MEDIA RELEASE

10 November 2011

PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL TAKES LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARD

Palmerston North City Council has been announced winner of the Building Organisational Capability category at the recent Local Government Excellence Awards held in Rotorua.

The Award, which was given for the Council’s Pathways Programme – NZQA Learning and Development Framework for Operations Staff, highlights the success of the programme at all levels.

The Programme was developed in 2007 when the Council noticed only five percent of the Operations Division of City Enterprises held current qualifications. PNCC encourages a diverse workforce, also employing migrants for whom English is a second language.

Staff can sit NZQA Certificates and Diplomas in industry related subjects as well as participating in a literacy and numeracy programme. Training in life skills including literacy and numeracy has seen a positive impact in both the workplace and the home with family members reaping benefits.

“As well as raising the level of skills that staff have,” Paddy Clifford CEO for PNCC said, “the programme has improved the quality of life for some staff and the positive effect this had in role modelling with the wider families of staff has been amazing.”

A Qualifications Study Group has also been established which focusses on providing those staff enrolled in qualifications with study skills and assistance in understanding the various unit standard requirements.

The Programme is also linked to the strategic direction of the Council towards being a learning organisation, developing staff through providing learning opportunities relating to their careers.

Since its inception the Programme has continued to evolve and improve in response to the changing needs of the staff and the changes in technology and work practices.

ENDS

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