IBP celebrates its magnigicent seven

IBP Scotland, a leading provider of management training and development, has scooped an award at the Scottish National Training Awards, representing the companyís seventh NTA award win in the past six years.

The company received an award for a training programme designed and delivered on behalf of UK high street retailer, Mackay Stores. In addition, the company was Highly Commended for the Premier Adviser Programme delivered on behalf of Scottish Enterprise.

The National Training Awards, which celebrated its eighteenth year, are managed in Scotland by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and are the UKís premier showcase for organisations and people who have been selected for outstanding achievement in workplace training and personal development.

Commenting on the award, John Parker, Managing Director said, ìItís always a tremendous feeling to have your work recognised and especially by your peers. To receive an awards for the past six years is a testament to the ongoing work of ibpís staff and their determination not to be complacent but rather to strive towards delivering to their own exceptional standardsî.

With its headquarters based in Paisley, Mackays Stores, which is one of the UKís largest privately owned retailers, employs 2,700 people across 250 UK stores. The company is about to embark on an extensive expansion strategy with the intention of opening 50 new stores, as well as restructuring elements of the business.

In recognition of this growth plan and the need to increase the effectiveness of key managers in the daily operations of the business, ibp Scotland designed and delivered a bespoke management course aimed at the companyís key area managers who each have responsibility for around 17 stores.

The interactive course was delivered over an 18 month period and covered topics including business planning, presentation skills and project management.

Part of the main learning activity was work based projects which focused on delegation, personal effectiveness and interpersonal skills. On completion and assessment by ibp, each candidate successfully gained an NVQ Level 5 Strategic Management qualification.

The Premier Adviser Programme was introduced to ensure that all Scottish business advisers were working and delivering to a national standard throughout the enterprise network. A pilot group of 40 embarked on the first phase of the programme which comprised a mixture of online learning, workshops and assignments.

Three assessment centres were established and a team of professional mentors worked closely with the trainees. Eventually the programme was rolled out and nearly 600 advisers signed up for the course.

An independent evaluation found that ìPremier Adviser is proving an important lever to help raise the long-run, sustainable growth of the Scottish economyî.

Commenting at the ceremony which was held in Glasgow and attended by guest of honour, Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace, Alan Sinclair, Senior Director of Skills and Learning, Scottish Enterprise added, ìWhy do we train people?

Is it to make us feel good, or as an article of faith? The National Training Awards finalists, from a small local charity to one of the worldís biggest companies, train because it works.

It pays dividends; investing in training, if done well, gives a rate of return.

We train because it drives performanceî.

This yearís awards received a record number of entries and a significant rise in the standards of training.