Training and Development
Introduction
The ISA will provide a comprehensive and professional training and development programme for its staff and public appointees.
Purpose, Principles and Approach
The primary purpose of learning and development within the ISA will be to:
- Support the ISA in achieving its strategic and operational objectives
- Support individual skills development to enable staff to be fully operational in their roles, and for teams to operate effectively
- Support the longer-term career development of employees
The principles and approach underpinning people development will be as follows:
- Strategic alignment:
- People development will directly support the ISA’s wider strategic objectives.
- Equality of opportunity:
- The ISA is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity in the development of people. Underrepresented groups will be encouraged to apply for training and employment opportunities with the ISA. Wherever possible, efforts will be made to identify and remove unnecessary or unjustifiable barriers and provide appropriate facilities and conditions of service to meet the special needs of disadvantaged and/or underrepresented groups.
- Alignment with other HR processes:
- Learning and development processes will align with other HR processes such as recruitment and selection, performance management and appraisal and career development.
- Professional programme:
- The ISA is committed to delivering a professional programme of learning and development for all employees that reflects best practice.
- Importance of people development:
- Ensuring people capability is at the core of the success of the ISA.
- Support mission, vision and values:
- The ISA’s mission, vision and values will be reinforced and reflected in learning and development activites.
- Tailored development:
- The ISA supports tailored development activities where the content of the learning, method and style of delivery is designed to meet the needs of the individual learners and the ISA.
Underpinning Frameworks
A People Development Strategy will bring together the ISA’s approach, framework, principles and priorities for learning and development, and will detail how this will be implemented.
It is proposed that the Professional Skills for Government framework be used as the core competency framework within the ISA. Specialist frameworks covering particular roles/areas in the ISA will be developed as required.
The Investors in People standard will be considered in the set up and implementation of the ISA. In line with the Government’s objective, the ISA will in due course seek IiP accreditation.
Proposed Training Provision
Training and development for ISA staff members will cover:
- Orientation and induction (e.g., diversity and equality, data protection and FOI, security, health and safety)
- Core Skills Development (e.g., people management, communication, analysis and use of evidence, programme and project management, financial management)
- Technical Skills Development (e.g., training in IT systems supporting casework/decision-making, training in business processes)
- Specialist Skills Development (e.g., risk assessment and decision-making, human resources, procurement)
- Management Development
- Leadership Development
ISA staff will have special (discretionary) leave entitlements to undertake approved further education and may also apply for financial support for study.
Training Delivery
Methods of learning will include on-the-job training, learning through formal programmes and learning through others. The most appropriate method(s) of delivery will be matched to the learning need(s). Programmes will be delivered through a combination of in-house training, and delivery by external suppliers. Accreditation of training programmes will be investigated.
Evaluation of Learning
Evaluation of training will cover individual’s response to the training, and for some activities, will include an assessment of individual’s learning.
Responses to training will feed into the process of continuous improvement around learning and development.
Assessment of learning will enable the ISA to confirm that people are fully operational in their role, and will allow further development and support to be provided where needed.