Competition Commission awards innovative managed training services contract to KnowledgePool
The Competition Commission (CC) is aiming to improve access to training and make efficiency gains after awarding an innovative managed services contract to KnowledgePool, for training provision, administration and support.
The CC is an independent public body which conducts in-depth inquiries into mergers, markets and the regulation of the major regulated industries. It has appointed KnowledgePool to manage its entire training activity, including undertaking training needs analyses - and running Development Centres - for its professional, administrative and support staff.
KnowledgePool is also providing its web-based training administration system which will enable Commission staff to search a catalogue of soft skills and IT training courses, from preferred suppliers, and to book them directly from their desktop. In addition, KnowledgePool will design and deliver an accredited management development programme and it will provide on-demand training in specific areas such as customer service and interview skills.
"With KnowledgePool, we'll be able radically to improve the administration and efficiency of our training," said Katie Stone, Head of Human Resources at the Competition Commission. "We can now offer a range of classroom-style courses, e-learning and project-based interventions that are more aligned to our needs as an organisation."
According to Katie Stone, KnowledgePool is significantly different from the traditional training providers, who have their own catalogues of courses that they encourage their clients to use.
"KnowledgePool is unusual in that it has relationships with a range of external training companies and we can supplement their catalogue with courses from our own preferred suppliers," she said. "It's a real benefit to us that we can access such a variety of training. Also, with KnowledgePool, there was no large set-up fee at the beginning. They have been thoroughly professional in every contact we have had with them."
Staff at the CC will be able to access the online catalogue of courses, using their own learning account, from the corporate intranet.
"When they access the catalogue, they'll be seamlessly redirected to a micro-site hosted by KnowledgePool," said Katie Stone. "They can choose a specific training course that meets their needs, based on topic, location, price and an 'evaluation rating' given by previous delegates, or they might be invited to attend a particular course that we think meets their needs."
Called LiveBooker, KnowledgePool's training administration system automatically manages all of the booking details including the joining and confirmation instructions. KnowledgePool has designed an electronic authorisation process, to enable CC staff to obtain online clearance to attend their chosen course. After the training, delegates can complete an online 'Kirkpatrick level-three' evaluation, measuring their behavioural change as a result of the learning and their rating of the course and the provider. The results of these evaluations, together with all details of course expenditure and attendance, are fed back in management information reports designed in consultation with CC managers to meet their specific needs.
As well as booking external training courses, the CC will use LiveBooker as an administration tool for its own closed events, such as team training days, and for managing attendance at professional courses and lectures.
"KnowledgePool's system will give our line managers and our operations board much better and more appropriate information about training than ever before," said Katie Stone. "Also, in line with our efficiency programme, we'll be able to reduce the number of invoices we receive so savings will be spread across the CC. We'll now get a single, itemised, monthly bill for training instead of around five invoices per day."
KnowledgePool is currently working with the CC to design the accredited management development programme, for current and potential managers. The programme is expected to cover areas such as leading and motivating teams, communications, performance management and dealing with sensitive issues.
"The programme will include management theory but it will be very firmly set in the context of how we work here at the Competition Commission," said Katie Stone.
Associate trainers from KnowledgePool are also developing and delivering on-demand training to meet specific needs and requirements, such as running team days and focus groups on key issues, as well as customer service training, publishing training, interview training and one-to-one coaching.
"It's a considerable benefit to be able to access the expertise of associate trainers from KnowledgePool," said Katie Stone. "We have complete flexibility to call on them for any aspect of design, development, delivery and evaluation, whenever there is a need."
She adds that the CC is aiming to become a role model employer for the public sector.
"As an organisation, we need to be efficient, effective and economical but our aspirations are higher than that," she said. "We want to attract and retain the right people. This streamlined and more organised approach to our training is part of an attempt to create an effective learning environment, which all fits in with that aim."