the challenge:
Acorn was initially engaged to evaluate the existing Euro Commercials’ Health and Safety standards and culture, provide a gap analysis against existing legislation and prepare a development programme.
The bespoke recommendations were accepted and Acorn was commissioned to create and drive forward a Health and Safety programme to assist Euro Commercials expand in line with its rapid growth objectives.
why Acorn?
Acorn has the expertise to combine specialist knowledge with flexible delivery and exceptional customer service.
A bespoke service was the key driver for Euro Commercials as the business needed expert guidance and support throughout the two phases of training and delivery.
Acorn was also able to provide bespoke Health and Safety solutions.
objectives:
- To provide systems and procedures together with additional training support to ensure Euro Commercials remained compliant over the long-term.
- Identification of on-going training needs to ensure effective use of management resources by developing the skills of individuals responsible for Health and Safety.
- Programme to be tailored to accommodate the demanding work schedule of the individuals involved.
programme delivery:
Acorn adopted a flexible, bespoke approach to the delivery of this programme in order to accommodate the business needs of Euro Commercials. This meant all training was carried out on-site.
main features of the programme:
- The creation and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure Euro Commercials’ on-going compliance in all areas of Health and Safety. Skills were immediately put to practical use by identifying future training needs and targeting key areas for the company’s future growth and development.
- Fire Wardens and Safety Representatives were appointed and trained or given additional training to ensure on-going success of the programme.
- The establishment of a process for carrying out monthly Health and Safety Audits together with quarterly and annual meetings were created to reinforce internal communication.
results:
The programme has achieved the following outcomes within agreed timescales;
- Implementation of a number of policies and procedures has resulted in a change in the internal culture of Euro Commercials with staff at all levels, and all locations, having a greater awareness of and taking responsibility for Health and Safety.
- This includes Safe Systems of Work and Fire Policy. Planning has also taken place to introduce Permit to Work policies in the future.
- Skills were immediately converted into practical experience within the business.
- Review of internal systems identifying areas for improvement and sharing of best practices, for example developing Health and Safety manuals.
- Internal communication has been improved with the creation of a company Mission Statement allowing all staff to understand and support the company objectives.
- Greater importance has been placed on Health & Safety throughout Euro Commercials, and evidence of this is clearly visible from increased safety signage to pedestrian walkways.
comments :
“Euro Commercials has come a long way in terms of implementing a culture of Safety and Health at work with the help of Acorn’s expertise in training and policy development.
With the continued support of the staff we hope to achieve a Health and Safety standard which can be continued into the future.”
Tracey Sealey,
HR Manager, Euro Commercials,
South Wales Ltd.
“The advances made with Health and Safety I believe have not only been the creating and implementing of policies and procedures but also about changing the culture and awareness of Health and Safety at all levels within Euro Commercials.”
Ann Nicholas,
Corporate Development Manager, Acorn.
“Generally such projects are unlikely to succeed unless there is total commitment from the top. In the case of Euro Commercials the willingness to develop new procedures together with a new cultural approach to Health and Safety was evident throughout the Organisation.”
Michael Dunn,
Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner, Health & Safety Consultant and Trainer, Acorn.
Acorn offers accredited qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), and the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (RSPH). Courses include the Foundation Certificate in Health & Safety; Principles of COSHH and Principles of Manual Handling.
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client : EADS DCS UK Ltd
location : Newport, South Wales
Who are EADS DCS UK?
EADS DCS UK is a leading UK supplier of secure end-to-end communications to the UK MoD, and is recognised as one of the key suppliers of cryptography by the UK government.
In addition EADS DCS UK is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. By focusing on satisfying customer’s network enabled capability (NEC) requirements, EADS DCS UK provides coherent capabilities that deliver information superiority through the integration of state-of-the-art sensor and infrastructure technologies, coupled with effective support throughout the capability life-cycle.
The project
- In January 2007 Acorn was contracted to create and drive forward a contract management project with EADS Defence and Security Systems Ltd, based in Newport, South Wales.
- This bespoke service ensured that EADS DCS UK received the exact level of support and guidance throughout the duration of the contract.
- A requirement of the project was that key performance indicators would be built into the programme to measure achievement.
- Acorn was required to report in detail to EADS DCS UK, providing budget forecasts and detailed evaluation feedback. Furthermore response times to training requests were also monitored with a turn-around time of 48 hours.
- Acorn’s ability to secure appropriate funding support also formed a key part of our service.
- As a Welsh Assembly Government contracted training provider, with access to funding support, Acorn can manage a range of available funding options based on learner eligibility.
Objectives
- To provide a managed training service, helping EADS DCS UK to organise and manage their training.
- Identification of on-going training needs to ensure effective use of resources.
- The contract and subsequent training sourced to be tailored to accommodate the demanding work schedule of those identified for training and development.
Programme delivery
Acorn adopted a flexible, bespoke approach to the delivery of the contract in order to accommodate the business needs of EADS DCS UK. This meant some of the training was delivered on site where possible or at Acorn’s training facility at their Head Office, near Newport.
Regular monthly review meetings were also implemented into the contract to discuss and explore requirements in further depth. As part of Acorn’s unbiased training advice, the ultimate programme goal was to find and execute the right training solutions for EADS DCS UK.
Client Training Control Database
Our bespoke client training database solutions allowed Acorn to effectively manage EADS DCS UK’s requirements in real time. All course and delegate information was stored in our secure data structure and was available to view or update at the touch of a button.
Through this system Acorn was able to provide detailed information and answer queries quickly and accurately as well as tracking progress of courses, monitoring training needs and providing a track of individual training requirements and attendance.
The flexibility of our system allowed us to engineer our client solution to meet the specific needs of EADS DCS UK and provide a full service from initial contact through training solution to evaluation of results.
Our system provided a forward calendar of training events booked as well as real time information on the outstanding training requirements waiting for fulfillment. This gave EADS DCS UK comprehensive and accurate cost and invoice reconciliation reports.
Results :
- EADS DCS UK immediately benefited from the increased purchasing power of Acorn’s supplier base, receiving significant discounts on the training suppliers’ list prices. EADS DCS UK also financially gained from consolidated invoicing and the reduction of costs arising from travel, accommodation and time spent away from the office.
- Acorn’s administration service was efficient and effective and evolved during the duration of the contract. Over the period of the contract Acorn has helped EADS DCS UK save £78,420 on around 1100 bookings.
- Acorn has helped EADS DCS UK make their training budget go further by maximizing purchasing power and minimizing training administration costs.
comments :
"The development and improvement of skills and people has become pivotal to the performance and long term success of an organisation in order for it to maintain its competitive edge. Acorn and EADS DCS UK share a common culture of client and people focus and innovation within the ever changing business demands."
Richard Bassett, Contract Manager, Acorn
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client : JR Industries
location : Caerphilly, South Wales
Europe's leading manufacturer of vehicle roller shutter doors
the challenge:
To deliver a programme of work-based training aligned to JR Industries’ specific business goals.
The training programme allowed JR Industries staff to demonstrate they possess valuable skills and knowledge which enables individuals to make a real contribution in driving the company forward.
objectives :
- To deliver a programme which clearly demonstrates learners’ ability to perform tasks to industry and JR Industries’ standards.
- Learners able to demonstrate competency of their skills and attitudes in a variety of ways.
- A programme which enabled JR Industries’ staff to demonstrate their value to the company.
programme delivery:
In 2007/8 Acorn successfully delivered an apprenticeship programme for 25 JR Industries staff. The Acorn team was headed by Acorn Training Corporate Development Manager Ann Dwyer.
The main features of the programme were:
Modern Apprenticeship qualifications in:
- manufacturing
- team leading
- warehousing and distribution
- business administration
results:
All 25 learners completed the programme successfully.
Positive feedback was received from both learners and JR Industries.
why Acorn?
JR Industries were confident when working with Acorn for a number of reasons;
- Both Acorn and JR Industries share the philosophy of performance through people.
- The programme was carried out with minimal disruption to work productivity.
- Acorn enabled learners to achieve a nationally recognised qualification that endorsed their skills and knowledge and gain industry recognition.
- Working in partnership with Acorn releases vital HR resource whilst still retaining control of learning.
- Programmes attracted full support funding via the Welsh Assembly Government.
comments :
"JR Industries is committed to delivering a full package of training initiatives to our workforce, a process we firmly believe underpins our business performance.
We have forged a strong and successful relationship with Acorn over many years and are pleased with the outcome of the latest 25 Modern Apprenticeships."
Julie Lovegrove, JR Indsutries Human Resources Manager and Company Secretary
"The success of this project reflects the commitment of both JR Industries and the assessment team of training and development advisors.
They have helped the staff demonstrate they have the skills and theory to make a real difference to the JR Industries business."
Ann Nicholas, Acorn Training Corporate Development Manager
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