Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedures

1. Introduction

1.1 Gower College Swansea is aspiring to be the best College to work for in Wales and aims to have the best staff.

1.2 The College recognises that our staff are key to achieving our mission to deliver the highest quality of education and training that inspires and supports all of our learners to achieve their full potential. We will only achieve this by attracting and retaining the highest calibre of talented people. Our recruitment processes are designed to respond to an increasingly competitive market and attracting the best talent from a diverse pool of potential applicants.

1.3 This vision is underpinned by the development of a strong, positive culture which will have at its heart the following core values:

• Resilience: Being resilient means having a positive mindset towards challenge, being open to change and taking personal responsibility for your own wellbeing
• Integrity: Acting with integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles in your decisions and actions
• Respect: Having respect for each other means treating people with dignity by listening and considering what people have to say and responding in a positive and constructive way.
• Innovation: Being innovative means being curious and open to new ideas to drive improvement
• Collaboration: Being collaborative means co-operating and working together as a team to achieve a common purpose.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all prospective employees and internal staff regardless of their contractual arrangements.

2.2 This policy does not apply in the following circumstances:

• contracts for services delivered by self-employed persons or consultancy arrangements.
• the engagement of casual workers where the work is ad-hoc or providing cover on a short-term basis.
• the engagement of agency workers.

2.3 Separate arrangements for the appointment of a Senior post holder are set out in the Corporations’ Instrument and Articles of Governance.

3. General Principles

3.1 All managers involved in the recruitment process should receive training in equality legislation and recruitment best practice before they can be involved in this process.

3.2 We will use a range of assessment methods to select candidates, dependent on the competencies required for the post.

3.3 Where a person involved in the shortlisting or interviewing has a potential conflict of interest because of a personal, family, financial or other relationship with an applicant, this matter must be raised prior to the shortlisting process. This will normally disqualify that person from being involved in any aspect of the recruitment process.

3.4 No related person should be appointed to a job where one is involved in the ordering of goods and services and the other passes the invoices for payment

3.5 The College will comply with the requirements of the Welsh Language Standards throughout its recruitment processes.

4. Advertising Vacancies

4.1 In order to attract the best calibre and widest possible pool of candidates we will advertise our vacancies across a broad range of platforms.

4.2 Our advertising strategy will ensure that we:

• Attract a diverse pool of talented applicants
• Promote the College as an attractive employer with a workforce that is representative of the wider community
• Provide clear information about the skills and experience we are seeking.

4.3 All posts will be advertised on the College website unless a post is identified for redeployment only.

4.4 In the majority of cases adverts will be live for 2 weeks to allow adequate time for applicants to complete their application. However we reserve the right to close an advert early if we have received a high volume of applications for a particular vacancy.

5. Applications

5.1 All applications must be submitted through our online application system. This is to ensure we have all the relevant information to allow for a fair shortlisting process.

5.2 Applicants are expected to complete the Equality & Diversity section of the application form. This information will not be shared outside the HR Team but will allow us to monitor the diversity of our applicants.

5.3 If applicants are experiencing difficulty in completing their application online they should contact the HR Team who will be happy to help.

5.4 Applicants are required to declare if they have any family or acquaintance in the College so that necessary measures can be put in place to prevent a conflict of interest occurring during the recruitment process.

5.5 Full information about the post including a job description, person specification, welsh language descriptors and conditions of service will be available on line. This information can be provided in alternative formats if requested.

5.6 All personal data will be retained in accordance with GDPR Regulations and the College’s Data Protection Policy. Data will be held for a period of 24 months after which time it will be destroyed.

5.7 It is not the College Policy to consider applications received after the deadline stated in the advert unless in exceptional circumstances. The Human Resources Manager will determine whether late applications can be accepted, taking account of the particular circumstances, and in consultation with the Recruiting Manager.

5.8 Staff leaving the College through Voluntary Redundancy will not be eligible to apply for a post within 12 months of leaving the College, without first obtaining consent from the Principal.

5.9 Applicants may use digital tools, such as AI, to help draft their personal statements, however the use of AI is monitored. All content submitted must be factually accurate, written in the applicant’s own words, and reflect their personal experience, skills, and understanding of the role. The College reserves the right to seek clarification on any part of an application during the selection process. Misrepresentation of experience or qualifications, may lead to withdrawal of an offer.

6. Shortlisting

6.1 The purpose of shortlisting is to find the most suitable candidates to call for interview.

6.2 The shortlist will be based on the criteria in the person specification that indicate they will be judged at the application stage. Applicants scoring highest on the essential criteria will be selected for interview. If several applicants score the same on the essential criteria then the desirable criteria will be taken into consideration.

6.3 Recruiting Managers will shortlist using the Vacancy Filler software.

6.4 Names and other biometric data will not be viewable by Recruiting Managers to allow for anonymised shortlisting to ensure a fairer process.

6.5 Shortlisting decisions will be based solely on the evidence provided in the application form.

6.6 HR will check the proposed shortlist to ensure the following:

• The criteria for shortlisting and choice of shortlisted candidates is consistent and fair.
• Whether there is a potential conflict of interests arising from the disclosure of any family member / relation / acquaintance in section 2 of the application form
• Any candidate who has declared a disability and who meets the essential criteria has been included in the shortlist.

6.7 Prior to an interview schedule being confirmed, if internal applicants are not shortlisted they will be contacted by the Recruiting Manager who will provide verbal feedback on their application. In addition they will be offered support through the BJBF Team.

6.8 If the applications are not of sufficient quality to provide candidates for interview, the post will reviewed and then re-advertised.

7. The Selection Process

7.1 All appointment decisions will be based on an interview plus additional assessment methods such as a presentation or test where appropriate. The type of additional assessment method will vary on the post. A breakdown of appropriate assessment methods is included in Appendix 1.

7.2 Interview panels should consist of no less than two people. Panel composition will vary depending on the post. The panel should ideally remain the same for all candidates throughout all stages of the process. A full breakdown of panel members is included in Appendix 1.

7.3 Applicants will be given adequate notice of interviews, ideally one week. Where additional assessment methods are to be used candidates should be provided with full details of the activities they will be required to participate in, in advance.

7.4 The interviews will be organised around set questions and a structured interview to ensure that all interviewees are treated fairly and given equal opportunity to compete. However, in order to get the best from each candidate, follow up questions may be asked, when appropriate. Certain circumstances will require specific questions to each applicant on the detail of their application form.

7.5 The panel will also take into account any other information generated as part of the selection process e.g. supporting tests, presentations, or psychometric assessments. The final choice of successful candidate will be determined by the majority view from the interview panel.

7.6 Interview and other assessment forms must be completed by the panel to record and compare their findings. These forms are retained by the HR Department for a period of 6 months for reference purposes. Under the Data Protection Act, interviewees have the right to request access to their interview notes. It is the Recruiting Manager’s responsibility to ensure that all documentation relating to the selection process is returned to Human Resources for confidential storage.

8. After the Interview

8.1 All applicants will be informed of the outcome of the interview as soon as possible after a decision is made.

8.2 The relevant Manager should give feedback to unsuccessful internal candidates. The feedback should be factual and relate to the person specification.

8.3 Unsuccessful external candidates will be informed of the outcome of the interview in writing and will be offered the opportunity for feedback from the Recruiting Manager.

8.4 Offers of employment will be made by the Human Resources Department. The offer of employment will be subject to the satisfactory outcome of appropriate checks, see the Safer Recruitment section.

8.5 The successful candidate will be issued with a contract of employment once a start date has been agreed.

9. Welsh Language

9.1 Gower College Swansea is committed to the promotion of the Welsh language, in accordance with the Welsh Language Standards and the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

9.2 When a request to recruit to a post is submitted the Welsh Language Manager will be notified and will make contact with the line manager to discuss the Welsh language requirements of the vacancy. This assessment will take into consideration the existing Welsh language skills within the Team and the existing capacity to deliver a bilingual service. Consideration will also be given as to whether the vacancy falls within one of the Welsh Government priority areas.

9.3 Whether Welsh skills are essential or desirable and the level of Welsh required will be agreed and the Welsh requirements for the post will be stated in the person specification and advertisement.

9.4 Where Welsh language skills are required for a role, the Welsh Language Manager will be involved in the selection process to assess whether the candidate’s Welsh skills meet the required standards.

9.5 All vacancies will be advertised in Welsh and English simultaneously and job descriptions and person specifications will be available in both languages.

9.6 A bilingual journey is available to all candidates applying for roles within the College and candidates will be offered the opportunity to have their interview and any other assessments conducted through the medium of Welsh. Simultaneous translation will be arranged where necessary.

9.7 Applications made in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than those made in English.

10. Diversity and Inclusion

10.1 We believe that having a diverse workforce that reflects our student and local communities brings about positive change and improves performance. This policy is instrumental to achieving one of our 5 Strategic Equality Objectives, i.e. to improve our recruitment levels and promotional opportunities for staff who are under-represented as BAME, LGBTQ+ and with a disability.

10.2 We proactively develop relationships with Community Groups and actively promote our vacancies through their networks to increase applications from under-represented groups.

10.3 As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer all applicants who disclose a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job they have applied for, a guaranteed interview, where they have indicated this is their preference.

10.4 We undertake to make all aspects of the process accessible to people with a disability. Documents will be made available in an appropriate format upon request and any adjustments needed for assessment or interview will be made when requested.

10.5 All panel members must have completed Equality and Diversity training prior to sitting on an interview panel. Panel members will introduce themselves using their pronouns and/or will wear a pronoun badge.

10.6 We adopt the principles of positive action as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. This can be applied where two (or more) candidates of equal merit are considered appointable for a particular role. Positive action allows an employer to make an appointment based on a particular protected characteristic possessed by a candidate. This decision should only be based on the evidence of under-representation of a particular group within the workforce (e.g. a shortage of men or women in particular roles or levels within the workforce).

11. Safer Recruitment - Pre-Employment checks

11.1 As an FE College we will do everything possible to prevent unsuitable people obtaining employment with us. We will conduct a number of employment checks prior to successful candidates starting employment at the College. We also ensure that all managers and staff involved in the recruitment and selection process are aware of their roles and responsibilities.

11.2 Pre-employment checks will consist of the following:

• proof of identification, including photo ID
• right to work
• health assessment
• appropriate level of registration with the EWC (if required)
• qualifications (if required)
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
• employment history and reference checks.

11.3 Checks for internal candidates will be determined by the role they are moving from and to, and the current information held on them.

11.4 The recruitment team will invite each candidate to an ID appointment to enable them to see the original documents required for each of the checks.

11.5 At least two references will be requested both of which must be from the candidate’s current and most recent employer. All reference requests will be made via a professional email address. Only in exceptional circumstances will we allow a personal email addresses to be accepted (i.e. character references where employment references are not available).

12. Redeployment

12.1 The College is committed to minimising the need to make compulsory redundancies of employees who are no longer required to fulfil their current role. One way of achieving this is to redeploy employees who are potentially at risk of redundancy to other jobs within the College.

12.2 Consideration for redeployment will also be given to employees whom are no longer able to perform their role due to ill health or other constraints, as set out in the Sickness Absence Policy.

12.3 This means that employees who are being considered for redeployment may be considered for a vacancy prior to it being advertised. Consideration must be given to whether retraining may be needed and if this would be proportionate. If there is more than one potential candidate suitable for redeployment into a particular role then a competitive process may become necessary.

12.4 Potential redeployees need to provide relevant information e.g. qualifications, skills, competence etc, in order to demonstrate that they satisfy the essential criteria for the role.

12.5 Any redeployment opportunity would be subject to the employee completing a satisfactory 4 week trial period.

13. Appendix 1 - Interview Panels and Selection Process

We aspire to a gender balance on all panels but anticipate that in some circumstances this will not be possible.