Audit Services

Training

Hampshire County Council as a whole was named an Investor in People (the National Standard for effective investment in people) in July 2002, with County Treasurers being named back in October 2000. This means that we have demonstrated good practice in improving performance through our people.

Each year the County Treasurer’s department (of which Audit Services is a part) sponsors 40 - 50 people on vocational courses, usually day release or distance learning, leading to a business or professional qualification, the main ones being:

  • Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)
  • Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
  • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)

You might also be given the opportunity to attend other vocational courses where a case is made for the benefits to Audit Services and for your current or future work objectives. You can reclaim the cost of essential books, exam fees, extra travel costs, and in special cases, subsistence.

Within Audit Services, all our staff are appropriately qualified CCAB accountants, Members of the Institute of Internal Auditors (MIIA), Accounting Technicians or QiCA computer audit qualified or are studying for these qualifications.

There are many training courses offered by Hampshire County Council that do not result in a qualification, yet are equally important for your personal development. In accordance with our Investors in People accreditation and to ensure that staff skills, training and personal development needs are regularly reviewed and fulfilled, Audit Services maintains a detailed Staff Training and Development Plan which is updated annually following Performance Development Review sessions. The aim of this plan is to focus training towards the specific needs of the individual in relation to the overall objectives of the Section, ensuring delivery of the training necessary to maintain staff competence at the required standard.

Appropriate training is organised throughout the year and is delivered by several different methods:

  • professional training eg CIPFA, AAT, IIA
  • 'on the job' training delivered by managers and colleagues
  • courses delivered by Audit Services staff
  • courses delivered by County Treasurer's Department
  • corporate courses, run by Hampshire Training Services
  • open learning / self study packs
  • lunch time learning seminars
  • external courses and seminars
  • Computer Based Training (CBT) Package.

We believe in investing in our staff and retaining the experience they have gained with us.

Successful completion of vocational qualifications is one of the criteria used to assess candidates for appointment or progression. Audit Services also has a clear set of progression criteria outlining the skills and experience that staff require for each of the posts within the section.