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HRDG Employee Development Sub Group

Development Programmes – Schemes of Work

To seek approval from Regional Management Board for:

1. Regional schemes of work which represent a framework for future collaborative procurement activity related to development programmes.

This report provides background information supporting proposals for regional work on development programmes. RMB are asked to approve regional schemes of work to be used by T&D practitioners to progressively develop cost effective approaches to procurement and delivery of training products across the region.

Constituent members of the South East Fire and Rescue Services Regional Management Board.

1. That the report be noted;
2. That the regional schemes of work for the roles of firefighter, crew, watch, station, group, area and brigade manager as set out in the document attached to this report are approved;
3. That each SE FRS agrees to progressively adopt these schemes of work as soon as local conditions allow.

Regional schemes of work provide the framework against which IPDS compliant training products can be developed. As each FRS adopts the schemes of work it becomes increasingly possible to collaborate on procurement producing economies of scale.

LEAD/CONTACT OFFICER: Malcolm Styles
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 01737 242444
EMAIL: malcolm.styles@surreycc.gov.uk

BACKGROUND PAPERS: National Framework Document

INTRODUCTION

Employee Development activity, particularly on development programmes, represents a major area of expenditure across the region. ODPM, through the National Framework Document, have set out expectations that regions will work collaboratively to make sure that expenditure in this area is as cost effective as possible. The purpose of this report is seek approval for proposals which create the conditions for more collaborative working, and savings in the medium term.

BACKGROUND

Arrangements for carrying out employee development activity in the region are understandably mixed given the historical background of the Fire Service. The recent impetus for collaboration, whilst representing a significant opportunity, needs to be managed in a way which enables each FRS to take stock of current provision and move toward a new collaborative position while still meeting local requirements in each Authority.

ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY

This report is concerned with the process for deciding the broad content of development requirements for the roles of firefighter, crew manager, watch manager, station manager, group manager, area manager and brigade manager.

The development requirement for each of these roles is largely determined by reference to the National Development Modules, but these modules need to be grouped to produce an overall specification (scheme of work) for each development programme. Once the scheme of work has been produced it is possible to work out detailed lesson plans and make decisions about how, and by whom, the training and development might be provided.

For each of the core roles research has been undertaken to produce:

1. A cross-referenced description of activity associated with each development module identified as a requirement for each role.
2. A description of student and teacher activities associated with learning with particular emphasis on options for the format of delivery which will be needed to reflect the student centred focus of this aspect of IPDS implementation
3. An assessment, based on the National Qualifications Framework, of the educational level at which study for each module will need to be undertaken.

These regional schemes of work represent a significant step toward establishing a common approach to the outcomes required from development programmes, and a basis for further work to take place in relation to procurement of training products.

Subject to approval of the schemes of work set out in Appendix 1 (download as .doc file) the next steps to be taken would be:

1. For all Fire Authorities in the region to adopt the schemes of work.
2. For ED practitioners in all Fire Authorities to suspend any planned activity in relation to procurement of training products in favour of a collaborative approach to be introduced in line with timeline activity programmed for later in 2005, as reported to RMB on 26 January 2005 (Item 9). The purpose of this direction would be to create the opportunity for collaborative activity to take place once any existing contracts for provision of elements of training have been completed.
3. For ED practitioners to complete work on producing a best practice, IPDS compliant suite of options for provision of training and development to meet the needs of each development programme. The outcome of this work, which is programmed for completion by October 2005, will be a menu of options for provision of training and development. Choice over providers and format of delivery will remain essential to this process so that local organisational requirements can continue to be met together with the need to provide modular, flexible and individual access options for staff. However, it is anticipated that within these requirements substantial areas for collaboration over procurement will be identified.

OPTIONS

As the work progresses, options and progress with collaborative procurement of will be brought forward to the RMB for decisions as appropriate. There are no specific options in this paper.

IMPLICATIONS

Subject to approval the proposals and the planned activity outlined in this report advance the regional agenda, and represent an immediate cost benefit to the region. Adopting common schemes of work will provide a disciplined framework within which local procurement proposals can be measured for regional fit, and potential for further costs savings through collaborative procurement identified.

CONCLUSION

The proposals set out in this report represent an important step towards establishing regional arrangements for procurement of training and development products. A regional framework i.e. schemes of work are essential to making progress with this issue and beginning to realise the cost benefits associated with collaboration.

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