TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
National Training Board achieves gold!
The National Training Board explains how it was awarded an internationally recognised accreditation for its investment in people.
T
he National Training Board (NTB) helps motivated individuals to train or retrain for occupations that are in high demand in Bermuda.
Our aim is to build a top-quality Bermudian labour force that meets the needs of local and international employers, and achieves internationally recognised qualifi cations and certifi cations. We work closely with employers, unions, industry associations, the Bermuda College and other agencies to ensure that technical and vocational training is available to all Bermudians—through apprenticeship and trainee programmes, as well as funding.
Investors in People
We cannot expect our clients to aim for international excellence without the NTB having achieved a similar standard. The NTB wishes to be recognised as Bermuda’s premier certifi cation and standardising organisation for technical professions. To achieve this goal, we had to develop a strategy that would enable us to create a culture that is conducive to continuous and improved performance. It was also important to rid ourselves of the stigma that is generally attached to the public sector. The team was anxious to identify ways to increase morale and offer clients a level of service that proves they are committed to providing quality assurance. The Investors in People Standard was introduced as a tool to help deliver best practice and business-improvement methods to the operational procedures of the business. Our clients, industry partners and other stakeholders are of the utmost importance and we expect them to have positive experiences when working with the NTB.
On July 13, 2010, the NTB received an internationally recognised accreditation referred to as Investors in People (IIP). This standard is highly regarded around the world, but predominately in the UK and Europe. Companies that set out to achieve this standard must be assessed by an objective and qualifi ed assessor, who measures and evaluates the internal processes in place that govern employees and assist them to be the best representatives for their organisations.
Initially, the IIP standard was introduced to the department as a business improvement tool. Once we identifi ed where there were gaps in the way the department was being run, we held frequent
52 FAST TRACK / Careers module / 2010-2011 WWW.FASTTRACKBERMUDA.COM
staff meetings to address those gaps that were identifi ed and planned out how we as a team would address them to enable the intended outcome. Some of the gaps that were identifi ed were the lack of documented processes and the uncertainty regarding people’s roles and responsibilities. With the assistance of an external adviser, we were able to close the gaps and clearly defi ne the roles that everyone was intended to be responsible for. This also meant that some employees had to change roles and adopt new tasks best suited for their skills capacity. We found that once this was achieved, the lines of communication expanded within and also externally to ensure that all stakeholders experienced a different environment. This new and improved framework empowered employees by building their confi dence and allowing them to participate in discussions that would directly impact the way they carried out their mandate on a daily basis.
Employees are now continuously looking for ways to improve processes and practices, and they are more conscientious about the quality of their product—there is a new feature of pride and ownership that has developed even after having acquired the standard. Workforce commitment and the desire for customer satisfaction have driven the enthusiasm to heights never before obtained in the department. The standard has helped to build a new culture that was created by the employees. We are more professional with our approach and certainly act more proactively on our mission.
The National Training Board is the only government department with the IIP standard and it is the only agency on the Island that has achieved the Gold Award. We are one of 900 other agencies around the globe with this level of recognition and the only one outside of the UK. We look to continue to set the standard for others and continue to strive for excellence.
To fi nd out more about what the NTB can do for you, visit:
www.ntb.bm
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