Professional development of employees policy

Aims and scope

Waverley Training Services (WTS) as part of Waverley Borough Council (WBC) encourages Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which refers to the ongoing learning and development that tutors, and other professionals participate in to enhance their knowledge and skills.

WTS are committed to and encourage its employees to improve their skills and provide opportunities for them to develop and maintain existing knowledge. With support from line managers to assess learning development and support with goals to identify key areas for development that will further support employees in their role and benefit our operational requirements and the service we provide.

This could include learning new skills or qualifications, refresh, and maintain existing knowledge, improve skills or to keep up to date with the latest developments within the profession.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide support, clarification, and guidance on CPD for its employees and detail WTS aspiration to offer learners the best experience whilst on our programmes.

Our employees are experts in the standards they deliver and are encouraged to further their CPD and wider Apprenticeship knowledge through occupational competence and other such relatable knowledge such as relevant laws and regulations.

The benefits of Continuous Professional Development include:

• Improve and maintain sector skills expertise, skills and performance for all delivery staff.
• Increase employee retention.
• Improve efficiency.
• Positively impact on employee wellbeing.
• Ensuring all newly recruited employees receive a thorough induction.

The process

WTS provides annual CPD for all employees, regardless of role in line with our planning and review cycles. Employees are required to engage with and take responsibility for their own professional development as well as undertaking mandatory and relevant training required for their role.

Employees are encouraged to seek development opportunities and attend those provided to enable them to keep skills updated and respond and adapt to change.

In return WTS make the following commitments:

• Ensure all employees are trained to levels appropriate to their job roles, to meet our statutory obligations. Therefore, participation in certain development activities will be mandatory for all employees to undertake at various intervals depending on their role.
• Ensure all employees work collaboratively across all departments by sharing best practice.
• Provide a comprehensive induction programme for all new starters, ensuring they have all the tools needed to be able to fulfil their role and have a greater understanding of the business overall, its goals, visions and values.
• Ensure all employees are supported and encouraged to acquire and develop the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies to enhance their performance in their current role.
• Provide managers with the skills, knowledge and competencies they need to work in partnership with their employees to support their CPD and lifelong learning.
• Gain post course feedback from their line manager at a timely interval to check on identified outcomes achieved.
• All employees are required to ensure that mandatory skills are reviewed and updated in accordance with the mandatory skills matrix held on all employees. This matrix additionally outlines when regulatory policies are due to be reviewed.
• Employees who are designated first aiders and fire wardens must ensure they have relevant and up-to-date qualifications, which are refreshed in line with awarding body guidance.

Employee guidance

It is the responsibility of all tutors to maintain their CPD for the standard that they deliver. In addition to mandatory CPD, the delivery team are expected to attend internal:

• Standardisation meetings.
• New delivery employees are required to undertake Functional Skills English and Maths at Level 2.
• Monthly one-to-ones.
• Peer reviews.
• Observations of Teaching, Learning and Assessment.
• Yearly appraisals.
• Any standard and/or qualification changes.

The delivery team are required to source industry specialism placements opportunities to enhance and maintain knowledge in the workplace, to ensure occupational competency in the standard they deliver. This ensures information we provide to learners is current, relevant, and employer led.

Management responsibility

Line managers have the responsibility to ensure CPD is carried out both internally and externally, whilst exploring CPD with employees if it is of benefit. All CPD is discussed at monthly one-to-ones, with employees providing feedback on any training attended in regard to the value of the learning, so that Senior Management can review effective CPD.

Line Managers are also responsible for updating the skills matrix and collecting certificates of attendance.

Monitoring and reviewing

The WTS senior leadership team monitor and review employees CPD monthly at one-to-ones to ensure training is up-to-date and to ensure that training aligns with the business needs of WTS.