Meadow Foods & Reaseheath College
Leading dairy product manufacturer Meadow Foods, Chester is using the Train to Gain service to help employees keep pace with the fast moving food ingredients industry. Staff have successfully gained National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’S) at Level 2 in Food Manufacture.
The company’s Technical Services Manager says ”the training has encouraged greater understanding and awareness of our operating and quality assurance systems. As a result, our staff feel more involved, are more committed and are more aware of the bigger picture. The Train to Gain programme offers an excellent chance for personal development and we have had many staff volunteering for the training.”
Thompson and Capper Limited & Reaseheath College
As a leading contract manufacturer of vitamin and health supplements, Thompson and Capper Limited is a company dedicated to bringing in new solutions for a constantly expanding market. Their Logistics Manager says “Train to Gain is something every employer should be doing. The training complements the work which the staff are doing already and ensures we are following good manufacturing practices. A lot of staff have been here for a long time, some over twenty-one years, and I believe offering training in the workplace encourages that loyalty.”
Cholmondeley Castle estate & Reaseheath College
The internationally famous Cholmondeley Castle estate near Malpas has formed a partnership with Reaseheath College to encourage Gardeners to increase their knowledge without leaving their workplace.
By taking advantage of the Train to Gain service, employees have had free on-site training and have successfully gained their NVQ Level 2 in Amenity Horticulture.
The estate’s Head Gardener comments “Gaining a national benchmark proves that you can do the job properly and boosts confidence. Using the Train to Gain programme doesn’t disrupt your business as the assessor comes into the workplace. This has been very important to us as we attract 20,000 visitors annually.”
Future Finders & Furniture Finders
Future Finders is where learning and development takes place for the many individuals that come through the doors of Furniture Finders of Winsford, a not for profit social enterprise who redistribute donated furniture.
The enterprise provides an environment where everyone feels supported but also where those who want to support others can be trained and developed.
Once people feel comfortable they take advantage of training opportunities. These include hard outputs such as NVQ qualifications and soft outcomes such as increased confidence and self esteem. All of this gives people a real and often exciting chance to move forward to a positive future
Pinpoint & University of Chester
Pinpoint, part of the Quill Group Ltd, had a problem recruiting legal cashiers - there is a national shortage of qualified cashiers and also a gap in the range of qualifications and training programmes on offer to attract new employees.
PinPoint decided to design a structured training course lasting up to two years covering all aspects of legal cashiering, the operation of software systems and methods of liaising with clients at all levels.
Pinpoint through the University of Chester provides formal accreditation of the course through a Professional Certificate in Legal Account Management.
The ability to bring new employees into the field more quickly is one of the key advantages of the scheme, with significant returns on long term investment.
The company is enthusiastic about the course and its value for the students: “The course has exceeded our expectations by not only addressing our recruitment needs but giving individuals the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in the process.”
New Primebake & Reaseheath College
New Primebake, which supplies the majority of leading supermarkets, has taken advantage of the Train to Gain programme to encourage staff to gain recognised qualifications for the tasks they carry out on a daily basis.
Workers have achieved NVQ Level 2 in Customer Service, Business Administration or Information Technology, or in Food Manufacture in either Facilities Cleaning Support or Production Control Skills.
Their Training Manager says: “Having our staff gain qualifications like these is good for us as a company because it gives a national benchmark measure of quality. The qualification is tailored to the job role so we’ve been able to introduce it across site. It’s particularly good for a 24 hour production industry like ours because the assessors are very flexible and will come out in the evening to assess staff working on late shifts.
“Another benefit is that learning gets passed down the line from team leaders through supervisors to key operatives. It’s given us a lot of scope, particularly for continuing personal or professional development.”
Quotes from other Cheshire and Warrington employers on the benefits of their investment in training:
“We’ve always had a motivated team but training has definitely helped to maximise productivity and efficiency and it’s helped workers share our corporate goals.”
Operations Manager, Edmund Nuttall
“Committing to future employee development is something I would advocate to other employers. Learning new skills and enhancing abilities can only help your company to progress in a positive manner.”
Finance Director, The Lynton Group
“The Apprenticeship programme gives young people the opportunity to get a step up on the career ladder, putting them one step ahead, as well as benefiting the companies that employ them by developing a skilled workforce.”
Apprenticeship Manager, AstraZeneca
“If you are trying to move forward as a business, you have to move the people in your business forward too. As an employer you can’t rely on other people to do this for you, you have to develop your own people. In doing so, both you and your staff will reap the rewards.”
Head of Learning and Organisational Development, Bentley Motors
