3.14 All departments have taken some steps to improve commercial skills in recent years. But there is considerable variation in the steps they have taken, which cannot be explained by the difference in departments' commercial workloads.
3.15 All departments have set up commercial units, established heads of profession for procurement, and offer commercial staff the opportunity to train for a qualification with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).
3.16 There are some good examples of commercial skills training within departments, although the training provision varies. Positive examples include:
• HM Revenue and Customs' talent management programme for commercial staff and DWP's commercial leadership scheme;
• Defra's contract management centre of excellence;
• the Home Office's commercial skills training for SROs;
• DWP's mid-career development scheme for procurement staff;
• DWP and MoD's departmental procurement graduate schemes; and
• MoD's development of e-learning materials for commercial staff.
Other training and guidance on commercial skills is available through the National School for Government and Partnerships UK. There is also training for local authorities, available from Local Partnerships.