Skills Pledge National #4

SkillsPledge

www.theskillspledge.co.uk

ISSUE NUMBER 04

Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy...

contacts WELCOME Editorial Office Distinctive Publishing 8th floor Aidan House Sunderland Road Gateshead NE8 3HU

Telephone 0191 4788300 Note: The views expressed by contributors and correspondents within Skills Pledge are their own. Skills Pledge and Distinctive Publishing cannot accept liability for any views placed via this medium. Feedback can be sought via the contact details above.

Ewan Waterhouse Business Development ewan.waterhouse@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Pete Thompson Production Manager pete.thompson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Martin Williamson Creative Director

TO ISSUE NUMBER04

Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy. Businesses across the country are increasingly realising the enormous benefits that Apprenticeships create, not only in terms of a highly skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention.

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), which launched in April, has end to end responsibility for Apprenticeships in England. Building on an incredible renaissance in Apprenticeships, the NAS has been designed to increase the number of Apprenticeship opportunities and provide a dedicated, responsive service for both employers and learners.

My own experience, research and the examples the NAS staff see every day, continually show that Apprenticeships are the optimal way of training, developing and skilling people for the future. Apprenticeships help businesses secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities they need which are often not available in the external job market.

We know employers directly benefit from these highly trained apprentices.

The overwhelmingly positive results we have seen demonstrate how important it is for us to ensure the NAS maintains and builds this wonderful programme.

To find out more about the benefits Apprenticeships bring to business, please turn to page 10. Alternatively visit our website at www.apprenticeships. org.uk

martin.williamson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Simon Waugh Chief Executive National Apprenticeship Service

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SkillsPledgenational:

CONTENTS 04.

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news bookworm gadgets durham county council invest in apprentices

l NORTHEAST 46. germany study trip 47. ireland study trip 48. gentoo’s people pledge 49. directory

l SCOTLAND 14. specialist awards and services l EAST OF ENGLAND 18. training in the poultry industry 20. developing staff l LONDON 22. anyone for tennis?

24. britain really has got talent l YORKSHIRE & THE HUMBER 28. training essential for every business 30. train to gain has been brilliant

“Our message in a downturn is that companies should not be short-sighted.

They still need people and need to make sure that they are not under-resourced.”

PICKING WINNERS IN THE JOB MARKET...SEE PAGE 40

l EAST MIDLANDS 34. west nottinghamshire college 36. beat the credit crunch 37. training gives you great confidence 38. picking winners in the job market 40. training and developing staff l WEST MIDLANDS 42. grass needn’t be greener in another career 44. a countryside career

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General Manager Celebrates 35 years at Assembly Rooms The Assembly Rooms in Newcastle anywhere else. Over my 35 years I is bringing out the vintage have witnessed a lot of changes, as champagne as their General guests become more service driven Manager celebrates an astonishing and aware of what they require 35 years at the conference and from a venue. New technology and banqueting venue. innovation is now expected in a lot Ken Brown, 63, started working of the conference packages we offer, at the Assembly Rooms in 1974 when and we have to constantly adjust to the historic building was resorted the changes. to its former beauty after been left However, the Assembly Rooms unoccupied for a number of years. has always been flexible, making the In a career that has spanned clients needs a priority over anything three and a half decades, Ken has else. All of the new challenges are met gone from Sous Chef, to Head Chef, to a high standard, which keeps the later becoming Head Chef Banquet venue moving forward and ensures all Manager then Head Chef Manager of our roles are even more fulfilling and was finally promoted to his and exciting. current position as General Manager.

I would definitely recommend Ken Brown Antony Michaelides, owner of at the Assembly Rooms the Assembly Rooms to anyone the Assembly Rooms said, “Ken is a requiring a venue for an event from great member of the team, and a fantastic General Manager. weddings to corporate conferences, as it puts customer 35 years is huge achievement and the Assembly Rooms are service and venue versatility at the forefront. Being a lucky to have had Ken for that long. hands on family run business also makes a difference and “Ken is one of a number of staff members who has the clients appreciate that.” worked with us for a long period of time. At the Assembly The Assembly Rooms is renowned as the perfect Rooms we continually train and develop staff, which is the location for both social and business occasions. reason they remain with us for so long.”

Ken said, “Working at the Assembly Rooms has For further information contact The Assembly Rooms on always been a pleasure and I couldn’t imagine working 0191 2328695 or visit www.assemblyrooms.co.uk.

Tradebe Group Acquires Pyros Incineration Complex Tradebe Group last month acquired the business and assets of Pyros Environmental Limited, a leading independent operator in the hazardous waste processing market. The site located close to Southampton consists of a High Temperature Incinerator and hazardous Waste to Energy plant. The new site will be known as Tradebe Fawley.

Mark Olpin, UK Country Manager for Tradebe commented “this latest acquisition for Tradebe in the UK is an excellent addition to our existing range of technologies and geographic reach and further demonstrates the Groups commitment to the UK market. This is another fantastic opportunity for us” Tradebe currently operate from seven other facilities around the UK providing a wide range of recycling, treatment and transfer options for hazardous waste. In the

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next few months a new Thermal Desorption plant will be coming on line at the Dinnington site enhancing further the options available to their customers.

Alex Gazulla, Group Director for Tradebe commented; “This new addition to our UK operations puts us in a strong position to achieve our ambitious strategic plan in an important market.”

By the end of the year Tradebe UK sales will exceed £35m per annum with in excess of 200 staff. Tradebe Group also has significant operations in Spain, France and the US, with worldwide sales of more than €200m.

For further information please contact Mark Olpin, UK Country Manager on 0151 348 5458 or Brian Mulholland, Sales Director 07917 770 942.

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NEWS

BALTIC ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF CURATOR BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is delighted to announce the appointment of Laurence Sillars in the role of Chief Curator. He will take up the position on Monday 2 November and will lead the curatorial team and work with BALTIC’s Director Godfrey Worsdale in the planning of BALTIC’s future exhibitions programme.

Speaking today about the appointment Godfrey Worsdale Director of BALTIC said: “Following a very rigorous recruitment process I am delighted that Laurence Sillars is to become BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art’s new Chief Curator. Laurence comes highly recommended from his current employer Tate Liverpool and will make a great addition to the BALTIC team. Already recognised as an outstanding curator of contemporary art, Laurence brings a wide range of experience gathered in some of the most noted galleries in the UK. His achievements at Tate Liverpool are numerous and it is an exciting time for him to take the lead in what is already a strong curatorial team at BALTIC.” Peter Buchan, BALTIC’s Interim Chairman added: “I am very pleased that BALTIC has been able to attract a candidate of such a high calibre and I am sure that Laurence will make a significant contribution to the gallery over the coming years. Laurence came through a very strong field to secure this position and will now be able to play an important part in BALTIC’s future development.”

Laurence moves to Gateshead from Tate Liverpool where he has been Curator of Exhibitions and Collections for the last five years working on an ambitious international programme of modern and contemporary art. Over the last decade he has realised numerous exhibitions and new commissions with artists from around the world. At Tate, as well as working with the permanent collection, he has curated major exhibitions and projects that have toured to Europe and North America

with artists including Bruce Nauman, Glenn Brown, Monica Bonvicini, Omer Fast, Rodney Graham, John Armleder, Toba Khedooriand Teresa

“I am very pleased that BALTIC has been able to attract a candidate of such a high calibre and I am sure that Laurence will make a significant contribution to the gallery over the coming years” Margolles. In 2007 he co-curated the first Turner Prize exhibition to be held outside London, a curtain-

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raiser for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture, and is currently co-curating, with renowned British artist Michael Landy, the exhibition Joyous Machines: Michael Landy and Jean Tinguely. Laurence was also part of the curatorial team that delivered the last two Liverpool Biennial International exhibitions and in this capacity was responsible for some 20 new commissions. He was awarded an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London and has previously worked at the Arts Council Collection, the Whitechapel Gallery and the Chisenhale Gallery, London.

Dr. Christoph Grunenberg, Director, Tate Liverpool commented: “I would like to congratulate Laurence Sillars on his new role as Chief Curator at BALTIC. This is a well-deserved appointment that acknowledges his exceptional curatorial abilities and leadership qualities. Over the past seven years, Laurence has made a significant contribution to the Tate Liverpool programme. We hope that with this appointment the relationship between Tate Liverpool and BALTIC will continue to grow, as both organisations continue to thrive as two of the most prominent galleries of modern and contemporary art outside London. We wish Laurence all the best in his new role.”

Laurence Sillars concluded: “It is with great excitement that I take up the post of Chief Curator at BALTIC. I have long admired the institution, which has some of the most stunning galleries in the world. I look forward to continuing and extending its position as one of the foremost centres for contemporary art in this country and beyond.”

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BOOKMARK

End the Fed In the post-meltdown world, it is irresponsible, ineffective, and ultimately useless to have a serious economic debate without considering and challenging the role of the Federal Reserve. Most people think of the Fed as an indispensable institution without which the country’s economy could not properly function. Ron Paul draws on American history, economics, and fascinating stories from his own long political life to argue that the Fed is both corrupt and unconstitutional. It is inflating currency today at nearly a Weimar or Zimbabwe level, a practice that threatens to put us into an inflationary depression where $100 bills are worthless. What most people don’t realize is that the Fed is actually working against their own personal interests. Congressman Paul’s urgent appeal to all citizens and officials tells us where we went wrong and what we need to do fix America’s economic policy for future generations.

Good to Great “Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?” Good to Great concludes that it is possible. Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by sorting through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They finally settled on 11 and discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success.

Making the transition from good to great doesn’t require a highprofile CEO, the latest technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business strategy. Peppered with dozens of stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a wellreasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do well to consider. CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come.

Blink Blink is about the first two seconds of looking--the decisive glance that knows in an instant. Gladwell, the best-selling author of The Tipping Point, campaigns for snap judgments and mind reading with a gift for translating research into splendid storytelling. Building his case with scenes from a marriage, heart attack triage, speed dating, choking on the golf course, selling cars, and military maneuvers, he persuades readers to think small and focus on the meaning of “thin slices” of behavior. The key is to rely on our “adaptive unconscious”--a 24/7 mental valet-that provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea.

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GADGETS

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4 2 3

1. Philips Essence 42PES0001D

3. Nokia N97

But that’s not the limit of Philips’ thoughtfulness. If your DIY is a touch haphazard, you’ll love that it ships with a uniquely curved wall bracket that compensates for errors made when attempting to drill the bracket holes level. it’s the icing on a resplendent TV cake.

While still a really great all-round player, the N97 isn’t quite the sum of its brothers’ and sisters’ borrowed parts. It’s still a case of choosing a phone that does everything very well, or a one that does a couple of things brilliantly. The N97 is the former, but is definitely Nokia’s most complete handset yet.

2. Siemens Gigaset S685 IP

4. HP Pavilion dv2

Just 38mm deep, the 42-inch essence boasts truly sensational visuals and several very neat design touches. A detachable speaker bar minimises its “presence” for people with separate sound systems. It also uses a multimedia box to house the three HDMIs and TV tuner, meaning the actual screen is slim, lightweight and clutter free.

Want free calls? You can connect the Gigaset to your router to make free VoIP calls to other compatible phones; just plug in an ethernet cable and sign up for a VoIP service - but not Skype (ie: the one everybody actually uses).

Other features include VoIP calling, SMS, digital answering machine and bluetooth headset connection.

The Nokia chef is serving up a scrumptious, feature-packed N97 “mobile computer”. Tasty ingredients on offer include the touchscreen from the Nokia 5800 Tube - an overdue first for the N-series, plus a web-friendly slide out QWERTY keypad a la the E-series, and the fabulous camera and multimedia features you’d expect from previous N-series releases.

The HP Pavilion dv2 is a solid little all-rounder that gives a lot more power than other ultra-portable netbooks and the kind of portability that used to be reserved solely for far more expensive mini-laptops. If it’s serious computing muscle you’re after, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but for day-to-day computing tasks, coupled with some entertainment functions to keep you occupied when you’re on the move it’s ideal.

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DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

Aged 18-30 and looking to turn your business idea into reality?

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E

Look no further than Durham County Council’s Regeneration and Economic Development team who can provide a range of support services to help you on the path to self employment.

A team of coaches and advisors are on hand to offer advice, support and guidance to anyone wishing to fulfil their ambition of running their own business. Support can be given with developing business plans, marketing strategies as well as access to funding towards start up costs.

If you are ready to take on premises then the state of the art Tanfield Lea Business Centre, provides modern business floor space targeted at both new and existing businesses. Young entrepreneurs can benefit from reduced rents for the first year of occupation as well as access to tailored support and grant assistance.

The centre, which has been awarded a ‘Very Good’ BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) status, uses advances in technology to provide a greener environment for tenants with the inclusion of solar panelling and natural air ventilation.

Facilities at the centre include: n 3 floors of modern office space including a communal atrium with kitchen facilities n 41 office units ranging in size from over 100 to over 1000 sq ft n Fully equipped conference and meeting rooms for hire n Manned reception providing a wide range of office services n Telephony and Broadband connectivity n Free car parking facilities n 24 hour access to individual office units n Excellent location in close proximity to the A6706, direct link road to Gateshead and Newcastle For those who are already in business and are looking to expand, there are financial incentives available to help kick start a move into larger premises. Grants can be used to contribute towards relevant capital costs which may include overheads, marketing campaigns and improvements to ICT. For more information contact Andrea McGuigan on 01207 218219 or visit www.tanfieldleabusinesscentre.com *Terms and conditions apply. Contact for details

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TANFIE

YOUNG

ENTREPRENEUR? TANFIELD LEA BUSINESS CENTRE MODERN OFFICE SPACE FOR 18-30s

Be inspired at

www.tanfieldleabusinesscentre.com

or contact Andrea McGuigan on

01207 218219

● Units available to young entrepreneurs aged 18-30 years ● Business to Business sector ● Rent free for the first 6 months with stepped rent for a further 6 months ● Ideally located near direct link roads to Newcastle and Gateshead ● Business Start Up Support ● Financial Incentives available

Terms and Conditions apply Designed by Inprint, Durham County Council: 01207 218 345

TANFIELD YOUNG ADVERT.indd 1

10/7/09 11:00:58

CASE STUDY

Safeguard your business by investing in apprentices No matter what industry you are in, investing in Apprenticeships can provide your business with real benefits and contribute to your bottom line.

At a time when young people face challenging choices about their future, forward-thinking businesses should be considering hiring them as apprentices. The search for talent is always a concern for business and, by getting involved with Apprenticeships, businesses can ensure that skills critical to their success are not lost.

Apprenticeships help businesses across all industries by offering a route to harness fresh talent. If you have trained staff with the right skills for the job they can do a wider range of tasks and take on new responsibilities. This can help to reduce skill shortages, minimise staff turnover and increase productivity.

Taking on an apprentice is cost effective – it won’t impact significantly on work because your people can learn while they’re on the job.

The business case for hiring apprentices is clear. A study by the University of Warwick Institute for Employment Research found that the costs of Apprenticeship training are recouped relatively quickly, and that where the investment is nurtured, the returns are significant. Another study by Sheffield University measured the long term financial benefits of investing in Apprenticeships.

The differences are startling: a Level 3 Advanced apprentice will

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generate an additional lifetime benefit to themselves and their employer of £105,000 compared to someone who does not gain an Apprenticeship.

Employers are increasingly realising the business benefits of hiring apprentices and in the last decade there has been something of a renaissance in Apprenticeships. In England alone, more than 220,000 people are taking an Apprenticeship and completion rates have also risen, from just over 20 per cent in 2000 to well over 60 per cent in 2008. More than 110,000 apprentices now successfully complete their qualification each year.

New industry sectors have also embraced Apprenticeships – many of which haven’t traditionally had a structure for formal on-the-job training. There are now more than 190 different Apprenticeship frameworks from accountancy to textiles, engineering to veterinary nursing, business administration to construction.

Even in difficult times like these, Apprenticeships are a vital way of improving staff skills and generating a committed and valuable workforce. When times are tough, competition for contracts is even tougher. That’s when a well-trained, extra pair of hands could make a real difference to your chances of success.

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CASE STUDY

Of course, it’s not just about survival – smart employers are already readying their businesses for when the economy improves by taking on apprentices. By offering a flexible resource that can help your business grow, apprentices can give you a competitive advantage to exploit new business growth opportunities.

So in many respects there is no better time to hire an apprentice – and the evidence suggests that many English employers are taking the lead. Research by Populus earlier this year showed that 81 per cent of businesses said apprentices helped to generate higher overall productivity. This research also revealed that one in five businesses are even hiring more apprentices to help them through tougher times with 22 per cent actively recruiting.

The National Apprenticeship Service was launched in April to continue this focus on delivering Apprenticeships. We provide a dedicated service for employers and learners who want to access an Apprenticeship. We want to encourage more employers, including the public sector, to offer Apprenticeship places. We know that the success of the Apprenticeship system is based on its flexibility and responsiveness to employers and that a ‘one size fits all’ approach won’t work. We will ensure we continually look

at how we can simplify the process of taking on an apprentice, without diluting the quality.

To help make it easier for employers, we have launched Apprenticeship vacancies.This is an online service which matches apprentices with prospective employers. It is a quick, easy and reliable ‘one-stop shop’ where employers can advertise vacancies and individuals can search and apply for Apprenticeship places.

The service is free and more than 105,000 young people have already registered their interest in an Apprenticeship, enabling employers direct access to a high quality pool of talent.

Our key objective is to ensure that Apprenticeships become a mainstream career option for young people. To achieve this vision will take hard work and commitment from government, employers and the apprentices themselves – but I am confident we can get there.

To find out more about Apprenticeships, please visit our website at www.apprenticeships.org.uk Simon Waugh - Chief Executive National Apprenticeship Service

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Scotland

SQA

Making Skills work for Scotland

Dr Janet Brown, Chief Executive, SQA

The skills challenge is an increasingly important focus for countries across the world - but Scotland has recognised that success is not merely about a highly educated workforce.

Achieving sustainable economic growth will only be possible by making those academic and vocational skills relevant and ensuring that these skills are applied in the workplace - whatever the nature of that workplace might be.

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These skills include those that are job specific and associated with a given industry sector, updated and honed as demands change. There are also personal and learning skills that enable individuals to become effective lifelong learners by adapting to a changing environment.

There are the fundamental skills of literacy and numeracy and increasingly IT capability, essential for an individual to participate in and contribute to modern society. Today’s work and learning environment requires high levels of communication skills and the ability to solve problems and to work effectively in teams.

Qualifications are essential tools in validating learning for individuals and employers and support the standards of achievement required by the economy, business and society.

They also provide a record of progression for individuals as they develop through life, allowing them to build on their prior learning.

Qualifications must reflect the appropriate level of learning, capturing all aspects of the required skills, yet flexible enough to support different learning styles and employer needs. They must be relevant and allow for progression through lifelong learning as the needs of individuals, businesses and society change and they must be of a quality and standard that ensures that their value is maintained over time.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB), responsible for developing, accreditating, assessing and certificating qualifications.

SQA is responsible for developing, in conjunction with Scotland’s diverse business community and the 40 plus Colleges from across the country, work-based qualifications that are specifically designed to improve the skills-base of employees and in turn help make our economy more competitive, while also expanding and developing the career opportunities for many thousands of people.

There are SQA qualifications for everyone – school and college students, trainees, apprentices, and adults – people who already have qualifications and those who don’t, people who are in employment and those who are outside the job market.

SQA aims to continue improving our links with business and industry. We are totally committed to the ongoing process of developing new qualifications to meet the ever changing needs of the people of Scotland and the needs of the Scottish economy.

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Scotland

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

SCOTLAND

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Scotland

SQA

Specialist Awards and Services

There a

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Within our Specialist Awards and Services team sits our Customised Awards, Endorsement and Credit Rating Services.

In addition to our full range of qualifications, these three services support the specific needs of our customers by providing a variety of different kinds of help which range from an advisory service to full-scale award development.

Scotland

SQA

Customised Awards Our Customised Awards service is used by a wide range of employers and training organisations. This service offers tailormade qualification packages for individual organisations based on their own competence-based training programmes.The awards can be developed in any occupational area and at any level.

Customised Awards are normally work-based vocational qualifications and are benchmarks of competence which measure the skills of employees as they carry out their normal work activities.

We can take your organisation’s existing training programme, map it against the relevant national occupational standards and SQA standards and where appropriate provide a nationally recognised qualification, which may also qualify for endorsement by a professional body. Customised Awards can be allocated to a level on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

We can also discuss with you the knowledge, understanding and skills you need in your workforce and help you to develop a new Customised Award for your staff which we will quality assure and certificate.

Endorsement Service Our Endorsement service provides the SQA seal of approval to other organisation’s qualifications, or to resources which support SQA’s own awards. SQA Endorsement demonstrates that your qualification or resource will consistently deliver its stated aims and objectives, will be constantly reviewed and kept up to date, underpins good practice and encourages a culture of learning.

In a highly competitive training and learning market these features will give you an added advantage when engaging with customers in Scotland, the UK and internationally.

Credit Rating Service Our Credit Rating service credit rates other organisation’s programmes onto the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), helping to provide recognition and value for all types of learning. Having your qualification or learning programme credit rated by SQA brings many advantages, including providing recognition of your learners’ achievements. Learners who complete a credit rated qualification or learning programme will be able to maximise their opportunities to transfer credit to other qualifications.

Having your qualifications or learning programmes credit rated demonstrates to your customers that your qualifications have been confirmed by SQA, a recognised credit rating body.

Find out more about all these services online - www.sqa.org.uk/employers

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CASE STUDY

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS Developing High Level Skills for a Dynamic, Flexible Workforce

• • • •

Flexible qualifications for industry, training and education Specialist skills applicable at all stages of career development Enhanced opportunities for part-time provision Backed by SQA’s world-renowned excellence in developing and quality-assuring qualifications

www.sqa.org.uk 0845 279 1000

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Professional Development Awards

East of England Region

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

EAST OF ENGLAND

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East of England Region

CASE STUDY

“You don’t wake up one morning and think you want to go and work in a chicken hatchery…”

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PD Hook, a firm with a long heritage and five hatcheries across England, has always trained its own staff, but is now dovetailing the new PMTI - Poultry Meat Training Initiative administered

by Lantra and Poultec Training - with additional courses.

The 700-strong workforce is the backbone of a second generation family business that leads the way in the poultry industry, hatching a massive 5.2 million chicks every week.

“Training has always been important at PD Hook. We get people asking for training, they are proud when they achieve a qualification, they feel they belong more within the company, within their team, and we have given them something back,” says Jackie, who has been with the firm nearly five years.

“We always have a presentation to celebrate successes and the MD James Hook, the son of the founders Patrick and Joan, leads by example. He is behind the whole training initiative here and keen to drive up the standards of the industry and get things moving forward.”

standards for different categories of workers. Traditionally families have followed each other into the business and we still have different generations working here. But we also want to bring in totally new people, so for example we started a scholarship scheme 18 months ago. Two students from Harper Adams Agricultural College will be coming in September for a year, working three months in each region before returning to their final college year. Then they come to us to work in the area of their choice. We are potentially looking for them to become our area managers, though we also need farm managers and other staff.

“We still have two scholarship places open this autumn. Young people are the future but that’s not to say that we wouldn’t be interested in talking to a 30-something coming from another industry…

“Anyone new goes through induction then six months’ probation and on-thejob training. A lot has to be learned by experience. We have always done welfare and animal handling training, but now

“Our staff think PMTI is great. Many have already done NVQs and others have never taken an exam or got a certificate.

If somebody gets an NVQ, they are really up for more training, it shows you take an interest in them and they take more interest in their work. If I was talking to you two years from now, potentially most of the staff would have an NVQ - all our farm and hatchery managers, assistants, supervisors and workers.

“It’s an exciting time to be part of PMTI. There is a financial impact organising the training but as long as it’s done right, it will create efficient and effective workers. Well trained staff add value, good training inspires and motivates people, it encourages them to do more and learn more. It’s also about teamwork - our farm managers are the best people to encourage others to do their best.

“We already have a lot of training running throughout the year. We have four apprentices half way through their three-year training with Poultec. Some of our staff started an Institute of Leadership and Management course in May because

East of England Region

CASE STUDY

Human Resources Manager at PD Hook, Jackie Newman, is totally honest but believes that a new training system in the poultry industry is about to create big changes.

Jackie welcomes the new PMTI in part because it will impose a set of training requirements and standards uniformly across the industry. But PD Hook will complement the PMTI system with additional training for different groups of workers to enhance the effect and results.

“Now it’s my job to work out hundreds of courses for hundreds of people over the next year to the PMTI deadline in June 2011. This is a small industry and we are one of the bigger players, supplying most of the major retailers. We are involved in the whole lifecycle of the chicken from hatching and breeding to rearing and broilers, free range and organic birds.

“One of our strengths is that we are good at changing and good at training.

To encourage people into this business, training is paramount, as well as for animal welfare, biological security, health and safety etc.

“PD Hook was the first company to sign up to PMTI which has set minimum

everything will be structured around PMTI. This will be a culture shock to a lot of companies and it will take time to bed in even here because of the enormity of the system. It’s my job to arrange five courses per person to gain their PMTI passport - hatchery and farm workers first, then around 100 drivers from September.

Our drivers are already going through their PC3 [??] with the Driving Standards Agency, which involves 35 hours’ training over five years for them to drive a truck.

“There are lots of benefits of training for PD Hook, one of them financial because people will be more aware of what’s required of them, and doing their job better. The system is structured and follows set standards which will ultimately raise standards across the company.

“The industry will also be seen to be doing something about welfare which is bound to be positive. Here we already have our own welfare officer and take it very seriously. This is formalising everything.

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they need to manage people and situations as well as chickens, time management, project management and budgeting. Our accountancy staff also go through training with the AAT, Association of Accounting Technicians.

“In February we started rolling out our health and safety risk assessment training which will involve 400 staff over 12 months, and several managers have been trained to do ‘toolbox talks’, which are 15-minute tea break talks on subjects such as ladder safety, biosecurity and dipping feet. That’s more about learning than training, but it serves as a reminder and reinforcement of safety at work.

“For myself, I have done driver training to show me what advanced driving is all about, and some health and safety courses because I wanted to know what the trainers were teaching the staff.

Training is always thought-provoking.

It makes you sit back and take note of what you are doing and you ask yourself ‘should I be doing this?’.”

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East of England Region

CASE STUDY

Surgery makes a public commitment to developing their staff The official opening of new state of the art Oaklands Surgery was an opportunity for Dr Mahesh Kamdar to formally sign the Skills Pledge with the Learning and Skills Council Essex to acknowledge a commitment to developing the skills of the practice staff.

The new health centre, sponsored by South East Essex PCT NHS Trust and based in Canvey Island, Essex is now able treat patients in up-to-date modern facilities.

The celebration publicly acknowledged the practice’s ongoing agreement to improve the administrative and customer service skills of their staff.The Mayor of Castle Point, Councillor Cliff Brunt was invited to share in the celebrations and talk to staff.

Mrs Sheila Kamdar, Practice Manager comments: “The surgery prides itself on a proven collaborative approach to the needs of patients that is based on a well-equipped surgery and the belief that ongoing investment in the development of dedicated and highly skilled staff ensures state of the art medical care for all patients.”

Presentations to staff followed the Skills Pledge signing with practice staff receiving certificates for achieving their

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NVQ in Customer Services, Business Administration and Team Leading through Thurrock and Basildon College.

The Skills Pledge signing was followed by the signing of the Memorandum of Partnership with Thurrock and Basildon College. The partnership will further enhance the joint commitment to continue to expand the training and development of the practice.

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London Region

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

LONDON

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London Region

CASE STUDY

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

The results of Eddie Seaward’s decades of experience are put under some of the most public scrutiny each summer - when literally millions of fans tune into the Wimbledon Championships.

As Head Groundsman for the All England Lawn Tennis Club, he is ultimately responsible for the grass on Centre Court, and all the other courts at Wimbledon, which not only have to satisfy the world’s best grand slam players but also look good for the television cameras!

Eddie, now 65, is far from retiring. Indeed he is signed up to work past the 2012 Olympics which he ‘wouldn’t miss for the world’ - and his abiding ambitions are to raise the profile of the groundsman’s profession, attract new blood, encourage training and guide a clearly structured training and career path for entrants.

“People think a groundsman is somebody with a big lawnmower,” smiles Eddie, who was appointed as the first Patron of the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) earlier this year, and presented with an MBE by Her Majesty The Queen in 2007 for his services to sport, in particular Wimbledon tennis. He has also been Patron of the Land Drainage Contractors Association for three years.

But an expert groundsman makes the crucial difference to the quality of a tennis court, football pitch or golf course, which in turn makes a huge difference to the players who use it and the club that owns it.

Wimbledon is, of course, the crème de la crème, but Eddie believes that the right training is vital at all levels. He hopes his work with the IOG, chairing an industry umbrella group looking at developing the industry’s image and training, will bring new excitement in the coming years.

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He is determined to capitalise on the opportunities provided by the 2012 Olympic Games: “I wouldn’t miss 2012 for the world. The Club have kindly invited me to stay on. We don’t yet know the final design of the Olympic park but there will be an awful lot of grass and that must be looked after…”

Eddie is focusing some of his considerable energy on the future of training for groundsmen (and women because he would love to see more female applicants).

“Training is important for our industry because it won’t move forward without it. There is more and more demand on everybody to produce good pitches and good greens and you can’t do that without good understanding and training. And from an individual’s point of view, the more they train, the more enthusiastic they become and the more they can do.

“I remember buying a text book as a teenager and not understanding it, so I threw it in a corner for three years until I went on a training course and then I could read it,” says Eddie, who went into his first job straight from school at the age of 15.

“I went to a secondary modern school and in the last 18 months helped the caretaker marking out the sports pitches.

Then a vacancy for an assistant groundsman at a private school came up and a careers master who knew me better than I did suggested I apply. That was in the heady days when 15-year-olds had opportunities to do several different things and I was toying with being a groundsman, tool maker or a car mechanic.”

Eddie spent a decade at the private school, in the latter stages running the grounds, before moving to Portsmouth Civil Service Club as Head Groundsman. He also acted as groundsman instructor for Brent Council at a community school for ‘wayward’ children.

His final role before the Wimbledon job was as Head

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Groundsman at the Recreational Society at Aldermaston, close to the Aldermaston Research Establishment. “I came to Wimbledon as Head Groundsman designate in 1990, then took over the following year.”

While the vast majority of his training has been informal, learning by experience, he did also attend Norwood Hall College.

Parallel to his day-to-day work, Eddie Seaward became a member of the IOG 50 years ago, then General Secretary and Chairman of its Education Committee for more than three years. “When Myerscough College started their BTech course I worked with them writing the first teaching syllabus and got that accepted.”

He understands that outsiders, even those in education, might think that turf is, well, turf…

“The science is the same no matter what the sport but then you get into specialisms with different soils and surfaces. There is a vast array of training today, but I still get concerned that there’s not enough basic training for people to understand in a simple form. The colleges are dropping some courses, but there are degree and foundation courses, Level 1s and Level 2s and a lot in between, which is good.The IOG are working on a clearer structure which is what is needed.”

He is concerned that a lot of grounds are still run by a twoman team, which means the assistan t groundsman could be trained the wrong way, or in a narrow set of skills.

“Today employers are looking more and more for the bit of paper. It’s about qualifications and health and safety. I’m not sure enough youngsters actually prepare for interviews sufficiently.

They come along with professional-looking CVs, which are another aspect of the career moving on, but they need to be able

to communicate what they are doing.

“We have an ageing workforce but there are also some great young people out there and we need more of them! The industry has the wrong image, people think that if you can’t sweep a factory floor you can become a groundsman and we have to overcome that. There is so much involved in the job now - finance, people and health and safety management, just the same as other industries.”

Eddie wants to involve other professional organisations, universities, colleges and schools.Wimbledon already works with Myerscough College, this year taking three students for summer work, alongside some from American universities.

“This is an exciting career. You can work anywhere in the world. It needs to be better paid and that will encourage more people to come in. The big thing over a lot of other jobs is that you aren’t on a production line. It’s outdoors mostly, but there is indoor work - the more you progress the more you get office and meeting bound. But if you didn’t know the outside job you wouldn’t know how to direct other people and understand their needs.”

The groundsman’s work is vital for clubs: “A good groundsman makes all the difference with a pitch that’s playable and usable. In a private club he can make the difference between having members and not having members because they pay to play the best.

“It’s slightly different at Wimbledon. We still have to get the surfaces right or we get complaints from the major players.

Around 51,000(?) people came through the gates this year and we were watched by five or six million more on television.That’s a huge responsibility! You are constantly in the public eye and in the press,” says Eddie, adding that Wimbledon has good years and better years and the last five have all been good…

“All our courts are marked by the grand slam supervisors.

Over the last 10 years we have made an awful lot of progress which isn’t just down to me but everyone around me.”

Eddie knows that Wimbledon might seem out of reach to many young groundsmen, but he insists it is not.

“If you get a job you get a qualification and if you get a qualification you get a job. But there needs to be a more meaningful, structured, formal way of doing that, starting with information on how to become a groundsman. Employers are expecting higher and higher standards and the only way we are going to get that is by having highly trained technicians dealing with the machinery, chemicals and fertilisers, and health and safety - people with a greater degree of understanding. Employers need to know that somebody can work at a certain standard.”

The job Eddie loves has changed and there is more and more emphasis on environmental issues such as water conservation: “We haven’t tackled that sufficiently yet. We are going to have a look at Wimbledon at water conservation and usage, as well as other aspects such as recycling soils and keeping grass in good condition without too much chemical going into the soil and water runs. There is also pressure on us to look at our carbon footprint, for example in relation to artificial lighting, so we will be looking at conserving energy as well.”

Eddie wants to create an underlying culture supporting training and work experience for would-be ground staff: “We want to talk to colleges and training organisations like Lantra about opening up the format for work experience. It’s extremely difficult for some youngsters to get the knowledge and experience they need. I would also like the machinery manufacturers to be more involved so trainees can use different machines and new technology.”

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London Region

CASE STUDY

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Britain really has got talent 3 gold and 6 bronze medal wins at largest skills based competition in the world

It’s official: Britain really has got talent thanks to an exceptionally skilled team of 26 young people who have spent the last four days competing at the skills equivalent of the Olympics – the WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, Canada. At an emotional closing ceremony attended by all 900 competitors from the 46 nations that took part, as well as a further 6,000 team supporters and judges, it was announced that the UK had won an amazing three gold and six bronze medals at skills ranging from painting and decorating to floristry and autobody repair. In addition the UK was also awarded 14 Medallions for Excellence given to competitors who achieve at least 500 points, deemed the world class standard.

Team UK were understandably ecstatic about their achievements last night. The Team, who are all under the age of 25 and were chosen throughout the home nations, have each trained hard for this moment over the last eighteen months. Social lives have been put on hold as each individual has perfected their skill to make sure they were at the world class level needed to compete against the best young skilled

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people in the world. Independent education foundation Edge is the Premier Supporter of Squad and Team UK, as part of its commitment to raising the status of practical and vocational learning.

Speaking from Canada, gold medal winner and Best of Nation (the top scorer) for the UK Mark Nevin said: “This is the most fantastic feeling. To have competed against the best young Painters and Decorators in the world was an amazing experience in itself, but to win a gold medal and Best in Nation Award in the trade I love is just incredible: I really do feel on top of the world! The last year has been absolutely brilliant. To have been given the chance to learn what I’m capable of, to train with some of the best in the industry and to be part of such a great team has been unbelievable. I can’t wait to bring home my medal to show to all my friends and family back in the UK.” The biennial WorldSkills Competition is a totally unique event. Over four days of tough competition, 900 young people from across the world test themselves against rigorous

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FEATURE

international standards, with the ultimate prize of winning gold, silver or bronze for their country. The UK has a good track record at the WorldSkills Competition, and was 11th in the World at the last event, held in Japan in 2007 and the Team are now waiting to find out where they rank for 2009.

Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, which manages Team UK said “What Team UK has achieved is outstanding. They have all worked so hard to get to where they are and that has certainly paid off. Once again we have shown that we have the very best young talent in our country. It’s a tremendous result not just for the competitors, but for their employers, trainers and colleges. We hope to build on this success as we move towards the next WorldSkills Competition, which London will be hosting in 2011, where we hope to do even better. We are extremely proud of each and every one of them and can say that they are amongst the best in the world at their chosen skill. I send my heartfelt congratulations to the whole Team and look forward to welcoming them back to the UK.”

Skills Minister Kevin Brennan, said: “I would like to congratulate each member of Team UK for the hard work and talent they displayed in Calgary. These inspiring young people have demonstrated to the rest of world just how able and highly skilled the UK is.

“The world class skills this team have demonstrated are vital to the future success of our economy in key industries such as construction, manufacturing and engineering.

“It’s more important than ever that we continue to support and invest in the skills of our workforce, helping individuals get into and stay on at work as well as helping businesses stay competitive and prepare for the upturn.”

The UK’s WorldSkills team is managed by UK Skills working in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and key partners from education, government and industry. Brathay provide and support the training and development of Squad and Team UK.

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BRITAIN REALLY HAS GOT TALENT Medals were won by the following: BRONZE: Autobody Repair Daniel Cain, 22, from Grimsby, who works for Just Car Clinics.

Daniel is City & Guilds qualified.

Joinery Trevor Woods, 21, from Co. Fermanagh, who works for McAleer & Teague and attends Omagh College. Trevor is City & Guilds qualified.

Floristry Joe Massie, 21, from Liverpool, who works for Fishlocks Florist. Joe is City & Guilds qualified.

Beauty Therapy Charlotte Burford, 19, from Penkridge, near Stafford, who works for Tranquility @ Esporta Stafford and who attends South Staffordshire College. Charlotte is City & Guilds qualified.

GOLD: Cooking Adam Smith, 22, from Orpington, who works at The Ritz Hotel.

Electrical Installations Richard Sagar, 22, from Langholm, who works for Eden Electrics. Richard is City & Guilds qualified.

Painting & Decorating

Restaurant Service Katie Watson, 21, from Hamilton, who works at the Gleneagles Hotel.

Aircraft Maintenance Stewart Wright, 25, from Northampton, who serves with the Royal Navy. Stewart is City & Guilds qualified.

Mark Nevin, 22, from East Calder, near Livingston, West Lothian, who works for Nevin of Edinburgh.

Medallions for Excellence were awarded to: IT PC & Network Support

Automobile Technology Dean Jones, 21, from Swansea, who works for Mercedes-Benz of Swansea

Hugo Landau, 19, from St Albans, who is a student at Barnfield College.

Bricklaying

Landscape Gardening

Sam Fairgrieve, 21, from Leicester who works for Jelson Homes Ltd. Sam is City & Guilds qualified.

Cabinet Making Luke Griffiths, 22, from Chichester, who works for Cimitree Furniture and also teaches at Chichester College. Luke is City & Guilds qualified.

Car Painting Zak McLaughlan, 20, from Denham, who works for Solus and who attends Thatcham College.

Confectionery Alistair Birt, 21, from Hillingdon, Uxbridge, who studies at Thames Valley University.

Electronics Melanie Adlam, 22, from St Albans, who is a student at the University of Bristol and who works for MBDA UK.

Ladies’/Men’s Hairdressing Linzi Weare, 19, from Berry Hill near Coleford, who works at Reds Hair Company.

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Luke Denby, 19 from Skipton who works for Roderick French Groundworks and attends Craven College and William Gadd, 22, from Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, who works for The Country Life Landscapes and attends Otley College. Luke and William are both City & Guilds qualified.

Mechanical Engineering CAD Martin Eusebi, 21, from Glasgow, who works for MB Aerospace Ltd and attends Motherwell College.

Plumbing & Heating Christopher Lonsdale, 22, Bishop, Auckland, who is self employed. Christopher is City & Guilds qualified.

Stonemasonry Oliver Clack, 21, from Chichester, who works for Cathedral Works Organisation and who attends Weymouth College.

Oliver is City & Guilds qualified.

Web Design Richard Edwards, 19, from Milton Keynes who is a student at Milton Keynes College.

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Yorkshire and the Humber Region

“Providing quality training linked to the needs of the community”

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

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Yorkshire and the Humber Region

CASE STUDY

demands of modern day working life make training essential for every business Kevin Wheatley has seen and experienced training from all angles – as a trainer, college tutor, recipient, supervisor and employer.

He believes the many demands of modern day working life make training essential for every business, both at management and employee levels.

Kevin and his business partner Tim Elliot are putting their money where their mouth is with their two-year-old landscaping business based at Sunnybank Garden Centre in Doncaster. They are offering their staff guaranteed training support, as well as planning some for themselves too.

Ironically, Kevin was responsible in part for training Tim in the 1990’s when they first worked together. After a period of eight years following different paths, it was a call from Tim to Kevin, who was working as head of horticulture at Bishop Burton College in Yorkshire that brought them together as business partners in TJ Landscapes.

Kevin says: “My career path started in retail management with Tesco and Homebase. I set up my own garden design and landscape business before going in to North Lindsey College in Scunthorpe to set up a horticultural department and look after the grounds.

I enjoy the hands on work but my real strength is management, though in a new business you have to do everything! When Tim called me to ask advice on a planting job he was doing, it coincided with a call from the Garden Centre looking for someone to bring fresh business options in to them. With the landscaping, a retailing opportunity and Tim as a business partner I saw potential that was too good to turn down.

There are now two parts to the business – TJ Landscapes, which supplies all aspects of hard and soft landscaping services for both commercial and domestic projects, and Garden haze, which is our outlet for a unique range of modern Garden offices.

The landscaping is our bread and butter while the offices will hopefully buy us a Porsche somewhere down the line.

TJ landscapes employs Ben, who completed his bricklaying apprenticeship three years ago and Matt who has recently started his landscaping apprenticeship having joined straight from finishing his A levels.

“We promised Matt we would get him qualifications while he was with us. He is going to take his abrasive wheels certificate at College too, as we use the Stihl saw a lot and would not let him use it without first being professionally trained. By using training as a positive work benefit we get the right calibre of people to work for us and ensure they stay safe and healthy on a day-to-day basis. Certification also helps keep our insurance premiums down and puts forward a positive business image for our potential customers.

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Landscaping is notorious for the number of cowboys involved in the trade. You need every marketing advantage you can get to set you apart in a very competitive industry.

Qualified staff help us distance ourselves from this tarnished image. You also know with skilled staff that you can leave them on site and that they are not going to cause you problems or embarrass you in front of the customer. This means you can be

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chasing down the next job knowing the current one is being finished to the right standard.

Training is very, very important for the individual too. In my career I have taken and delivered courses to a large number and mix of people. At the college we supported a back to work scheme for the long term unemployed and successfully saw a number of written off people achieve NVQs and go on to work for the local council. Training gives people self-confidence and value in their chosen profession. The NVQ certificate gives written proof that they know what they are talking about and this can be seen as they deal with their peers and members of the public. They realise they CAN do something and that others appreciate and recognise this fact. Doors open to them that they believed closed and they do not feel trapped, as they know employers will see their qualifications as proof of skills and knowledge.

I have actually seen people rise a few inches in their posture with the confidence training brings to them. You can get a job in horticulture with a strong back but there are many other skills involved too and as people realise they are not ‘thickies’, it gives them a real sense of worth. That’s empowering.”

Colleges are pretty good at keeping up to date with changing legislation and technological advances while at the same time preserving the tried and tested methods of work.

Training therefore keeps a business up to speed in certain areas

like health and safety and personal well being. It is good for team spirit too when the trainee returns to the fold and is able to share their new found knowledge. It gives everyone a sense of equality that we all have a contribution to the smooth running of the business.

In a year from now I would like to see Matt qualified for hard landscaping and looking to go on to a higher qualification to develop design skills and the soft landscaping side of the business. I would like to see Ben certified on plant machinery and equipment use so we can take on bigger contracts. Tim already has a Sports science degree but he would like to gain plant equipment certification too.

As for myself I would like to gain a degree in business studies as I have loads of management experience but nothing to prove it! A degree would help me with certain negotiations, for example when we talk to investment bodies as we seek to raise money to develop our garden offices project. We would also like to add consulting work to our portfolio as we continue to diversify our business further. Landscaping is a great profession but very fickle in terms of changing economic fortunes and weather. With Matt training to replace my skills on the landscaping team I will be free to develop and broaden our product base for those rainy days. With a versatile staff and the support of Train to Gain we can swiftly change direction to ensure we keep growing.

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Yorkshire and the Humber Region

CASE STUDY

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Yorkshire and the Humber Region

CASE STUDY

Train to Gain has been brilliant Train to Gain training has already made a huge difference to dog groomer Karen Whitehead’s work and prospects.

She has become her own boss, increased her potential earnings and confirmed her professional reputation.

Far more than that, the training has transformed Karen’s personal confidence - so much so that in a few months she plans to put her skills to the ultimate test in dog grooming competitions.

“Train to Gain has been brilliant. The training has been brilliant. The people have been brilliant. If somebody as good as Business Link and Train to Gain will help you improve your skills and get qualifications, go for it - one hundred percent!” says a delighted Karen, taking a break from her work at the Carlton Boarding Kennels in Carlton near Leeds in Yorkshire.

Karen, a successful dog show exhibitor owning the breed

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record holder in weimaraners and best of breed winner at crufts 2008, has worked with top Weimaraner breeders Stephen and Patsy Hollings since she left school at 15. She spent many years working in their animal feed business until three years ago when that was sold and Karen moved permanently to the kennels.

The complex here includes the boarding kennels and grooming room, and we have a hydrotherapy pool and treadmill for dogs with problems or those that need rehabilitation or to improve their fitness.

When I first came here I was working with another dog groomer, bathing and drying the dogs. I wanted to do more but I had no training in grooming. Now I am self employed and renting the room. That’s very scary and exciting at the same

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Bishop Burton College at Beverley. In the grooming business you don’t have to have qualifications but I think a certificate will make a difference to my customers. When people realise you are confident and knowledgeable and qualified, they will want to come to you rather than go to someone who isn’t qualified.

I think in the future the situation will be that anybody who works for themselves and with animals will have to have an NVQ to show they know about animals and be officially qualified. I want to complete the City and Guilds Level 2 within a year. I would like to complete my City and Guilds Level 2 and NVQ Level 3 with in the year. It will be hard work but well worth it, and interesting because somebody is assessing you regularly.

It’s not necessarily easier to learn when you’re older, but it is more rewarding, especially when there’s a qualification at the end of it. I have three daughters and the oldest thinks it’s fun that mum is doing homework as well as her. I think my family are quite proud of me, of what I am doing and achieving.

Long term, I want to get my City and Guilds Level 3 and have my own premises, maybe even working from home. And I hope one day to employ someone else and, if they aren’t already qualified when they join me, would put them through training.

I think that if someone is working alongside you, they need the same knowledge and ability to work with the same dogs.

So customers will need to see they have the same qualifications as well.

Ultimately, in a few months when I have more training and experience, I would like to take part in grooming competitions.

Entering these competitions will help my reputation which in turn will help the business.

If anyone else is in the same position as me - wanting to take the next step, I would say if you can do the job well, then get that recognised with a qualification. Life’s too short, so make the move…!”

Yorkshire and the Humber Region

CASE STUDY

time because it’s up to me to make my wage.

The idea of training came up last August when the original groomer left. The training I wanted to do was so expensive I couldn’t afford it on my own so I spoke to Business Link and met Diane Ratcliffe. She was great and organised the grooming training at Look North at Keighley, where I was taught by Zoe Duffy who is currently European champion for grooming and a founder member of Groom Team England.

It was a very good course, very intense and tiring - and it made me realise how much work there is involved in grooming.

The training has made a huge difference to me professionally.

It made me more confident, it has given me the knowledge to do the job, and enabled me to take a step further and work for myself.

Personally Train to Gain has given me a lot more self confidence too. I’ve shown dogs for many years but I wasn’t a confident person. This has brought me out. I would never have expected to work for myself at the age of 42!

Now I have started the NVQ Level 3 in animal care at

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East Midlands Region

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

EAST MIDLANDS

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East Midlands Region

WEST NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COLLEGE

West Nottinghamshire College - Dedicated to Business Support We can improve your bottom line – that’s West Nottinghamshire College’s pledge to local, regional and national employers.

The College has a proud track record of making a real difference to businesses, thanks to our groundbreaking workforce development programmes.

We’re one of the largest Train to Gain providers in the country, with half of our turnover coming from workplace training – whether through work-based Apprenticeships or Train to Gain.

We specialise in working with large employers across a range of sectors – namely Construction, Engineering,Transport and Logistics, Health and Social Care, Hospitality and Leisure, Business and Management and Skills for Life.

By identifying your key issues and strategies for improvement, we can design and deliver bespoke training programmes to reskill and up-skill your workforce – helping you to stay ahead of the competition.

And because the College has secured more Train to Gain and work-based Apprenticeship funding than ever before, we can minimise the cost to your business.

The case study opposite showcases the impact the College can have in designing programmes that achieve your business objectives while delivering nationally-recognised qualifications.

To find out how West Nottinghamshire College can improve your bottom line, contact Graham Howe, Director of Employer Engagement, on 01623 413376 or email graham.howe@wnc.ac.uk

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EXAMPLE CASE STUDY: Construction Equipment Manufacturer

n Some people (particularly those who left formal education

Background The company began working with the College on the basis of a recommendation from Rolls Royce, who described their approach to working with employers as “flexible, adaptable, innovative and focussed on delivery”.

The company had established its own Production Process System (PPS) and had already explored the use of Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) to support this.

The company’s aim was to map their PPS to BIT in a much more formal way and to link this to the provision of NVQ accreditation for staff.

While the company has played a lead role in driving the manufacturing skills curriculum with the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing (NSAM), it was not in a position to have its training approved by NSAM. A key aspiration of working with the College was to close the development circle by getting training approved by the training academy it had supported as a lead organisation.

The company recently conducted an Employer Opinion Survey and found that while engineers were happy with the training they received (where investment is driven by statutory requirements and the requirements of new technologies and processes) staff on the shop floor needed broader, more structured and more continuous development.

Working with the College, the company has set out to provide access to learning for every employee.

The company asked the College to help in the following areas: n Establish a flexible approach to the delivery of BIT; n Provide intensive support for individual learners in building their NVQ portfolios; n NVQs for employees who have not historically received regular development opportunities; n Improved scores on Employer Opinion Surveys (on employee development and training engagement themes); n Give staff the skills to support the company’s Rapid Improvement strategy (see below).

Ultimately, impact will be measured in terms of Key Performance Indicators relating to the company’s Six Sigma (Kaizen) based rapid improvement plans: n Increased efficiency (improved production velocity, improved Return On Assets); n A better safety record (fewer accidents); n Improvements in quality (few rejected products).

Assessment of the value and effectiveness of the intervention to date Evidence at this stage relates to gains in terms of transfer of learning to the workplace: n Over the past 9 months the company and College have put 183 people through the NVQ; n There is already a clearer development path within the company – and development is seen as straightforward and easy to access;

with few qualifications) believed they needed a high level of written English to achieve a qualification, but the College team presented the NVQ as a non-threatening development opportunity; n People believe they are capable of achieving – this is a significant change for these learners and, in the view of the company, an important quick win; n The company is scoring 15% higher for training on the Employer Opinion Survey; n While there are factors at play other than the company’s relationship with the College, company leaders see this work as “the glue holding the whole development process together”;

East Midlands Region

WEST NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COLLEGE

Staff who have been with the company for 40 years have accepted the value of the training because it has been presented as relevant to them, and they have been reassured the right kind of support is available from College staff.

Reflections on the partnership with the College n The company felt the College’s assessors were excellent –

well trained and knowledgeable;

n The level of support went well beyond the company’s

expectations;

n The company felt the College were highly committed to

making things happen on time and to the required standard. n The College worked with West Notts in a series of workshops which have helped the two organisations understand each other’s processes; n Assessors were flexible and adaptable – these qualities led the company to view the College as its most effective development partner; n The College team bought an “infectious enthusiasm” to the intervention, which supported the selling of training to the pilot cohort of learners.

These people have, in turn, supported the internal marketing of learning – particularly the marketing of NVQ qualifications.

The future n The company is negotiating to include agency staff in

development activities, to ensure improvements in quality, safety and efficiency across the company; n There will be opportunities for the College to work with other organisations in the company’s supply chain: n The company would welcome the opportunity to highlight this approach to planning development to other companies in the UK engineering-manufacturing sector: n In the spirit of paying back UK Plc for the investment made on the company, it would like to share its development experiences with engineering SMEs.

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East Midlands Region

CASE STUDY

Grantham college help Lincolnshire employees beat the credit crunch Grantham College has won the East Midlands Train to Gain Provider of the Quarter Award for its work with employers across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.

Alison Fox, Head of Business Development from the College received the award at a special presentation at Walkers Stadium in Leicester for helping 582 employees from companies across Lincolnshire during the last year. The award for top training provider is a particularly striking achievement because as late as 2007 the college was struggling to meet targets, but since March of that year they have turned this around.

Train to Gain is the Government’s flagship skills service, run by the Learning and Skills Council to help businesses succeed.

The college have worked on £816,000 worth of business in the last year. A key achievement in 2008 was successfully training 438 staff from the closed Fenland Foods factory in Grantham to achieve an NVQ in Food Manufacturing.

The college have also just achieved the Training Quality Standard; prestigious accreditation which demonstrates they offer high quality training at a time and place to suit employers.

Alison Fox, Head of Business Development from Grantham College, said:

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“Our business development team have worked hard to meet stretching LSC targets but the focus has been on building relationships with local employers and ensuring that we are providing high quality training.

“Receiving this award and getting the Training Quality Standard is real testament to the hard work of the staff at the college.”

Tony Belmega, said: “This new award celebrates the success of those delivering Train to Gain funded courses in the East Midlands and aims to recognise how providers like Grantham College are making a vital contribution to the needs of employees and individuals in the region. The work that Grantham College have done has been exemplary – especially for key areas for Lincolnshire such as the food sector “The work they have done with Lincolnshire companies will have a genuine impact on companies across Lincolnshire: as lack of qualified people in the workforce is cited by a significant number of businesses as one of the top three inhibitors to success. Skills are vital to productivity and by providing training to high quality standards Grantham College are making an important contribution to our economy.”

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East Midlands Region

CASE STUDY

training GIVES YOU great confidence Rick Bestwick, based on the Holmewood Industrial Park, Chesterfield, produce a range of wild game products including venison, pheasant, partridge, duck and rabbit.

They made the Skills Pledge in April 2009 and 28 of their workforce have completed either an NVQ in team leadership or distribution, warehousing and storage operations.

Further staff are now enrolled on NVQs in things like business administration and logistics management. According to Maria Chacon,Technical Manager, making the Skills Pledge has made a

noticeable difference to the service they provide to customers.

Maria Chacon, Technical Manager, Rick Bestwick, said: “Making the Skills Pledge has been important for us and we’ve really noticed a difference in the service we provide to our customers. The staff have embraced the training and really enjoyed it.”

Jim Stockley, Butchery Manager, who has worked at Rick Bestwick for over 10 years, completed an NVQ in team leadership. Jim, from Chesterfield said:

“The training has given me great confidence to handle any given situation in the workplace. I feel I am now more able to meet tasks and deadlines to achieve customer’s demands of quantity and quality. It has also helped me implement company policy within the workplace diligently.”

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Picking winners in the jobs market

BY JOHN DEAN DEANGRISS@BTINTERNET.COM

In times of recession, employers advertising job vacancies can find themselves inundated with applications.

Not only is the job market affected by the usual large numbers of school and university leavers but it is swelled by the thousands of people made redundant and seeking new posts.

It can be bewildering even for the most experienced of managers. So how on earth do you make sure that, as an employer, you select the best candidate out there at a time when the choice is so large?

And if you are one of those people looking for a job, how do you stand out from the crowd? How do you get over the idea that you are somehow different? The One? Well, according to those involved in the process, the key point is that there are still plenty of employers looking to recruit new talent.

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) recently published a report which showed that 43 per cent of companies interviewed for its research were still continuing to recruit key talent.

Also important for companies was the need to retain and develop talented people once they had been recruited.

Thirty five per cent of companies said they were placing an increasing focus on developing their existing staff and 55 per cent were looking harder at ways of developing talent in-house.

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Vanessa Robinson, Head of HR Practice Development at the CIPD, said that difficult economic times do not necessarily mean that the jobs market stagnates.

She said: “Our message in a downturn is that companies should not be short-sighted. They still need people and need to make sure that they are not under-resourced.

“What does happen in times like this is that employers have a larger choice of applicants in the current climate.”

According to Vanessa, selecting the best candidates is about spotting those who prepared well.

They are the ones, according to Vanessa, who: l Have a well presented CV, application form or letter “first impressions count and if you don’t complete an application as requested then your application might not be considered,” she said. l Think broadly. Vanessa said: “The form and CV should include all relevant experience, even if acquired in other circumstances but which could be seen to demonstrate behaviours and an attitude that you think is important, for example volunteer work, overseas travel.”

The CIPD says that, in order to obtain the right information, the application form should be properly presented by the employer in the first place.

According to the CIPD, application forms:

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FEATURE

Should use clear language Should be easy to complete Should be realistic and appropriate to the level of the job Should state the procedure for taking up references Should be accompanied by details of the job and clear information about the application and selection procedure n Should provide a source of information to draw on in the interview n Should provide a store of information about good but unsuccessful candidates that can be filed for future use n Should not request detailed personal information unless relevant to the job.

According to Careers Advice, employers should also look for those candidates who give a little of themselves.

A spokesman for Careers Advice said: “A good CV should include a personal profile that summarises the applicant, including skills and qualities, work background and achievements and career aims. It should only be a few lines and must grab the reader’s attention.”

The CIPD says that when conducting the interviews themselves, companies should look for: n skills, aptitude, knowledge and experience n qualifications (which should be only those necessary to do the job unless candidates are recruited on the basis of n n n n n

future potential , for example graduates) n personal qualities relevant to the job, such as the ability to work as part of a team and to show initiative.

According to the employers’ organisation, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), those candidates who succeed will be the ones who put effort into securing jobs in such difficult economic times.

Richard Wainer, CBI Head of Education and Skills, said: “Given how tough things are for companies and with unemployment rising sharply, it is not surprising that firms are not taking on as many school leavers or graduates as they have done previously.

“The Government’s focus must be on ensuring young people have access to high quality advice on their options and that publicly-funded training schemes, such as apprenticeships, better reflect the needs of employers.

“Young people themselves need to be proactive and do their best to stand out from the crowd in this very difficult jobs market.

“They need to look to gain as much experience of the world of work as possible. Internships, placements or taking jobs that might not necessarily be their first choice will all help ensure they are well placed when the economy picks up again.”

www.theskillspledge.co.uk

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East Midlands Region

CASE STUDY

council committed to the training and development of THEIR staff

Lincolnshire County Council were one of the first organisations in the area to sign up to the Skills Pledge in 2007, demonstrating their commitment to their 7,000 staff in roles ranging from Highway Officer to Picnic Site Warden.

In the two years since it has been involved with the Skills Pledge, Lincolnshire County Council has continued to invest in the skills of its workforce, opening up new opportunities for staff and improving services to local residents.

Judith Davids, Assistant Director People and Modernisation said: “The council has always been committed to the training and development of our staff because we feel that the well-trained, knowledgeable staff help to deliver an enriched customer experience”.

“Our aim is to deliver excellent quality services to the Lincolnshire community through well-trained and committed staff.

“With such a large number of staff doing so many vitally important roles we are keen to ensure that everyone is

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skilled and more than competent in the work they do.”

Lincolnshire County Council deliver services to young people aged between 13 and 19 years old across Lincolnshire, including Connexions.

Connexions offers a support service for employers and all young people living within Lincolnshire to provide practical advice, information and support that will help them in their recruitment, training and staff retention activities.

Lorraine Gresty is now a Personal Advisor at Connexions in Sleaford, one of nine centres across Lincolnshire.

She has worked her way up from an Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Assistant at the centre to become a fully qualified Personal Adviser.

She said: “I have been very privileged to have been offered the opportunity to undertake

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the Learning Development and Support Services (LDSS) qualification at level 4 as a clear progression route, having completed the NVQ level 3 in Advice & Guidance. This has enabled me to continue my learning and development from starting out as an IAG Assistant with Connexions to becoming a fullyqualified Personal Adviser. I have really benefitted from the work-based learning approach as I have been able to learn and develop my skills through having a live caseload. I managed to study the LDSS whilst working to full capacity, with a huge amount of continual support from the Learning and Development Team and my colleagues, for which I am very grateful.”

To find out more about the Skills Pledge call 0800 015 5545 or visit www.inourhands. lsc.gov.uk/employers-pledge.html

West Midlands Region

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

WEST MIDLANDS

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West Midlands Region

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CASE STUDY Aged 16 and armed with excellent school exam results many wanted John Ledwig to aim for university, but he knew what he wanted in life and he had other plans. An apprenticeship with his favourite football club Coventry City, but unlike many other youngsters it was not as a player. He is now Assistant Groundsman at Aston Villa Football Club.

“Young people are our future, so we have to nurture them and ensure they are taught right. They need to develop and take on the skills not only at college, but also in the workplace.

Getting this right can only be to the benefit of everyone in my opinion,” says John.

“Aston Villa is at the forefront of the highest league in the country, if not the world, and we benefit the club by providing a decent playing surface. If the team couldn’t play there would be no ticket sales nor revenue, and the club would loose a lot of money.

“The club employs apprentices to come on board and maintain the standards, if not exceed, those we have already set. Basically our role is to provide a good surface for the team to train and play matches on, so without experienced staff and apprentices there wouldn’t be much of a business. We are a small clog in a very big clock, but without us it just wouldn’t turn, thus we are all part of the club.

“Apprenticeships not only give you the skills and academic knowledge that you learn in college, but the practical skills as to how to apply them in the workplace. This is invaluable as sometimes you can’t teach everything in a class room, but you can on the job. Also some people can apply and understand knowledge better on the job than they might academically.

“My motivaton for seeking this career resulted from by being a fan of football, especially of my local club. I started working with when I was just 13. I took on the apprenticeship as soon as I left school, despite being pressured to stay on and aim for university.

I wasn’t interested - I knew what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be with. At the time it was Coventry City, so I did my apprenticeship there and worked my way through the ranks.

Within a year I was promoted to Deputy Head Groundsman.

“This came as a result of my apprenticeship there; learning on the job.Through learning how to apply the skills I was learning at college, I was able to help improve the situation there and I stayed on for a number of years.

“Last summer this opportunity came up at Aston Villa, a big premiership club with good financial backing and great resources.

So now I work in what is in my opinion in the best league in the world and at a very successful club.

“The club are flying at the moment and I feel part of that.

I have come from learning the ropes to now being involved at management level in a club like this – basically the sky can be the limit!

“Anybody else could achieve the same if they just stick their mind to it. If you start by following the apprenticeship scheme you won’t go far wrong. It teaches you what you need to learn and you get paid for it as well, which is even better.

“While you might not paid very much when you start, as you get up to management, which you can do, or even perhaps set up your own business, it can be very fruitful. It’s a great thing to do and I would definitely encourage anybody to do it.”

John Baker another former apprentice working at Aston Villa says: “When I was taken on at Coventry City, the club I supported, it was a big boost for me. I found the college work of the apprenticeship interesting – learning the soil side of things and the science behind it. The tutors were pretty good and the assessment was on our coursework and actual work rather

The greener in than being based on exam performance, so there wasn’t any pressure. They would come out to assess your machines in the workplace.

“The apprenticeship gave hands-on experience at work, while in the classroom at the college you didn’t necessarily get the same feel for the subject. Out on the pitch doing the actual work it’s totally different – it’s a better way to learn I think. One day a week was spent at college and I worked four days getting a good wage and learning while I was training. It was all good.”

John Ludwidge concludes:“What an apprentice can bring to the workplace is the knowledge that they are learning at college – all the latest technologies that might not have been around or taught when you yourself started. This can only expand your business and help it grow, making things much better for you as a business and as people.What apprenticeships bring is invaluable and it is our future.”

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West Midlands Region

CASE STUDY

The grass needn’t be greener in another career “While you might not paid very much when you start, as you get up to management, which you can do, or even perhaps set up your own business, it can be very fruitful.

It’s a great thing to do and I would definitely encourage anybody to do it.” www.theskillspledge.co.uk

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West Midlands Region

CASE STUDY

A countryside career that’s good for people

Apprentice Ben Garrick is certainly one game teenager after being taken on to learn the many skills involved in managing a large rural estate.

Ben, aged 17, is currently undertaking a two-year NVQ Level 2 game and wildlife management course.

His time is split between Bishop Burton College, near Hull, and Blankney Estates near Metheringham, Lincoln, where his work is providing valuable experience to complement his studies.

The 5,000-acre estate has been owned and run by the Parker family since its purchase in 1937 from Lord Londesborough. Around 500 acres of its woodlands are managed for raising birds and shooting. For head game keeper Terry Stothard the estate is not just his trade, it’s a way of life.

The 57-year-old followed in his father’s footsteps and has been living and working there for 42 years. Terry said: “When I started there were no training courses you just learned the job as you went along.

“We raise pheasants and partridges here for shoots and the birds then go into the consumer food chain via a game dealer. We also control vermin, police the estate against poaching, and encourage the protection and conservation of wild

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native species such as the English grey partridge.

“It’s a very involved job and you have to have an empathy and love of the countryside to be able to do it.

“Ben is a lad from the local village and has been coming here since he was a schoolboy. He has been a beater here and did work experience on the estate.

“He spends about one week a month at college and the studying side of things is important. For instance, there’s legislation to understand about recognising and keeping diseased birds out of the food chain. Along with that there are certificates Ben can get for things like strimming and tractor maintenance.

“On the whole the job is one you can only really learn by doing it. But the qualifications Ben is gaining are important in this day and age. It’s what employers want to see. In fact we have just taken on one lad who was a previous trainee, now qualified, after a post became available. ”Ben is able to try his hand at most things here but we always make sure there is somebody to supervise him. He’s just passed his driving test which is essential

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for this line of work. He seems well suited to the job but it helps that he has been brought up a country lad.”

Ben said: “I will finish my course in July 2010 and my dream is to finally end up as a head gamekeeper looking after an estate.

“I live about three or four miles from Blankney estate and have been going there to help out since I was 12 or 13, which is the earliest I could.

“I come from a farming and shooting background so the job seems natural to me. The college aspect of the course is very useful and we learn about many facets of the job such as the law regarding poaching, things like that.

“But my favourite time is spent on the estate learning the skills first-hand. It also enables me to put into practice the things I’ve learned at college and enables me to try out new ideas.

“I like raising the birds best; seeing them go from eggs and chicks to wild game. I’m also partial to the odd pheasant for dinner. It’s a meat that’s good for you and you couldn’t get a more free range bird.”

North East Region

SKILLSPLEDGENATIONAL

NORTH EAST

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North East Region

CASE STUDY

Germany Study Trip This trip was designed to help members of the Tyne Grain cooperative develop more competitive business practices and to explore future trading opportunities. During the three day trip, the farmers met with both German farmers and executives from local co-operatives through The Raiffeisen Association.

The farmers learnt about the technologies employed and how grain is traded on the European markets as well as how the Germans organise, strucure and invest in their co-operatives.

Geoff Alderslade West Fell Gate Farm, Gateshead

Christopher Stephenson Bradley Burn Farm, County Durham

Geoff is a director of Tyne Grain and farms 650 acres on the outskirts of Gateshead. 507 acres are arable, with the remaining 143 acres of grass supporting 2 livery yards and grass for haylage.

The livery side of the business was established in 2002 when the herd of 115 pedigree Dairy Cows was sold in the aftermath of foot and mouth.

The arable side of the business consists of the usual rotation of Wheat, Barley, and Oilseed Rape. This year (not a normal year due to the weather) includes Winter Wheat, Winter Barley, Spring Barley, Spring OSR, Fallow and Grass.

Geoff ’s aim in taking part in the grain trip was to learn more about German co-operative systems and the benefits the farmers gain from being involved with those systems, in particular the collective grain store.

Through the trip Geoff became aware of the many advantages that Germany possesses, many of which were to do with soils and climate. He also found that the German farmers appear to embrace co-operation whereas the majority of the UK seem to fear it. Although Geoff already shares some farm equipment with another Tynegrain member, having witnessed the degree of co-operation in Germany, he is eager to investigate the possibilities of further co-operation.

Geoff who could not have undertaken this study visit without the support of Landskill North East concludes “All types of training are important as you never stop learning, you may pick up what seems to be a fairly insignificant piece of information one day, but some time in the future it could be very important.”

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The visit also included a trip to the Biotech Farm in Sachsen-Anhalt where the group learnt about modern plant breeding with a focus on Biotech crops and new developments in energy and fuel crops. This was to broaden members’ knowledge of technological advancements in plant breeding across Europe and provide a valuable insight into how they can produce the products their storage business needs to market grain more profitably.

Christopher is a director of Tyne Grain and farms a mixed farm on the edge of the Durham Dales. The farming currently consists of 50 hectares of wheat, 35 hectares of oilseed rape, 25 hectares of barley and 15 hectares of seed potatoes. He also finishes around 150 beef cattle. With is wife they also operate a large farm shop The Bradley Burn Farm Shop, selling where possible their own produce.

Christopher visited Germany to see how their grain storage and handling compares to Tyne Grain’s own store in Jarrow. He was also interested in learning about Germany’s plant breeding and Biotech crop trials.

He found both the differences and similarities in the collective grain storage processes illuminating – especially the importance of rail transport and transport costs in moving grain to port.

The highlight of his visit was at the Biotech Farm, which has a demonstration station to display Biotech crops (bred using GM technology) to the public. He found the German public’s attitude to genetic modification is as strong as it is in the UK. The objective of the farm is to educate the public about the benefits of the crops grown there. Breeding programmes using maize, sugar-beet and blight-resistant potatoes demonstrated promise for a more productive future, but the strong message from the station was that a GM future has to be demand-led.

This three day trip was extremely enlightening says Christopher: “Comparison with similar enterprises as our own in a different climate and culture is very important. I would not have been able to undertake this trip had it not been for Lantra’s support.”

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Ireland Study Trip Some of the most progressive livestock farmers in the North East took part in an educational visit to Ireland to generate ideas for growing their businesses in an increasingly competitive market.

The trip was a familiarisation visit where the group, made up of all members of the Mid Northumberland Farmer’s Club, looked at every aspect of the Irish supply chain - regarded by many as a best practice example for lamb and beef sales. The North East farmers met with some of its key players in the industry and gained a fresh insight into improving product quality and delivery channels as well as ways of promoting their meat.

The three day agenda began with a visit to the sheep herds at Titour Farm and a Suckler Cow Herd at Wicklow Town.

They then moved north to Irish National Beef Research Centre, which demonstrated some invaluable and independent research into improved feeding and grass production research.Then they moved north over the border to talk to the directors of Linden Foods, at their impressive processing plant in Dungannon.

Garry Herdman Demesne Farm, Edlingham

Simon Bainbridge Donkin Rigg, Northumberland

Garry Herdman farms a typical Upland Northumberland livestock unit farming in total 2750 acres across three units.

1600 acres are moorland the remainder is SDA. Currently in the first year of organic conversion he runs 1800 ewes, Blackfaced on the hills with some tupped pure and some to Blue faced Leicesters, and some in bye ewes to Suffolk and Texel tups. The 110 Spring Calving Suckler cows, include 30 Luings on the hill bulled with Simmental to breed Sim/Luing replacements for the rest of the herd bulled with the Charolais. Calves sold as stores at 10-12 months.

The aim of the visits for Garry was to see different farming systems, an abattoir and a research farm with the hope of learning something of benefit from the people whilst there.

He was keen to experience different farming systems and was interested to witness the valuable work done at the TEAGASC research centre which he thought could be best practice for research into beef production. During a meeting with Linden Foods, he looked at ways of developing closer ties between producers and the end market which could potentially be adopted in the UK. Gary sees educationals such as this, valuable not only as fact-finding missions, but also because of the challenge they provide to our own ideas. “It is always important to try and broaden your knowledge and trips like this do make you analyse everything you do at home and what changes could or should be made.“

North East Region

CASE STUDY

Simon a tenant of the National Trust and an owner occupier farms 650 Hectares of mixed upland ground in the heart of central Northumberland. Beef and Lamb production with 100 Suckler cows, 1000 ewes, all progeny finished on farm are the main enterprise. He produces all feed on farm, arable/forage rotation, and grass/ clover silage.

He supplies a farm shop, Acklington auction mart and Scotbeef with home-fed and finished lamb and beef and is in the process of organic conversion.

Over 100 of his 650 hectares are devoted to arable, forage and silage. Currently converting to organic status they supply the local farm shop and auction mart and Scotbeef.

Simon’s visited Ireland to explore different approaches to livestock farming and to see the levels of government support received by Irish farmers. He was also keen to discover new ways of reducing costs, increasing trading opportunities and organic farming.

His experience of TEAGASC, Grange Beef Research Centre, was a real eye-opener – where the research being done on producing the optimum amount of beef from grass was of particular interest to his own organic conversion. He was also able to gain valuable feedback and information from a number of the other organic farmers on the study visit.

Visiting Linden Foods, an Irish company with significant investments in food processing in the North East, brought new ideas about the likely benefits to food production including raising standards and lowering haulage costs.

Simon said “Training is needed to improve ourselves whether it be on the rugby field or on the farm. Modern farming involves long hours, often working alone so opportunities to mix with other likeminded people have to be good. I would not have been able to do this without the support of Landskills North East.

“The major benefit to my business was that by visiting The Grange Beef Research I learnt how to maximise beef production from grass which will ultimately increase my profit margins. By visiting this research centre I know feel much more confident about my organic conversion and will certainly progress some of my farming practices.”

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North East Region

CASE STUDY

Gentoo’s people pledge Gentoo is building the foundations of a strong employee skills base – thanks to its commitment to people development and the signing of the Skills Pledge.

Gentoo is a Sunderland based people and property business that provides housing management services to around 30,000 homes and employs over 1750 staff across the City.The variety of services on offer is diverse – from tackling anti-social behaviour to carrying out repairs and maintenance.

With a huge commitment to people development, Gentoo is working in partnership with the trade unions across all sites that are responsible for the workplace learning project, ‘Look Forward’.The main aim of the project is to encourage workers to get back into learning and increase access to skills development opportunities – for both personal and professional benefit.

Gentoo has also recently made a public commitment to staff development by making the Skills Pledge. This pledge is driven in the region by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) North East and it aims to encourage businesses and organisations to commit to staff training and development.

Gentoo is joining a growing number of employers committing to their staff. Since its launch, over 350 employers in the region have made the public commitment to people development by signing the Pledge.

Lisette Nicholson, Head of People Development at Gentoo said: “We have a large number of employees at different skill levels and committing to the Skills Pledge will focus Gentoo in getting the best from each individual. We strive to get all employees to at least Level 1 in literacy and numeracy.

“We are one of a number of North East employers appreciating the true value of new skills and hopefully more employers will see the impact learning has made on our business and will adopt a similar approach.”

Gentoo enrolled 30 members of trade staff, customer services staff and support colleagues on numeracy Level 1 courses and a further 40 colleagues from the same parts of the business onto literacy Level 1 courses. A number have now progressed onto Level 2 in both literacy and numeracy learning opportunities.

The Group has also recently been awarded the Investors in People (IiP) Gold Award for its commitment to people development in recognition for the work they do with staff to develop skills.

Barry Curran, from the Union Unite, is the project coordinator for the Union-led ‘Look Forward Project’ based at Gentoo and is a Union Learning Representative (ULR). His position is funded via the LSC Learning for All Fund and he works with Gentoo to bring all colleagues up to a standard of learning. He said: “Gentoo have adopted a great philosophy to people development and by making the Pledge they are making their commitment public. They are already reaping the benefits of the learning opportunities undertaken and have been awarded the IiP Gold Award. They have seen morale and confidence increase, which will ultimately impact on output and quality, whilst individuals gain qualifications and confidence to continue in learning.”

Employers that make the Skills Pledge have access to a Skills Broker through the Train to Gain service to help them identify

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(l-r) Mike Routledge (Unite), Barry Curran and Lisette Nicholson, both of Gentoo

their training requirements and come up with an individual action plan tailored to their needs.The North East is currently one of the top performing regions in the country when it comes to learners achieving through Train to Gain. Since Train to Gain was launched just over two and a half years ago, the service has engaged with more than 10,000 employers in the region and helped more than 60,000 learners achieve a range of qualifications to help them improve their prospects at work and their chances in life.

The TUC in the region have supported the LSC’s agenda to see more employers make the Skills Pledge. Barney McGill, unionlearn Regional Manager, said: “Encouraging and engaging adults to get back into learning can often be a challenge. Getting employers to realise the benefits that learning can bring not only to individuals but also to the business is a huge step. The Skills Pledge is an excellent means of securing both employee and employer buy-in as it proves the reciprocal value of investing in the business via its main asset – the employees.”

Dorothy Smith, interim Regional Director, LSC North East added:“There is a clear link between skills training and improving a business’s chance of survival in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The Skills Pledge goes to the heart and soul of a business or organisation. It represents an undertaking to commit to a culture of staff development, starting with those who have the lowest level of skills and qualifications and we want employers to know that the Skills Pledge makes a lasting impression on their business and the bottom line. There is no doubt that the Skills Pledge is gathering momentum here in the North East but we must never become complacent. We want more and more employers to come forward and make the Skills Pledge. There are huge advantages for employer, employee and for the region in raising skills levels.”

For more information on how to make the Skills Pledge visit www.lsc.gov.uk/skillspledge or call 0845 600 9 006

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DIRECTORY

EAST OF ENGLAND East of England Regional Office: Felaw Maltings 42 Felaw Street Ipswich IP2 8SJ T: 0845 019 4180

LSC Lincolnshire and Rutland Area Office 1B Alpha Court Kingsley Road Lincoln LN6 3TA T: 0845 019 4178 E: lincsrutland@lsc.gov.uk

East of England Area teams: Bedfordshire and Luton 2 Railton Road Woburn Rd Industrial Estate Kempston Bedfordshire MK42 7PN T: 0845 019 4160 E: bedsandlutoninfo@lsc.gov.uk

LSC Northamptonshire Area Office Royal Pavilion Summerhouse Road Moulton Park Industrial Estate Northampton NN3 6BJ T: 0845 019 4175 E: northantsinfo@lsc.gov.uk

Cambridgeshire Stuart House St John’s Street Peterborough PE1 5DD T: 0845 019 4165 E: cambridgeshireinfo@lsc.gov.uk Essex Redwing House Hedgerows Business Park Colchester Road Chelmsford Essex CM2 5PB T: 0845 019 4179 E essexinfo@lsc.gov.uk Hertfordshire 45 Grosvenor Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3AW T: 0845 019 4167 Norfolk Lakeside 500 Old Chapel Way Broadland Business Park Norwich NR7 0WG T: 0845 019 4173 E: norfolkinfo@lsc.gov.uk Suffolk Felaw Maltings 42 Felaw Street Ipswich IP2 8SJ T: 0845 019 4180 E: suffolkinfo@lsc.gov.uk EAST MIDLANDS East Midlands Regional Office: 17a Meridian East Meridian Business Park Leicester LE19 1UU T: 0845 019 4177 E: eastmidlandsinfo@lsc.gov.uk LSC Derbyshire Area Office: 1 Mallard Way Pullman Business Park Derby DE24 8GX T: 0845 019 4183 E: lscderbyshireinfo@lsc.gov.uk LSC Leicestershire Area Office: 17a Meridian East Meridian Business Park Leicester LE19 1UU T: 0845 019 4177 E: leicestershireinfo@lsc.gov.uk

LSC Nottinghamshire Area Office 6th Floor MLS Business Centre City Gate East Toll House Hill Nottingham NG1 5FS T: 0845 019 4187 E: nottsinfo@lsc.gov.uk LONDON LSC London Region Centre Point 103 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1DR T: 0845 019 4144 E: londoninfo@lsc.gov.uk NORTH EAST LSC North East Moongate House 5th Avenue Business Park Team Valley Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE11 0HF T: 0845 019 4181 E: tyneandwearinfo@lsc.gov.uk NORTH WEST LSC North West 9th Floor Arndale House Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3AQ T: 0845 019 4142 E: GrManchesterinfo@lsc.gov.uk SOUTH WEST ENGLAND St Lawrence House 29-31 Broad Street Bristol BS99 7YJ T: 0845 019 4168 E: westofengland@lsc.gov.uk Cornwall Penhaligon House Green Street Truro TR1 1DZ Tel: 01752 754170 WEST MIDLANDS Regional Office (West Midlands) NTI Building 15 Bartholomew Row Birmingham West Midlands B5 5JU T: 0845 019 4143 E: BirminghamSolihullInfo@lsc.gov.uk

www.theskillspledge.co.uk

SOUTH EAST REGIONAL OFFICE Learning and Skills Council South East Princes House 53 Queens Road Brighton BN1 3XB T: 01273 783555 E: info@lsc.gov.uk SOUTH EAST AREA OFFICES LSC Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Eagle Point - East Wing Little Park Farm Road Segensworth Fareham PO15 5TD T: 0845 019 4182 E: hampshire-IOWinfo@lsc.gov.uk LSC Kent and Medway 26 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4AE T: 0845 019 4152 E: informationline@lsc.gov.uk LSC Surrey 48-54 Goldsworth Road Woking GU21 6LE T: 0845 019 4145 E: surreyinfo@lsc.gov.uk LSC Sussex Princes House 53 Queens Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 3XB T: 01273 783555 E: sussexinfo@lsc.gov.uk LSC Thames Valley Pacific house Imperial Way Reading RG2 0TF T: 0845 019 4147 Latimer House Langford Business Park Kidlington Oxford OX5 1GG T: 01865 291700 YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE Mercury House 4 Manchester Road Bradford BD5 0QL T: 0845 019 4169 E: westyorkshireinfo@lsc.gov.uk scotland Scottish Qualifications Authority The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DQ T: 0845 2791000 E: customer@sqa.gov.uk Scottish Qualifications Authority Ironmills Road Dalkeith Midlothian EH22 1LE T: 0845 2791000 E: customer@sqa.gov.uk

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