on the intranet. Operational - needs linked to the Strategic Plan. The Operational Plan for each Directorate can be found on the intranet. Individual * in the main, these needs are identified through the College's Staff Development and Review process. This process involves Managers and Individuals in discussion regarding the setting of individual targets. These needs should link to both operational and strategic objectives. 5. Staff Development and Gareer Review (SD&CR) All members of staff will attend a Staff Development and Career Review lnterview every year - although circumstances may arise when more frequent review is necessary. lt is also the right of every member of staff to request a more regular review, and Line Managers should do their best to accommodate any such request. The SD&CR interview is an opportunity to discuss formally the role, individual's objectives, any changes and development needs. This system is key to the identification of development needs. lt enables each individual's development needs to be regularly discussed, recorded and monitored in the context of their work objectives. The individual and the Line Manager must work together to identify gaps between current skills and knowledge and what is needed to do the job. They should then agree the most appropriate development or training activity to meet those needs. Consideration should also be given to what training or development the individual has for future development. The objectives and needs should be recorded by the individual on their CPD Planning Log. Those responsible for in-house training events will ensure that they are designed to underpin the College's Strategic and Operational Plans, and that they meet the needs of individuals, which have been identified at the SD&CR. 6. Roles and Responsibilities Everyone has a role to play and shares responsibility for ensuring that Staff Development complies with the principles of: equality of opportunity; meeting the College's strategic objectives; and developing potential. Every Manager in the College is responsible for ensuring that the development needs of their staff are properly identified, addressed and evaluated. Managers are responsible for:. Communicating departmental operational objectives to staff and linking these to the SD&CR process e.g. through the CPD Planning Logs. Organising SD&CR interviews in accordance with this Policy. Sending completed Targets and Planning Logs to the Staff Development Officer within the agreed timescale. Ensuring that any agreed development activities are organised in a timely manner Page 3 of 5 FinalVersion Date Effective: 06 April2010

4 Every member of staff is responsible for his/her own training and development. Individuals should work with their line manager to ensure they are able to access development as appropriate. Individuals are responsible for: e Agreeing realistic development needs at the SD&CR interview r Attending and participating in development activities. Reviewing the extent to which objectives were achieved by the development activity. Sending an Evaluation Sheet to the Staff Development Officer following attendance at development evenus r Reviewing the impact of the activity on their day to day work with their Line Manager after 3 months and recording the outcome on the CPD Second Stage Evaluation Form The Staff Development Officer is responsible for: o Providing advice and assistance on training and development matters o Delivery of some Staff Development training programmes. Organising external trainers to come into College to deliver training. Booking of external events. Keeping Staff Development records o Evaluating Staff Development activities r Managing the Staff Development budget 7. Training and Development Activities The College will provide opportunities for all staff to improve and develop their skill and the abilities necessary for the performance of their existing and future duties. Development activities should also enhance job satisfaction and career prospects. lt is for such reasons, staff are encouraged, as appropriate, to participate in a range of development activities. Some of the more frequently accessed staff development opportunities are listed below: College induction Coaching e.g. Effective Management Programme In-house training programmes e.g. child protection Self directed learning e.g. reading managementext books Teaching qualifications Mentoring e.g. Tandem Observation Practical training in new skills required by individuals for the performance of specific tasks e.g. ECDL Attendance at short courses, seminars and training events, externar to the College which contribute to the continuing professional development of a member of staff e.g. SFEU community of practice events Attendance at day release, block release or evening classes/courses e.g. HNC Business Management, HNC Marketing, HNC Construction Practice. Participation in distance learning courses e.g. some OU courses, some lt based programmes. Access to other facilities which would help to equip a member of staff in the performance of his/her existing or future role e.g. "Retum to Industry" Programme Page 4 of 5 FinalVersion Date Effective: 06 April2010

5 On occasion, the College will commit to pay tuition fees and relevant preauthorised expenses for part time Professional, Degree, Postgraduate or Masters type qualifications, where appropriate to the role of the individual, subject to the normal approval and the individual agreeing to repay costs if they leave the employ of the College during orwithin 18 months of completing the qualification. (Appendix 1) Additionally, all staff are entitled to take free of charge evening classes within the College where this is booked in advance via the Staff Development Officer, the class is already financially viable, and this does not disrupt their normal duties, subject to College procedures. (Appendix 1) The full detail of current "Standing Priorities" for staff development is detailed within Appendix Statutory Right to Request Time off to Train The College recognises the statutory right of employees to request time off to attend training that they believe will improve their performance and that of the College. And, each member of staff has a formal opportunity to discuss their development as part of the annual review process (see section 5). Staff will be expected to apply for time off to attend training in accordance with the normal College arrangement set out in Appendix 2 of this policy. lf a member of staff wishes to make a statutory request for time off to train, then the process for doing so is set out in Appendix 3 of this policy. Staff should note that there is no obligation on the College to pay for time-off to attend training or to pay forthe cost of the training, if an application is made under the statutory arrangements. 9. Records All documentation relating to Staff Development will be retained within the Human Resources Directorate. 10. Evaluation and Review This policy and its effectiveness will be reviewed at a number of levels, including: o Individually (based on participant feedback). Across directorates and. Across the College The responsibility for evaluation and review, of internal and external development activities, sits within the Human Resources Team. Page 5 of 5 FinalVersion Date Effective: 06 April2010