BUSINESS SUPPORT TRAINING AND UPSKILLING
H ow best to train your staff members will depend on the specific needs of your business, what skills you’re lacking in, and the capabilities of the people who are already on your team. For Peter Archibald,
Managing Director of Haldane Construction
Services Ltd in Scotland, a three-pronged approach ensures that all areas of his business are covered. 1 He focuses on apprentices – both school leavers and those completing an adult apprenticeship. 2 He provides management and supervision skills for those who are more senior in the business. 3 He offers practical ‘nuts and bolts’ training to ensure compliance with regulations and ongoing best practice. “Most of our training is focused on apprenticeships and done through the CITB and our local Forth Valley colleges,” Archibald explains. “It’s mainly aimed at the next generation coming through the construction industry. “But we also take on mature or adult apprentices – those with skills but without qualifications to back them up. The idea with adult apprenticeships is to build sustainability into our company. As apprentices progress through their apprenticeship, we bring on new ones, which the older ones help mentor. Having apprentices continually coming through the company grows the workforce in an organic way.” After a junior apprentice at Haldane has “found their feet”, they will embark on the next stage of their development
Knowing where you want your business to go will help you decide where to invest when upskilling your team members SKILLED APPROACH
training such as health and safety, fire marshalling and site safety supervision. Be sure you know where you want to go Archibald says decisions about who to train and in what depends on the strategic plan of your business. “Where do
course with Esteem Training. He points out that “most of the training with Esteem is fully funded through Skills Development Scotland and the CITB, so it doesn't cost us. We don't have any outlay as such”. Haldane relies on another training partner, Competence Matters, for on-the-tools type
pathway, with training in site management and supervision, delivered by FMB partner Esteem Training. “There's a training progression all the way through an employee’s career if they want it,” says Archibald, who has recently completed a senior strategic management
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