Annual report - 2004 - Part 4
Capable people and leaders from the 2004 Annual Report - 3
Improving our technical skills
As we are moving to more tailored services and tackling the harder end of non-compliance, the nature of our work is becoming more complex. This requires staff to have a wider range of skills and continually improve and update their technical skills.
Our qualifications framework outlines how we manage our overall investment in qualifications. As part of this framework we are improving the access of staff and managers to quality information on the types of qualifications available, as well as identifying appropriate qualifications to meet their needs.
We also continue to promote ongoing training and professional membership. We are the third largest employer of Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand (ICANZ) members, with 270 professionally qualified staff having membership. We are also an ICANZ Approved Training Organisation for accounting graduates.
The most common undergraduate degree is in accountancy, followed by social science and law and management. We are continuing to invest in attracting qualified staff. For example, in 2003-04, over 80% of external recruits to investigator, advisor, and senior positions in the Corporates group, had one or more undergraduate degrees. We are also promoting further training with over 150 of our investigation staff studying towards gaining a qualification or professional membership.
Although for 60% of our staff, either their records do not show a qualification or they do not have a tertiary qualification, this represents the diversity of the work opportunities at Inland Revenue. Not surprisingly our technical, policy and corporates areas have many highly qualified staff, while in other areas such as our large processing areas there is less need for such a level of qualifications.
Our training framework encourages development in areas such as interpretation of legislation and policies. To assist staff to complete the National Certificate in Administration of Revenue Law, we introduced the Headstart programme in 2002-03. This programme allows completion of the certificate within 12 months instead of two to three years. So far, 61 people have started the programme, with 30 people having completed it.
Feedback on Headstart has been very positive. Managers find it has improved on-the-job performance with staff feeling more confident and better able to tackle the more complex tax technical and social assistance work.
We are also focusing on the best means of delivering developmental opportunities for our people. Our e-learning programme is one approach. We are close to completing this strategy, which will describe both our approach to e-learning and the opportunities it will provide for us.
In developing this strategy, we are ensuring both the quality and the reusability of the qualifications contained, as well as the technical requirements for delivering courses. Our e-learning strategy will, where appropriate, enable training to be delivered through our people's computers, and provide both one-way and interactive training. The range of training we are considering delivering in this way includes technical modules, induction training, ethics, health and safety and call centre training. The individual products will be rolled out over the next year.
Work has started on a new training programme for investigators joining our audit teams. The programme is an integral part of the wider Audit Strategy which is emphasising the use of intelligence and a range of audit responses to improve long-term compliance.
Modern Apprenticeship Scheme
Alexia Bensemann, a Timaru Returns and Debt Collection officer, is our first person to gain a national qualification from the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme.
The Modern Apprenticeship Scheme began in 2000 and gives the chance for people aged 16 to 21 to work towards employment-related qualifications while working. After two-and-a-half years of study Alexia earned the National Certificate in Revenue Law-Level 4 (Introduction).
"The qualification has enhanced my understanding on how the whole government system works and the importance of things such as security, the rights of the public and the relationship between the public and private sectors," says Alexia.
Alexia undertook unit standards and made use of aspire (Acquisition of Skills Programme for Inland Revenue Employees).
aspire helps our people to develop technical skills and knowledge and ensures they can use the skills acquired in their job. The personal needs of those taking part are assessed and learning plans and packages are put in place to help them reach their desired tax technical levels. We have 66 aspire training products, with nine new products being added in 2003-04. This year, over 3,300 staff completed over 3,900 days of tax and social policy training using these products.
"The programme was not only rewarding, it was a great experience. It enhanced and challenged my knowledge and capabilities and I knew at the end I would have a nationally recognised qualification." says Alexia.
Technical competencies
The technical and social policy competency of our service delivery staff is measured every six months. This provides us with a measure of our technical capability and any changes to that capability. In addition, it enables us to tailor and target training.
For the year ending 30 June 2004, the average technical competency for staff increased by 12 percentage points with an 18% increase in staff in the upper competency band (>60%).
All staff have core competencies that cover areas such as customer focus and analysis and decision making. This year we maintained our core competency levels.
Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)
We have an established EEO programme and diversity strategy that recognises and values the diversity of our people. The Valuing Diversity Strategy will help us develop our people, so that they are able to contribute to the department's strategic direction and capability outcomes.
We also have strategies for dealing with specific communities, such as the disabled and senior citizens. During the year, we made progress in implementing a number of initiatives that addressed the needs of these particular communities, including the introduction of legislative changes for specified superannuation contribution withholding tax, reviewing the format of our website to improve its access for disabled people and planning for the introduction of New Zealand sign language requirements.
As part of our ongoing work, we regularly review our building access requirements to ensure that our buildings meet the requirements for disabled people.
Date published: 16 Nov 2004
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