• Entrepreneurs
• Business information
• Certification
• CAFIA laboratories
• CAFIA opinions
• More information
• Consumers
• How to know the food market
• Results of CAFIA inspections
• Consumer rights
• List of risky sites
• Hoaxes
• Other visitors
• Press Releases
• Internships at CAFIA
• Public contracts

7. PERSONNEL TRAINING

Training of personnel in the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority is based on an training plan, which is drawn up in compliance with the CR Government Resolution No. 1028/2001 Rules specifying the way of staff training in administrative bodies and the Government Office, reflecting current needs of staff training.

In 2003, 340 training events took place with a total number of 3,000 participants. The training events included specialised courses, training in managerial skills, training in computer technology area and language courses.

A significant event in 2003 was a PHARE project, Strengthening Food Safety, which had a wide scope, both as regards its subject matter and the number of participants. This project started in spring 2003 in co-operation with NAGREF, the Greek organization, and will continue in the following year as well. Within the project, a number of specialised training activities took place – e.g. seminars with topics including Special Dietary Food; Toxicological Evaluation of Foreign Chemical Substances, Additives and Natural Toxins in Food; Improving the System of Approximation and Implementation of Legal Regulations of the EU; Microbiology; or Methods of Sampling in Food Inspection. In addition to the specialised seminars, several workshops were also carried out, focusing on communication and managerial skills of the target groups among the top and middle management.

The training realized in the framework of the above project was complemented in 2003 by many specialised events funded from our own resources. A total of 200 employees took part in e.g. an eight-day project: New Food Production Technology, Potential Problems in Technology from Supervisory Viewpoint, and Latest News on Authenticity (possibilities of adulteration). This project was split in eight phases, focusing on particular commodities. In addition to group training realized by the CAFIA, the employees also participated in open seminars with specific problematics related to food safety, food quality or legislature.

In December 2003, a two-year project was finalized, called Communication Skills. This training, targeted on the inspectors’ behaviour and interaction with persons controlled, started in 2002 and aimed at training the CAFIA’s inspectors in communication skills and the basics of psychology. This was achieved in 2003, and by December, all employees in the job positions of inspectors had been trained.

Last but not least, the CAFIA’s staff was trained in the area of the information technology. A total of 400 employees took tests in MS Word and MS Excel programs, and were enrolled based on the test results to open computer courses or to training by means of e-learning.

In 2003, language training of the CAFIA’s staff was also organized, in the effort of improving their language skills. According to the internal guideline of the CAFIA, selected employees are obliged to pass a language examination by the end of 2005. To support language training, both group and individual language courses were organized in 2003, and those employees who have met the qualification requirements were provided with financial contributions to maintain their current language skills.