Learning and Development

Our learning culture

We are committed to supporting our employees to be the best they can be. This involves providing inspirational, varied and flexible learning opportunities that allow our people to develop the knowledge and skills they need, when they need them.

We encourage our people to take ownership of their learning journey and look for opportunities to grow through experiences, self-directed learning and where needed through more formal learning to support professional development.

Collaborative learning is key to our approach and we encourage and provide opportunities for our people to learn together and develop networks. This isn’t only through formal training and action learning, but through other routes such as our mentoring scheme or secondment opportunities.

Our learning platforms

Our online learning platforms help you to make learning part of your daily routine. You will have access to engaging, on-demand, and evidence-based digital learning resources and courses to support your development. Every piece of online content is geared to improve the performance of individuals, teams, and the Council as a whole.

To support the development of your digital skills, our Digital Learning Pathways site provides free and unlimited access to web-based training guides and videos to meet your training needs within Microsoft 365.

Try peer mentoring to gain knowledge within another area of your team or service, or approach someone who possesses a skill you would like to cultivate

Join a new project to expand your skills and experience in the flow of work, for example putting yourself forward as a contributor for a Southend 2050/Future Ways of Working workstream.

Other Opportunities

Other development opportunities include:

• Apprenticeships for both new and existing employees
• Support with achieving professional qualifications
• Leadership support through our Transformational Leadership Development Programme
• Opportunity to get involved with project work and collaborate with people outside your team
• Peer mentoring