Professional Development Policy

Introduction

Techbuyer Ltd acknowledges that professional development is integral to personal job satisfaction, workplace productivity, reward, and recognition, and is critical to the achievement of the organisation’s continuous improvement in the quality of its programs and services.

Techbuyer Ltd is committed to providing a supportive and rewarding environment for employees and recognises that the quality, responsiveness, and professionalism of its workforce are linked to the further development of their skills and competencies.

Techbuyer Ltd is committed to providing employees with;

• The opportunity to plan and develop skills, knowledge and attributes that compliment organisational and work unit goals
• The opportunity to participate in career development activities that extend and enhance capabilities and capacity for advancement within the organisation

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is:

• To encourage and support employees in their professional and career development as part of their employment within Techbuyer Ltd and
• To provide administrative guidelines to facilitate fairness and equality in the application of these general principles.

Policy

1.    Position specific professional development

When it is deemed necessary for a staff member to acquire a particular skill, to learn specific material, or to acquire specific qualifications in order to carry out the duties attached to their existing position, Techbuyer Ltd shall be fully responsible for all costs incurred in acquiring that skill, learning, or qualification, and the staff member shall, where necessary, be given permission to attend any such course within working hours. There may be a training agreement signed by both parties regarding the repayment of the training funds if the employee leaves the organisation part way through the training, or what is deemed as shortly after the training has concluded.

2.    Non position specific professional development

During each employee’s annual employment review, Techbuyer Ltd encourages everyone to explore their professional development options. 

The organisation shall endeavour to facilitate such education or training through:

• At the discretion of the Management team, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace, any rearrangement of working hours that would assist the prospective student
• At the discretion of the Management team, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace, any use by the person of the organisation’s equipment or services that would assist the prospective student
• At the discretion of the Management team, and taking into account the efficiency of the workplace any annual leave or unpaid leave arrangements that would assist the prospective student
• At the discretion of the Management team, paid study days as and when required

Procedures

Professional development

Professional development programs shall include orientation, induction and on-the-job training, career development and transition programs, internal or external courses, support for undertaking research or project work, support for participation in internal or external governance processes, attendance at conferences or seminars, and networking, coaching and mentoring programs.

Proposals for professional development

• Employees shall be encouraged, as part of the performance review process, to take an active role in their own ongoing professional and career development and to apply their learning to its most effective use
• Any proposal by an employee for any change in their existing conditions of employment (hours of work, taking of leave, use of equipment, etc.) to facilitate their professional development shall be considered by the Management team subject to:
  • the overall training needs and priorities of Techbuyer Ltd
  • satisfactory assurances from the relevant line manager that the business of the organisation can be carried on satisfactorily in those circumstances
  • equality in the provision of such facilitation between employees

Any such agreement shall be fully documented in that person’s personnel file.