2004/2

Minutes of the TEC meeting of 30.11.2004

Present:

DTOs: T. Bauswein/SG-DSU(TB), A. Desirelli/SG-SC(AD), C. Granier/HR(CG) (from 14:35), A. Del Rosso/SG-ETT(ADR), E. Mosselmans/IT(EM), N. Polivka/AB(NP), M. Taborelli/TS(MT), M. Burri/PH(MB), J. M. Jimenez/AT(MG)
HR-PMD: S. Datta-Cockerill (SDC), S. Foffano (SF) - Chairperson, M. Storr (MS), D. Vitè (DV) - minutes

Excused: V. Marchal/FI(VM)

Absent: G. Deroma (Staff Association representative)

New DTOs: Antonella Del Rosso and José Miguel Jimenez were introduced.

1. Minutes of the last meeting and action points

The last TEC meeting took place on 23 June: 2004 was an exceptional year, as the JTB has been waiting for new nominations. The first JTB meeting took place in May, and 4 meetings were organised so far in 2004. This is the second TEC meeting of 2004; it is expected to run more TEC meetings in 2005 now that the decision on the Chair has been made.

EM asked for presentations of the STI and e-MAPS projects: they are scheduled at this meeting.

External Training cost: SF sent an email to DTOs asking for feedback at end of August. Interesting feedback received. As expected, with the current tools available (EDH, HRT, CTA, CET), it is somehow difficult to get comprehensive information easily. CET should be used for reporting, using nature code (summary or transaction levels), as it includes internal and external training, and costs associated. SF proposes to send electronically sample reports to DTOs for cost reporting. DTOs are requested to check 2004 values. JTB is keen to see evolution and trends: at least it is requested to gather 2003 and 2004 information, to help prepare a 2005 training plan with new recommendations. We need to prepare an appropriate financial analysis for the past, and harmonize information for the future, and across the organization.

MB comments on difference with her own Excel sheet: currency conversions, fluctuations. SF: small differences, but the issue is there (day of exchange rates). Precision: the total training costs should include PMD, departmental funds and time of staff undergoing training.

EM would not like to spend too much time in correcting past entries. SF clarifies that any figures given will be accepted as such under these conditions. Different interpretations exist, and harmonization will have to be performed. It will be clarified and guidelines given about what type of events should be included. At the moment each Department has a different policy.

EM points out that Administrative Circular no. 16 specifies some guidelines (conferences should not be included), distinction between formal and informal training, on-the-job, workshops, etc... SF comments that Circular no. 16 was last updated in January 2000: we can evolve from there, and many things have changed in the meantime.

SF circulates a “Summary of input from DTO’s since last meeting on organization and frequency of future TEC meetings”. Names were removed. A few relevant comments were discussed (presentations from HR-PMD, DTO presentations/share experience, frequency of meetings).

SF proposes a frequency of 4 times a year for TEC meetings, as a guideline, with a short presentation from the Training Service, and part of the agenda reserved to the DTOs and their proposals for each meeting agenda. EM is in favour of more frequent meetings (up to 10 per year) to make sure follow-up is possible, and contact is kept with HR-PMD and with other DTOs. TT (DV) also met individually all DTOs. DV supports more frequent meetings. TB pointed out that too many meetings would take away a significant fraction of the time allocated to the DTO function. EM said we already missed a few projects: meeting regularly would mean a better follow up of opportunities. MB (longest standing DTO in the committee) would favour 2 or 4 per year, too many - not so useful - meetings took place in the past, and that situation should not be repeated. MT suggest to consider 4 meetings per year as a flexible guideline, and SF could call shorter meetings to discuss specific issues.

Conclusion on meeting frequency: SF proposes to fix 4 dates for 2005, with the flexibility to cancel or schedule additional meetings if appropriate.

2. Reports from Training Services and Joint Training Board

SF now chairs the TEC, at the request of the JTB: this no more complies with the administrative circular 16. Minutes taken for this meeting by a member of PMD (DV).

Concerning action points from JTB meeting of 03/11/04 (minutes): following an enquiry from the Staff Association on why the SG unit had 3 DTOs, that was felt to be an imbalance. There was subsequently the request that SG should nominate a DTO to represent the whole unit. The other two persons remain DTOs, and TEC meetings are prepared together (to be implemented as of 2005). SF thanked the 2 DTOS who will no longer participate to TEC meetings.

MB was surprised about the mechanism that led to the appointment of a JTB member. The proposal was not made by the DL. SF had no influence on the nomination nor was involved.

ATT presentation: see presentation slides (MS, DV). Some discussion/feedback: ECDL, maps, Vacuum courses.

MT: Who is responsible for organizing Safety Training? AD will come back to this with a message from his unit. NP: problem with Safety Training: pending requests. Who is the contact person?

EM: coordination of different Technical Training action. Working groups: discontinued. Now technical contacts/experts in the departments. Detect early synergies. DV: Latent needs appear once action is advertised. MS: general or specific course? SF: share more information with the DTOs where applicable.

MCL presentation: see presentation slides (SDC). Regular MC programme under review, to ensure no overlap exists with the Core Development Packages.

Answer to NP: All language courses now have tests at the end, results are sent to the supervisor.

ADR: was told to be careful with budget. Is MCL applying the same rule as TT wrt to real cost charging? SDC: No real costs are charged. Fixed fee of CHF 200.- per day per participant. Residential courses: add residential costs.

MS: TT follows a request by the JTB for real cost charging. SF: confirms a difference in charging policy between the TT programme and the other programmes.

CG: When will the new MC programme be ready? SDC: next year, once it will be fully reviewed. Finalise CDPs first.

ADR: Team Action. What is it? SDC: Team action: GL or TL comes to see MCL. Particular objectives to run an action for. Current/future functioning of the group, service orientation, specific objective.

EM: Language Training. Sent email yesterday. Some reaction. Interest of making small groups of people for conversation courses. SDC: many people in courses to ensure self-financing. SDC was not copied, Andrée Fontbonne quoted price for such a specific training.

MB: surprised to receive a message from another DTO. EM: it was in agreement with Andrée. There seems to be a need for this type of language training. SF and MB: should have come from MCL. CG: language tandem. Learn from each other. SF: will look into EM’s message and provide feedback.

3. 2001 Training Plan Recommendations and Follow-up

Preparation of a new Training Plan: the JTB wants to move from the old Training Plan. Review recommendations made in 2001. Much feedback received, SF will analyse the information and process it by the 16.12 (next JTB meeting). Missing input from some DTO: FI, SG-ETT, SG-DSU and AT. New recommendations and training policy description to be included in the new Training plan.

Comment on Safety Training from DTO: instructed by the DL that in their opinion support given by HR for Safety Training is seen as not yet appropriate by SC (not enough). SF: long outstanding story. Very serious problem becoming worse. No solution despite discussion at JTB and CFO level. The person in HR working on safety training administration cannot do any more. An extra 50% administrative assistant needs to be found.

4. STI and e-MAPS projects (postponed from last meeting)

Gaby Thiede/FI(GT), Jean-Marc Saint-Viteux/FI(JMSV), Pierre Gildemyn/HR(PG), invited at the request of EM.

STI. PG: Principle of STI known. Some statistics on STI: 90% response rate by end of September: skills entered and validated. 94% of staff have created the document. 6% have more or less already left the organization, or on long-term absence. In total, about 92% of the documents were transferred. New people are now joining the process. Some statistics on the website was shown. 16-63-21% on Beginner-Experimented-Expert specialisations. Official report will be distributed once approved by management. 50% of people defined an aspiration: this mirrors somehow the distribution of skill domains.

What is STI used for now? Small group is working for long-term planning. New tool (APT-Activity Planning Tool) to perform HR plan due for April 2005. End June 2005 Personnel and Material Budget plan, project now officially launched. Important link with the skill, as up to now the HR plan was done in a quantitative way only, now qualitative analysis will be possible: missing staff to be hired (post assigned) will be allocated domain and optionally level 2 (at a department discretion). Time pressure: all data there by April 2005. Another application: Internal mobility and recruitment. Look for possible internal candidates, also for short-term job assignments. Access to data: DL, HRC.

MS: Aspirations could translate in training need? JMSV: Gap analysis, but not for aspiration. Staff/post/tasks: see what is missing and bridge gap with training actions.

Conclusion on STI (PG): STI was on time, starts to be used, time will show different possible utilizations, but it is a living instrument, quite promising seeing the first tests.

e-MAPS (see presentation slides). Project initiated by Management, replace current paper forms with EDH documents, in production for next MAPS exercise. Collaboration with services from FI-DI, HR-PMD, HR–PI, and IT-AIS. Some legal aspects to be clarified. Analysis shown that first the form could be implemented as EDH document similar to the paper form, and it was immediately realized that some additional streamlining was possible (signatures for advancements, keep Excel advancement procedure, avoid duplications), in agreement with current Administrative Procedures. GT: Excel and MAPS procedures: some details (routing, decision process).

When is the Training information available? During the next exercise. Exact dates will depend. Training part accessible from HRT. Report from HRT once the Supervisor part will be approved (then frozen, no more access to the GL). Various reports and overviews will be available to selected people in the hierarchy. Savings and advantages discussed.

5. AoB and dates of next meetings

TB: What is the executive management position on Training? SF: no official statements apart from support for training.

4 dates proposed for TEC meetings in 2005 on Tuesday pm: 15.03.05, 14.06.05, 20.09.05, 06.12.05.