In this section...
Four nations unite to create new opportunities
FOUR NATIONS UNITE TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES
COURT and Prosecutions staff across the four nations of the UK will soon have access to a newly created apprenticeship thanks to a successful collaboration between the Ministry of Justice, the Scottish Court Service, Crown Prosecution Service and Skills for Justice.
Skills for Justice is working closely with the Ministry of Justice, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Scottish Court Service and employers from the courts and tribunals sector to widen training opportunities for courts, tribunals and prosecutions staff across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The organisations are working together to jointly fund an apprenticeship framework that will, for the first time bring together the administrative and operations functions of courts, tribunals and prosecutions. The framework will include a common set of standards for apprentices across all four nations of the UK.
Bryan Goodfellow, Head of HR Service Delivery at the Scottish Court Service, said: “Working together, we have found a way to share work and get an outcome that all of us are looking for.”
Skills for Justice, which works to develop the skills of employees in the justice, community safety and legal service sectors across the UK, has a well-established relationship with the Ministry of Justice, UK Courts and Tribunals employers and the Crown Prosecution Service. They have previously worked in partnership to develop National Occupational Standards, qualifications and the framework for the Level Two Apprenticeship in Court, Tribunal and Prosecution Administration.
However, the work being carried out will see the Administration apprenticeship framework expanded and renamed to include a Level 3 qualification in Court Operations.
The framework for the new apprenticeship is expected to be completed by April this year. Once completed, it will be available to existing administrative and operations staff.
Operations staff are responsible for the day-to-day running of courts and ensure they are prepared for hearings – for example, preparing schedules for cases to be heard and liaising with judges, magistrates, victims and witnesses.
Morag Aitken, Senior Corporate Learning Consultant at the Ministry of Justice, said: “Rather than each country working individually, we have collaborated to produce a common standard for admin in courts, based on NOS, that can be applied across the UK and Justice Sector.
The new apprenticeship will bring great benefits for courts across the UK. Morag said: “The advantages for us are around the transferability of skills. Staff in any court in England would also qualify in other countries, which would provide the transferability of staff.
“As the apprenticeship is pinned on National Occupational Standards, the apprenticeship will recognise and professionalise the contribution of staff to the workforce. Those things are very important.”
The Ministry of Justice currently has 10 people taking the Level Two administration apprenticeship. The apprentices are existing members of staff who have taken on the apprenticeship to further their development. Morag said: “People who go through the apprenticeship become more confident. They are willing to take more responsibility and are more engaged”.
“Apprenticeships also provide increased confidence in the capability of staff.”
Patricia Hignett, Head of Skills Qualifications and Accreditation at the CPS said: “We are delighted to be involved in this as it provides an exciting opportunity to develop business specific apprenticeship frameworks with our partners in the Criminal Justice System and have a clear framework of qualifications specific to the justice sector. Apprenticeships are a key part of our People Strategy which was launched in November 2011.”
The Scottish Court Service has been involved in the development of the apprenticeship from the very beginning. Bryan Goodfellow said this was the first time the Scottish Court Service would be offering an apprenticeship in Court Operations. He said: “We had discussed offering apprenticeships in the past but hadn’t taken it forward. However, an opportunity arose to work with Morag Aitken and Skills for Justice so we sat down and decided to get on with the development of it. It really was that simple.
“I think it is a very positive move and it reflects well on all of us. We are all constrained in our resources but we have found a way forward to share work and get an outcome that all of us are looking for. It is something we are very pleased to be involved in.”
He added that he believed the apprenticeship would greatly benefit the Scottish Court Service, which currently employs around 1450 staff. He said: “I think employers benefit from that extra wider perspective that apprentices bring.
“The Court Operations apprenticeship will develop people across a range of essential skills and there is a lot we can take from that.”
You can find out more about Skills for Justice’s work to develop apprenticeships in the courts, tribunals and prosecutions sector| on the website.
