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Business Magazine source 04 May 11 Partnership Working Collaboration with Car Giants to Provide World’s First Diesel Electric Hybrid 4x4 Partnerships Jaguar Land Rover appoint Training 2000 Apprenticeships How they can help your business Business Focus Views from local businesses

Source Magazine - Spring 2011

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Page 1: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

1 Business Magazine

source

04M a y 1 1

Partnership WorkingCollaboration with Car Giants to Provide World’s First Diesel Electric Hybrid 4x4

PartnershipsJaguar Land Rover

appoint Training 2000

ApprenticeshipsHow they can help your business

Business FocusViews from local businesses

Page 2: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

If you want more information please call 01254 54659 or visit

www.training2000.co.uk

A skilled workforce can help you weather tough market conditions and emerge stronger when the upturn comes. In fact, businesses that invest in training are far more likely to survive a downturn than those that don’t.

Improve your bottom lineApprenticeships deliver real returns to your bottom line. In a recent survey*, the majority of employers said that Apprenticeships helped them to improve productivity and to be more competitive. They also said that training apprentices is more cost effective than hiring pre-skilled staff, leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs.

Fill your skills gapsApprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs. They also help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector. Employers in the Populus survey said they relied on their Apprenticeship programmes to provide the skilled workers they need for the future.

Motivate your workforceApprentices tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invested in them. Remember, an apprentice is with you because they want to be – they have made an active choice to learn on the job and a commitment to a specific career.

Get support and get startedWe’re making it easier for you to start an Apprenticeship programme by cutting back on red tape.

Ring us to discuss the next steps to taking on an apprentice.

* Apprenticeships, survey conducted by Populus on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council, February 2009.

How can an apprentice help your company?

Louise Gaskell, Director, Gaskell Motors.

We have used Training 2000 for apprentices for 10 years and we always know that the learners are given the right training in the correct environment. Training 2000 help to raise skills levels and provide excellent support for our learners and also ourselves.

Page 3: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

08Steve Gray Response to Government’s support of Apprenticeships

04

10 13 16 17

05 06Employer Focus On the Jaguar Land Rover collaboration

Training 2000 News What’s new from Training 2000

Equality & Diversity Getting Conscious

Membership Gala Dinner Bringing local businesses together

Streets Ahead Cash boost for young people

GTA Social CareUK first

Focus on Apprenticeships How an apprentice can improveyour business

We are delighted to bring you the fourth issue of Source, the business magazine from Training 2000 Ltd.

Partnership working is the theme of this issue – many businesses have found benefits from working in partnership with other organisations and we share many examples of this with you in this issue. Look out for our feature on Jaguar Land Rover on page 4.

We also have articles from York Street Dental Practice in Clitheroe, Safety Warehouse in Accrington and every1 design agency in Blackburn, all of whom tell us how partnership working provides them with opportunities for cross-working and sharing of knowledge.

The National Apprenticeship Service dispel a few myths about Apprenticeships and we highlight some of the benefits of taking on an apprentice, and the Skills Funding Agency explain how they are helping employers to support their staff in times of redundancy.

We hope you find the magazine informative and useful in tackling some of the training and business issues you face. As ever, please can you send us your comments and thoughts or input for the next issue by emailing the address below.

The Editorial TeamE: [email protected]

contents

source

04M a y 1 1

Produced on behalf of Training 2000 Ltd by Workhouse Marketing & Advertising Ltdwww.workhousemarketing.com

Advertising & Editorial:Jen Hill01254 [email protected]

Jaguar Land Rover images provided courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover

FMMK 299/04 © Training 2000 Ltd May 2011

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Page 4: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Training 2000 strongly believes that developing partnerships helps to support our vision, mission and values. We have built a large number of strong partnerships and we find that this has helped both our organization and our partners to benefit from the opportunities provided in cross-working, sharing of local and sector knowledge, maximizing existing local networks, together with a shared commitment and enthusiasm for all partners to the benefit of each other.

One very recent example of this is our partnership with 2 other training providers. We have been appointed as one of three training providers to deliver Jaguar Land Rover’s Apprenticeship programme.

Jaguar Land Rover has appointed 1,500 new staff to support the production of the Range Rover Evoque at its Halewood plant, who will each complete a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Business Improvement Techniques.

Training 2000 is delivering the Key Skills and Performing Engineering Operations elements of the Apprenticeship, working alongside Midlands-based companies Pera and Industry Forum.

A team of seven Training 2000 staff is delivering the course at Halewood, which began in January and will run for 18 months.

Chief executive of Training 2000, Steve Gray, commented: “It is very exciting to be working with a prestigious client such as Jaguar Land Rover and we are delighted to have been chosen as part of the consortium to deliver the company’s Apprenticeships. More than 40 training providers were invited to tender and we believe our track record and experience in delivering Apprenticeships is what made us an ideal choice to be part of this process.”

The training is being carried out in partnership with the National Apprenticeship Service in the North West, the organization who is responsible for the funding of Apprenticeship places across England.’

PArTNErShiP WorkiNG: Jaguar Land Rover appoints Training 2000

source: employer focus

Pera Group, a training provider based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, is also delivering elements of the Jaguar Land Rover’s Apprenticeship programme. Richard Grice, Managing Director, Training and Consulting Division said “The commitment by Jaguar Land Rover to train 1,500 young people and create new jobs in Merseyside is welcome news. Pera is delighted to have been selected as a key partner alongside Training 2000 and Industry Forum in delivering

this ambitious Apprenticeship programme. We look forward to demonstrating the many advantages that partnership working brings and in seeing the new Range Rover Evoque cars coming off the production lines.

“Apprenticeships are popular again as companies large and small realise that to compete in today’s tough global market requires a highly motivated and trained work force. Apprenticeships are a proven and cost effective way to do this.”

source04 MAY 114

Page 5: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

source: employer focus

Blackburn-based training provider, Training 2000, has established the Uk’s first ever Group Training Association (GTA) dedicated solely to the social care sector.

Launched in association with the National Skills Academy for Social Care, GTA Social Care aims to raise the skill level of people working in the sector and encourage more young people to see it as a rewarding and worthwhile career.

Initially targeting social care companies in the North West, South East and central London, GTA Social Care will work with a number of recognised training providers approved by the National Skills Academy for Social Care to deliver work-based training qualifications, such as NVQs and Apprenticeships.

Following national guidelines, training will be tailored towards employer and employee needs and therefore address, and in most cases exceed many of the sector’s legislative requirements.

GTA Social Care has already been awarded the National Skills Academy for Social Care’s Excellence award, showing that the training delivered is of

the highest quality. This award means GTA Social care is now designated as a Centre of Excellence in Adult Social Care Training.

Kerri Hull, Head of Operations at GTA Social Care, said: “GTA Social Care has been shaped by people who understand the needs of the sector. We know what is required from a training programme to create a skilled social care workforce that meets the needs of people who use services, the staff and their employers.

“Whether you care for the elderly, for people with mental health issues or learning disabilities, studying social care qualifications through work-based learning can be a great way to build the skills and knowledge needed for a long and fruitful career. It is also often a great progression route into other roles within the sector such as nursing, social work, occupational therapy and even leadership and management.

“We are committed to delivering high quality training and we aim to launch GTA Social Care nationwide in the summer.”

Debbie Sorkin, Director of Engagement at the National Skills Academy for

Social Care, added: “The GTA Social Care is helping to meet a very real employer need for well trained staff who will have a positive impact on the quality of care provided to people who use services. As an employer-led membership organisation, the Skills Academy believes that the service provided to employers by the GTA can make a strong contribution to raising the standards of adult social care for thousands of people.”

To find out more about GTA Social Care email [email protected] or call 01254 54659.

GTA Social CareUK FIRST FOR TRAINING 2000

c u s t o m e r | p e o p l e | q u a l i t y | i n v e s t m e n t | p a r t n e r s h i p

What are the benefits of becoming a member company?By becoming a member company, you will save your business money, time and effort by gaining access to special offers and discounts, specialist information and advice and guidance for all of your training and development needs.

Membership also entitles you to consideration for selection onto our Board.

We recognize that training budgets are constantly under pressure so our funding consultancy service will look to maximize your budget. We constantly tender for,

and are successful in winning, a variety of large funding contracts and constantly keep up to date on available grants and initiatives. In doing so we hope to offer you the benefit of funding to offset the cost of training which you may not be able to access yourself.

How do I apply for membership?If you have any questions about Training 2000 Ltd or would like a membership application form, please contact the Workforce Development Team on 01254 54659 or email [email protected]

Membership

L-R Cathi Sherratt, Sector Leader Training 2000, Kerri Hull, Head of Operations GTA Social Care, Debbie Sorkin, Director of Engagement at the National Skills Academy for Social Care and Ann Rolfe, Team Leader GTA Social Care

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Page 6: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Sue Price, Director for the National Apprenticeship Service in the North West, sums up Apprenticeships and the advantages they can bring to the bottom line – and dispels a few myths!

From the many conversations that Sue and her team have had with local employers, she believes that local employers still have a very narrow perception of what Apprenticeships offer. “Typically they will say that they are mainly for 16 year olds who want a career in hairdressing or construction”.

There are 200 different Apprenticeship programmes available in 80 different sectors and around 240,000 apprentices in England, the frameworks are set by industry and regularly updated.

Over 130,000 companies offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring to their business – increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent work-force.

“Apprenticeships are a common cause for employers – you don’t come across people who say they don’t believe in them. Most employers agree on what Apprenticeships can do for their business – and that’s why in the North West there are 30% more apprentices starting this year than last.”

“Apprenticeships deliver the extra skills and productivity and are a cornerstone of government strategy. It doesn’t matter if you have been in a job for a long time, or moving job or even industry, there are opportunities for everybody”. Sue sees this as a new message for employers whether they are recruiting or retraining existing staff to improve productivity and develop individual potential.

Apprenticeships – Good for BusinessApprentices are loyal and hardworking and help businesses grow - 88% of employers who employ apprentices believe that Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce. 83% of employers who employ apprentices rely on their Apprenticeships programme to provide the skilled workers that they need for the future.

NAS engages with a wide range of partners to help design the frameworks

for apprentices and we implement all government polices aimed at improving the quality and quantity of Apprenticeships.

The Success of Apprenticeships Week 2011We ran the fourth annual Apprenticeship Week in February (7th to 11th), which was an outstanding success! In the North West we had over 100 events across the region managed by a variety of employers, education providers and other stakeholders all raising the profile of Apprenticeships.

Thank you to all our partners that participated in Apprenticeship Week 2011.

National Apprenticeship Week will take place from Monday 6 February to Friday 10 February 2012.

More information on Apprenticeship Week will be available in the autumn at www.apprenticeships.org.uk. In the meantime, if you require further details, please contact Kay Greene at the National Apprenticeship Service: [email protected] / 024 7682 5745

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS)

source: apprenticeships

Sue Price

Gordon Marsden MP finds out what life is like as an apprentice at Jim Benson and Associates dental practice in Blackpool as part of Training 2000’s National Apprenticeship Week 2011 celebration.

source04 MAY 116

Page 7: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Helping staff take the Next Step The Next Step careers service is helping employers across Lancashire facing making redundancies with a range of information and advice to support their staff through these difficult times. Next Step advisers are regularly called into work places by employers to help employees facing redundancy get back into work as soon as possible. A wide range of support is available, from searching for suitable courses to CV writing and practising interview techniques.

Business Link Northwest is one such employer that have benefited from the Next Step service when around 180 redundancies had to be made following a restructure.

One manager from Business Link contacted Next Step after finding out that his own job could be at risk and was so impressed by the service that he asked his Next Step adviser Karen Lund to come into work and provide support for his team, who were also at risk.

Karen said: “This was clearly a very sensitive time for the staff, who were still waiting to find out the finer details about the potential numbers being made redundant and what types of roles they could apply for. Worry, concern and uncertainty were the general feelings felt by the team.”

Karen provided one-to-one appointments for the staff in a confidential setting, provided by Business Link.

Karen continues: “As each person had their own reasons for accessing the service, the support provided covered a range of topics, such as creating and updating CVs, researching course information, and support with application forms. The support also carried on after the face-to-face appointments, through phone calls and emails.

We also offered to provide further face-to-face meetings for staff as and when required”

Jane Hewitt, Universal Services Adviser at Business Link Northwest, was one of the staff affected by the changes. She said: “The help that Karen gave me was invaluable. Karen was very proactive and had a wealth of information and

best practice to draw upon, particularly with updating CV’s as this was one of the areas I required assistance with. She had a genuine understanding of the concerns and support that I needed pending a company restructure and I would recommend Next Step to anyone in the same situation.”

Next Step offers free and impartial careers information and is available online, over the telephone and with a local adviser face-to-face. To find out how Next Step can help, search online for Next Step, call 0800 100 900 between 8am - 10pm, 7 days a week, for telephone advice or to make a face-to-face appointment at a location near you.

source: skills

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Page 8: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

source: vocational learning

Apprenticeships can help YoUr business!Steve Gray, Chief Executive of Training 2000, has responded to the Chancellor’s announcement that the Government has allocated £180million to fund 40,000 new Apprenticeship places over the coming three years.

“As a leading provider of Apprenticeships in the North West, we are delighted that the Government is recognising the importance and value of Apprenticeships to the UK economy.

“The UK lags significantly behind several of our European neighbours in the number of companies which offer Apprenticeships, so we hope that this investment will encourage more companies to employ apprentices and create a strong and valued workforce and economy.

“With youth unemployment at an all-time high, Apprenticeships offer a realistic solution to getting young people back into work and on the career ladder.”

Training 2000’s Apprenticeships are renowned for their relevance to industry requirements.

Steve says: “I can say without reservation that Apprenticeships are a great way for people to get ahead in their careers and also for businesses to stand out from the crowd. I see Apprenticeships as a marriage between employer and employee – they will only work if both parties equally invest.

“One of the best things about Apprenticeships is that they deliver skills designed around business needs by encouraging apprentices to explore their role and how it fits within the wider workforce. Many employers report increased productivity, enhanced job satisfaction and improved staff loyalty.”

Steve continued: “We are really proud of our forward-thinking approach to learning here at Training 2000 and our high-tech facilities show our commitment to giving our apprentices

the best possible opportunities to achieve their goals.

“All our tutors have worked in the industry they teach, so are able to pass on practical tips and advice from their years of experience. The modern business has to constantly train its staff to remain ahead of the game and our new facilities ensure we provide the best learning environment for our apprentices.”

Steve Gray, Chief Executive of Training 2000

The new Audi A1 and A6 now available at Blackburn Audi.

For more information or a test drive contact Sam Terry on 01254 68 69 86

www.blackburn.audi.co.uk

Blackburn AudiWhitebirk DriveBlackburnLancashireBB1 3HT

source04 MAY 118

Page 9: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

source: vocational learning

One local company who agree that apprentices are a real benefit to their business is Safety Warehouse Ltd of Church, Accrington.

The team has over 40 years experience in the supply of Health and Safety products, personal protective equipment, workwear and janitorial supplies to industry, schools and government bodies.

The company was established in 2009 and at that time Kieran Liddle was taken on as an apprentice. He is now an Account Executive and co-ordinates the running of the office. His Apprenticeship has given him the skills to be able to adapt to do any task given to him including buying, deliveries and negotiating skills.

Andy Tyldesley, of Safety Warehouse, says ‘Kieran is a key member of the team - he is very ambitious and in the future wants to have his own business.’

18 year-old Kieran won the Business Administration Level 3 Achiever of the Year Award at the recent Training 2000 Business Administration Awards. Rowena Western, Business Administration Team Leader at Training 2000 said, “In the current economic climate, skills development is critical to career success and I would like to congratulate Kieran and his employer Safety Warehouse for investing in their future in this way.”

As Kieran is such an asset to the company, Andy is now in the process of recruiting another apprentice. He says “Apprentices are such a great asset as you are able to develop them into key members of the team from the start. In the short term you may need to give up some time to help them learn the job, but in the long term they become invaluable employees with skills tailored to the needs of the business.”

Apprentices do help your business succeed!

Kieran Liddle completed levels 2 and 3 of the Business Administration Apprenticeship and won a recent award at Mytton Fold hotel.

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Page 10: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Training 2000 has been revealed as one of the best places to work in the public/third sector and was listed in The Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work feature this Spring.

Based on employee feedback, the Best Companies Accreditation Award Scheme looks at employee engagement as an integral part of a company’s success and growth, and sets a benchmark for other employers.

The accreditation scheme follows a Michelin star-style system with companies awarded one star for first class, two stars for outstanding and three stars for extraordinary performance.

One star recipients, Training 2000, fought off tough competition from 1,165 organisations that applied for Best Companies Accreditation and this year is the first time that public and charitable organisations have been recognised.

Training 2000 received the accolade at a glittering awards ceremony held in London where Steve Gray, Chief Executive at Training 2000, said, “I am absolutely delighted that Training 2000 has been recognised as one of the best places to work.”

“We have invested a lot of time and effort into making sure that there is a robust training and development

programme for our staff and are dedicated to making sure that they make the most of the support system available to them. The personal growth and well-being of our workforce is of upmost importance and the dedication, loyalty and commitment of our staff is what makes Training 2000 a truly outstanding place to work.”

Jonathan Austin, CEO and founder of Best Companies added: “This year it is encouraging to see that more and more organisations are recognising the value of employee engagement and are willing to benchmark themselves against the best to ensure they are offering their employees the best possible experience. Organisations that have achieved accreditation have continued to focus on their employees and have been rewarded with engaged workforces who tell us that these are great places to work.”

source: training 2000

A BEST PLACE TO WORK OFFICIAL

TrAiNiNG 2000 VoTED A BEST PLACE To Work

Remember you can book your courses

online.

Go to www.training2000.co.uk

and click on the relevant course category

source04 MAY 1110

Page 11: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

source: training 2000

NEW Construction Centre!

Training 2000 continually strives to improve its customer service. We have a strategic objective to implement a centralised customer service centre and shared services/administration team in order to drive these improvements.

In line with this objective, the new Customer Service Centre has been developed, which is based at our Nelson site. We have redeveloped the main reception area which has now been fully refurbished and a new team of Service Centre staff are based behind reception. The building work was carried out by Ditchfields of Blackburn.

In the future you will only ring one telephone number (01254 54659) for all calls to Training 2000 – all other

lines will be diverted to this number which will ring out in Nelson.

This project represents an exciting new development in line with the company’s strategic business objectives. We anticipate that our customers will benefit from a world class service as a result of these improvements – both our centralised service work and our internal service which will provide a platform for the future growth of Training 2000 Limited.

Training 2000 has expanded its training facilities and opened a new Construction Centre on higher Croft road, Blackburn at the beginning of May, supporting the Government’s ambition to increase provision for 14 -19 year olds across the country.This has been an innovative partnership between Training 2000 and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, and will secure future practical learning opportunities for young people and adults alike. Working with schools and apprentices across the region to develop skills in occupational areas including plumbing, joinery and renewable energy,

the learners will get a nationally recognised qualification, including GCSEs, BTECs or an Apprenticeship. Organisations can also book training courses to be delivered at the new Centre.

Michael Hunt, operations director at Training 2000, commented, “We were thrilled to secure ownership of the site which we have now refurbished into our new Construction Centre.”

“The building’s location is ideal and the quality of the new facilities enables us to increase delivery in the popular construction sectors. We have already started training learners at the centre and aim to build

numbers year-on-year, which forms part of our long-term plan to increase provision across the region.”

The launch of the new Centre was held at the beginning of May and was officially opened by Gladys Rhodes White OBE, Strategic Director of Families, Health and Wellbeing at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and was attended by Blackburn Rovers star, David Dunn.

Kevin Bartle, Functional Leader, Construction, said, “It’s wonderful to be able to officially launch our new centre and we look forward to working with local businesses and Schools.”

New Customer Service Centre at Nelson

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Page 13: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

source: equality and diversity

Getting Conscious About Unconscious BiasBy John Dyer“You’re preaching to the converted mate. Our policies are so good that none of our people could discriminate and get away with it. Anyway, no one here discriminates - they’re all good people.” This is a common post-diversity training comment.

However, there is overwhelming evidence that discrimination is still rife. With all these good people and policies, why does discrimination continue to flourish? It could be that the mechanisms we consciously put in place to counteract discrimination are often frustrated by unconscious bias.

This means that, more often than not, people discriminate without even realising they are doing it. Psychologists at Harvard University have developed tests, called ‘Implicit Association Tests’, to measure unconscious bias. Results have shown that people can be consciously committed to fairness and deliberately work to behave without prejudice, yet still possess hidden negative prejudices or stereotypes.

This changes the traditional view that patterns of discriminatory behaviour are always conscious; that people who know better do the right thing, and those who don’t cause bias. It also alters the ‘good person/bad person’ model of diversity and the belief that good people are not biased and that bad people are.

The fact is humans need bias to survive. Every one of us is biased towards something, somebody, or some group. The strategy is not to find the “bad people” and fix them, it is more about the realisation that diversity is not about good people versus bad people - just people. Bias is not a crime but complacency could well be.

Take a test at Project Implicit’s website.

Equality and diversity can easily, if unintentionally, be overlooked in this tough economic climate, where there is a range of pressures on budgets. This is why Training 2000, supported by my company Credibility, have developed the Noggin Online Diversity Training Programme. The purpose is to provide high quality, constantly updated training at rates as little as £29.50 per person. See details on the Training 2000 website.

For common sense diversity support contact John Dyer on 0161 440 9315

Or at www.credibilityltd.co.uk

Should I employ someone with a Learning Disability?The startling fact of the matter is only 1 in 10 people with a learning disability are in employment. People with learning disabilities are all individuals with different skills. This enables them to do many different kinds of jobs. Some general guidelines include:-

• Jobs that require practical skills that can be learned through practice and repetition

• Jobs that do not require high level qualifications

• Jobs that do not require a driving licence

• Jobs that have fixed elements and only require a little multitasking

• Jobs within teams where tasks can be shared and support can be offered

Job carving is an approach which often proves helpful. Instead of fitting a person into a rigid job description, identify different tasks a person can do, and ‘carve’ out a job from these different tasks. All of the tasks should be genuine business needs that the employee could usefully do. There should also be opportunities for progression.

There are several potential benefits of employing someone with a learning disability including:-

• Staff overcoming any misconceptions surrounding people with learning disabilities

• Team dynamics and overall performance have been known to improve as a result of employing someone with a learning disability

• There is evidence to suggest that employees with a learning disability stay with one employer for a longer time than most other employees, and take less time off work

Above extracts taken by kind permission from Mencap factsheets 1 & 3. Full factsheets available at www.mencap.org.uk

John Dyer, Chief Executive, Credibility

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Page 14: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Foundation Learning “Train Up” ProgrammeTraining 2000’s “Train Up” programme was launched in August 2010 and is aimed at young people aged 16-18 who are not participating in any form of post 16 learning. Whilst “Train Up” is still in it’s infancy it is crystal clear that Work Experience is a fundamental part of this programme.

Our young people thrive on the opportunity and experience that employers like you can offer them, this for some will be their first positive learning experience. And for you, the employer, the benefits can be equally as rewarding and can often lead to you gaining a valuable employee.

Working in Partnership In order to continue to help young people succeed, working in partnership with local employers remains key. Therefore if you are not already working in partnership with us and are interested in playing an active role in shaping the future workforce please contact one of our Engagement Adviser Team members in the Foundation Youth Department.

trainUP

source: foundation learning

I WANT A FUTUR

E...

Benefits• FREE – no costs incurred• Assistance in recruiting for future

workforce• Try before you hire – assess whether

a learner could be an asset to your company

• Train someone to your quality standards• Access to Training 2000 commercial

and funded training

Employer Contribution• Help people of all ages in the

community to achieve a brighter future• Develop knowledgeable employees for

the future• Raise hopes and expectations

• Reduce unemployment

Contact one of our Engagement Adviser Team members in the Foundation Youth Department on 01254 54659

Looking for a low cost venue to host your next meeting / conference / training day?Training 2000’s Conference Centre in Nelson has a large range of rooms available to hire, including:

100 seat lecture theatre with multimedia presentation facilities

Large exhibition hall

IT suite

Executive boardroom

Meeting rooms

We have a large, free car park, an onsite restaurant, room prices are exempt from VAT and we have a dedicated onsite conferencing manager offering you excellent customer service.

For more information, call our conferencing manager on 01254 54659 or visit www.training2000.co.uk

source04 MAY 1114

Page 15: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

What makes your business stand out against competitors?Meeting the needs of the patients with full participation and consent. Good post-operative advice and care. Keeping abreast of changes within the dental profession by attending regular courses and moving with the times.

Tell us about your partnership with Training 2000?I have been associated with Training 2000 for about five years with three dental nurses qualifiying in the last 2 1/2 years. I have been very satisfied with the programme and would highly recommend it to other dentists. I have also become a member company, and I am proud to be associated with Training 2000.

Do you work in partnership with any other organizations and if so how does this help your business?We work with the BDA and they provide ongoing advice and support.

how important are apprentices to you and how do they benefit your business?All my dental nurses joined the practice from a non-dental environment and had to be trained from day one.

They received the necessary guidance and theory from Training 2000 with the practice providing the clinical training.

Trainee dental nurses are more inclined to learn and adapt to the practice way, as they have no past experience.

They also inject new life blood into the practice, as they are excited about the opportunities which they are given to train.

What does training mean to your business?Training is a very important part of the business as this brings new skills into the practice and improves the self worth of the employees.

how would you define successful training and development?Providing the best skills for staff in the shortest possible time, and instilling a life-long yearning for improvement.

What would you say is the most important thing a business can do to be a success?Invest in the training of your staff.

Working in partnership is something which Beever and Struthers know all about.

We’ve been in partnership ourselves for over 110 years providing a full range of business advisory, accountancy and tax services to our diverse client base.

But what’s most important to us is the partnership with our clients. As Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Clients come to Beever and Struthers to make their business stronger and better placed to capitalise on opportunities which arise.

Each client is unique so we provide a bespoke, cost-effective and results-orientated service, making our most experienced people available for each stage of the business life cycle. Critical to this is the personal touch. We believe that matching the personalities of our clients to those of our partners is key to achieving the best outcome.

There’s no doubt it works - clients come back to us time and time again, and we’re proud that our reputation plays a significant part in generating new work for the firm.

Henry Ford, once again, summed it up quite nicely when he said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.

If you’d like to find out what the Beever and Struthers difference really is, we always offer a free initial meeting with potential clients. To find out more, please contact Graham Wilson on 01254 686 600 or email [email protected].

Blackburn Central Buildings richmond Terrace Blackburn BB1 7AP Tel: 00 44 1254 686 600 www.beeverstruthers.co.uk

Partners working in partnership

source: spotlight

Graham WilsonPartner

source: business focus

Mr. Athimoolam of York Dental Care talked to us

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Membership Gala Dinner brings local businesses togetherLancashire’s leading businesses donned their black ties and party dresses and came together recently to celebrate at Training 2000’s Membership Dinner.

The event was held at Stanley House Hotel in Mellor for Training 2000’s business members and saw heads from local companies including Bevlan Office Interiors, Cobham Defence, and Rolls Royce celebrate together and raised £1,340 for Cancer Research UK.

Guests enjoyed entertainment from singer Wayne Allen and harpist Oona Linnett, together with a surprise appearance by the Singing Waiters. They also took part in a raffle with the chance of winning prizes donated from local and national businesses.

Steve Gray the Chief Executive at Training 2000 said: “It was fantastic to see so many of Lancashire’s top businesses enjoying an evening together. Everyone I spoke to had a positive attitude about the future and it was great to hear how staff training had played such an important role to many businesses during the recession and means that now the climate is more competitive, they feel their workforces are prepared for the challenge.”

“This was our second membership dinner and I am pleased so many businesses see this as a great annual event for them, I think it is important to celebrate the great working relationships we have with companies across the region.”

if you are interested in becoming a member of Training 2000 please phone 01254 54659

source04 MAY 1116

Page 17: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Training 2000 has donated £1,000 to a local charity which aims to help disengaged teens get back into education.

Sports to Radically Encourage Everyone to Succeed (STREETS) aims to help young people, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, improve their self-esteem and social engagement through a range of sports programmes. The charity was founded by motivational speaker John Magee, also known as Mister Consequence, and Blackburn Rovers hero David Dunn and its first pilot scheme is running at the Energy Zone, Roman Road estate, where John grew up.

“The programme is going extremely well and the money from Training 2000 will go towards launching more sports programmes in other areas,” John said.

“I know the problems that young people face and want to do everything I can to help them make the most of their lives. The programme is fun and interactive and has been specifically designed for 11 to 19 year olds. Its aim is to raise awareness of the importance of education and other social issues, as well as improving self-esteem through learning new sports. We have seen some really positive results so far.”

John was guest speaker at Training 2000’s recent Business Administration Awards, where he was presented with a cheque for STREETS from Operations Director, Michael Hunt.

“We are really pleased to be supporting STREETS with its work helping young people gain valuable life experience, while learning the importance of education in later life,” Michael commented.

To find out more about STrEETS visit www.streetsuk.co.uk or www.misterconsequence.co.uk

STREETS Project

YoUNG PEoPLE’S ChAriTY GiVEN CASh BooST

Repetition kills profitRepetition kills profit

I recently visited a company to undertake a Design Process Review to understand how design data flows around their business. We discovered that product information was being physically retyped in various departments within the business. This included...Design Department – Entered information about the part in a table on the 2D drawingDesign Department – Printing off the drawing then entered the same information in Excel to create an engineering Bill of Materials to pass to Engineering Projects and PurchasingPurchasing Department – take the Engineering Bill of material and key this into the company accounting / purchasing system that generates supplier ordersEngineering Project – take the same information and key into the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) system ...and on it went.Now take a deep breath and carefully read the first 3 sentences of this article again.how many errors did you spot? Typographical errors in a printed article are just sloppy mistakes with few consequences (unless you misspell ‘banker’). In the example of

the customer above these errors led to the wrong items or incorrect item quantities being purchased which led to delays in manufacture and missed deadlines.I say ‘we discovered’ because the customer was simply unaware of the amount of duplication of effort they had within their design process.So I asked a very simple question - ‘Why?’‘But it’s the way we’ve always done it!’ came the reply ‘There is no other way ...is there?’Fast forward 2 weeks and the customer has invested time in learning more about the Autodesk Digital Prototyping solution and have now created a new workflow where product information is input at the design phase, then the information cascades to the rest of the company using integrated data management tools without the need to re-type any of the data.Also using 3D design tools including advanced dynamic simulation and FEA to test their products in a digital environment they have reduced the number of manufacturing errors and the total number of prototypes needed to get a product to market.The net benefit? Designers, Engineers and Purchasing teams now focus on what they are paid to do, not re-typing information.

kevin Doherty Sales Manager

01254 300 900 www.quadrasol.co.ukCAD Systems | Design Services | Training | Technical SupportConsultancy | Network Solutions | Systems EngineeringEwbank House, Cannon Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1NJ

There is nothing more frustrating than doing the same thing over and over again. There is nothing more frustating the doing the same think over and other again. There is is nothing more frustrating then doing the same thing over and other again.

source: spotlight

1717

Page 18: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

Alexander Forbes Ad

The successful management of a scheme’s assets requires a deep level of understanding of the range available and

each other.

All this is still not su� cient in itself - Trustees also need to establish an e� ective and timely process for implementing changes to their investment portfolios. Traditionally, pension schemes (especially small to medium sized schemes) have been limited by their inability to respond quickly to changes in investment markets to capture opportunities on behalf of their members.

These elements are vital if Trustees are to manage the evolution of a scheme’s actuarial funding level which, for the majority of schemes, can be thought of as the journey to secure all of the members bene� ts in full (the Trustees’ ultimate goal).

For these reasons, over the past few years interest has been growing in Implemented Consulting.

Implemented ConsultingUnder this approach, a Trustee board asks their Investment Consultant to work in a more directive manner. This means that the Consultant will provide � rm, real-time investment recommendations and advice. Importantly however within this framework the ultimate decision making responsibilty remains with the Trustee.

How it works in practice 1. The Trustee board, together with their actuary and Investment

Consultant, agree the level of investment return that is needed from its investment portfolio.

2. noitacolla tessa na sdnemmocer tnatlusnoC tnemtsevnI ehT targeted at achieving that level of return. This allocation will make use of diversi� cation across di� erent asset classes and

active manager skill (where appropriate) with the aim of maximising investment e� ciency with the least amount of risk within the portfolio.

3. The Trustee board reviews and agrees (or asks for clari� cation to or modi� cation of ) the asset allocation. The Investment Consultant then manages the transition of assets to the agreed portfolio structure.

4. The Investment Consultant monitors the investment portfolio and returns and makes � rm recommendations to the Trustee board in real-time. These recommendations can include:

tce �er ot( noitacolla tessa s’emehcs eht gniretla • development in the investment return required to meet the actuarial funding assumptions)

• considering new asset classes or investment products

• � ring or hiring fund managers

rucco yeht nehw dna sa sniag tnemtsevni ni-gnikcol dna • ahead of schedule

Due to innovations within the investment community, this type of investment approach is now available to schemes of all sizes. It is beginning to gather real traction amongst UK pension scheme Trustees as they begin to recognise the very real time constraints that they have in both building their investment portfolios and then in monitoring their underlying fund managers.

Pension scheme Trustees recognise now, more than ever, that the management of their investments is a time-consuming and skilled task.

navigationsatellite

for your pension scheme

Jarrod ParkerHead of De� ned Bene� t Delivery020 8253 7897 [email protected]

Alexander Forbes Consultants & ActuariesLeon House, 233 High Street, Croydon, Surrey CR9 9AF

AFCA /0074/0411 i44052

source04 MAY 1118

Page 19: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

There is life in the retirement age yet…It has been widely reported that the national default retirement age of 65 is to be phased out by October 2011, and employer groups have expressed concern about the effect this will have on business.

However, it is not necessarily true that employers will no longer be able to have their own compulsory retirement age. Enforced retirement will still be acceptable if an employer can objectively justify a need for it. For example, a compulsory retirement age may be justified on the grounds of stringent health and safety or physical requirements particular to certain roles such as those involving work with heavy machinery.

Employers will also potentially be able to justify a compulsory retirement age in terms of succession plans and promotions. The desire, for example, to ensure that more junior employees have the opportunity to progress their careers may be an objective justification.

A further exception will also allay concern amongst employers that they will be subject to prohibitive healthcare premiums for their ageing workforce. With regards to group risk insured benefits, it will not be unlawful to discriminate on grounds of age when offering such a benefit to staff.

This does not necessarily mean that a retirement age will be easy to justify and employers who do wish to keep their own retirement age should be prepared to defend their position by documenting their reasons for doing so. This involves carrying out a balancing exercise; weighing up the discriminatory effect of a retirement age against the benefits to the business and considering whether there are any other, less discriminatory ways, of achieving the same aim.

So though officially the national default retirement age may soon be dead, compulsory retirement may not be over the hill yet.

For further information contact:

Philip harman 0845 165 5357 [email protected]

19

Page 20: Source Magazine - Spring 2011

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