This dental organisation has pushed sector boundaries by creating a dental academy to train employees from its seven local practices. Its impactful dental nurse training programme has empowered dental nurses to undertake tasks previously provided by a dentist. This has increased confidence and empowerment and has resulted in a 30% reduction in staff turnover.

This large defence organisation had a strategic aim to become more inclusive. It partnered with other UK organisations to tackle youth unemployment through the Movement to Work Initiative which targets people with disabilities, mental health issues and those who are homeless. Since 2014 BAE has recruited 83 programme completers.

Following a company buyout, this organisation realised that it needed to invest in its people and overcome its negative local reputation as an employer. By placing value on its employees there are now high levels of staff engagement in learning, evidence of ongoing promotion and progression and increased sustainable profitability for the business.

This technology company has created an incentive-based approach to staff training. The matrix-model used tailors training to the individual and helps to keep staff up-to-date in cutting edge technology skills. It has also helped to reduce absenteeism and build succession planning in the business.

This care organisation overhauled its industry standard 4-day induction training replacing it with an 11-day programme focused on a person-centred approach. Christies Care now offers specialist training, caring for those with Dementia and Learning Disabilities and also offers free first aid training in the community.

This electrical contracting company saw the need to establish in-house training programmes and create dedicated facilities, in response to a national skills shortage. The company’s commitment to investing in Apprenticeships is clear and this loyalty is repaid with 83% apprentices still working for the business, many of whom are now in senior roles.

This building society has implemented best practice learning and development approaches to ensure that supplier relationships are managed efficiently and effectively. The training has resulted in staff negotiating better service at reduced prices from third parties whilst maintaining good working relationships.

The DAF Apprentice Programme is recognised as a market leader in the sector. With an increase in the complexity of modern trucks, DAF needs to ensure that its training is high quality in order to attract and recruit the best applicants. Since 1995 1,600 apprentices have been trained and developed, providing a sustainable, technical workforce covering business requirements for succession planning.

nucleargraduates: addressing a skills shortage
Nuclear energy | 50-249 employees | Workington

This organisation has addressed a skills shortage in the Nuclear industry and works directly with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and employers to manage the nucleargraduates programme.

This fast-growing technology company tested three new approaches to training in response to declining levels of customer satisfaction. It changed its culture from selling a product to selling a customer experience and in doing so reduced staff turnover, increased sales and exceeded customer satisfaction targets.

This large retailer recognised a need for quality control training in response to the increased rejection rate of products at UK depots. It trained staff across distribution centres and supply chains focusing on product control, colour correctness and safety legislation. This has resulted in a reduction of rejected products and a huge cost saving.

This not-for-profit organisation delivers goldsmithing training in response to a declining number of young people entering the trade. The centre, which provides solid bench work skills and funds the first year of a trainee’s Apprenticeship, is providing craftspeople who can add immediate value to employers from day one.

This charity has developed a low-cost, peer mentoring training programme for women dealing with domestic violence or homelessness. Volunteers who have previously experienced domestic abuse deliver the training; it has been designed to be sustainable and covers all faiths and ethnicities.

This organisation developed an Apprenticeship programme to equip apprentices with core competencies enabling them to adapt to a wide range of deployments across the Civil Service. HMRC has created a successful and sustainable learning culture with 43 of the initial cohort of 200 having already been promoted since 2014.

This local charity responded to a need to increase referrals and services at a palliative care unit. It trained its volunteers to support the staff providing end-of-life care to patients. The unit has had a 40% increase of referrals since 2014 with no increase in the number of paid staff delivering the service.

This small accounting practice decided to invest in school leavers offering Apprenticeships in order to combat its ageing workforce, lack of client facing staff and a competitive marketplace. Client numbers and turnover have increased with members of staff rising from 36 to 62 to meet the growing demand.

This not-for-profit medical advice organisation has used internal expertise, communication and support mechanisms to train, motivate and retain a remote workforce. This has led to impressive retention of its homeworkers.

An example of a large retail organisation which created a leadership development programme to raise the capability and performance of managers resulting in improved management of staff. The programme was designed working closely with stakeholders and the tailored approach has led to increased sales and profitability.

This NHS Trust recognised that it needed to improve female representation at leadership levels and it did so by overhauling development opportunities for women. The Women into Leadership programme was launched as a deliberate, systematic and funded approach to maximising the Trust’s use of the talent of its female staff.

This hospitality company, comprising of 18 contemporary inns, recognised that 100% levels of staff turnover was blocking the business from becoming a sector leader. It devised an online training academy ensuring that the training was inclusive and accessible and reduced staff turnover down to 57%.

This large banking organisation is using learning and development to increase staff motivation and encourage ownership of work in the face of drastic and ongoing company downsizing. Over 15,000 employees have completed the leadership training to date and this has encouraged an atmosphere of determination and camaraderie.

This hotel collection established a Graduate Recruitment Programme to address the challenge of recruiting junior managers. The development programme has produced a talent pipeline to fill management roles, reduced external recruitment costs to zero and has reduced staff turnover from 80% in 2008 to 28% in 2016.

Scotland’s main economic development agency wanted to become ‘a great place to work’. It recognised the need to change culture and behaviours and focused on equipping staff with improved people skills. The agency has created a people-centric culture and there is a sense of respect and purpose across the whole workforce.

In response to the government’s youth strategy Scottish Enterprise set out to double its youth workforce to 5%. The Youth Development Programme offers a wide range of learning pathways and the agency has increased engagement with schools, offering work placements. Young people have been welcomed and encouraged to bring enthusiasm and fresh ideas to teams.

This fast-growing vehicle rental business created an Apprenticeship-based talent pipeline with a variety of career pathways and incentives in order to train and retain its staff. The organisation has developed a thriving learning culture with improved employee motivation and retention.

This building services design company responded to an industry skills shortage by developing its own Apprenticeship programme. With ambitions to develop a level 8 qualification, this company is also focusing on female apprentices with the aim of having 30% female engineers in the business by 2020.

This successful SME has used a ‘grow its own’ approach to meet the demands of the business and create an empowered workforce. Recruiting 10-12 industrial placement students annually, the company provides a robust and relevant learning programme and offers a small number of permanent positions at the end of the placement.

After a merger which resulted in a doubling of staff across three locations, this fleet management company recognised the need to provide a standard approach to induction training. The new programme has helped to build a cohesive, transparent business from three separate companies and has lowered staff turnover.