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Learning is the acquisition of skills, knowledge and experience – it is a ‘horizontal’ manoeuvre that increases the breadth of the individual.

Development is a completely different thing entirely.

Development is a ‘vertical’ phenomenon that increases the depth and sophistication of the leader. So most programs run by L&D departments claim they are developing talent but what they are actually providing are flat, horizontal learning programs that are not transformational – it’s all ‘L’ and very little ‘D’.

Why does PCVRS need a Learning & Development Strategy?

To achieve the PCVRS contractual obligations and program goals.

To ensure staff are aware of and adhere to policies, processes and service standards.

To cultivate a learning environment that enhances knowledge and skill development and recognizes the needs of our individual staff, a team, and our other stakeholders.

To provide timely, accessible, relevant, culturally appropriate training to our staff to build their competencies and confidence within their roles as well as the ability to adapt to a changing environment.

To engage in partnerships with external subject matter experts to explore best practices, stimulate new service delivery approaches, provide ideas to improve business processes.

To work with human resources to identify training requirements from personnel reviews to promote staff retention and succession planning to build the talent of our staff.

To establish an evaluation component that monitors the effectiveness of the knowledge transfer and staff performance.

To coordinate all PCVRS training, leverage existing resources/content and collaborate more effectively with our service delivery partners and ensure alignment and consistency across the programs, processes and staff.

To confirm the Learning & Development responsibilities, set priorities, manage workload, and identify potential future resources and professional development.

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What is learning and development and why is it important?

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Learning and development are both important but don't mean the same thing. What is L&D and why does it matter?

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PCVRS Learning & Development Integrated Framework

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PCVRS Learning & Development Integrated Framework

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Introduction

The PCVRS Learning & Development Framework is comprised of four strategies that will require a coordinated collaborative effort by management, staff and partners to embrace broader and bolder aspects of training within PCVRS by:

expanding the role of training to other operational units (e.g., Clinical Learning Network, Medical Directors);

adhering to a governance structure for setting priorities to meet Program and Participant outcomes;

integrating a learning culture;

designing and delivering effective learning resources and pathways;

implementing innovative practices;

measuring, analyzing and evaluating program impact.

Strategy 1 - Collaborate with Operating Units & Adhere to PCVRS Governance

Goal Statement: To collaborate with the operating units in identifying training needs and setting priorities that are aligned with PCVRS and VAC business processes through the PCVRS governance structure.

Strategy 2 - Integrate a Learning Culture

Goal Statement: To promote and sustain a learning culture wherein training is integrated and valued throughout our program and will help us address the knowledge and skill gaps.

Strategy 3 - Design & Deliver Effective Learning Resources & Pathways

Goal Statement: To implement the ADDIE model of instructional design and create training resources that are responsive to our program needs and contractual obligations.

Strategy 4 - Measure, Analyze & Evaluate Program Impact

Goal Statement: To identify, analyze, evaluate and report on key performance indicators, learner feedback and applicable environmental factors that will measure the effectiveness of our training on Program and Participant outcomes.

Implementation - Annual Operational Plan

The Learning & Development Team will develop an annual Operational Plan that will outline the tasks, resources, key performance indicators and timelines for each action item. The Operational Plan will be shared with relevant stakeholder to ensure transparency, support a coordinated and collaborative effort and hold us accountable for achieving our strategies.

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Learning & Development Strategy Governance

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Learning & Development Strategy Governance

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1. PCVRS Learning & Development Team receive a new training request (form) and review.

2. If applicable, add the training request to the Training Priority Tracker.

3. Present the list of training requests every other month to the PCVRS Steering Committee to establish the priorities.

4. Confirm the training schedule with applicable stakeholders. (L&D Team, Medical Directors, Clinical Learning Network, RSS Team)

5. Design

6. VAC Review of Word doc English

7. Develop - ensuring accessibility standards

8. VAC Review or Approval of English training

9. French Translation

10. VAC Review or Approval of French training

11. Deliver the training

12. Evaluate the training

13. Analyze the training evaluation feedback

Variation for Training Module Revisions

1. Revisions will be identified and logged in Module Revision Tracker.

2. Seek applicable Director Approval for the revisions.

3. Revisions are implemented.

4. VAC Review or Approval of English training

5. French Translation

6. VAC Review or Approval of French training

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Strategy 1 - Collaborate with Operating Units and Adhere to PCVRS Governance

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Strategy 1 - Collaborate with Operating Units and Adhere to PCVRS Governance

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Confirm the Action Items for this Strategy in the applicable fiscal year and list potential measures. Add a Governance Structure diagram for L&D - Steer Co (prioritization), VAC (approval), Service Directors (review)

Goal Statement: To collaborate with the operating units in identifying training needs and setting priorities that are aligned with PCVRS and VAC business processes through the PCVRS governance structure.

ACTION ITEMS - VAC Fiscal Year

2023/2024

1. Establish a PCVRS governance structure that aligns with the management to understand the Program's Learning & Development and Training Innovation priorities, and support decision-making.

2. Collaborate with PCVRS Medical Directors to ensure PCVRS training is in alignment with existing partners’ policies and communicate with PCVRS Steering Committee the need for new policy creation when appropriate.

3. Coordinate with WCG and Lifemark Training departments to develop and schedule aligned mandatory, PCVRS-specific annual compliance training.

4. Advise RSS and RSP Management on how to refine and improve current onboarding schedule for PCVRS personnel.

2024/2025

5. Collaborate with HR to develop a policy that would enable HR to share staff training needs identified during performance reviews with the PCVRS Learning & Development Team.

6. Work with the Communications Department to create a centralized Training Calendar on SharePoint for all training opportunities and explore other communication options for advertising training for internal and external stakeholders.

7. Improve communication and follow through from IT for change requests to ensure that LMS functionality meets contractual requirements.

8. Utilize existing partnerships (e.g. Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion - CCDI) or establish new partners to deliver enhanced/ongoing training on diversity and social inclusion topics as well as review of training materials.

9. Deliver ad hoc sessions with a clinician or specialist for VAC staff on various topics of interest, identified by the VAC Contract Manager or other personnel as agreed, across a diverse range of topics aligned to improving Veteran well-being outcomes.

10. Collaborate with PCVRS Veteran Advisory Committee to ensure training reflects military culture and the unique needs of VAC's Participants following a career in the Canadian Armed Forces.

11. Develop and implement a scheduled process for reviewing revisions to PCVRS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and applying revisions to existing training and/or creating additional training as required.

12. Collaborate with RSS Job Developers to support the development and delivery of training materials designed for the PCVRS Job Club Program.

13. Implement a Training Innovation.

2025/2026

14. Implement a Training Innovation

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Strategy 2 - Integrate a Learning Culture

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Strategy 2 - Integrate a Learning Culture

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Table 1

Definitions of constructs for the dimensions of the learning organization questionnaire

Dimension | Definition
Create continuous learning opportunities | Learning is designed into work so that people can learn on the job; opportunities are provided for ongoing education and growth.

Promote inquiry and dialogue | People gain productive reasoning skills to express their views and the capacity to listen and inquire into the views of others; the culture is changed to support questioning, feedback, and experimentation.

Encourage collaboration and team learning | Work is designed to use groups to access different modes of thinking; groups are expected to learn together and work together; collaboration is valued by the culture and rewarded.

Create systems to capture and share learning | Both high- and low-technology systems to share learning are created and integrated with work; access is provided; systems are maintained.

Empower people toward a collective vision | People are involved in setting, owning, and implementing a joint vision; responsibility is distributed close to decision making so that people are motivated to learn toward what they are held accountable to do.

Connect the organization to its environment | People are helped to see the effect of their work on the entire enterprise; people scan the environment and use information to adjust work practices; the organization is linked to its communities.

Provide strategic leadership for learning | Leaders model, champion, and support learning: leadership uses learning strategically for business results.

Key results |

Financial performance | State of financial health and resources available.

Knowledge performance | Enhancement of products and services because of learning and knowledge capacity (lead indicators of intellectual capital).

(Table adapted from Marsick and Watkins, 2003 [18]).

Exercise 4 - Review and confirm PCVRS principles for creating a learning culture.  Incorporate PCVRS values.

Goal Statement: To promote and sustain a learning culture wherein training is integrated and valued throughout our program and will help us address the knowledge and skill gaps.

Action Items - VAC Fiscal Year

2023/2024

1. Expand availability of Training Request Form to PCVRS staff and external partners. L&D Team to collect, review and confirm training requirements. PCVRS Steering Committee to review monthly to determine priority and approval.

2. Support development and availability of Professional Development learning and resources and explore the delivery options for the RSS and RSP operating units (e.g. Medical Directors Lunch & Learn, RSS Lunch & Learn, RSP Clinical Learning Network).

3. Engage with RSS / RSP team to gather feedback and develop rapport by conducting follow-up debrief sessions with staff after they complete a training.

4. Create and implement a standardized process for applying for Continuing Education Unit credits through the CVRP and communicate approved courses to staff to incentivize training completion and encourage professional certification.

2024/2025

5. Track existing/new internal and external training resources and create a library of available training resources for staff on SharePoint.

6. The development of a Training dashboard on SharePoint that will include the Training Library for staff to have access to content on-demand.

7. Expand the Participant self-directed course catalogue by creating additional training modules on topics identified from Participant  and RSS feedback.

8. Support the establishment of Communities for RSS and RSP teams .

9. Support the establishment of a Mentorship Program to support RSS and RSP teams so that newly qualified staff can be teamed with experienced staff.

2025/2026

10. Plan and facilitate an annual Rehabilitation Services best practices conference.

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Strategy 3 - Design and Deliver Effective Learning Resources and Pathways

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Strategy 3 - Design and Deliver Effective Learning Resources and Pathways

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Confirm the Action Items for this Strategy in the applicable fiscal year.

Goal Statement: To implement the ADDIE model of instructional design and create training resources that are responsive to our program needs and contractual obligations.

ACTION ITEMS- VAC Fiscal Year

2023/2024

1. Create a knowledge and skill gaps analysis tool and conduct the gap analysis with the different operating units and stakeholders.

2. Explore different training delivery methods to best meet the needs of staff to apply their learning more effectively. Implement the 70:20:10 Rule.

3. Modify and improve training materials as required based on staff feedback to reflect updated Rehabilitation Program requirements and service delivery requirements.

4. Establish Partnerships with Veteran-led external organizations (e.g. Forces@Work VetsCanada) in order to deliver external trainings on an ongoing basis for PCVRS staff.

2024/2025

6. Implement the use of a “Staging Sandbox” as a training environment for staff which will must mirror the production environment and be fully synchronized with the program’s technology related changes and enhancements.

7. Create “My PDP” individualized learning pathways for staff.

8. Provide RSVP Participants with training modules on various subjects that may include but are not limited to: interview preparation and questions, cover letter creation, and job search tools (include information on accessibility where applicable).

2025/2026

8. Implement a Training Innovation.

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Strategy 4 - Measure, Analyze and Evaluate Program Impact

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Strategy 4 - Measure, Analyze and Evaluate Program Impact

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What are the measures that we need to monitor operations, track performance and evaluate success related to training?

Confirm the Action Items for this Strategy in the applicable fiscal year and list potential measures.

Goal Statement: To identify, analyze, evaluate and report on key performance indicators, learner feedback and applicable environmental factors that will measure the effectiveness of our training on program and Participant outcomes.

ACTION ITEMS - VAC Fiscal Year

2023/2024

1. Implement an improved Participant Satisfaction Survey and accompanying process to gauge quality of individual vocational rehabilitation courses for Participants.

2. Create Participant Training Reports by identifying the total number and proportion of Participants with assigned training in their Rehabilitation Plan, by training type and duration of training. Number and percentage of Participants with completed training by training type.

3. Implement learner satisfaction surveys to solicit feedback from staff after completion of mandatory orientation training.

2024/2025

4. Implement an annual Knowledge & Skill Gap Analysis process, piloted, tested and improved upon based on staff feedback to identify training needs and priorities or the upcoming fiscal year.

5. Analyze Participant outcomes (e.g. employment status) against Participants who have completed vocational training as part of their rehabilitation program and/or accessed training materials via Job Club.

6. Create Role based learning curriculum that has been mapped to rehabilitation services job descriptions/competencies and are linked to contract KPIs.

7. Conduct focus groups of RSVP Participants who have completed training to identify satisfaction and assessment of current training and future needs.

8. Send Managers LMS reports/updates on training completed by all personnel on an ad hoc or regularly scheduled basis and potentially integrate with PowerBI.

9. Collaborate with IT to ensure personnel receive automated renewal/expiry alerts when training requirements for program have not been met.

2025/2026

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Resource - Implement a Learning & Development Framework and Governance Structure

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Resource - Implement a Learning & Development Framework and Governance Structure

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Exercise 4 - Review the 9 components of the Framework and determine the components of the PCVRS Framework - considering the process and tools we have already created and what is work and what is not working.

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Jacqueline Brassey, Lisa Christensen, and Nick van Dam

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The essential components of a successful L&D strategy

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The ACADEMIES framework is a useful tool for conceptualizing a learning and development strategy.

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Governance - The Contract Operations Management Committee will determine the Innovation priorities for the coming fiscal year.

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RSVP Innovations Implementation Plan v1 Dec 21 2021