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Pera Integrated Training has won a National Training Award for a programme that was underpinned by output-driven learning at UK glass manufacturer Solaglas.
The need at Solaglas was to restructure the business. Some 70 process managers were identified as the leaders of this change and, as such, they needed to develop their skills and confidence and learn a consistent way of doing things.
Jamie Richardson, Solaglas training and development manager during the change, explained the shift that was required. "The company was committed to a major restructuring that needed the implementation of new systems and processes", he said. "However, we also understood that the change had to be managed through people at 11 separate sites across the UK.
"In effect we had a top-down and bottom-up approach. At the top we were looking at issues such as tightening our recruitment and retention policies and improving our systems and processes. At the bottom end we were looking at developing our people into complete managers who were capable of implementing these policies. Thus a real sense of focus was provided and an emerging selfconfidence started to grow among the whole workforce."
There were four themes in the Solaglas development programme systematic problem solving and teambuilding, manufacturing management, people and business management and the development of networks.
In practice the first part of this programme, teambuilding training, helped the process managers to develop a common language, focus their ideas and engage the stakeholders. The manufacturing-methods training and facilitation then helped participants to ground new skills and practice back in the workplace. As part of this they were also required to present their real experience at...