Pendle's got the Skills Award

An assessor from the North West Employers' Organisation came into the Council in early June.

They looked at a range of evidence and interviewed staff from the Human Resources Team and Learning Champions Group to get a picture of what the Council does to help develop the skills of its workforce.

Human Resources Manager Susan Tyer said:

"We're thrilled to have got the Skills Award. It recognises how we successfully address the skills needs of our workforce with a view to improving the performance of the whole organisation." 

The Skills Award assesses how well we identify employees' learning needs then partner with the unions and local training providers to meet them.

To gain the Skills Award, the Council had to demonstrate how it meets a total of 40 criteria. These include:
* having a whole organisation approach to learning and development
* promoting learning and development opportunities
* supporting managers in developing their employees
* working in partnership with the unions and local learning providers
* identifying learning needs through a variety of processes
* delivering a flexible learning package
* offering information, advice and guidance to staff regarding learning 
* celebrating learners' achievements.

Andrea Hall, Learning & Development Officer, said:

"We genuinely support learning at all levels in our organisation.

"Staff are given regular opportunities to discuss with their manager any learning or development needs they may have.

"This could range from Skills for Life courses to post-graduate qualifications.

"Wherever we can, we arrange such learning or find partners who can provide it."

Councillor Linda Crossley, Pendle Council's Executive Member for Resources, said:

"We showed the assessor from North West Employers' Organisation how we take a strategic approach to developing the skills of all our staff.

"Supporting their development is something we have done for many years. This award is simply recognition of how well we've been doing.

"Improving the skills of our workforce helps us to succeed in meeting the challenges we face as a public sector organisation, and in providing good quality services to our residents."

The Council is now required to carry out a self assessment against the 40 criteria on an annual basis, and undergo a further full assessment in three years' time.

For more information about the North West Employers' Skills Award accreditation, go to http://www.nwemployers.org.uk/.