Training and development policy
Purpose and scope
QAA believes that effective training and development benefits the individual and the
organisation as a whole, and contributes to the achievement of QAA’s objectives.
These benefits include:
high standards of work performance
greater understanding and appreciation of factors affecting work
performance
sharing ideas and dissemination of good practice
effective management and implementation of change
building strong and effective teams
increased motivation and job satisfaction for individuals
professional development
greater understanding of QAA business.
QAA aims to ensure that:
its stated objectives are met
each member of staff understands what his or her work role involves
each person is developed to enable them to achieve their work objectives
staff are prepared and equipped to deal with changes in QAA
each individual is encouraged to develop his or her potential, both personally
and professionally
lifelong learning is supported and encouraged for all staff.
QAA is also committed to meeting and maintaining the Investors in People standard,
as well as making progress against the wider Investors in People framework
This policy applies to all staff.
Principles of the training and development policy
Training and development makes QAA a more effective organisation. QAA’s
continued success depends upon meeting the objectives set by the Board
and agreed with our funders and partners. This will be achieved through
staff who are competent in their roles.
Training and development can be defined as any activity designed to help
individuals become more effective at their work by improving, updating or
refining their knowledge and skills. It encompasses a range of activities
including, for example, involvement in various projects, attendance at
training courses, conferences or seminars, visits to other institutions, work
shadowing, formal study, coaching and mentoring.
QAA believes that training and development is a continuous process. There
is an expectation that staff will keep abreast of developments within their
own area of expertise, and all staff are encouraged to undertake
development activities throughout their working lives. The QAA performance
review system allows for specific input from individuals in relation to
suggestions for development at least twice a year.
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QAA’s approach to the provision of training and development is to consider
the development needs identified and how these should be met. This is in
line with both Investors in People and QAA’s definition of training and
development, and it focuses attention on development activities that add
value to the business, enabling QAA to meet its strategic objectives.
The responsibility for identifying training and development needs and
carrying out agreed training and development activity is shared between the
line manager and member of staff. QAA will encourage and support
appropriate training and development. Reasonable time and financial
support may be allocated.
Line managers are responsible for providing support and guidance in
relation to the training and development of those reporting to them,
particularly in relation to the identification of training and development needs
and making sure that appropriate action can be taken as a result.
Each member of staff is expected and encouraged to take ownership and
responsibility for their personal development in relation to their work, within
the framework of support provided by QAA. This includes analysing one’s
own skills, aptitudes and potential development needs, as well as having a
positive attitude and proactive approach to development.
QAA is committed, through its performance review process, to the creation
of training and development opportunities for all staff, and will work to
ensure equality of opportunity across all training and development activity.
Equal opportunities will be monitored specifically and reported on annually to
Directorate.
QAA will monitor and evaluate training and development activity so as to
continually learn and improve provision. All staff are expected to participate
in the evaluation of training and development.
The training and development policy, and accompanying guidance notes, provide a
framework within which decisions can be made and supported with regard to the
development of individuals and groups within QAA. In addition, please refer to the
policies and guidance notes on induction and the performance review process.
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Training and development
Guidance notes
Contents
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
The range of training and development opportunities
Types of training and development activity
Drawing on the expertise and experience of others
Processes by which people learn
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Responsibilities
The individual
Line managers
Senior management
The Human Resources (HR) function
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Links to other HR policies and initiatives
Performance review and review process
Induction
Investors in People
Capability policy
4
4.1
4.2
Planning training and development
Identification of needs
Training and development plan
5
5.1
5.2
Access to training and development
Entitlement to development support
Equal opportunities
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
Resources for training and development
Budget for training and development
Time allocation for training and development
Non-attendance at training
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
Formal qualifications
Funding of training/further qualifications
Career development loan
Time for qualifications, study and exam leave
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
Monitoring and evaluation
Continuing Professional Development, recording and evaluation
Professional memberships
Evaluation
1a
1b
1c
Appendices
Types of activities that may be considered developmental
The Learning Cycle and keeping a learning log
Learning log template
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1
The range of training and development opportunities
1.1
Types of training and development activity
1.1.1
There are many different types of activity that contribute to an individual’s
personal development, and colleagues are encouraged to consider the range of
opportunities available to them.
Some activities are undertaken with the specific aim of enhancing skills
and/or imparting information. Examples of these include attending a seminar
or training course, undertaking a qualification reading, work-shadowing and
mentoring.
Other activities offering the potential for development may arise in the
course of normal work activity. Examples of these include being involved in
a project where the individual acquires new skills or knowledge or discussing
how to deal with a particular problem with a colleague. In these situations,
learning is far greater where the opportunity is identified in advance, with
attention drawn to identifying the generic skills or general principles that will
be developed and considering how they may be applied in other similar
situations.
Individuals may apply for short term secondments of up to a month or for the
equivalent in days/blocks. The seconding Group would meet any costs for
cover and continue to pay normal salary. Any travel, accommodation and
subsistence would be met from the training budget. Secondments would be
organised by the individual, following approval of their Group Director and
the Head of HR through the Training application form. Applicants would
need to demonstrate how the secondment would enhance their skills,
experience and/or knowledge to improve their contribution to the QAA
activities. The application would include SMART (Specific, Measurable,
Agreed, Realistic and Time-bound) objectives for the project. Following the
secondment a written report for Directorate would be required, to
demonstrate learning, as well as cascading information to colleagues, as
appropriate. The secondment may be into an organisation or institution,
either in the UK or overseas. A Director or the Chief Executive may also
nominate an individual for secondment.
Further examples of the type of activities that may be considered
developmental are given in Appendix 1a, including both those designed or
intended for that purpose and those which are integrated with normal work
activities.
1.2
Drawing on the expertise and experience of others
1.2.1
Where possible, development activities will draw on the knowledge and
skills of QAA staff. This has the advantage of allowing advice, guidance and on-thejob training to be given in a way that is directly applicable to the work context, and
highly relevant to the post holder. Various people may be involved in supporting the
development of others; in particular a person’s line manager, colleagues, networking
contacts, mentors etc. Development by these means may take many forms,
including, for example, one-to-one discussions, seminars, secondments, hands-on
demonstrations and coaching.
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1.3
Processes by which people learn
1.3.1
There are various ways in which a person might learn, for example by
listening, reading, observing or seeking feedback. Colleagues are encouraged to
recognise the different means by which they learn and make best use of those which
suit to their own style of learning. Examples of the processes by which people learn
are given in Appendix 1b.
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Responsibilities
2.1
The individual
2.1.1
The process of training and development is most effective when each
individual takes responsibility for his or her own learning. This includes taking an
active role in planning one’s own personal development, undertaking agreed
development activities, and evaluating the effectiveness of these. Maintaining a
learning log helps individuals recognise what they have learned and how they applied
the outcomes of training and development activity in their work.
2.2
Line managers
2.2.1
Line managers are responsible for implementing QAA’s policy on training
and development.
2.2.2
Specifically, their role is to ensure that the training and development needs
of their staff are identified, taking account of both individuals and groups, and that
these are appropriately addressed. Line managers have an important part to play in
encouraging/facilitating people’s involvement in training and development activities,
both as participants or organisers, and in providing guidance/feedback with regard to
the skills and knowledge required for their current role. Also see 5.3 below.
2.3
Senior management
2.3.1
Senior management is responsible for actively encouraging training and
development as a means to enable QAA to meet its business objectives, and for
ensuring that resources are made available for this purpose.
2.4
The Human Resources (HR) function
2.4.1
The HR function has a facilitation role in relation to training and
development. This includes:
providing the tools to support training and development (eg, the performance
review process and learning logs – see 3 and 4 below).
advising and encouraging individuals and those with line management
responsibilities about training and development matters
coordinating the delivery of certain training and development activities that
are organised centrally
managing the centralised budget for training and development and ensuring
consistency of allocation
maintaining records with regard to the development of QAA staff
supporting QAA’s efforts in relation to its aim to maintain accreditation as an
Investor in People
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preparation of organisation wide training needs analysis and an annual QAA
training plan.
3
Links to other HR policies and initiatives
3.1
Performance review and review process
3.1.1
The performance review process is an important part of the QAA approach
to training and development.
3.1.2
It involves twice yearly meetings between individuals and their line
managers, to discuss and review the post holder’s work activities and their personal
development, and to plan ahead for the future. The performance review meetings
provide the time and space to identify development needs, plan how these should be
addressed and evaluate the effectiveness of development activities undertaken
previously. QAA’s policy on training and development is therefore closely related to
that of the performance review process. The policy on the performance review
process and accompanying guidance notes provide further details on how this
mechanism may be used to support training and development. Also see 4.1.3 below.
3.2
Induction
3.2.1
An effective induction process is important for settling new members of staff
into QAA, and ensuring the smooth transition of those who move to roles in other
departments/teams.
3.2.2
It involves both ensuring that the person has the necessary skills and
knowledge to perform their role effectively, and familiarising them with the detail of
the work that they will be performing. The line manager is responsible for monitoring
the progress of the new member of staff, and for ensuring that any development
needs are identified and met.
Please see QAA’s policy on induction, within the Recruitment, Selection and
Induction Policy for further details.
3.3
Investors in People
3.3.1
QAA is committed to fulfilling the standards of the Investors in People
initiative, an award which signifies that the organisation recognises the importance of
training and development in achieving corporate objectives, and invests in its people
to bring about a variety of benefits.
3.4
Capability procedure
3.4.1
QAA operates a capability procedure which means that should an employee
lack the knowledge, the skill or the ability to such an extent that they cannot carry out
his/her duties to the standard required, training and development may be provided in
an attempt to improve performance.
The capability procedure applies to all QAA employees including those on probation.
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4
Planning training and development
4.1
Identifying development needs
4.1.1
Development needs may be identified at several levels: those that apply to
the organisation as a whole, those at a group or team level and those which apply to
a particular individual (or group of individuals). Mechanisms are in place to identify
training and development needs at each of these levels (as described below), and
collectively these are summarised in the QAA training and development plan (see
4.2).
4.1.2
Organisational training and development objectives are aligned to strategic
priorities in the QAA Annual Plan, and the longer term QAA Strategic Plan. HR will
also consult with senior management. Service delivery statements (SDS) are also
taken into account, as are external and internal influences that may affect QAA’s
performance. An example of organisation-wide development needs would be a
requirement for more advanced IT skills brought about by a new system, or the need
for greater awareness of equal opportunities issues across QAA.
4.1.3
Group training needs will be identified through the planning and budgetary
process and Group SDS.
4.1.4
At team level, information is gathered from a variety of sources to identify
training and development needs common to a group of staff. As above, responsibility
for this lies with HR and line managers, in consultation with senior management.
Sources of information used for this purpose are likely to include performance review
process documentation (see 4.1.4 below), discussions with line managers and staff –
both formal and informal, findings from the annual staff survey and team plans with
regard to existing local priorities.
4.1.5
At the level of individuals, the performance review process is the main
vehicle for recognising and planning training and development. Line managers are
responsible for ensuring that individuals’ training needs are followed through, and for
particular courses, or where the method of meeting the development need has not
yet been decided, the job holder and line manager should complete a training
application form and pass it to the Training and Development Manager for discussion
and action.
4.2
Training and development plan
4.2.1
HR will produce a training and development plan by the end of the
operational year, for the following year based on the budgetary and planning
process. This will then be modified as required once all performance review
documentation has been received and analysed. This will summarise the
development needs identified at the level of QAA as a whole, for particular groups or
teams, and for individuals, based on the variety of information sources set out in
4.1.1 to 4.1.4 above. The training and development plan will be submitted to the
Senior Management Committee for comment.
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5
Access to training and development
5.1
Entitlement to development support
5.1.1
The extent to which a training and development activity can be supported by
QAA will depend on a number of factors including:
the relevance of the development need to achieving the strategic plan and
SDS
financial costs to QAA
hidden costs – including, for example, the amount of work time required to
complete the development activity
any additional cover required and impact on colleagues
the amount of development support that it is reasonable for any one member
of staff to undertake in a given period
availability of funds in the training and development budget
parity with similar applications.
5.2
Equality of opportunity
5.2.1
QAA seeks to ensure that development opportunities are available for all.
This principle does not, however, imply an automatic right of individuals to particular
development activities or a right to undertake development actions within specified
periods of time.
5.2.2
Line managers are responsible for ensuring that the development needs of
all staff are given fair consideration and that the needs of staff employed on a parttime or short-term basis are addressed equitably.
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Resources for training and development
6.1
Budget for training and development
6.1.1
The budget for training and development is managed by the Training and
Development Manager, with the Head of HR being the budget holder. The budget is
based on the Training and development plan as drawn up according to 4.1 above.
6.2
Time allocation for training and development
6.2.1
Training and development activities required by QAA will usually take place
during work time and agreed costs will be reimbursed.
6.2.2
Training and development activities that are encouraged by QAA but not
essential may take place during work time, or may involve study in the participant’s
own time, during evenings and weekends. For time to study for qualifications, please
see 7.3 below.
6.2.3
Where training and development takes place in normal work hours, the line
manager will arrange cover where necessary.
6.2.4
Part time colleagues who work additional hours to participate in training and
development activities required by QAA outside of their usual pattern of work (but
within normal work hours) will usually be able to agree time off in lieu.
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6.3
Non-attendance at training
6.3.1. Staff should make every effort to attend training that they have committed to
attend. If staff must withdraw from training, they will first seek their line manager’s
permission to do so, before confirming this to HR, along with an explanation for the
non-attendance.
6.3.2
Individuals may find someone else to attend training in their place, as long
as the training is relevant and appropriate for the substituted individual.
6.3.3
In terms of non-attendance at information talks, which are by their nature
more informal, staff are still expected to make every effort to attend talks and
briefings for which they have signed up. If they are unable to attend, they should
send their apologies to the organiser of the event, as well as removing their name
from the sign-up list.
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Qualifications
7.1
Funding of training/further qualifications
7.1.1
Where a member of staff wishes to undertake a qualification, they, or their
line manager, should seek advice from HR at the earliest opportunity. If a
qualification is desired but the exact course has not yet been identified, a career
development meeting with the Training and Development Manager can be offered to
assist with identifying possible routes.
7.1.2
The qualification should be discussed as part of the performance review
process and following the performance review meeting the individual should
complete an application stating how the qualification will benefit his/her team and
Group, and QAA as a whole. S/he may also be asked to supply further details about
the proposed development activity.
7.1.3
QAA is prepared to consider funding and study/exam leave for completion of
a first degree, where the individual does not have one. Preference will be given to
subject areas most relevant to QAA work, and this will be reflected in the proportion
of funding QAA is able to grant
7.1.4
The line manager and/or group director will be asked to comment on the
desirability of a proposed course or qualification taking into account the following
criteria:
staff development that is necessary in order to do a job; or where there is a
high level of demonstrated benefit to QAA
staff development where there would be some benefit to QAA, and where
staff might be given some support to recognise this, and
development that is principally about personal development/interest, where
there is little or no direct benefit to QAA.
Any funding will largely be dependent on the extent of demonstrated benefit to QAA
and will determine whether it could be supported to a greater or lesser extent.
7.1.5
Requests for qualifications need to be made separately for each year of
study. Requests for all qualifications, and for training with fees of over £1,500 in total
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(including VAT) will be considered by the Group director and Head of HR/Training
and Development Manager. Where part of a qualification, for example the thesis
stage, spans more than one year, but fees are paid at the outset of that particular
stage, then the learning contract will span the whole timescale. This means that
funding received by the staff member does not have to be pro-rated or split over the
separate operational years covered by that stage.
7.1.6
Applications for any support for qualifications must be given to HR by 31
March for study taking place in the following operational year (August – July), and
before a commitment to fees is made.
7.1.7
A decision on support after the first year of study will be contingent on
budget availability and evidence from the institution of satisfactory progress made by
the individual.
7.1.8
Staff will be required to sign a learning contract which sets out repayment
guidelines, should they leave QAA, as follows:
if a member of staff leaves employment (through resignation or a dismissal
which is not due to the staff member’s post being made redundant) during
the study year or if they fail to complete the study or sit any required
examinations within a reasonable timescale the full cost of the funding will
be required to be repaid
if a member of staff leaves employment within 12 months of the completed
course or study year, repayment will be calculated as 12 monthly
instalments, reducing by one twelfth in respect of each calendar month
completed from the end of the study year (Example: An individual who
completes a course in May and then leaves in October will be required to
repay seven twelfths of the cost)
if a member of staff fails exams that have been financially funded by QAA
they will be required to fund any exam resits and attend any college days or
similar in their own time.
7.1.9
Staff members are expected to update their line manager and HR on their
progress on at least a quarterly basis and to notify them immediately of any issues
affecting the potential completion of their study. A copy of certificates and/or
confirmation of completion of each study year should be forwarded to HR.
7.1.10 Staff may be required to give an information talk or presentation to
colleagues on the outcomes of their course and how the organisation has benefited
from their learning.
7.1.11 Staff are expected to provide their own textbooks if these are not included
as part of the course fee.
7.1.12 A contribution towards time to attend a course and/or course exam fees may
be agreed where training is not directly relevant to the individual’s job.
7.2
Career Development Loan
7.2.1
In cases where the funding criteria are not fully met or part funding provided
by QAA, but a case for personal development can be made, an interest free career
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development loan can be requested. The loan is intended to meet course fees up to
the maximum amount allowable for interest free loans set by Her Majesty’s Revenue
and Customs (currently under £5000 in any year at August 2011). This amount is the
total for interest free loans from an employer to an employee and could therefore
include the cost of a season ticket loan or bicycle purchase loan where these were
also in place. Employees will be required to sign an undertaking to repay the loan
from their pay over a twelve month period or the duration of the course which ever is
the lesser period.
7.3
Time for qualifications, study and exam leave
7.3.1
Qualifications are generally expected to be undertaken in the individual’s
own time. Where qualifications require attendance during working hours study leave
(see below) or annual leave may be used, a flexible working application may be
made, or hours may be made up upon agreement with the line manager. Options can
be discussed with HR to find the best individual solution.
7.3.2
If a qualification is instigated and organised by QAA for a number of staff
who are required to complete the qualification in order to fulfil a business need, then
a decision on time given towards the qualification will be made by HR together with
the line manager commissioning the training.
7.3.3
Where an individual is undertaking a formal qualification in their own time,
QAA will consider applications for paid study and exam leave. The timing and
amount of leave allowed for these purposes is at the discretion of the relevant Group
director in consultation with HR and will be decided at the outset before the learning
contract is agreed.
7.3.4
Employees may be permitted to take up to a maximum of five days paid
leave for the purposes of study or exams in any operational year when undertaking a
qualification supported by QAA. Any additional time required must be taken as
annual leave or unpaid leave.
7.3.5
Various criteria will be used to decide how much study leave will be granted,
including but not limited to the following:
the length of the qualification; study leave will be considered for long-term
study, that is to say lasting a minimum of six months
the percentage level of funding being offered to support the qualification
being undertaken
the level of the qualification being undertaken
whether the qualification is being carried out in work time or in the staff
member’s own time.
7.3.6
Once study leave has been granted in principle as part of the support
offered by QAA, an individual who requests to use this study leave should provide
their line manager with details of how the study leave will be used. Documentary
evidence of examination dates or college workshops may be required. Study leave
will be noted on the Annual leave card by the line manager.
7.3.7
In considering requests for study leave to be used, the line manager will
need to be reassured that the group can make adequate alternative arrangements for
office cover etc.
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Continuing Professional Development, recording and evaluation
8.1
Continuing Professional Development and recording
8.1.1
All members of staff should maintain records of development activities in
which they have been involved. Learning logs or Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) logs should be completed after each training or development
activity and then stored in a learning log file as the ideal method for keeping such
records. The collated learning logs should be referred to during the performance
review meeting and attached to the performance review form. Learning logs may be
requested when an application for training and development as a record of how
previous development activity has been applied at work.
8.1.2
HR will maintain records of any formal development activities and will use
this to produce management information with regard to participation, costs and
categories of staff undertaking training and development.
8.2
Professional memberships
8.2.1
QAA will support staff to maintain a professional membership subscription
relevant to their role, by paying for fees, within reason, for one professional
membership per member of staff per operational year. Staff may claim payment back
for professional fees via the staff expenses claim form, with any queries being
directed to the HR team.
8.3
Evaluation
8.3.1
Training and development activities will be evaluated, in respect of their
effectiveness from both an organisational and a personal perspective. There are
several ways in which this can be done.
8.3.2
Evaluation starts at the outset of the training cycle by identifying evaluation
criteria both for the course and for the individual at the stage when training is applied
for, or when delegates are invited to attend training. Both the individual and the line
manager should take time to reflect on what both will notice has changed or indeed
what will no longer happen, after the training that will tell both the individual and the
line manager that the learning objectives have been successfully achieved.
8.3.3
The staff member and line manager should also agree how the training will
be put into practice and what, if any, support will be required to implement the
learning from the training undertaken. This may mean for example, identifying
particular work tasks or projects where the learning can be used and new skills
practised.
8.3.4
The performance review process is the primary means of evaluating training
and development of all types. The individual and their line manager should use the
performance review meeting to evaluate the extent to which agreed development
activities have achieved the intended objectives and, where necessary, plan the next
steps. Unplanned development opportunities that arise in the course of normal work
activity should also be reflected upon in order to identify how this might improve
future work activities. Following the performance review meeting, a written summary
of all the matters discussed should be produced and forwarded to HR, in accordance
with the performance review process.
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8.3.5
The training and development evaluation form consists of two sections. The
first is a response to the training or development activity, the second is about action
planning in order to implement training. The purpose of these forms is to evaluate
the effectiveness of training and development, and ensure that resources are wisely
employed. An individual is asked to complete this immediately after each
training/development event. A copy of this is forwarded to HR and kept on the
individual’s training and development file.
8.3.6
HR is responsible for analysing the performance review documentation and
training and development evaluation forms with regard to the effectiveness of training
and development activity, and where necessary taking follow up action. The
evaluation data will inform future practice with regard to advising staff on the training
and development opportunities available to them and booking training courses.
8.3.7
QAA-wide training courses may be followed up with evaluation surveys or
interviews at six-months, and /or at one year after training has taken place. Staff are
expected to participate in all evaluation exercises as required.
8.3.8
Annually a brief report will be produced by HR for the Board summarising
the impact of training and development on work performance and any relevant
feedback from the staff survey.
November 2011
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Appendix 1a: Types of activities that may be considered developmental
It is recognised that individuals have different learning styles and there are many
workplace activities that, when used in combination, can make up a highly efficient
and effective development programme. The term ‘blended learning’ is used to
describe this style of learning, where a blend of different structured activities carried
out over time, create a stimulating and very effective learning programme. The list
below includes a number of activities that can be blended together.
Learning on the job in this manner requires a degree of self-awareness about the
type of activity best suited to your own style. It also requires good planning, so you
can identify opportunities that lie ahead. If you are unsure of your own preferred style
and need assistance with identification, HR will provide advice and tools to help with
this.
Examples of activities which when blended together enhance personal
development
Reading (books, journals, reports, newspapers)
Networking (both internally and with people external to QAA)
Instruction - being shown how to do something and subsequently putting this
into practice
Attending conferences/seminars/development forums
Being a member of committees or working groups
Work shadowing
Attending a formal training event (both internal and external)
Taking on new tasks or additional responsibilities to develop particular skills
you identify
Moving into a new or different work role
Watching training/educational videos
Being involved in role plays or simulations
Using case studies to develop your knowledge (both those described in
books/journals, and cases that colleagues or acquaintances may be able to
tell you about)
Using diagnostic instruments (eg, learning styles questionnaire, Belbin team
types questionnaire)
Asking for feedback on your own performance from those who work closely
with you
Watching relevant documentaries/news items on the television or listening to
selected radio programmes
Involvement in coaching/mentoring relationships (can be developmental for
both parties)
Keeping a personal development journal – reflection on experience
Participating in a group discussion
Working towards a qualification (academic, professional, or vocational
qualifications)
Belonging to an action learning group (meeting with peers to discuss work
related issues with the aim of finding solutions to problems)
Involvement in activities related to a professional body or employer’s
association (eg, attending branch meetings, giving a presentation to fellow
members)
E-learning – a large selection of computer-based courses is now available
and can generally be completed from the comfort of your own desk. E14
learning tends to be interactive, carefully designed (to meet the diverse
needs of as many people as possible) and may include video, sound,
pictures, as well as text and check tests to measure understanding.
Benchmarking – using a similar business operation (eg, a business that
conducts audits or reviews) to compare work processes with a view to
learning, developing and possibly improving the performance of your
organisation. A true benchmarking exercise will be reciprocal
Secondments - a secondment is where for a given period of time, you work
in another work area, department or even organisation to experience tasks
normally associated with other areas of the supply chain than you normally
operate. Secondments can be both internal to QAA but equally, by
agreement, with an external partner organisation (eg, HEFCE.) In all cases,
the line manager, relevant director and HR will need to be consulted before
it can be approved. Consideration has to be given to the benefits it will bring
to QAA, an appropriate timescale and, if external to QAA, salary
arrangements for the period of the secondment
Referring to standards of best practice (National Standards) for guidance on
how to do your job and to identify specific development opportunities/needs.
Examples of potentially developmental experiences which may arise in (or be
integrated into) the course of normal work activity
Attending various meetings
Being involved in a review visit beyond the normal scope of your work
activities
Working with external committees
Using the internet or intranet to research something
Working on a task which requires you to solve a problem
Giving, or preparing, a presentation on a topic with which you are not
familiar
Discussing how to deal with a particular problem with someone you work
with
Undertaking a project or assignment that is in some way different to those
you have worked on previously
Taking advantage of a reciprocal internal secondment
Observing how others deal with a particular problem or respond in a given
situation
Delegating tasks to others
Being a member of a working groups or task force
Being involved in various tasks (both those which are familiar and unfamiliar
to you)
Adjusting to a new or changed work role
Managing a change
Preparing for your performance review – looking back on what you have
done over the last six to 12 months and planning ahead for the future
Managing a team, or co-ordinating a project group
Talking things through with your line manager at your performance review
Taking on additional tasks and responsibilities that present you with a
challenge.
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Appendix 1b: The Learning Cycle and keeping a learning log
A learning log (see also Appendix 1d: Learning log template below) is a useful tool to
track your learning, professional development and training undertaken. Your learning
log can be used to help you to develop your skills, knowledge and experiences; to
embed learning; as part of your career development since it may be a helpful way to
reflect upon skills developed and knowledge acquired. These aspects can be
particularly useful for your Performance review meeting with your line manager when
thinking about further areas of development, either in terms of training, or in terms of
areas of work in which you which to progress. Your learning log is also helpful for
applying for new roles and for interview preparation as you can show your
development and have a clear record of how you have developed your skills.
The learning log is designed to work through Kolb’s learning cycle (below) to:
to have some kind of experience from which learning can be drawn and to
note the experience (stage one of the learning cycle)
Reflect on and review the experience (stage two of the learning cycle)
reach conclusions and lessons learned (stage three of the learning cycle)
plan what to do differently and to experiment (stage four of the learning
cycle).
Kolb’s Learning Cycle (Kolb, David, 'Experiential Learning: Experience As The
Source Of Learning And Development', 1984)
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Appendix 1c: Learning log template
Learning log
Here is a simple format for a learning log, which, if you wish, you could incorporate in a
similar way into your diary. This is a suggested template, but you may feel free to use
whatever works for you.
Date of
What happened
activity
Lessons learned
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Action(s)