Training of Expert Statisticians in the Czech Republic Answers to the Questions from August 28

1. Training of Expert Statisticiansin the Czech RepublicAnswers to the Questions from August 28 Dana Kramova and Marie Hlavackova Human Resources Dept. Czech Statistical Office

2. Czech Republic and Czech Statistical Office

3. Q1: Special Training for Experienced Experts who Train New Specialists • The Czech Statistical Office gives internal seminars for their employees • Lecturers are recruited from the best employees • An employee who spent a traineeship abroad used to give a lecture about his/her experience, shares experience with others • CZSO organizes statistical seminars to specific statistical issue (seasonal adjustment, metadata, etc.)

4. Q1 cont.: Special Training for Experienced Experts who Train New Specialists • Czech Statistical Office does not usually hold in-house courses for trainers (“training of the trainers”) • If they want to sit for this special course, we send them to the Institute of the Public Administration or to ESTP course abroad • Lecturers are recruited from • the CZSO employees • experts from e.g. University of Economics, Prague

5. Q2: Selection of Statisticians, Experts and Managers • In several levels • Selection at the annual evaluation talk – managers have to submit a proposal for the inclusion of an employee • Evaluation by three managers (see criteria) • Top management approves selected employee

6. Q2 cont.: Are There Any Defined Criteria? • A flexible system of criteria • Successful work on strategic priority tasks of the Czech Statistical Office • Successful work on international grants and EU projects • Knowledge of statistics at university level (2 terms of statistics or Specialized studies in statistics) • Advanced English e.g. FCE (plus another foreign language) • Specialist experience at CZSO at least 3 years • The personal qualities

7. Q3a: Is it possible to assess the effect of the invested resources? • A good question! • To use money wise and efficient • Evaluation of the training results is extremely important and crucial • To follow evaluation on several levels: • Course evaluation – all participants of the course are given evaluation form to fill in • Course evaluation – we ask lecturers

8. Q3a cont.: Is it possible to assess the effect of the invested resources? • Annually directors of the departments are asked: • Training requirements of their department have been met? • The results of the training have shown in the working process? • New requirements?

9. Q3b: Is it Necessary to Make Such Analyses? • Results / outcome of training process • Short-time horizon – the employees work better more efficient, faster • Long-time horizon – language training (the employees can browse materials in English easier, faster, better, more efficient • Growth of employees skills – soft skills training courses (communication skills, time mgmt, positive communication, training for employees who are in charge during the polls)

10. Q4: Career Development Plans in the CZSO

13. Who is this Man? • 1777-1855 • German mathematician and scientist • Number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, etc. • "the prince of Mathematicians„ and "greatest mathematician since antiquity"

14. Introduction • Statistician of the National Statistical Institute becomes an expert step by step, gradually • By acquiring his own experience in the process of solving assignments and by meeting other expert statisticians • By mutual exchange of the information • By solving complex projects

15. Results and Discussion • Special Seminars on Statistics • Training Plans and Career Plans of Employee Development • International Cooperation • Evaluation of the Training Process

16. Special Seminars on Statistics • Two-year Special Seminars on Statistics • It is designed for university graduates • For those who did not specialize in statistics • For those who would like to enhance their statistical knowledge • Cooperation with the University of Economics, Prague • Nowadays, there is 22nd run of the Special Seminars on Statistics

17. Special Seminars on Statistics • It is a regular two-year university training course • The graduates attend lectures, write seminar assignments, gain credits and pass exams • At the end of the course - to write of the dissertation paper • The total of 384 hours of classes divided into four terms • Weekly workshops i.e. 32 hours of classes • Each term - three weekly workshops

18. Special Seminars on Statistics • 15-20 participants in each run, it makes up a study group • It is set for CZSO employees – benefit – it is free of charge (tuition, boarding) • For employees from other central authorities of the public administration

20. Training Plans and Career Plans of Employee Development • Annual Evaluation Talks (implemented in 2004) • Work assignments, projects • Targets • Training aims • Planning for further professional growth of the statisticians • Evaluation Talks • To identify the development needs • To identify personal job interest • Time interval - at least one year

21. Career Plans of Employee Development • Principles of Career Development of the Employees • To motivate employees • To monitor their training needs • Career options • For employees • For experts • For managers

22. Career PlansSystem of Career Development of the Employees • Selection of the employees • Training needs of • statistician experts • managers • Superiors of selected employees recommend them • for statistician expert route • for managers route • Top Management approved those selected employees

23. Career Plans • Personal Career Project - 2 years • Preparation of the Personal Career Project • with the employee • with his superior • with training section employee • Follow-up four times during a two year period, once in a half year • 13 employees as statistician experts • 4 employees as managers

24. International Cooperation • Training courses abroad • European Statistical Training Program, EIPA, College of Brugges • Meetings, consultations, workgroups • International conferences

25. Evaluation of the Training Process • After the course – all the participants of the course fill in the evaluation sheets • After the course - lecturer is asked about the course • Annually – directors of the departments are asked • training requirements of their department have been met? • the results of the training have shown in the working process? • new requirements?

26. Conclusions • National statistical institutions are able to reach their accomplishments and provide quality results only with excellent statisticians • Care for young expert statisticians and continuous professional growth of all employees in expert positions belong to the key tasks of HR mgmt • To use all training instruments, new methods and ways of training

27. Thank You! Dana Kramova Czech Statistical Office Training Section Na padesatem 81 100 82 Prague 10 Czech Republic dana.kramova@czso.cz Mysterious man was Carl Friedrich Gauss. See the Gauss curves above:

28. Special Training by Experienced Experts who Train New Specialists • No special mentoring system in CZSO • Immediate superior – responsible for introducing of a new employee into the work process • An experienced statistician from the section takes care for a newcomer (replies inquiries, guides him/her) • Learning by doing is a continuous process • Employee grows professionally during solving of the job assignments

29. Introduction Motto: Human is not born with the knowledge of statistics. Human has to be educated New employees of the Statistical Office are usually not “ready-made“ statisticians Prerequisites: • Education – training and achievement • Natural abilities, talent, personal and characteristic features