Continuing education in the public service

Government is deeply involved with the further education and training of the employees. This involvement may range from relatively simple, in-house training sessions – even on-the-job training – to the financing of undergraduate or graduate education.

Many universities, in cooperation with government agencies, have developed special programs for public employees, and the courses typically lasting for a week, may be conducted either at a university campus or at an agency site.

The Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia, established in 1968, operated by the Civil Service Commission, provides managerial training for high-level federal executives. The commission also has regional training centers located throughout the country.

Public personnel are also often given leaves for a semester or a year by their agency to pursue a degree at the doctoral level (the Doctor of Public Administration) or to fulfill a master’s program.

 

Ex. 2. Read the text again for understanding its main points and answer the 10 'What'-questions given below:

1) What is the first step that the management has to undertake when new jobs have been created?

2) What was the time of Andrew Jackson characterized by?

3) What attempts did the government make to attract especially competent applicants?

4) What kinds of examinations were mentioned in the text?

5) What is a " performance examination "?

6) What examination is considered to be of special importance?

7) What process is the evaluation of employee performance?

8) What programs have many universities developed for public employees?

9) What training does the Federal Executive Institute provide?

10) What time is given to public personnel to pursue a degree at the doctoral level?

 

Ex. 3. Now read the text for detailed information to complete the following sentences and develop the idea:

1) Once jobs have been created, … starts, i.e. finding people to fill those jobs.

2) … were designed for the most part to keep out …, not to attract ….

3) Active efforts were made to attract individuals who, in earlier times, would have been excluded from public employment because of ….

4) Once applications have been received, the next step is ….

5) Some judgements are made on the basis of …, and some jobs, especially requiring particular skills, call for ….

6) … is intended to select candidates for federal government careers rather than for particular jobs.

7) The new employee is likely to serve …, often six months, during which removal is relatively easy.

8) In order to make an evaluation of employee performance, where possible, objective measures …. In jobs where this is not possible ….

9) The involvement of government with the further education and training of the employees may range from … to ….

10) … provides managerial training for high-level federal executives.

 

Ex. 4. Answer the following questions:

1) Why were merit systems designed?

2) In what way do organizations attract especially competent applicants?

3) Why did the recruiting pattern change?

4) What is an unassembled examination?

5) What examination is intended to select candidates for federal government careers?

6) How is the final choice in selecting an employee made?

7) Only few employees are dismissed during a probationary period, aren't they? Why?

8) What does the evaluation of performance protect employees from?

D. Post-reading Exercises

 

Language Study

 

Ex. 1. Match the words to their definitions:

1) probation 2) background 3) intelligence 4) dismissal 5) personnel 6) site 7) undergraduate 8) formalize

a) the people who work for an organisation; b) the act of getting rid of an employee; c) ability to understand and learn things; d) the kind of family you come from and the kind of education you have had; e) a period of time during which someone is judging your character and ability while you work, in order to see if you are suitable for that type or work; f) to make a plan, idea, or arrangement clear and official; g) a student at a university or college who has not yet taken his or her first degree; h) a piece of ground that is used for a particular purpose or where a particular thing happens.

 

Ex. 2. Give synonyms to the words given below in italics or briefly explain their meaning:

1) An important task in the management of any enterprise, private or public, is the recruiting, selecting, promoting and terminating of personnel and employee training.

2) Under Jackson and his successors, frequent rotation on office was encouraged.

3) The government began attempting to attract especially competent applicants.

4) Considerable discretion is allowed in making the final choice.

5) Only few employees are, in fact, dismissed during a probationary period.

6) By supplying a continuing record of performance, such evaluation can protect employees from capricious actions.

7) Merit systems were designed for the most part to keep out the grossly incompetent, not to attract the highly qualified.

8) Where possible, objective measures of the work completed are employed.

 

Ex. 3. Insert prepositions where necessary:

1) An important task … the management of any enterprise is the recruiting, selecting, promoting, and terminating … personnel and employee training.

2) Active efforts were made to attract individuals who, in earlier times, would have been excluded … public employment because of their ethnic or racial backgrounds.

3) The term examination does not refer only … a pencil-and-paper test.

4) Some judgements are made … the basis of an unassembled examination.

5) Some jobs call … an oral examination, particularly those … which communication skills are especially important.

6) By supplying a continuing record … performance, such evaluation can protect employees … capricious actions.

7) This involvement may range … relatively simple, in-house training sessions – even on-the-job training – … the financing of undergraduate or graduate education.

8) Many universities, … cooperation … government agencies, have developed special programs … public employees.

9) The personnel agency considers the list … the names … the individuals … the highest examination scores … which it chooses the new employee.

10) Wages were made more nearly competitive … those in private sector.

Ex. 4. What is the English for:

А 1) кандидат (на должность); 2) испытательный срок; 3) уволить (с работы); 4) обратная связь; 5) капризный, раздражительный; 6) свободный выбор, свобода действий 7) перемещение, смещение; 8) выпускник (учебного заведения)

В 1) система заслуг; 2) руководство кадрами; 3) отбор персонала; 4) конкурентоспособная заработная плата; 5) анкета поступающего на работу; 6) устный экзамен; 7) государственная служба; 8) оценка работы служащего.

 

Pre-discussion

 

Ex. 1. Retell the text finishing the following sentences and adding 4-5 phrases of your own:

1) The text under discussion draws our attention to …

2) The recruiting pattern changed …

3) Selecting of candidates is made on the basis of …

4) The evaluation of employee performance …

5) Government provides the following opportunities for the further education …

 

Ex. 2. Translate into English:

1) Когда появляются вакансии в какой-либо организации, начинается поиск кандидатов. Администрация всегда старается привлечь на работу самых компетентных служащих.

2) Когда вакансии оглашены, наносятся визиты в колледжи и университеты с целью поиска кандидатов на эти должности.

3) Отбор наиболее подходящего кандидата осуществляется на основе устного собеседования, особенно в тех случаях, где необходимы коммуникативные способности, или на основе анкеты, включающей информацию об опыте работы, образовании и рекомендации.

4) Новый служащий, как правило, проходит испытательный срок в течение 6 месяцев. Начальник отдела кадров рассматривает этот срок как продолжение проверки, но лишь немногих служащих увольняют в течение этого срока.

5) Оценка работы служащего является следующей функцией отдела кадров. Если возможно, применяются объективные критерии оценки работы, если нет, то работа оценивается руководителями. Регулярная оценка работы служащего призвана защитить его от произвола руководителя.

 

Ex. 3. Render into English:

Важной задачей кадровой политики на нынешнем этапе развития общества является коренное изменение психологии руководителей. Нам нужны не пассивные, бездумные исполнители, а инициативные и грамотные управленцы, умеющие мобилизовать собственные ресурсы и рачительно их использовать. В полной мере отвечать за порученный участок работы. …

… нашей стране удалось избежать кланового принципа построения органов власти. У нас один принцип построения власти и формирования управленческого корпуса, подбора кадров – профессионализм. Неважно, кто ты по национальности и какого цвета кожи. Если ты способен сегодня управлять, если ты любишь нашу страну, любишь наш народ, пожалуйста, иди, управляй и давай результат.

(А.Г.Лукашенко: Вступительное слово, 2004: с.6-7)

 

E. Additional Reading

 

MEETING PERSONNEL NEEDS

 

The national educational system is the main source of recruitment for the civil service. Thus, the quantity, quality and specialities of graduates become important variables for civil service and personnel administration.

A serious problem which has become an issue nowadays especially in developing countries is the emergence of a dual educational system. Some institutions catering to general education lack the proper facilities and competent teaching staffs in adequate numbers. The other stream comprises local elite institutions or education abroad. Many fields of study continue to be dominated by foreign textbooks and methodologies. The result of the dual system is that graduates of local elite institutions or educational facilities abroad have an edge in competitive examinations over the graduates from indigenous institutions. Thus, the civil service comes to be dominated by graduates of certain institutions, regions and social groups. This runs counter to the declared government policies to make the civil service a representative institution.

 

RECRUITMENT AND INDUCTION PRACTICES

 

Recruitment practices in the civil service vary from casual methods to elaborate selection systems. Most vacancies in the civil service are filled through casual methods. Only a tiny fraction are subjected to systematic selection procedures, and these usually concern encadred posts leading to eventual senior appointments.

The casual methods include appointment on the sole basis of educational qualifications, interviewing combined with educational qualifications, or some cursory knowledge and skill tests. Elaborate recruitment programmes typically involve written competitive tests, extensive interviews and even psychological tests.

(Abridged from Rethinking Public Administration: An Overview, pp. 77-80)