Considerable effort has been put into the training and development of staff in line with the Agency's business needs. A competency framework has been developed to help staff understand more clearly what is required of them in their current job and help them become more aware of their strengths and areas of development. The Agency's recruitment and appraisal arrangements will be based on the competency framework. The Agency continues to take forward initiatives to maintain a healthy working environment. This includes health screening and a stress awareness programme.
Recruitment is carried out at all levels on the basis of fair and open competition.
Increasing use is being made of period of fixed term appointments to reflect the seasonal nature of the Agency's business. The Agency uses its recruitment monitoring forms to help it check equality of opportunity in the recruitment process. It also encourages local initiatives, including links with schools and use of the ethnic minority press, to attract ethnic minority applicants in response to local recruitment exercises. The Agency has run awareness seminars for all managers and team briefed all staff on the new Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The Agency continues to be an Employment Service Disability Symbol user.