INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRAINING AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT - 4854

(Revised: 08/2024)

 

Purpose:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) recognizes that training and employee development is primarily a responsibility of management. The purpose of the policy is to ensure the effective training and development of Information Technology (IT) employees within the state. The policy works in congruence with Government Code (GC) section 11545(b)(5) and seeks to improve organizational maturity and capacity in the effective management of the IT workforce at the state entity level by defining the roles and responsibilities of the training coordinator.  This policy also aims to ensure that employees possess the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their IT-related responsibilities efficiently and securely. The following policy has been created to facilitate these best practices and key objectives.

Policy:

The identification of needs, establishment of priorities, and implementation of training reside at the discretion of each state entity.  Each State entity should appoint a training coordinator to assist line management in taking inventory of employee skills, training needs, and professional development and coordinate training efforts with other state entities. The training coordinator shall ensure that the state entity’s IT training shall meet the objectives below.

Training Needs Assessment:

Identification of learning and development needs is necessary to ensure each employee is equipped with the right skills and knowledge to perform the job efficiently and to their highest ability. Creating a thorough assessment of the IT employee training needs will be conducted within each state entity. The assessment will consider the current skill levels, job responsibilities, and any emerging technologies relevant to the organization.

Annual Training Plans:

The training plan should be linked to California's Statewide Strategic Plan and the state entities’ goals and objectives. The annual training plan must include the type of training, training objective, training delivery, budget, sources of training, and training priority.

Types of Training:

The type of training should be identified as part of the training plan development. Examples include:

1. Instructor-led training
2. eLearning
3. Technical training
4. Mandatory training
5. Professional development
6. Simulation employee training
7. Hands-on training
8. Coaching or mentoring
9. Lectures
10. Group discussion and activities
11. Role-playing
12. Management-specific activities
13. Case studies or other required reading

Training Objectives:

The training objectives and goals include specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound statements that define what employees are expected to achieve by the end of a training program.

Training Delivery:

The training delivery method and process is used to provide instructional content, knowledge, or skills to employees during a training program. It encompasses the strategies and techniques employed to transfer information effectively from instructors to participants. Examples include:

1. Classroom training
2. Online or e-learning
3. Workshops or seminars
4. On-the-job training
5. Self-paced learning
6. On-demand learning
7. Peer learning

Source of Training:

Both formal and informal training contribute to learning and professional development. State entities must work closely with CDT to identify those skill areas where they anticipate the need to contract for technical training with outside vendors. Technical training examples include:

1. External outsourced state training
2. External vendor training contract
3. Internal State entity training

As such, state entities should assess their training needs and utilize IT training offered by CDT before considering similar training from other sources. This includes contacting CDT and leveraging their equivalent IT training, including leadership academies and specialized bootcamps, before procuring training from outside vendors.

Training Budget:

Establishing a training budget is essential for state entities to effectively plan, implement, and manage training initiatives. It ensures employees remain up to date and current on IT technologies and processes, improves return on investment, resource allocation, compliance, and certifications.

Training Priorities:

It is recommended that priority be given to the development of those skills necessary in the effective performance of each person's current position. After essential needs are met, career-related training needs may be addressed. We also stress the importance of certification and formal education offerings, which could include paying for certification examinations. This helps with retention, morale and is a proven incentive for staff to remain with a state entity. It’s important to remember that IT exists to meet the needs of business and priorities need to be based on that concept.

Training Records:

The organization will maintain accurate records of employee IT training completion. These records will include the date of training, type of training, and the names of employees who have completed the training.

Evaluation and Feedback:

Training will routinely be evaluated to determine if the training is effective and how it can be improved. Feedback will be evaluated and provided to those offering the training for refinement and improvement.

Training Effectiveness:

The state entity will periodically assess the effectiveness of IT training programs to ensure they meet the intended objectives.

Exemptions:

If an organization that is planning to utilize IT training services that are similar to CDT training offerings and determines that the use of a CDT provided training solution is not feasible, they shall submit a Service Request for a Training Exemption for CDT approval before proceeding with the acquisition.

Exemption Process:

• Submit a Training Exemption Service Request.
• Identify and explain the need for the exemption.
• Obtain the State entity’s CIO and/or AIO approval of the Training Exemption Request.
• Work with CDT to consider alternative solutions.
• Maintain a central file of granted CDT Training Policy Exemptions and their related acquisition documents. This file must be made available to CDT upon request for audit purposes.
• Comply with the Training Exemption Response and all related policies, standards, and guidelines.

Exceptions:

This policy does not apply to on-the-job training, state entity in-house training when a vendor is not used, specialized computer-based training modules obtained as part of a hardware or software contract, cooperative training programs developed with other state entities when a vendor is not used, and/or eLearning online subscription-based training.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Please refer to our FAQ page for more information.