Carlisle City Council’s commitment and investment in its staff, recently recognised at a North West awards ceremony, takes another step forward next week with the launch of a new training course that will benefit more than 70 frontline employees.

The City Council is working with Wigan and Leigh College to deliver NVQ level 2 in Waste Management Operations for all their operational Waste Services staff and in Cleaning & Support Services for about half of their Area Maintenance staff. 

The training will help them improve their skills, for their own personal development and that of local residents who benefit from their work on a daily basis. Training will last two months and structured to fit in with their work patterns. It will include a mix of classroom and on-the-job learning.

The new courses are being funded by the Government as part of the Train to Gain programme which aims to support people to get a level 2 qualification.

Around 55 staff have already registered, with the final 15 signing up on Tuesday, 7 September 2010. Adele Cox, Cleaning and Waste Management Programme Manager from Wigan and Leigh College will be attending and Maggie Mooney, Carlisle City Council’s Chief Executive will also be there to give support.

Carlisle City Council recently achieved the North West Skills Award with Distinction. This was presented to the Leader of the Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, at a celebration event in Salford on 2 July.

Maggie Mooney, Carlisle City Council’s Chief Executive, said:

“Our recent award and the new training programmes show our absolute commitment to learning. High performance is at the top of our agenda and we are putting in place systems that are all designed to make complex organisations like the City Council, work more effectively, in addition to promoting the skill development of all our staff. This is really important to the City Council”

The City Council has a long history of supporting learning and development and in 2007 achieved the North West ‘Get On’ Award, for their Skills for Life programme. The Skills Award recognises excellence in the wider skills agenda, including Skills for Life, NVQs and higher level qualifications.

Three Carlisle City Council members of staff: Linda Mattinson, Training Co-ordinator; and Dave Meakins and Willie Armstrong, Area Maintenance Team Leaders and Union Learning Representatives, all took part in a short presentation to show how Carlisle City Council achieved the Skills Award.

The Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, added:

“Our staff are part of our on-going success and we are leading by example as a role model for our community in the field of learning and development. This year, more than 45 staff gained qualifications ranging from literacy and numeracy through to post-graduate diplomas. Some of these achievers will be new to learning and in some cases it can change lives.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

• The North West Skills Award has been introduced to link the Skills for Life agenda with the Skills Pledge (a national initiative for employers to sign up to say they will give their staff the opportunity to work towards a level 2 qualification – equivalent to 5 A* to C grade GCSEs).
• Thirteen authorities from the North West were recognised at an event at the Lowry Hotel in Salford on Friday 2 July.
• The Skills Award is achieved at either Pass or Distinction – the City Council got a Distinction.