Professional Development Policy

Introduction

[enter-your-company-name-here] acknowledges that professional development is integral to personal job satisfaction, workplace productivity, reward, and recognition, and is critical to the achievement of the organisation’s mission and continuous improvement in the quality of its programs and services.

Principles

[enter-your-company-name-here] is committed to providing a supportive and rewarding environment for employees and recognises that the quality, responsiveness, and professionalism of its workforce are linked to the further development of their skills and competencies.

Subject to available resources, [enter-your-company-name-here] is committed to providing employees with;

The opportunity to plan and develop skills, knowledge and attributes that complement organisational and work unit goals
The opportunity to participate in career development activities that extend and enhance their capabilities and capacity for advancement within the organisation
Equity of access to professional development opportunities.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is

to encourage and support employees in their professional and career development as part of their employment with the organisation;
to provide administrative guidelines to facilitate fairness and equity in the application of these general principles.

Policy

Position specific professional development

Where the CEO decides that it is necessary for a staff member to acquire a particular skill, to learn specific material, or to acquire specific qualifications in order for them to carry out the duties attached to their existing position, the organisation shall be fully responsible for all costs incurred in acquiring that skill, that learning, or that qualification, and the staff member shall, where necessary, be given permission to attend any such course within working hours.

As such requirements would normally have been taken into account in the drafting of a position description and set out in the criteria for selection; it would thus seldom be the case that continuing employees would be required to acquire new qualifications.

2. Non position specific professional development

In its performance review procedures, the organisation shall in every case encourage the person concerned to explore their professional development options.

Where an employee wishes to pursue further education or training but the CEO has not required that person to acquire a particular skill, to learn specific material, or to acquire specific qualifications to carry out the duties attached to their existing position.

The organisation shall endeavour to facilitate such education or training through

permitting (at the discretion of the CEO, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace) any rearrangement of working hours that would assist the prospective student
permitting (at the discretion of the CEO, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace) any use by the person of the organisation’s equipment or services that would assist the prospective student
permitting (at the discretion of the CEO, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace) any annual leave or unpaid leave arrangements that would assist the prospective student
granting up to two days study leave as necessary to attend examinations.

Educational or training requirements involving reimbursement of fees or provision of paid study leave may also be negotiated as part of the contract of employment between the employee and the organisation.

Procedures

Professional development

Professional development programs shall include orientation, induction and on-the-job training, career development and transition programs, internal or external courses, support for undertaking research or project work, support for participation in internal or external governance processes, attendance at conferences or seminars, and networking, coaching and mentoring programs.

Proposals for professional development

Employees shall be encouraged as part of the performance review process, to take an active role in their own ongoing professional and career development and to apply their learning to its most effective use.
Any proposal by an employee for any change in their existing conditions of employment (hours of work, taking of leave, use of equipment, etc.) to facilitate their professional development shall be considered by the CEO subject to

the policy of the organisation to encourage such development where possible
the overall training needs and priorities of the organisation
satisfactory assurances from that person’s supervisor that the business of the organisation can be carried on satisfactorily in those circumstances
equity in the provision of such facilitation between employees.

Any such agreement shall be fully documented in that person’s personnel file.