Getting to the Core of Staff Competencies
Our client, Dorset Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, like the rest of the Emergency Services sector, is reliant on accurate staff competencies. It’s at the core of their entire operation. When they approached us looking for a solution to resolve their competency management problems, we knew we needed to ensure that the solution would cover all aspects of competency management, while making the process as simple as possible.
The Problem
One of the biggest challenges the sector faces is getting fast and easy access to all the relevant competency data. Users had to trawl through multiple systems to determine, for example; the status of staff competencies, which training events to prioritise, which staff are available to attend those events and the impact their attendance will have on minimum staffing levels. On top of all that, they often use an additional system to maintain their staffs’ skills. It’s cumbersome, to say the least!
The Task for Gartan
Our challenge was to create a solution that simplified the entire competency management process; for all users with all levels of IT experience. It needed to tap into the power of the Client’s existing systems creating a solution that would be even greater than the sum of its parts.
But, as always, the end user was key. Our ultimate challenge, therefore, was to create a solution that would be embraced by the user. That meant an innovative, easy-to-use system that empowered the end user to take a proactive part in their professional development. In addition, the solution needed to help the entire organisation meet their evolving operational challenges by incorporating the principles of integration and the benefits of mobile technology.
The Solution
Gartan Expert is a Cloud and mobile solution designed to bring the end user into the heart of the competency management process. The training department and other managers have instant access to the most up-to-date staff competency information. The system alerts the user when staff competencies are due to expire. When the user creates a training event, the system suggests which staff, based on the status of their competencies, should attend. Gartan Expert integrates with our rostering tools to indicate if the potential delegates are available on the day of the proposed training event. The associated training leave bookings are automatically created and the solution manages event announcement, attendance confirmation and event reminder alerts.
Using the system’s Course Calendar, staff can view upcoming training events and submit requests to attend. They can do all this using their mobile devices and they can also maintain their skills immediately after an emergency incident ends.
Gartan Expert was designed to cater for all users’ needs. The process of identifying competencies that are due to expire, creating a training event and the associated training leave bookings, checking the associated minimum staffing levels and updating competency statuses is now fully automated. We also send the associated time and attendance data through to our timesheets solutions.
Managers now have instant access – in one place – to all aspects of a staff member’s training. They can choose an employee’s competency and the system will show the full history of that competency. For example, the training events the employee attended, the events they declined to attend and the incidents at which they used the competency.
Gartan Expert has revolutionised the competency management process. As always, we’re helping to make the lives of our Emergency Service clients easier, better and safer.
Here’s what Kathy Collis, Head of Learning and Organisational Development, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service had to say about Gartan.
“Gartan brought a fresh perspective to our competency management process. It’s a complex area and we had the added complication of being a newly merged FRS. Gartan understood the challenges and they worked with us to create a solution that catered for the needs of the staff and supported the management of training. They delivered an efficient and effective product. It’s very exciting and we look forward to continuing our work with them.”
Contact us for information on how Gartan Expert can help your organisation.
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