The Workforce Development and Governance Service
Introduction
The Workforce and Governance Development Service was formed as a merger of the Qualifications Service, Governor Support and Training Service and Learning Mentor Co-ordinators as part of the School Improvement Group. The Service is based at the Centre for Professional Development in Fitton Hill and can be contacted on 0161 770 4274.
What do we do?
The Service provides advice and guidance, and access to professional qualifications, for The Children’s Workforce, e.g. education support staff, aspiring teachers and members of the community. This includes staff in schools (e.g. classroom support assistants, Learning Mentors), the wider children’s workforce and members of the community wishing to join the Children’s Workforce. The service provides support to educational establishments in the recruitment and retention of staff and in the implementation of the School Workforce Reforms. School Governors are also provided with advice, support and training.
The Workforce Development part of the Service serves three main purposes:
- It contributes to the national School Improvement and Raising Attainment agenda by increasing the supply of appropriately qualified staff working within schools and other services within the Children, Young People and Families Directorate.
- It contributes to raising standards of learning and skills in the local community and workforce by empowering individuals to engage in lifelong learning and access professional qualifications.
- It contributes to the reduction of unemployment by providing access to professional qualifications and thereby to paid employment.
Underpinning all the work of the Workforce Development Service are two themes:
- ‘Grow our own’, a local initiative which aims to develop the skills of local people and feed those skills back in to the local community and economy;
- Promoting social inclusion by ensuring that under-represented and disadvantaged citizens are fully empowered to access professional qualifications and progression routes (e.g. unemployed, ethnic minorities, socially disadvantaged, disabled).
How can you access the Workforce Development and Governance Service?
- Firstly, if you work in an Oldham school you can ring up the Service for advice or ask your head teacher to arrange a school visit if there are several staff in a group who want advice and information
- You can also ring as an individual with your queries or make an appointment.
- The Workforce Development and Governance Service runs courses in connection with training to be a teacher or support worker in Education, and training for School Governors, and details will be sent to all schools and individuals on the mailing list.
We look forward to working with you in the future!
Workforce Development Service Administrator
Tel: 0161 770 4274
Fax: 0161 770 3664 / 3641
Email: WDGS@oldham.gov.uk