At East Sussex County Council we champion your development because we know that our success in achieving excellence in service delivery depends upon you.
Our commitment to staff development was officially recognised in 1999 when we were first awarded Investor in People Status, and was re-confirmed in 2003, 2006 and 2009, when it was successfully re-accredited.
The level and quality of development and support initiatives that we have in place are a direct reflection of the value that we place on our staff.
Supported introduction to employment
We place great importance on introducing you effectively into your new job and work at the Council.
You will receive an induction on your first day and also a ‘one year supported introduction to employment' which includes regular reviews and feedback sessions with your manager to support you in settling in to your new job and responsibilities.
If you are new to the Council, this process will also be your probationary period, giving you reasonable time to demonstrate your abilities and suitability for the post.
Appointment support
We recognise the importance of supporting existing employees, who may be appointed or transferred to a new post within the County Council. In order to assist them in settling into their new role we provide 12 months' support which is similar to the supported introduction to employment for new staff.
Annual appraisal
Our annual appraisal system is a way for everyone to review how effectively they have contributed to the Council's overall performance, and this, in addition to regular supervision meetings, provides an opportunity to acknowledge work well done and to explore how performance might be improved in the year ahead.
We believe every employee has the right to know what we expect of them in their job and the right training and development opportunities are provided to help everyone perform to their full potential.
Corporate training
We currently offer over 150 courses to our employees which are constantly reviewed and updated to meet changing needs. They include personal development workshops, equalities and diversity training, and a full suite of ICT-based courses for beginners to intermediate.
Our courses are developed to accommodate the needs of all employees including a range of online training.
Social care training
We offer a wide variety of training courses for staff who work in Adult Social Care and Children's Services. These courses support staff in attaining both vocational and professional qualifications and cover induction standards for new staff through to post-qualifying courses for Social Workers and Occupational Therapists.
The Council also supports some staff in undertaking either social work or occupational therapy training as well as providing a range of practice learning opportunities for students studying for either professional award.
Management development
We are well aware of the important contribution managers make to developing our people and that is why we invest in a range of quality leadership and management development programmes. These are constantly reviewed to ensure that managers are equipped to work in a complex, constantly changing environment.
Workshops are offered for aspiring managers, support for first-time managers and a range of interventions that include managing remote teams, facilitating and enabling change as well as a choice of core skills and knowledge development programmes. We also offer four Chartered Management Institute accredited training programmes, from entry level through to an executive diploma.
Career development
We really want our employees to succeed. We value professional qualifications and support a number of individuals each year to attend college, for instance the CIPFA trainee scheme for finance staff and the HNC in Civil Engineering for our Transport and Environment staff.
We also operate an apprenticeship programme offering a range of apprenticeships including Business Administration, ICT, Civil Engineering and Childcare. For more information see Apprenticeships at East Sussex County Council.
Our support doesn't stop there. We recognise the importance of continuous professional development and, dependent on business needs, encourage staff to attend conferences and seminars to update their knowledge and skills.
Secondment and acting-up opportunities
In addition to professional qualification training we are also advocates of ‘on the job' learning and encourage staff to apply for secondments and acting-up opportunities in order to develop their skills and gain a broader understanding of a different job or working environment within the Council.
Capacity building
We recognise the importance of developing our high-potential staff, in order to ensure a supply of the high-calibre people we need. So we offer a range of development activities which allow their talents to shine through.
Among other notable achievements, we have been winners of the prestigious Young Local Authority of the Year competition, and Local Government Management Challenge.
East Sussex County Council