Employees of the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS) are improving their skills through a series of training workshops being facilitated by the Modernisation of the Barbados Statistical Service Project.

The current training, mainly for clerical and non-supervisory staff, started last Monday and is expected to continue until November 2014.

The courses being offered are: Communications, Customer Service, Team Building, Dealing with Conflict, Time Management, Productivity Basics and Work Ethics, Dealing with Change, and Microsoft Excel, Word and Power Point.

Acting Director of the BSS, Aubrey Browne, explained that the aim of the training is to enhance the skills of the staff in general areas.

???We had a consultancy which looked at the training needs required to enhance the human capacity of the BSS, and it identified the gaps, as well as developed a training programme to improve any deficiencies. This training provides a foundation across a range of areas that can improve personal effectiveness, self-confidence, team work and the overall productivity within the department,??? he said.

Mr. Browne noted that specialist training would also be offered in several areas, including Accounts, Public Service Human Resources Management and Procurement Planning. He added that managers would also have an opportunity to improve their skills.

He pointed out that five statisticians within the National Statistical System had already been awarded scholarships and another 22 were trained in statistical-related areas at the University of Michigan.

Government received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank on December 11, 2008, to assist in financing the Modernisation of the Barbados Statistical Service Project.

The six components of the project are: The Legal Framework, Statistical Network, Institutional Re-Engineering, Enhancement of Statistical Products, Human Capacity and Technical Infrastructure and Public Outreach.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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