Written Answers. - Civil Service Staff Training.
Gay Mitchell
Ceist:
115
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Industry and Commerce
if he will outline, in respect of his Department and of any Civil Service office under his aegis, (1) the number and grades of the full-time staff engaged in the staff training unit, (2) the nature, number and duration of the training courses given during 1991, (3) the grades catered for on these courses and the numbers in each grade who attended, (4) if he has any plans in relation to the development of the training unit, (5) the number of those who attended courses at the Civil Service Training Centre in each of the years 1989 to 1991 and (6) the number of staff who are paid a refund of, (a) full fees and (b) part fees in respect of attendance at educational courses leading to the award of degrees, certificates and other qualification; and if, in the case of (b) above he will further outline the percentage of the fee which is refunded and the way in which that percentage was determined.
The information requested by the Deputy, in so far as my Department is concerned, is as follows.
(1)Staffing of Training Unit: 1 HEO full time; 1 EO half time (job-sharing); 1 CA half time.
(2) and (3)Nature, number, grade and duration of courses in 1991: (a) 1 CA Induction Course for 2 days (10 participants); (b) 4 CA Development Courses for 1 day (40 participants); (c) 2 CA/CO Development Courses for 1 day (15 CA, 9 CO); (d) 1 EO/HEO Communications Skills Course for 3 hours per week for 14 weeks (5 EOs, 7 HEOs); (e) 1 AP/PO Communications Skills Course for 3 hours per week for 10 weeks (10 APs/6 POs); (f) 6 special language courses in French and German for all grades for 2 hours per week for 12 weeks (93 participants); (g) 3 talks on work of the Department for all grades (90 participants) 1½-2 hours duration for each talk.
While the above courses were managed by the staff of the training unit, the following computer-related courses were given by staff from the Department's information technology unit.
(a) Two courses in computer appreciation for all grades for two hours per day for five days each (44 participants); (b) Two courses in the use of Lotus software for all grades for one hour per day over four days each (48 participants).
4.Plans for Developing Training Unit: Following a review in 1991 of staff development needs, the staff numbers in the training unit were augmented. As a result, since November 1991 a broadening of training courses has already taken place and will further expand as the staff in the training unit develop their expertise. The budget for training has been signficantly increased in 1992 and this will permit a greater degree of both in-house and external courses to be undertaken.
5.Attendance at courses in the Civil Service Training Centre: 1989, 203; 1990, 55; 1991, 209.
6.Refund of Fees: A 100 per cent refund of fees has been given to all applicants who have satisfactorily completed courses of study approved by the Department. The numbers involved were as follows: 1989, 35; 1990, 27; 1991, 24.
