The Business Improvement Team (BIT) in the Northern Ireland Office arranges and delivers learning and development opportunities for NIO staff. The learning and development opportunities available to NIO staff are linked to the Professional Skills for Government requirements and, for the period 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2008, these were set out in BIT's learning and development prospectus. The courses set out in the following table were selected by BIT as meeting PSG requirements. Each member of staff in the NIO has a Personnel Development Plan which records their individual development needs, and BIT will advise which of the courses in the prospectus are appropriate to meet those needs. The following table lists all the courses available in the prospectus and indicates which were attended and which were not required during the year.
Courses available Taken/not taken Leadership Programme Attended Strategic Thinking Attended Personal Power and Influencing Skills Attended Preparing for Top Management Attended Leading Change Not required People Management Attended Stress Management Attended Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring Not required Negotiating and Influencing Attended PSG Financial Management Attended Government Finance/Resource Accounting/Resource Budgeting and In year Control Attended General Finance Awareness Not required Business Case Guidance Attended Capital Asset Guidance Not required Corporate Governance Guidance Not required Prince 2 Foundation Certificate Attended Prince 2 Practitioner Certificate Not required Managing Small Projects Attended Prince 2 Overview Attended Project Management Overview Attended Benefits Management Masterclass Attended Programme Management Overview Attended Managing Successful Programmes Foundation Certificate Not required Managing Successful Programmes Intermediate and Practitioner Certificate Not required Introduction to Risk Management Not taken Management of Risk (MOR) Foundation Not taken Management of Risk (MOR) Practitioner Not taken Gateway Reviewer Attended Microsoft Project basic and advanced Attended Risk Analysis in the Policy Area Not required Microsoft Word basic and advanced Attended Microsoft Excel basic and advanced Attended Microsoft PowerPoint basic and advanced Attended Microsoft ECDL Attended Analysis and Use of Evidence Attended Effective Speech Writing Attended Communications and Marketing Attended Writing Dynamics Attended Think on your feet Attended Strategy Attended Mind Mapping Attended Chairing Meetings Attended Basic Finance Process Attended Gateway Awareness Attended Working With Ministers Attended Secretaryship of meetings Attended Gateway Programme Attended Leading In A Crisis Not required Peoplebank Not required Interchange Not required Work Shadowing Not required Developing Style and Presence Not required Overview of the Financial Cycle Not required SRO Executive Briefing Not required Making Policy that Happens Not required Delivering Policy Workshop Not required Microsoft Excel Basic Not required Microsoft Excel Advanced Not required Microsoft Project Basic Not required Microsoft Project Advanced Not required Preparing Business Cases Not required Proactive Media Management: How To Get Your Story in the News Not required Appearing Before Select Committees Not required Communications in the Public Sector Not required Lateral Thinking Not required One-Day Strategy Workshops Not required Building a Balanced Scorecard Not required Managing People Problems Not required Managing Conflict Not required Managing Time Not required Stress Management Not required Managing Change Not required PSG Financial Management Not required Business Cases and Investment Appraisal Not required Government Finance/Resource Accounting/Resource Budgeting/In Year Control Not required PSG Resource Budgeting and Forecasting Not required Corporate Governance Guidance Not required Project Management Introduction Certificate Not required Project Management Overview Not required Gateway Reviewer (OCG Accredited) Not required Microsoft Project Advanced Not required How to do a Bill Not required Policy Delivery Workshop Not required Risk Analysis in the Policy Area Not required Microsoft ECDL Basic Not required Appearing Before a Select Committee Not required Writing Dynamics Effective Briefing Not required Think On Your Feet Not required PSG Financial Management Not required Project and Programme Support Not required PPSO Foundation Certificate Not required Project Management Introduction Certificate Not required Project Management Overview Not required Introduction to Evidence-Based Policy Making Not required Working with Ministers Not required Secretaryship of Meetings Not required Project and Programme Support Not required Project Management Certificate Not required Project Management Overview Not required Pathway Programme Attended