Learning and Development is a subject that interests everyone and questions have been raised at both of the last two staff briefings. Based on those questions, I thought it would be worthwhile providing some more detail on the Learning and Development budget and how it is currently managed so that everyone is clear on the process.
How much is the budget?
- We have a Learning and Development budget, in excess of 150K.
- The Learning and Development budget increased by 6% this year
- We have >280 staff
- We are on track (slightly ahead currently) to spend all of the available budget this year.
How is Learning and Development budget allocated?
This year we have taken a different approach with the allocation of the Learning and Development budget, with more control devolved to individual sections.
A proportion of the budget (currently 18%) is reserved for group training which is available to all sections (e.g. ITIL) and training provided via People and Organisational Development (e.g. ILM).
The remaining budget is split per section, based on head count with all staff treated equally. Sections will decide how their budget is spent, some larger areas have training co-ordinators (namely EUS and Apps).
Learning and Development requests are submitted within ServiceNow, they then go to the Line Manager for initial approval and then to Service Management for financial approval as we manage the budget. Wherever possible requests should be submitted 10 working days before the event will take place.
Where does the money go?
The Learning and Development budget covers training courses, conferences and any associated expenses such as travel and hotels.
In the financial year to date 18/19 over 200 Learning and Development requests for 110 individuals have been approved. A number of Learning and Development needs have also been met that have not been officially registered as requests, and these number do not include group training sessions such as ITIL which accommodates 12 people per session.
A significant amount of the Learning and Development budget is spent up front to bulk buy resources, some areas have purchased eLearning materials for all staff, the main example being ITProTV within End User Services and some areas have consolidated requirements to buy discounted skills licences (essentially a number of training credits to call off to pay for courses as required).
Whilst the overall budget is significant, it is not enough to meet all needs identified by staff, so sections do need to prioritise and explore alternative options that may have lower or no direct associated costs. We will be analysing areas of expenditure at the end of the financial year to identify trends with respect to where the money has been spent and making recommendations/improvements for the future.
Our Learning and Development Principles
We endeavour to adopt the following principles with respect to our approach to Learning and Development.
- We are committed to ensuring staff have Development opportunities and time in which to undertake them.
- Where projects require training, this must be identified, included and paid for as part of that project.
- We will engage with our strategic partners to obtain free/subsidised training as part of that relationship.
- We will consolidate needs and negotiate bulk deals with our training providers.
- Group courses are preferential to individual courses due to economies of scale and may be prioritised.
- Certification is encouraged (but not mandatory) and exams and first resit if necessary, will be paid for.
- Where online materials are available, these should be explored to supplement and, in some cases, replace a training course. We recognise that this is not suitable for all learning styles.
- Learning and Development does not have to be a paid for course, alternative options may include Lunch and Learns, shadowing and project days amongst others.
- Identifying and progressing Learning and Development opportunities is a two-way process. Needs should be discussed with line managers and actively followed up by both parties – if you’ve not heard anything ask.
Improvements and Feedback
I hope this provides a little more understanding and transparency on the current processes for Learning and Development. This is the first year that we have run the process in this way and it is not without some issues, but we do believe the current position is an improvement on previous years and is fairer to all.
We are constantly looking at ways to improve all elements of how we approach Learning and Development needs and I honestly would like to hear your ideas. As the end of this financial year approaches, we will look to convene a small cross section, working group to discuss improvement opportunities so if you have a strong desire to be part of this process then please let me know.
We’ll also be keeping an eye on the results from the staff survey to pick up on any Learning and Development feedback from that.