LATEST NEWS

15th September 2008 - TOTC plays key role in helping Fenland District Council
to achieve Government acclaimed ‘Excellent’ status

TOTC Leadershimp and Management Training Excellence When the Outsourced Training Company (TOTC) won the contract to deliver a comprehensive Management Development Programme to Fenland District Council against stiff competition from over 70 training companies, it was the beginning of a journey that has resulted in the council becoming one of the most successful authorities in the country.

TOTCs private sector management training skills were a key element in the Fenland District Council journey to achieve official Government recognition as an ‘Excellent’ authority.

TOTC not only devised and delivered a bespoke training package for 60 middle managers and rising stars, it worked with the senior management team to ensure what had been learned was embedded into the council’s new thrusting, go-ahead culture.

Fenland’s chief executive, Tim Pilsbury embarked on a complete restructure of the senior management team, streamlining it and realigning responsibilities in line with services that local people said they wanted.

It was a bold move to comprehensively canvas public opinion on the council’s service priorities and then create the senior management team to deliver those services.

It led to the formation of four town one-stop shops that integrated fully with a new in-house contact centre. Both the contact centre and the one-stop shops for all council services, bill paying, planning inquiries and benefits claims, now consistently achieve above 99 per cent public satisfaction levels.

In addition, it paved the way for the council to aspire to change the economic fortunes of Fenland by embarking on a massive £50m regeneration of a derelict and contaminated river front site. The Nene Waterfront Regeneration Project has won several prestigious national awards and it is acknowledged at the highest level in Government that Fenland consistently punches above its weight.

The top-to-bottom culture change and management restructure led to a highly motivated workforce at all levels that now revel in the fact that their council has won more than 35 national awards in the last 18 months.

So what did TOTC do to help Fenland District Council achieve this astonishing transformation?

Firstly, their pitch for the contract wowed the council. Shari Khan, the council’s internal project manager, said: “We were extremely impressed with the fact that they were very creative and that they were prepared to challenge us. They have been ideal partners on our journey to excellence and we continue to work with them on developing our middle managers.

“We wanted the training to be of a high calibre that would stretch our managers both practically and intellectually. We wanted to change behaviours. We wanted more creativity, improved leadership and people skills”

TOTC began by conducting a 360 degree review of candidates roles, abilities and performance, which culminated in a report to the council’s senior management team as the basis for devising a tailored training programme.

Six training modules with associated assignments were specifically developed to ensure learning was embedded into the new culture. The modules were designed to be delivered to groups of 12 delegates at a time. The modules, based on the council’s core competencies, were:

Interpersonal effectiveness.
Effective Leadership.
Managing workloads and pressure.
Managing performance.
Coaching and developing others.
Managing Fenland’s future.

In addition to the main modules, a set of four ‘bite-sized’ topical modules were also created encompassing the managing of change and creativity. All delegates submit a final piece of work for appraisal.

Performance evaluation is conducted through both self assessment and outside assessment in order to build a clear picture of each delegates strengths and weaknesses.

After the modules have been completed, TOTC trainers and each delegate meet to evaluate how the newly-acquired learning is being transferred to the workplace. Then the 360 degree appraisal of each delegate is repeated so that the senior management team can get a clear handle on how the training is being absorbed and how it is changing the performance and the culture of the authority.

The whole training programme is endorsed by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Close liaison between TOTC’s project manager, Sue Oliver and her counterpart at Fenland District Council, Shari Khan, ensured the programme has remained on-track and has delivered the outcomes identified by he council’s senior management team.

Fenland’s Deputy Chief Executive, Sandra Claxton, said: “We embarked on a journey that took a ‘fair’ performing council to an ‘excellent’ performing council. We leapfrogged the Government’s ‘good’ performance category, something that has never been done before by any district council in the country.

“Our astonishing success is largely down to giving our staff the management tools to do the job and giving them the confidence and desire to go for gold. Our Management Training Programme, delivered by The Outsourced Training Company has played a key role in helping us to challenge and stimulate our middle managers and to give them the leadership tools to thrive in a dynamic and changing culture.”

John Brownbill, TOTC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have been able to utilise many of the private sector management training techniques in delivering our tailor-made management development programme for Fenland District Council.

“We have enjoyed a very fruitful partnership with the council and we are delighted that we have been able to contribute their remarkable success.”

3rd September 2008 - Money-saving advice from TOTC at CIPD Conference

Experts from The Outsourced Training Company will be at this year’s CIPD conference to offer HR professionals free advice on value-for-money training and how to retain key-staff during the current economic climate.

Experienced consultants will be on stand C92 to talk visitors through all aspects of staff development including how training can provide a viable return on your investment.

The first 15 visitors each day to TOTC’s stand will receive a free copy of the Employers Handbook (rrp £18.95) and everyone will be able to enter the on-stand competition to design a training superhero. Winners will receive a Nintendo DS Lite with Brain Training Game as well as exclusive Waterman pens.

TOTC is one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of training, consultancy and recruitment solutions across a variety of sectors. Since 2007, TOTC has increased its blue-chip client portfolio by over 25% and delivered over 15,000 delegate days since last year’s CIPD Conference.

The company has also promised to off-set its carbon footprint throughout the Conference including the consultants’ own travel to Harrogate and the predicted carbon footprint of visitors to the stand.

Anyone wishing to book an appointment with TOTC at the Conference should call 0208 596 5450 or visit stand C92.

21st July 2008 - New initiative to help local unemployed back into work

A new initiative from The Outsourced Training Company (TOTC) aims to help local unemployed people improve their skills and find a job. With 31.25% of the population in the borough of Barking and Dagenham long term unemployed, TOTC has joined forces with Reed to deliver Skills for Jobs to local people.

Skills for Jobs is an employability programme that provides training and support to people over 19 years old who don’t have a job. The programme includes a 6-week training course delivered by TOTC where candidates will be taught employability skills such as CV writing, time management, confidence building and selling yourself in an interview. Candidates will be able to choose a subject specialism to study and will receive a qualification in customer services, business administration or information technology.

Whilst attending the course candidates will still qualify for any benefits they may be receiving and TOTC will even cover candidates’ bus fares to attend the training. Within six weeks of completing the course Reed aims to have helped candidates source a suitable job. TOTC will then continue candidates’ personal and professional development by maintaining regular contact for the first 13 weeks of employment, to ensure that candidates’ new careers start as smoothly as possible.

The Skills for Jobs programme has been developed by TOTC in response to rising unemployment levels and comes at a time when the Government has announced revolutionary changes to the benefit system. TOTC has identified a large number of over 19’s in the local area who do not have a full Level 2 qualification. Skills for Jobs will not only help candidates to find a job but also provide them with the relevant skills so that they can sustain their employment.

Beki Harris-Batt from TOTC has been instrumental in developing the Skills for Jobs programme and says: “The Government announced just last week that unemployment has risen by 12,000 in just 3 months. As a training provider we realise the importance of helping local people gain the necessary skills not only to find a job in the local area but to keep and enjoy a job. Skills for Jobs will provide local people with vocational qualifications and as importantly equip them with the skills that employers are looking for when recruiting. We believe this holistic approach will have a greater long term affect because vocational training on its own is sometimes not relevant enough for the workplace.”
Skills for Jobs is a six week course for 15 hours per week and training will take place at the CEME centre in Rainham. Successful candidates must be available to commit to the entire six week course. For more information on Skills for Jobs please contact Beki Harris-Batt at TOTC on 0208 596 5158.

12th June 2008 - The Outsourced Training Company Offers City and Guilds qualifications in line with 17th Edition BS 7671 IEE Wiring Regulations

The Outsourced Training Company (TOTC), are pleased to be able to deliver the City and Guilds 2382-10 and 2382-20 courses relevant to the 17th Edition BS 7671 IEE Wiring Regulations.

The 17th Edition BS 7671 IEE Wiring regulations were published in January 2008 and come into force fully on the 1st July 2008. These level three courses are aimed at practising electricians with relevant experience and is intended to ensure that they comply with the format, content and applications of the requirements for the regulations.

City and Guilds 2382-10

The 17th Edition BS 7671 IEE Wiring Regulations is to be published in January 2008 and will come into force fully on the 1st July 2008. This Level 3 course is aimed at practising electricians with relevant experience and is intended to ensure that they comply with the format, content and applications of the requirements for the regulations.

AIM:
The aim of this course is to enable delegates to gain the knowledge and understanding of the scope, objectives and application of the 17th Edition regulations and be able to assess and apply the regulations in their workplace.

COURSE CONTENT:
Changes in the IEE Regulations, BS7671

Scope, Object and Fundamental Principles
Definitions
Assessment of General Characteristics
Protection for Safety
Selection and Erection of Equipment
Special Installations or locations
Inspection and Testing
Appendices

Open Book On-Line Examination – 2 hours

DURATION:
3 Days plus examination on a separate day

COST:
£475 + vat (course + examination)
£100 + vat (examination only)

ASSESSMENT:
Online examination (duration 2 hours)
Additional C & G Examination Fees will be applicable for all re-tests

ACCREDITATION:
City & Guilds Certificate 2382-10 (BS7671:2008)

STEP UP:
C & G 2391 – 10: Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations

City and Guilds 2382-20

INTRODUCTION:
The 17th Edition BS 7671 IEE Wiring Regulations is to be published in January 2008 and will come into force fully on the 1st July 2008. This Level 3 course is aimed at practising electricians with relevant experience and is intended to ensure that they comply with the format, content and applications of the requirements for the regulations.

PRE REQUISITES:
Delegates will only be able to achieve the update version of the qualification if they already possess 2381 or other relevant City & Guilds 16th Edition qualifications. Evidence of these qualifications will need to be produced with registration.

COURSE CONTENT:
Changes in the IEE Regulations, BS7671

Scope, Object and Fundamental Principles
Definitions
Assessment of General Characteristics
Protection for Safety
Selection and Erection of Equipment
Special Installations or locations
Inspection and Testing
Appendices

Open Book On-Line Examination – 1 hour

DURATION:
2 Days, including examination

COST:
£225 + vat (course + examination)
£100 + vat (examination only)

ASSESSMENT:
Online examination (duration 1 hour)
Additional C & G Examination Fees will be applicable for all re-tests

ACCREDITATION:
City & Guilds Certificate 2382-20 (BS7671:2008)

STEP UP:
C & G 2391 – 20: Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installation

1st December 2007 - TOTC helps Ford Motor Company to scoop top CIMA Financial Management Award

Ford Motor Company was recently crowned Employer of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Financial Management Awards 2007 at a sparkling ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square. The award recognised the support and commitment of the company to its trainees, with a scheme coordinated by TOTC.

Ford aims to attract, recruit and retain high calibre finance professionals and has been running CIMA schemes since 1988. There are currently over 100 employees studying at various stages, as well as over 100 Passed Finalists, Associates and Fellows employed around the globe (including N. & S. America, Europe and Asia Pacific).

Ford continuously reviews how CIMA is offered to its employees and the present format involves Ford, a tuition provider in the form of BPP, dedicated coordination from TOTC and the use of the training facilities at CEME, where TOTC is based.

TOTC has a team of experts dedicated to the coordination of the CIMA training scheme who provide information for staff on the Ford intranet, carry out the logistics and administration for the scheme and also provide advice and guidance to all trainees.

Ford has two schemes in operation. The first is the Management Accounting Trainee Scheme (MATS), a 4 year entry level scheme aimed at non-graduates. The second scheme is primarily targeted at graduate hires, although employees transferring to finance from other areas are also encouraged to study.

The judges were impressed with Ford’s dedication to CIMA from the CFO down and the superb support structure which is reflected in the impressive exam results with a pass rate of 89% at TOPCIMA against the 57% national average.

28 November 2007 - The Outsourced Training Company appoints new Chairman

Bill Williams, TOTC Chairman The Outsourced Training Company (TOTC), one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of training solutions, has appointed Bill Williams as Chairman.

Bill is currently Chief Executive of CEME – the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in London. Bill’s previous experience has included posts as Head of Strategy for Group Lotus plc with responsibility for all aspects of Corporate and Business Strategy across the international operations of the group.

During his career he has consulted on the subject of competitive business strategy and marketing planning to leading engineering organisations such as Mercedes Benz F1 Engines and Team Roberts MotoGP. Bill has an MBA from Cranfield School of Management (2000) and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Bill Williams said: “This is a very exciting time to be taking on the role of Chairman for TOTC, as the company is in the early stages of realising some ambitious growth plans winning new customers and growing our business with existing ones. In addition, there are numerous exciting opportunities emerging from the Olympics and being located in the heart of the project is naturally beneficial. This is a company with excellent products and world class customers seeking to grow. I look forward to working with the Board and John Brownbill, the Chief Executive to deliver those plans.”

TOTC is already in the top 3% of UK training providers and delivers training, consultancy and recruitment solutions across a variety of sectors, with clients including Ford Motor Company, British Airways and ICI.

The company’s unique offering includes a breadth of training provision and consultancy offering tailored solutions which range from small scale bespoke projects up to and including a fully managed and integrated outsourced service.

TOTC is a fully owned subsidiary of CEME Ltd, a not for profit company, which was formed in August 2000 as a partnership between Ford Motor Company, London Development Agency and Barking and Havering Further Education Colleges. The £50 million campus based in Dagenham, Essex opened in September 2003 and is still the largest regeneration project of its type in Europe.

27 November 2007 - The Outsourced Training Company achieves ISO 9001 and 14001

The Outsourced Training Company (TOTC), one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of training solutions, has recently achieved both ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 accreditations.

ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for an organisation's internal Quality Management and to achieve this status TOTC has had to ensure that its products or services satisfy its customers' quality requirements and comply with any regulations applicable to those products or services.

The environmental management standard ISO 14001 applies to those environmental aspects over which TOTC has control and where it can be expected to have an influence. To comply with this standard, the company has to consider the environment at every stage of its processes and all staff members play a part.

John Brownbill, Chief Executive at TOTC, said: “We have worked hard to achieve these standards and they reflect the robustness of our quality management and environmental control processes in the business. ISO standards are pre-requisites for tenders in the public and blue chip private sectors in particular. TOTC already has clients across both the private and public sectors, but these accreditations will ensure our commitment to quality, continuous improvement and actively managing and reducing our impact on the environment, continues as part of our culture to provide the best products and services to our customers.”

TOTC’s unique offering includes a breadth of training provision and consultancy – including basic, behavioural, specialist and technical skills including for example recruitment, new employee inductions and initial Health and Safety training through to managerial development programmes, one to one executive coaching and change management.

Experienced consultants work closely with clients to identify skills development requirements and offer tailored solutions ranging from small scale bespoke projects up to and including a fully managed and integrated outsourced service.

Employers take up the challenge and make the Skills Pledge

The Outsourced Training Company (TOTC) has welcomed the news that a number of its key clients have been in the first 150 organisations to make the Skills Pledge, a Government initiative which challenges employers to sign a pledge to improve the basic skills of their workforces.

The TOTC Business Development Director, said:

"We have always known that globally successful companies treat skills development as a major priority within their business and seeing over 150 organisations make this pledge so quickly re-enforces this.

"We have been working very hard with our key clients to help them to see how making such a public pledge would send a strong message to their employees and customers, demonstrating how seriously they take training and development. We are working closely with these clients to help them draw concrete plans of how they will manage to deliver on this commitment over the next few years.”

To summarise, he said: “Any organisation looking at how it can improve its productivity and competitiveness should make the pledge. The momentum it would give an organisation could be the final step to closing its skills gaps.”

More information on the Skills Pledge

A group of 150 employers has become the first to sign the Skills Pledge. By signing the Pledge, employers commit to ensuring that their employees have the necessary training and skills to compete in the modern marketplace. This involves supporting employees in their efforts to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills and to work towards a full level 2 qualification, the equivalent to five GCSEs at grades A to C.

Alan Johnson, the Education and Skills Secretary, applauded the 150 at a special launch event for the Pledge.

Mr. Johnson said: “Skills are vitally important for individuals, for their future employability and for the success of businesses throughout the UK. That is why I am so pleased to see so many companies making the Skills Pledge. I hope others will follow their lead, helping the UK to meet the challenges set out in Lord Leitch’s Review of Skills.”

He added: “There are many people who have left school without qualifications and have been in the workplace for many years without acquiring basic skills. As the demand for unskilled jobs continues to decline at a significant rate it is essential that government and employers do all we can to ensure those people are receiving the skills training they will need to be able to compete for jobs in the future.”

Commenting on the Pledge, Martin Temple, the director general of the EEF, said: “Investing in workforce training is not just good practice in a modern economy but vital if the UK is to improve its productivity and competitiveness. By signing up to the ‘skills pledge’ employers can demonstrate that they are committed to the training and development of their employees.”

However, not all employers’ groups are as convinced of the value of the Pledge. David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the Pledge was not the way to improve workplace training: “We support the Government’s drive to ensure that employees receive training that helps them in their careers but employers tell me that this Pledge is unhelpful and patronising. The overwhelming majority of businesses are committed to training their staff, albeit not always through standard qualifications as often these do not meet their needs. However, they are concerned that the Pledge will mean that essential public resources will be diverted away from making the skills infrastructure simpler for employers to navigate in order to make sure that employers sign up to it.”

CIPD Annual survey report shows that establishing basic Learning & Development processes is the key to increasing how learning and development is seen at a strategic level

Summary of Key Reports and Findings (related to L&D and organisational strategy)

Learning and development is still all too often criticised for being ‘de-coupled’ from mainstream organisational strategy.
Over half (56%) of the sample state that learning and development professionals in their organisation don’t have enough involvement in the development of organisational strategy.

Organisations that claim their learning and development strategies are driven by organisation goals have a greater level of learning and development formalisation.

65% have a regular process for reviewing the delivery of learning and development activities
57% have an established Training Needs Analysis (TNA) process
56% have a written learning and development strategy
53% have gained Investors In People (IIP)
43% have an established method for evaluating the impact of learning and development goals.

To download a copy of the full report please go to http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/general/_lrngdevsvy.

What Can You Draw From This?

Learning & Development activities can often get so caught up in the day to day running of the L&D activities that they fail to build in the basic processes that have been bedrock of the profession for years.

If you want to increase the impact that you as a learning and development professional have in your business, going back to basics and using the 5 items listed above is a great starting point.