Kent County Council: Recruitment and Selection Training

Equality Works has a long and successful track record of working with Kent County Council. We have worked closely with Unite over many years, extensively with Social Services, with Education, Arts and Libraries, with Strategic Planning (on their Management Development programme), with the Corporate and Directorate equalities groups and with Members.

In this particular project with Kent County Council we were commissioned to conduct a Recruitment and Selection Training for Managers involved in the recruitment and selection process.

The training initially comprised a half-day programme for managers. The purpose of the programme was to support the Council’s initiative to increase the numbers of staff from under-represented groups.

The programme covered:

• A fresh look at using the interview process to gather reliable evidence about a candidate’s performance;
• Using other methods of assessment, such as presentations and tests;
• Writing and using concise selection criteria;
• Applying the Disability Discrimination Act and ‘reasonable adjustments’;
• Understanding the law on positive action;
• Exploring examples of good practice on positive action; and
• Looking at a range of methods to redress under-representation.

We have since delivered over fifteen separate courses relating to recruitment and selection for the council. The training has enabled Managers and those involved in the hiring process to understand and implement equality issues within their day to day work.