Welsh Government

Managed Learning & Development Service and Strategic Learning Partnership

Context

Eliesha was contracted to deliver a fully managed service including management, administration, design and delivery of the core learning and development needs, as well as procurement and managed delivery of other specialist training needs.

Our team of Learning and Development (L&D) Project Managers worked in close partnership with the Corporate L&D Team at Welsh Government and with the extensive network of L&D Advisors working for Welsh Government throughout the country. The learning interventions were all developed and designed to align with the Welsh Government’s Skills and Behaviours Framework, Investors in People and the Professional Skills for Government framework. These were used as the drivers for determining required learning outcomes.

The Contract was managed by our Operations Director, who was supported in Cardiff by a dedicated team consisting of a Business Manager, L&D Project Managers and Customer Support Administrators, all of whom supported the learning needs of 5,500 staff.

Eliesha operated a dedicated training centre in Cardiff, capable of hosting over 120 delegates, equipped with 7 purpose-built training rooms and including modern ICT facilities offering full connectivity to the Welsh Government’s Intranet.

An extensive Management Information System was developed that was compatible with Welsh Government’s SNOWDROP HR System for the management of all training and design activity.  Based on a web portal accessible to all staff, via either the Intranet or internet, it provides:

• Information on all learning interventions, both by Eliesha and other providers
• Learning availability scheduled for the following 6 months and a fully automated online booking system providing confirmation of attendance and joining instructions
• A Learning Matrix that enabled staff and Line Managers to create Personal Learning Plans that link learning interventions to the Performance Management Process, Skills and Behaviours Framework and Professional Skills for Government
• Detailed statistical information on attendance, delegates, evaluation and financial details for use by HR Strategy, Business Development and the Strategic Delivery and Performance Board

Eliesha also introduced a Learning Management System designed to assist both learners and Welsh Government in providing learning resources, facilitating group working and collaboration as well as tracking learning process.

Our Role

• Worked closely at Board level to understand the strategic context, Business Development environment and sector within which an organisation works
• Performed Learning and Development Needs Analysis leading to the design or procurement of specific tailored learning programmes that met business needs
• High quality delivery and administrative support throughout the entire learning cycle, from initial identification of needs through delivery, evaluation and the embedding of learning
• Deliver training interventions when and where required to the staff that need it at times and venues that suit operational commitments
• Professional and academic accreditation including CMI, ILM, Post Graduate Awards, IOSH, APM and Prince2®
• Full administrative support including Web Portals, Online Booking Services and Management Information Services; all capable of integration to client systems and a range of other contract services
• Evaluation of the impact of training at all levels, from pre-course, through growth and business impact to full level 4 Return on Investment
• Provide Assessment and Development Centres supported by highly qualified Chartered Occupational Psychologists enabling the organisation to determine skills gaps and requirements to meet new challenges
• Extensive range of expertise across all sectors and learning needs, enabling the sharing and blending of best practice from a range of public and private sector clients

As evidence of our capability and capacity, within the Common Action Initiative we fully support Welsh Government and the wider Welsh public sector through the provision of high quality, pre-competed design, development and delivery services leading to the significant reduction in the cost of procurement, design and delivery costs.

Our Services

• Consultancy
• Face to face training
• e-learning
• Fully blended learning
• Short awareness sessions/bitesize
• Masterclasses
• Support launch/celebration events
• Accredited programmes (e.g. up level 7 with professional bodies such as ILM, CMI, Agored and to post-graduate level)
• A fully managed learning and development service available to the public sector throughout Wales

The key advantages of the service are the significant reduction in costs and resources that need to be set aside for tendering, development and design. These costs represent a significant overhead that need not be incurred. The multitude of secondary advantages to this arrangement include:

• An extensive catalogue of high quality material designed around public-sector competencies and business requirements, easily adapted for other uses
• A range of validated and evaluated learning and development programmes aimed at every organisational level including administration and team management, first, middle and executive management and senior leaders
• The Value for Money imperative has been well made through the Common Action report which classed the Welsh Government’s approach as first amongst all government departments by enabling public bodies access to this framework
• Our extensive reach. Eliesha has delivered to over 90 locations across Wales in the recent past using many local trainers with excellent local, sector and regional knowledge. This enables training to be delivered where and when required, reducing T&S costs and venue charges
• Working with Eliesha, Heads of Professions and public-sector bodies (many of which are existing clients), we have collaborated on programmes that now address the contemporary needs of professionals across government. This has produced proven, credible solutions that can be accessed at minimal cost
• An existing management information system and online booking system that can be easily replicated

Example Courses Provided