Competence Framework and Training and Development for ONR Staff

BSS/HRM/030 Issue 001

Approved by:: Ian Britten
Author Unit/Section:: ONR
Target Audience:: ONR Staff

1 Purpose and Scope
2 Policy
3 Responsibilities
4 Definitions
5 Guidance
6 Associated documents

1 Purpose and Scope

1.1 This document sets down arrangements that are intended to ensure that ONR staff have or are able to develop the competence needed to secure NDs strategic aims and objectives. It replaces BSS/HRM 024 and 029 but is consistent with the guidance formerly given in them. It covers Nuclear Safety Inspectors (HM Inspectors of Nuclear Installations) and the following functional groupings:

Nuclear inspection (this is included for equivalence purposes)
Permissioning inspection
Compliance inspection

In due course it is intended to ensure that all the ONR staff functional groupings are covered, including:

Safeguards functions
OCNS functions
Line management
Administration duties

1.2 Post and Division-specific requirements. In addition to these broad functional groupings different Divisions may have Division-specific requirements (for example the NDA interaction for Division 2, DNSR joint working for Division 3). These are not covered, on the assumption that they are addressed through local Divisional management arrangements. Similarly, smaller groups have particular needs (for example EIADR Inspectors), and there will be some job functions that do not fall neatly into any of the above groupings. For these, it is expected that post-specific training needs analyses will be carried out by line managers.

1.3 Induction. Induction is included for completeness, since it includes significant elements of knowledge transfer and sets the baseline for future development.

2 Policy

2.1 NDs policy on the training and development of staff is to:

Provide continuous professional development in organisational, regulatory, technical and behavioural capabilities as necessary for regulatory effectiveness and efficiency.
Maximise the potential of staff, taking into account business needs and NDs aim to provide a worthwhile, challenging and varied career.
Utilize centrally-organised HSE courses and tutorials provided under the HSE Early Years Training (EYT) programme as much as is appropriate.
Seek, through CDRG and ADRG, to cycle staff between roles, commensurate with business needs, individual preferences and the capabilities/skills that individuals bring to their job. For Nuclear Safety Inspectors, as a rule of thumb, site/project inspectors can expect to remain in their current position for not more than 3-4 years and specialist inspectors in their current tasking for not more than 6 years.
It is expected that for all staff, career development will be achieved through a combination of experience within a job function as well as in a variety of job functions. Separate expectations exist for the Senior Civil Service and for some Bands the Professional Skills for Government expectations will become relevant.
NDs training and development arrangements are intended to be able to deal with recruits who join from industries other than the nuclear industry, for example high hazard industries.

3 Responsibilities

Wherever possible, ONR utilises HSE generic learning and development provisions. This document is intended to set out NDs expectations and requirements for the competence of ONR staff with regard to nuclear specific competence. It does not therefore cover behavioural capabilities, some common legal and operational capabilities (health and safety law, investigations etc) and leadership capabilities for managers.

3.1 Head of Division 4. Has ONR Management Board responsibility for general oversight of learning and development arrangements.

3.2 Heads of Operational Divisions. Are responsible for ensuring that time is made available to those who have to follow and play a part in implementing the arrangements set out in this document.

3.3 Training Sub-Group Leader. Either the ONR Training Sub-group Leader (TSGL) or the nominated ONR manager, will exercise an oversight role over the use of this framework and act as a focal point for ONR learning and development matters. Much of this will be exercise through the Training Sub-Group, which is a pan-Directorate group of representatives from various functions and grades in ONR (to be re-constituted). Terms of reference for the Training Sub-Group are set out. The TSGL is functionally accountable to CALM/ICG (and OCNS equivalent) for the effectiveness of this role, and accountable through the line management chain for personal performance in this role. Specific TSGL duties are to:

Maintain and develop this framework, and ensure that it is used correctly.
Provide advice to the MB on ONR learning and development policy.
Represent ONR to other parts of HSE/external organisations on learning and development matters.
Address corporate learning and OEF matters that are not addressed by Divisions.
Provide or arrange advice and assistance on learning and development matters generally.
Co-ordinate the training course programme and keep other training and development material up-to-date
Arranging for suitable reports to be routed to the ONR Management Board.
Chair the Training Sub-Group and ensure that it functions effectively.
Help to maintain a corps of ONR trainers and mentors.

3.4 Heads of Unit/Line Managers.

ONR Line Managers have the key role in the development of the competencies identified in this framework. They are intended to use the framework as the basis for identifying capability gaps in their staff. Learning and development provisions are mapped out to help close any such gaps but Line Managers are encouraged to identify any other provision that will help their staff develop the identified competence it is the competence that matters not the means of achieving it. Line Managers are the key to effective use of this framework. In particular they should:

Make sure staff are properly inducted [PDF 83KB].
Encourage the identification and use of mentors.
Carry out a gap analysis against the competence framework for the relevant functional staff group (Nuclear Safety Inspector, Nuclear Security Inspector, administrative staff etc), see relevant section of Functional Job Descriptions and Training Needs Analyses [PDF 228KB] and Training and Development Requirements [PDF 81KB].
Consult where necessary with colleagues to complete the gap analysis (for example with ONR NTLs for Nuclear Safety Inspectors).
Use relevant Tables in Training and Development Requirements [PDF 81KB] to map out a development programme.
Monitor and encourage progress, in particular with On Job Training provisions, and raise nuclear equivalence cases when appropriate.
Assess competence against identified standards.
Identify potential new learning and development provisions to the TSGL.
Ensure that all staff play their part in the operation of the competence framework and address any difficulties that may arise with regard to staff involvement in learning and development.

3.5 Individuals. Everyone in ONR, new recruit and experienced staff member, has a role to play in making this competence framework work in practice. Many of the learning and development provisions involve passing knowledge and experience from one person to another, an essential activity given the uniqueness of much of NDs work. It is an expectation in HSEs core framework that staff are committed to this process and line managers are expected to deal with any difficulties in this area.

Staff whose routine reviews identify the need for professional development should follow the frameworks set out in Training and Development Requirements [PDF 81KB]. Where training and development provisions require staff to carry out on-job training in conjunction with the activities of other more experienced staff, then the latter should accommodate this in their normal work activity.

All staff may be called upon to help with the development of staff who have a learning need, either because the later are new to the organisation, are adopting a new role, or have otherwise identified a need for learning and development. Clearly this should not interfere unduly with overall organisational objectives. Conflicts between training demands and organisational objectives at individual level should be identified to and resolved by Line Managers.

3.6 Training and Development Plan and budget. Each year, in common with other HSE Directorates, ONR prepares a Training and Development Plan in conjunction with the HR Service Centre. This will identify any pan-Directorate interests (for example if OEF identifies new issues for which specific provision is required). However, it is largely concerned with the identification and funding of formal training courses and therefore represents only one element of the total ONR commitment to learning and development. Line Managers are expected to develop and manage the additional and more extensive provisions that will be identified by routine development processes.

3.7 Monitoring and reporting. In general Line Managers have the primary responsibility for giving effect to this framework and Divisions are responsible for discharging their own Training and Development Plans. In addition the TSGL will monitor general progress against the framework and report quarterly to the Head of Division 4 against the following:

Take up of training courses against planned.
Completion of OJT.
Evaluation of training provisions and providers.
Effectiveness of mentoring.
Actual achievement against required competences.

Trainers

3.8 There is an expectation, set out in the HSE core framework, that everyone in ONR will play a part in learning and development through commitments in:

Innovative and learning share knowledge.with others
Job relate experience help develop expertise in others

3.9 Training Course Delivery. Wherever possible, formal training courses are delivered by external providers. However, given the nature of NDs work, sometimes the only people who can deliver some elements of our training are ourselves. Experience and feedback from course evaluations has suggested that although this is nearly always very valuable, there have often been reservations (both by training deliverers and delegates) as to whether what has been delivered represents a company line or the personal viewpoint of the individual concerned. Two measures have been introduced to help here;

The content of training courses is derived from the training needs analyses [PDF 228KB] and mapped out in detail in Content of Training Provisions [PDF 125KB], specifically for the benefit of training deliverers.
The Training Sub Group Leader has the responsibility for monitoring delivery and advising on trainers and mentors. This includes helping trainers and responding to any course feedback.

3.10 Training for Trainers. Staff who agree to help with training course delivery should preferably be suitably trained themselves. Coaching and mentoring are also skills for which formal training is appropriate. Relevant provisions identified in the HSE L&D intranet site include:

Powerpoint
Presentation Skills
Coaching skills
HSE Mentoring Programme

Mentoring

3.11 An internal survey was carried out in ONR in 2005. This suggested that where mentoring was carried out it proved to be very effective, but its use was patchy to non-existent. More recently HSE has developed a mentoring development programme, but this will concentrate initially on black and ethnic minority staff and Band 5/6 staff. In the meantime, ONR needs to make its own improvements to meet current learning and development needs.

3.12 The TSGL has been allocated the responsibility for overseeing ONR mentoring activity. As a preliminary step to further developments in mentoring, this oversight will include:

Identification of staff who will act as mentors who can be arranged from anywhere in ONR
Help to provide appropriate training for mentors
Development of any management arrangements that may be needed to sustain effective mentoring, including the right spread and coverage of mentors and matching of mentors and mentees
Steps to make sure that line mangers support mentoring developments
Effectiveness of mentoring activity

Terms of Reference for ONR Training and Development Sub-Group (TSG)

3.13 At the September 2004 NSD Management Board meeting, previous proposals for a single training and development sub-group put to CALM and ICG were agreed as follows:

CALM/ICG should nominate a Band 1 to chair the single sub-group and to exercise an oversight role on training and development matters for NSD as a whole. The Management Board requested that a proposal be prepared (with resource implications) which should be fed through the CIPB and that it should be discussed at the January Management Board.

3.14 The terms of reference for the group (the Training Sub-Group - TSG) were to be established. The following were agreed after discussion at the first TSG meeting in April 2005, updated to reflect terminology changes:

Lead on behalf of the ONR Management Board, CALM and ICG on the development of ONR Inspector training and development policy and practice.
Co-ordinate liaison with HRSC on the administration of the ONR programme of training courses.
Promote the development of training and development arrangements in a way that encourages more integrated working within ONR.
Engage with other HSE directorates to exchange and promote best practice.
Promote consistency in training and development matters.
Exchange views and experience on current ONR practice with a view to securing improvements in arrangements and practice.

The group will NOT be involved in the administration or management of training and development. It will be accountable, through the TSG leader, to CALM and ICG.

4 Definitions

4.1 Learning and development. Any activity that is intended to develop skills, knowledge or attitude. This can range from formal training courses to informal on-the-job training or coaching.

4.2 Training. Specific provisions and arrangements that are intended to achieve a particular developmental outcome.

4.3 Mentoring. The process of transferring knowledge and wisdom from more experienced staff to new staff members in order to guide the development of the latter. The mentor should not be in the line management chain of the mentee.

4.4 Coaching. One to one consolidation of learning by Line Managers using real work problems and opportunities.

5 Guidance

5.1 ONR Competence Arrangements flowchart [PDF 26KB]

Induction

5.2 Line managers should ensure that the induction activity and processes [PDF 83KB] set out are followed. This will help establish a baseline for subsequent development as well as introduce new starters to HSE business. For staff joining from HSE, Line Managers should select relevant elements. Induction programmes should be completed within 3 months of joining.

Training Needs Analyses

5.3 The training needs analyses [PDF 228KB] sets out NDs view of requirements for the competence of staff in various functional groupings. This is used to identify the training and development provisions [PDF 81KB] . Line Managers should use the relevant Tables to set up and monitor development action plans for their staff.

Training Requirements and Records

5.4 This sets down the training and development provisions identified in the training needs analyses for the various functional groups of staff in ONR. Two tables are provided for each functional grouping, Nuclear [PDF 96KB], Permissioning [PDF 161KB] and Compliance Inspection [PDF 153KB]. The Training and Development record [PDF 81KB] should be set up by staff to manage their own development (in consultation with LMs) and the Competence Record [PDF 81KB] should be used by LMs to judge progress and attainment.

Nuclear equivalence

5.5 Training and Development Record and Competence Record [PDF 96KB] and the Technical Indicative Marking Scheme [PDF 81KB] should be used for making judgements on nuclear equivalence. For Inspectors who are recruited as Nuclear Safety Inspectors these should be used to refine initial development action plans. For Inspectors who join without the nuclear designation, at Band 3 and Band 2 level, but who are required to fill nuclear posts, they should be used to ensure progress towards nuclear competence.

On-job training

5.6 Many of the on-job training provisions require joint activities. Line Managers should ensure that existing experienced staff assist in this where necessary.

The training needs analysis [PDF 228KB] proposes a large number of on-job training (OJT) activities [PDF 803KB]. This is partly a recognition of the need for ONR staff to transfer a significant amount of expertise from very experienced staff in the next few years, and partly the recognition that use of OJT in a formal sense has been notably absent from ONR practice in the past and when judged against IAEA TECDOC 1254.
To ensure that the OJT meets the associated competence requirements, it has to be carried out in a prescribed and consistent manner. The OJT assessment standards [PDF 803KB] are intended to help achieve this.
Whenever an element of OJT is carried out, the associated assessment standard should be used by the line manager to judge the outcome as follows;
- more development required
- development adequate
- Inspector judged capable of guiding and mentoring others in the subject of interest
Inspectors should be encouraged by Line Managers to retain completed OJT assessments. For nuclear inspection they can be used to compile evidence for use in nuclear equivalence business cases.

Training Records

5.7 Line Managers should assess and record completion of training and development provisions using the tables for Nuclear, Permissioning [PDF 161KB] and Compliance Inspection [PDF 153KB] and using assessment standards [PDF 803KB] where these apply.

Course content

5.8 Staff who have responsibility for internal courses and tutorials, either design or delivery, should use the templates in content of training provisions [PDF 125KB] to develop the necessary content.

Career development

5.9 Guidance on career development, as opposed to professional competence, will be issued later.

Evaluation

5.10 Evaluation of the effectiveness of training provisions is a key element of development. Evaluations should be completed after each formal provision as indicated by those responsible for the provision.