|

Search

HM Treasury website

Feedback

• Request email updates
• Website feedback
• Share your news

September 2005 - Professional Skills for Government (PSG)

What do I need to do now?

Individuals at PRO and above and their line managers need to have a mid-year discussion about:

• The individual’s PSG career grouping
• To what extent they meet the PSG/GSR requirements
• Action which they might take in response.

Your department will let you know the deadline for the discussions.

Which PSG requirements apply?

The PSG skills framework is at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/skills. This will show you which Core Skills and which Job-Related Professional Expertise, apply to you, depending on your job, Career Grouping (see below) and grade. It also sets out the PSG Leadership requirements.

PSG has established three Career Groupings: Corporate Services Delivery; Operational Delivery; Policy Delivery. You need to agree which PSG Career Grouping your current post falls in; and agree the PSG Career Grouping you fall in (reflecting the majority of your experience to date). The PSG website (www.civilservice.gov.uk/skills) provides descriptions of the Career Groupings and illustrative case studies to help you assess your experience.

What if I’m seeking promotion?

As well as assessing individuals against the requirements for the grade, individuals and their line managers may also want to discuss how someone matches up to the requirements of the next grade up. It is important to bear in mind that, at the point of promotion, people will be assessed against all elements of the PSG framework, including the Job-Related Professional Expertise relevant to their profession.

What if I have skills gaps?

If skills gaps are identified at the current (or, where relevant, next grade), line managers and individuals should discuss options for filling those gaps. Skills gaps can be filled in a number of ways, eg:

• formal training courses/gaining qualifications – see further information to come from GSRU.
• self-managed learning
• e-learning [i.e. learning via computers over the internet/intranets]
• blended learning [ie a solution that combines several different delivery methods, such as e-learning, face-to-face classroom learning, self-managed learning etc)]
• coaching
• project work (managed from within the current or another team)
• deputising
• shadowing and attachments
• job redesign, eg swapping responsibilities with someone else [in a small number of circumstances]

It is important to note however that the only way to demonstrate that a skill has been acquired is through successful demonstration of it on the job - for example, training (or a qualification) alone are not enough.

What if I'm at a grade below PRO?

Your department may decide to extend this mid-year review process to Grade 7 feeder grades. If not, your department will be making arrangements to extend the PSG skills framework to cover your grade by April 2006. This will be a simple process for members of GSR as the new competency framework covers the requirements for all grades.

GSRU
September 2005