Skills Profile Survey being conducted to determine, harness public officers’ talents

An assessment is being conducted on public officers to determine their individual skills and talents so these abilities can be properly harnessed.

Director of the Department of Human Resources Michelle Donovan-Stevens said the initiative, which is being referred to as the Skills Profile Survey is geared towards improving the future of the territory’s public service sector.

“It is an opportunity for us to obtain information from public officers about their current skill sets, what their strengths are, what areas do they see themselves growing in, having opportunities to develop,” Donovan-Stevens said.

The initiative was introduced as a result of listening to the wants and needs of public officers following an engagement survey back in 2018.

“Public officers said to us, ‘we want more opportunities to be developed and we also want to be included and engaged’. So this is why we are doing it; to have public officers tell us what their needs are and make an alignment between their needs, growth and the future, to where the public service is going as part of the public service transformation,” the director added.

She also said the initiative is a part of her department’s larger plan to have a talent management programme for the public service.

“The talent management programme really is a very intentional way in which we work with public officers from the time they are engaged to the time that they exist. It is about engaging and growing talent in the public service and ensuring that we utilise persons skills and abilities in the areas that are of most needs and interest to public officers.”

Donovan-Stevens said there has been a poor response to the Skills Profile Survey by public servants so far. She, however, stressed the importance of getting everyone involved.

“The survey is out and public officers have responded but it is a small number. So we have extended the timeframe because again we are asking persons to get involved. Let’s hear from you. It’s very important that we don’t assume what is needed but that we really hear from public officers,” she said.