New training to raise skills in public services

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Customer service learning to benefit employers and staff 

May 2009

Local authorities and other public bodies are being urged to take part in a new project to raise the skills of support staff in public services.

The Public Service Skills Framework (PSSF) offers a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Customer Service with extras including teamwork, health and safety, equality and diversity and core skills.

Funded through Train to Gain, it is for organisations in England such as councils, schools and hospitals or private facilities firms that run outsourced services on government contracts.

"The PSSF was started after research showed a lack of customer service skills among many frontline staff in the public sector," said Richard Foxwell, Head of Special Projects at Asset Skills.

"It will be of enormous benefit to employers in this sector and their staff - and it will help improve the service offered to members of the public."

Staff who are in regular contact with the public including cleaners, caretakers, porters, care assistants and gardeners are already benefiting.

The PSSF equips staff with additional skills to those needed for their core work such as customer service, team work, health & safety and life skills.

The training not only enhances their job prospects and boosts motivation, it also improves the service offered to the public and ensures staff receive a nationally recognised qualification.

The project is overseen by several parties, including:

• Asset Skills, representing the Sector Skills Council network
• The Improvement and Development Agency for local government (I&DeA)
• The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
• The Trades Union Congress (TUC)
• Unionlearn
• Investors in People (UK)
• private sector employers providing outsourced facilities services
• trade associations.

Local authorities and housing associations are being urged to get involved in the programme. For more, please email Tom Orton at torton@assetskills.org or phone 01392 423 399.

Why have a PSSF?

The demand for PSSF was established by research in 2006/2007 which showed that service staff working in the public sector would benefit from an additional range of different skills.

This survey of employers and staff emphasised skills gaps in customer service and a variety of other areas. In response, new training modules were introduced as part of a pilot PSSF scheme which proved a big success and provided the springboard to the current framework.

Who benefits?

Employers, their staff, government and the wider public sector benefit from the establishment of a Public Sector Skills Framework.

Employees get:

• Access to better training and development
• Increased skills
• A nationally recognised qualification
• Greater job satisfaction
• Potential for career progression

Employers get:

• Improved client satisfaction
• A better skilled workforce
• Increased productivity
• A defined route to fulfilling the commitments of the Skills Pledge
• Learning and qualifications with government backed funding such as Train to Gain
• Overall – enhanced service improvement

Government and the wider public sector benefit from:

• Delivery of better quality customer service across a range of public services
• A benchmark for the letting of future contracts
• Customers' and service users' needs being met