The groundbreaking Customer Service Professional Qualification is transforming customer service across the country and is helping develop a more skilled workforce now and in the future. Scottish local government’s only online professional qualification certificated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), has been developed under Renfrewshire Council and the Improvement Service’s lead, and is already helping to achieve more first-time resolutions of customer enquiries and increase customer satisfaction levels.

East Lothian Council has undergone significant organisational change during the last few years following publication of a critical ‘Best Value’ audit. A key area identified for urgent improvement was to develop an integrated leadership development programme for officers. Since then, there has been significant cultural change across the Council and efforts to move away from a ‘silo’ working basis to a culture of involvement and shared ownership.

CECiL (City of Edinburgh Council Interactive Learning) provides an online-learning facility 24/7 for all the Council’s employees from any internet location including the workplace, dedicated learning resource centres, at home or through the organisation’s library network. Now in its fourth year the CECiL platform has transformed the way in which the Council approaches and delivers learning and development.

Backing Falkirk’s Future wins Scottish Government Award.

As the largest employer in the Falkirk area, the council confirmed its commitment to “Backing Falkirk’s Future,” by adopting a policy integrating the development of the future workforce with increasing the number of Falkirk School leavers entering work based training and employment as a positive school leaving destination.

In 2007, West Lothian Council embarked on a programme of new build Council housing. This project offers a unique opportunity for 30 apprentices employed by the Council to experience new build construction with the developer, Gladedale East Scotland.

Renfrewshire’s Public Sector Academy helps Secure a Workforce for the Future.

Renfrewshire Council has recognised the enormous potential of those who want to work but are furthest away from the labour market offering real employment opportunities to long term unemployed.