Career Grades Scheme - guidance for managers

A career grade is an agreement between the employee and the council. It should be used when the council agrees to pay some or all of the training costs to enable an employee to acquire a new qualification, skill or competency and progress to the vacancy, within the Career Grade, which needs to be filled.

Career grade training agreements are necessary to ensure that the Council receives some return or value for money for the investment of public monies by encouraging the employee to remain with the council for at least three years so the benefit of the training can be realised. If the employee leaves before the three years is completed they may be required to repay some or all of the costs depending on the circumstances.

Managers must ensure that the career grade has been approved in the first place before recruiting to the post and then then ensure that the successful candidate signs the Training Agreement (which should be part of the job offer) before confirming the appointment and agreeing to the Training activity and the commitment of funds. This will apply whether the training is being funded from the Learning and Skills Team or directly by the service area.

The signed Career Grades Training Agreement should be scanned and sent to ldadmin@cumbria.gov.uk