Case Study 1 - Wincanton

The organisation

Wincanton’s Portbury Depot is a busy distribution depot. The site is managed on behalf of Co-operative Retail Services, Wincanton’s main customer in the area, and serves over 250 stores in the South West with chilled produce and meat goods from its Temperature Controlled warehouse.

The company as a whole recently acquired P&O Trans European and now enjoys a turnover of £1.4 billion per annum and employs 24,000 at 360 locations in 15 European countries. The company is market leader in temperature-controlled distribution with a fleet of 5200 vehicles and 6000 trailers. The Portbury depot employs approximately 220 staff: 110 warehouse operatives, 65 drivers, 23 admin & clerical and 22 management staff.

Portbury’s mission statement

To be recognised as the centre of excellence on which Wincanton builds its future growth

The company's vision, values and goals

Vision: To be recognised by customers, employees and investors as 'best in class' as the premier supply chain solutions company, the employer of choice for top industry professionals and the sector preference for investors.

Values: Build and maintain close harmony with our customers; treat every employee with care and respect; recruit the best people and develop them to their full potential; and harness the flair of the individual (ensure that teamwork thrives and minimise operational effects upon the community and the environment)

Goals: To enhance our position as the clear No. 2 in the UK, establish a strong platform in Europe, Develop opportunities beyond Europe And develop more added value service

SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)

Threats

• Losing contract due to poor performance e.g. damage due to bad stacking, all other possible causes of poor cost: productivity ratio
• Low unemployment levels
• Local competition in recruitment

Opportunities

• Investors in People accreditation
• Additional volume capacity
• Build and excel in being a centre of excellence

Weaknesses

• Lack of internal development opportunities
• Recruitment difficulties
• Limited shift configuration potential

Strengths

• Highly motivated management team
• Location near M4/M5 corridors
• Strong commitment to communication and employee welfare
• Open culture providing employees with understanding of customer expectations and the means to exceed them

Linking to IAG in the Workplace

In November 2002, Wincanton was working towards IiP accreditation and was introduced to the IAG in the Workplace Project by Business Link West:

It would be fair to say that the Portbury depot is trying hard to live up to its progressive ideals.  It seems likely their ethos played a part in the Co-op’s decision to use them. Possibly the biggest HR issue is recruitment of drivers - there is a constant difficulty in finding qualified drivers.  Meetings with Andy Priest, Claire Williams and local trades union shop stewards for Wincanton and Bob Carroll and Adrian Stone for the IAG Partnership, brought about various agreements and understandings.

There was a general consensus that providing a service to employees would be beneficial and could be achieved. However, it was obvious that the organisation could not fund and would probably not need someone to deliver IAG as a full-time occupation but it would be possible to envisage a service where, after training, a number of key advice givers could be called upon by members of staff to deliver information and advice sessions as required. 

The shift pattern and the geography of the site was considered and it seemed fairly clear that the undertaking would require at least three delivery staff to ensure all staff had reasonable access. 

It was felt that there were probably some basic skills issues among staff and that it would be a good thing if the issues could be handled sensitively. 

Andy Priest, General Manager, said that in general terms he wanted people who came to work at the depot to consider what shape their future might take within the organisation, beyond the job they had signed on for. 

By participating in the project, Wincanton plc, Portbury Depot seeks to:

• Enhance staff development activities by actively promoting a Lifelong Learning culture
• Encourage staff to consider their future roles within the company as a whole, rather than merely within their existing skills and occupational roles
• It seemed a reasonable way forward was to provide a demonstration of the process of IAG and test the demand.  Consequently three half-day outreach sessions were organised for late January. The results of these sessions are shown at the end of this case study

The outreach sessions:

• Encouraged staff to consider their future roles within the company as a whole, rather than merely within their existing skills and occupational roles
• Enhanced staff development activities by actively promoting a Lifelong Learning culture
• Resulted in three individuals committed to training to NVQ 3 in Advice & Guidance and a resource centre set up including learndirect access point and a learning helpline, Adult
• Directions software and a selection of the Working In…. series of publications

Notes on Outreach Session

Numbers:

Day 1: 10 advice, 25 information

Day 2:  7 advice, 10 information

Day 3:  5 advice, 23 information

Total:  22 advice, 58 information

Information Stand

The canteen was a good place for the stand; lots of leaflets were taken while the stand was unattended. This included part-time prospectuses from Weston, City of Bristol and Filton Colleges. Also taken were BBC Learning Zone leaflets, which list late-night TV programmes (covering a range of subjects from Maths to Art), learndirect course details and IAG Network leaflets. A few information sheets on driving jobs were taken.

Staff seen

The majority were warehouse staff ranging from order pickers to managers. Only about eight drivers were spoken to - this may have been due to timing of sessions or because drivers didn’t visit the canteen.  Several temporary agency staff were interested and spoken to at length. A few members of office staff were included.

Questions

The most frequent questions were about gaining basic computer skills. Learndirect on site may be helpful, but staff also wanted to know about courses close to their homes. There were a few questions about more advanced computer courses.

There were a few queries about becoming a driver and about the CPC training. Several people wanted information about training for other occupations e.g. plumber, electrician, car mechanic and web designer. A number also wanted information on setting up a business. A few wanted to know about funding for courses.

Adult Directions

One person was able to do Adult Directions on the computer. He spent about half an hour and was able to take away a printout listing occupations that he matched up with. He also could take away detailed information about occupations that he was particularly interested in. This included work activities, training/ qualifications and information on adult opportunities.

Future visits

These sessions showed there was an interest in this type of information, particularly in basic computer skills. It was difficult to engage the staff who were reluctant to come over and talk and could be subject to teasing if they did so!

It was necessary to actively speak to individuals who then often disclosed a desire or need for training / career information.

There would be little value in returning at the same times in the near future since this would only access the same people. It would be useful to return at a different time.

Case Study 2 - Remploy

The organisation

Remploy was set up in 1945 in response to the 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act to "provide training and productive sheltered employment".  Initially known as the Disabled Person Employment Corporation Ltd, it changed its name to Remploy Limited in 1949. The first factory opened in 1946 in Bridgend - a light engineering, furniture and violin making plant. There are now over 80 factories stretching from Aberdeen to Penzance.

Remploy manufacturing units have gained BS.EN.ISO9002 in recent years. The company also meets the demanding standards of its diverse customer base which includes BA, Sony, Rover, Ford UK, MoD, AAFES, Lever Brothers, Procter and Gamble, Unipart, Toshiba and the US military.

Forward-looking training programmes have seen many employees awarded NVQs and the company has twice won national training awards. As an accredited "Investor in People" and approved "Positive About Disabled People" company, Remploy is committed to investing all surplus profits into training its people.

Remploy is the UK's largest employer of disabled people and is backed by Government funding.  The company employs more than 6,000 disabled people and supports the employment of 4,000 others with mainstream employers as part of their Interwork programme.  Interwork employees are employed by Remploy at the same rate of pay and under the same conditions as the rest of the host company's workforce but the costs are shared with the host company.

In December 2000 Remploy launched ‘Breaking Barriers’, an employers guide to good communication with disabled employees. A year later, Roger Paffard, Remploy Chief Executive reported an overwhelming response ‘from all sides of industry’ and launched Positive Employment, a booklet designed to help employers in understanding the benefits as well as the obligations attached to employing disabled people.  The booklet lists strong business arguments for employing disabled people.

Mission Statement

“To expand the opportunities for disabled people in sustainable work both within Remploy factories and externally.”

Key Aims

• Development of each individual to their full potential
• Profitable sales growth
• Full, modern factories
• An enterprise culture
• A focused, accountable and cost effective organisation

Remploy - Bristol

Remploy’s Bristol factory employs approximately 50 individuals who concentrate their efforts on PCB manufacture, electro-mechanical assembly and packaging.

Contract services, which makes up about 50 per cent of Remploy nationally, was once divided by geographical region but is now divided by business streams.

Current management thinking is that new business streams need to be introduced in Bristol. These would be data collection, contact centre contracting and e-cycling. PCB manufacture is currently reasonably profitable since all capital costs have been absorbed but the technology is dated and will not last forever. The current premises have been sold and new premises leased to ease cash flow.

The contact Centre will concentrate on list cleaning and lead generation whilst e-cycling will involve the recycling of white goods.

The vision

For Lyndon Biddle, the vision of an ideal future for Remploy Bristol begins with the move to their new premises.  He sees 35 – 40 people working in data capture because: “that’s what you need if you plan to be a player”. 

The e-cycling business could be built up by contracting to remove old white goods on behalf of manufactures. When new white goods are sold, the retailer will contact Remploy to remove the old appliances for customers. Waste will go to be recycled and viable equipment refurbished for re-sale.

SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats):

Threats

• Competition
• No control over timing of the move to new premises because the Government will decide when it can be signed off
• Timing issues relating to ramping up new business and ramping down old business
  Remploy image and the skills base – many people see the organisation as a kind of institute/ workshop/ asylum/ day-centre

Opportunities

• It is likely that Remploy’s new premises can help to upgrade the image of the company.  Local competitors tend to work from premises with a highly functional appearance. Remploy can use the move to set up an attractive workplace, which may help to influence customers and new employees. 
• The stigma of working for Remploy may only be broken down over time and new high quality customer service and products will help to enhance the good reputation of the organisation. The relevance of the services to customer needs will also be a deciding factor in terms of image.
• In terms of the e-cycling work machinery is cheap and there are opportunities for building partnerships with manufacturers. For example new EU regulations will mean that manufacturers will have a responsibility for the lifetime of their goods.  Whenever a new machine is sold the manufacturer of the old machine has an obligation to dispose of the machine they replace.

Weaknesses

• The resistance to change factor is stronger in Remploy due to its nature.  The organisation will have to work even harder in managing the culture.  Attitudes to overtime and team-work are particularly complex but have been well handled in the past. 
• The length of the learning curve for staff is going to pose problems for the business and building up the new skills base and the size of the Data Collection team will have to be steady and patient.

Strengths

• Working with learndirect, the IAG partnership and basic skills providers can help to continue and extend the company’s involvement with training and development in new ways.  These services may contribute to breaking down the ‘them and us’ assumptions both in the traditional management vs. worker sense, but also in the non-disabled vs. disabled sense.  Services may also help to improve confidence levels of staff who may wish to move on to other areas of employment.
• Influencing culture change in other ways and bringing in ‘new blood’ can improve workforce motivation, which is good generally.
• There are good foundations upon which to build a skills base.  A few key individuals have high skills levels appropriate to the new business directions and a partnership with MBS (who perform data collection services in Bedfordshire)

Involving Remploy in IAG

GMB are the Trades Union most involved with Remploy and have an important position in what resembles a classic tripartite relationship. The Government listens to what GMB says and Remploy is careful to work with them sensitively.  Initial contact with IAG in the workplace was effected by local TUC representative Alan Shearn who was aware of the project, and also that Steve Sargent, the South of England Remploy/GMB representative, was interested in bringing an IAG dimension into play in relation to the Bristol factory. 

During early meetings it became clear that a Learning Rep, Susan Moore was a willing candidate for involvement in delivering advice and guidance to staff members.  Remploy is involved with learndirect at a national/sectoral level and had a reasonably well equipped training room which was used among other things for delivery of basic skills training. Meetings with local Remploy Manager, Lyndon Biddle, Susan Moore and Steve Sargent established that IAG was seen as a potentially useful service for a number of reasons.

Lyndon Biddle explained that a ‘them and us’ culture existed to some extent within the organisation. This was partly because of a classic management/worker division and partly because most of the management and administrative staff are non-disabled.  Furthermore he said that far from having problems with staff retention, there were occasionally situations where members of staff lacked the confidence and motivation to try to seek employment externally. 

Discussing these issues and the possible influence and support which a staff orientated IAG service might bring, we agreed to draft aims in relation to the project as follows:

By participating in the project, Remploy Ltd seeks to:

• Address cultural issues relating to the psychological contract between employee and employer
• Empower and encourage staff to overcome barriers to their personal advancement through pursuit of personal development particularly in relation to basic skills and confidence building

The Project has provided two computers to allow use with learndirect courses, Adult Directions software and any other learning and work related activities that arise. 

Publications explaining occupational choices across a wide range disciplines have also been supplied to be displayed in the training room and Susan Moore has commenced training to NVQ level 3 in Advice & Guidance.     

Mentoring and consultancy will continue during April to July 2003. After this period it will be possible to assess what has been achieved.

Case Study 3 - Bristol City Council

In May/June 2001, GMB Bristol Public Services Branch organised a pilot course for part-timer women cleaners.  Rowena Hayward, Equalities Officer at Bristol City Council says: “The offer of a free basic skills IT course attracted these traditionally ‘hard to reach’ learners back into learning and enabled the course tutors to assess their basic skills needs in a sensitive and non-threatening/non-confrontational way.”

The approach proved successful. Not only did participants gain a basic understanding of IT but some of the group also took up further basic skills support.

Accordingly, in partnership with other stakeholders, Bristol City Council bid successfully for funding for a similar basic skills initiative across a wider base of employees.  The departments involved are Contract Services, encompassing Catering, Cleaning and Construction and the Social Services and Health Department responsible for Residential Care Assistants.

There was a history of difficulties in recruitment and retention in Catering, Cleaning and Residential Care. In addition even where training was available take up was not good. On the subject of basic skills needs management found it difficult to address needs even where they knew they existed because staff shortages placed a large burden on a small number of staff.

Information, advice and guidance on learning and work was seen as an important part of the process and involvement with Bristol IAG Network through co-ordinator Diane McAdam, led to an interest in the IAG in the Workplace project. The idea, that IAG in the Workplace could provide some level of sustainability to the pursuit of basic skills needs, was the central reason for contact.

The Project will train six members from the Women’s Group, Equalities Team, Personnel Department, Social Services and Health and Contract Services to NVQ 3 in Advice & Guidance. These individuals will deliver IAG within Bristol City Council with the help and support of the Bristol Network and the IAG in the Workplace Development Manager.

The main aim is, by also involving the six participants in basic skills needs awareness training, to create the continuous means of identifying basic skills needs through the provision of advice and guidance on learning and work. The provision of this service in the long term and the provision of the basic IT course in the shorter term should contribute something to encouraging an involvement in training and also assist staff retention.

As Rowena Hayward puts it: “… being able to offer training will demonstrate to the workforce that the authority is committed to its greatest resource – its employees and assist in raising morale and commitment.”

The involvement of the TUC is helpful as is the potential participation of learning representatives and related roles within the Council’s trade unions.  These include UNISON, T&GWU and GMB, UCATT and AMICUS.

Reference publications and some display materials have been purchased for the organisation. The service will be developed and promoted during April to July. The identification of basic skills needs remains the main motivation for involvement.

By participating in the project, Bristol City Council seeks to:

Promote and enhance a culture of lifelong learning and establish Personal Development as an important function within that culture

Take the first steps towards a Council-wide IAG service for staff in order to enhance staff development activities as a means of contributing to staff retention

Case Study 4 - North Bristol NHS Trust

In 2002, North Bristol NHS trust started to develop a 'skills escalator' for support staff.  The aim was to develop a three-phase partnership of preparation, provision and progression.

The preparation phase planned to create the infrastructure of the escalator which would identify priority groups of staff, carry out workplace needs analysis, raise basic skills awareness and train key personnel involved in supporting staff as well as recruiting for UNISON, Lifelong Learning Advisers/TUC Union Learning Representative training programmes.  Mavis Zutshi, WEA was instrumental at this stage in involving IAG in the bid to offer initial assessment using BSA IA tool (paper-based) and/or target skills (IT) through three hour IT supported sessions.

The bid addressed the key Government priority of meeting basic skills needs in the workplace.  Underpinning this is the NHS drive as the UK’s largest employer to introduce the ‘Improving Working Lives’ initiative that identified ‘lifelong learning’ as one of its key objectives. 

The Skills Escalator was designed to ensure that the NHS provides model careers for its employees through high quality learning and development opportunities, allowing each individual to extend their skills and knowledge so that they could move up the escalator.  In doing this, individuals would receive greater job satisfaction and generate efficiency gains providing overall benefit to employers, staff and communities alike.

North Bristol NHS trust has 3 - 4,000 non-clinically qualified staff members who are involved in technical, electrical, housekeeping and grounds maintenance over a wide geographical area within the eight sites that constitute the Trust. 

Jayne Skidmore, Training & Development Manager, recognised the potential of IAG in providing a long-term framework for training, consultancy and resources.  She was very positive about the need to involve IAG to underpin the Trust’s objectives rather than as an, ‘add on’ role.  In this way IAG would be fundamental in the Progression phase to offer Information, Advice and Guidance to all learners.

In February 2003, Jayne signed the agreement of intent for two people to undertake NVQ3 in advice and guidance - Kim Hacker who is new to the Trust and Jackie Lowe. Their working roles involve/will involve both of them in activities which are contiguous or synonymous with advice and guidance. 

Due to the large geographical area of the North Bristol NHS Trust, a portable display board system and resource publications, appropriate to occupational roles within the organisation, have been purchased for the Trust so that internal outreach can be undertaken.

By participating in the project, North Bristol NHS Trust seeks to:

• Contribute to the retention of staff by enhancing the psychological contract between    employer and employee
• Address basic skills issues among clinically non-qualified staff by stimulating   personal development through the promotion of an internal IAG service

Case Study 5. United Bristol Healthcare Trust

In October 2002, Adrian Gregory, Education & Training Manager at the United Bristol Healthcare Trust Education Centre engaged with the IAG in the Workplace project. Diane McAdam, Bristol IAG Network Co-ordinator, had previously established contact.

As with all Hospital Trusts, UBHT is working towards the objectives set out in ‘HR in the NHS plan’ document, which is seeking to make the NHS, already the UK’s biggest employer, a ‘Model Employer’.  One of the key pillars to achieving this is to encourage staff in lifelong learning through the Skills Escalator. 

'Local government and major local employers’ were specifically identified as a means by which to achieve this vision, and the West of England IAG Partnership was keen to assist the Trust in meeting these objectives.

One of the central issues for all NHS Trusts is staff retention. There is acceptance of the idea that an IAG service for staff might enhance the psychological contract between management and staff. Indications are that, although there may be some reservations to an IAG service which offers advice on all societal occupational roles in a wholly impartial way, it will be possible to establish a service which compliments the NHS Careers Service and National Health Service University’s approach to advice. Once the degree of impartiality and confidentiality is agreed with UBHT’s HR Department the service will support and add to all training initiatives and should become a useful tool to inform many aspects of staff development.

Within the next three years, all UBHT’s medical patient records will become completely electronic, requiring 10,000 people to be trained in computer skills.  In preparing staff for this change it was realised that, for some, basic skills needs had to be addressed first.  An IAG service was viewed as a useful means of identifying staff development needs.

UBHT has recently developed an Education Centre but this is not currently viewed as serving lower skilled or non-clinically qualified staff.  Gillian Key who is employed by UBHT as their NVQ co-ordinator is not widely recognised within the Trust.  The project was seen as a potential vehicle to promote Gillian’s role as well as the work of the Education Centre whilst developing and promoting an IAG service.

A portable display board system and reference publications and display have been purchased for the organisation.

By participating in the project, UBHT seeks to:

• Contribute to the retention of staff by enhancing the psychological contract between employer and employee
• Address basic skills issues among clinically non-qualified staff by stimulating personal development through the promotion of an internal IAG service

Case Study 6 - Better Food

The Better Food Company is an ethical, community-based business with wider ambitions to become a true centre for the local community.

The IAG Network, through Bristol Co-ordinator Diane McAdam approached Phil Hawton, the company’s owner, after realising the huge potential of the new market in the Old Proving House on Sevier St. The market is a growing focal point for the local and wider Bristol Community and is now open six days a week with late opening on Thursday and Friday to allow working people to drop in after work as well as Saturdays.

Mission Statement

To campaign for a more sustainable world by providing ethical and environmentally beneficial produce to as many people as possible, based around an informed partnership between producer, customer and employees.

Small private sector companies like Better Food often undergo frequent and rapid change as they struggle to remain profitable in a fast moving world. Unfortunately they also find it very difficult to find the funds, expertise and capacity to develop and train their staff helping them gain the new skills they may need to manage this change. It was for these reasons that the IAG in the Workplace project engaged with Better Food. It seemed possible that IAG could assist in the staff development process.

Phil Hawton says: “Our recent involvement with the IAG Network is very timely and very exciting. I feel that we are discovering much common ground and learning about how the IAG process can help us manage a process of change and work towards a real partnership with the local voluntary and community sector.

A number of recent changes in the business had stretched staff and resources to their limits.  The company moved from premises that were too small to new premises which are relatively spacious and found that new scale, whilst being appropriate to their needs as a business, produced increased physical demands.  Shortly after the move it was decided that the home delivery service, which they had been operating over a 25-mile radius, had to be dropped. The main reason for this was the amount of time and resources the service used up.

Needless to say the changes had a cost in terms of losing a few old customers, but the shop turnover is up and the business is heading towards a break-even.

Involving Better Food in IAG

The initial plan was that the information point set up for the community could be used as a resource centre for staff and a key staff member would train to NVQ 3 in Advice & Guidance.  One of the spin off advantages would be that the training would sharpen an appreciation of a customer service approach as the principles of advice and guidance focus on the individual in a very similar way.

However, the timing was clearly not right. Change was still exacting a price on staff and it was difficult for anyone to make the considerable commitment required to see the training through and aid the development of an IAG service whilst maintaining the level of activity the business is currently demanding.

Various resources were purchased on behalf of Better Food and the IAG in the Workplace Development Manager will continue to liase with the business with the intention of following through on staff development issues in the future.  The Bristol IAG Network will, of course, continue to work with Better Food to help them realise their community related ambitions.

By participating in the project, The Better Food Company originally hoped to:

• Enhance aspects of the company’s activities in relation to the aim of working for and with the local community
• Develop the skills of a key staff member to support the delivery of information and advice on learning and work and explore how these skills further inform customer services practice

Case Study 7 - DIAS

DIAS is a community-based organisation giving information and advice to disabled people.  Though it has only a small staff group, the Project decided to engage the organisation on the basis that the IAG service they proposed might well give advice to employed as well as unemployed disabled people.

Initial contact with the organisation was established very late in the project and there was little time to establish a clear strategy for IAG. Julie Williams, however, who gives advice of all kinds to disabled people is highly motivated and extremely keen to train to NVQ 3 in Advice & Guidance and bring IAG to the widest possible disabled audience.

Resource materials have been purchased on the organisation’s behalf and planning will continue in mid-April. One interesting avenue which will be explored is forging links between Remploy and DIAS.

By participating in the project, DIAS seeks to:

• Provide a service in information and advice on learning and work to their client group and staff
• Enhance staff development activities and raise awareness of issues in training provision and occupational choice among staff

Case Study 8 - Tourism Task Force

The organisation works on behalf of the Tourism sector which includes Airports, Hotels and everything else to do with Tourism generally.

The Tourism Task Force operates with a very small staff group across a huge number of employers. The employers range from large private sector organisations to SMEs.

The original idea was for the Bristol IAG Network to support a member of the Task Force’s staff in delivering IAG for members but also to pilot a scheme in which a group of small hotels provided IAG for its staff supported by the Project.  It was planned that both individuals would be trained to NVQ 3 in Advice and Guidance.

Sadly the pressure of delivery targets on the organisation from its funding source is such that neither individual has sufficient time to commit to the course. The IAG in the Workforce Development Manager has made a firm commitment to re-visit the possibilities in a few months time.

By participating in the project , The Tourism Task Force originally planned to:

• Enhance employee development activities among member organisations particularly in Smaller and Medium sized Enterprises  (SMEs)
• Develop and pilot a model for IAG which will allow small groups of companies such as hotel groups to provide IAG services to their employees

Case Study 9 - The Beacon Centre, St George Community College

As part of St George Community College’s commitment to providing lifelong learning opportunities to all, a new adult learning facility, The Beacon Centre was refurbished and equipped at a cost of £500,000 and opened in September 2002.

The Beacon Centre comprises six teaching spaces (incorporating a 36-workstation ICT facility). There is also a wide range of software planned to facilitate learning from beginners up to specialist levels. Further ICT is being acquired.

While ICT training is a priority for the Beacon Centre it is by no means its only priority. There is a brief to develop accredited and non-accredited courses aimed to be of value to adult learners with the widest possible range of skills and interests. Where possible, accredited courses will have clear progression routes leading to nationally recognised qualifications.

The Beacon Centre has been funded by UK-Online, Community at Heart (New Deal for Communities) and the European Union Objective 2 ERDF Programme. Other sources of funding are being sought.

Involving the Beacon Centre in IAG

Initial contact with the Centre was through Bristol IAG Network Co-ordinator Diane McAdam.  The decision to engage with IAG in the Workplace happened quite late in the Project’s lifespan so real planning will be picked up mid-April 2003. 

The Centre has recently appointed Carla Wright as an IAG worker and one of the dimensions of the work she will undertake is to try to reach employees in local companies with whom the Centre will engage.

It is envisaged that there will be opportunities to create strong links between IAG in the Workplace initiatives and the Beacon Centre in the future and the possibilities of eliciting their assistance in employer contact is a possibility.

By participating in the project,  St Georges Community College seeks to:

• Enhance employee development activities by extending involvement of services in information and advice on learning and work to staff
• Champion this role by taking I & A services off-site to local employees

Case Study 10 - BRAVE

Advising mainly small and micro businesses on start-up and general entrepreneurial issues, BRAVE sees IAG as a useful means of allowing alternative choices and background information for SMEs as employers. 

Although there has been solid agreement and good essential dialogue between BRAVE’s John Fitzgerald and the IAG in the Workplace Development Manager, there is as yet little actual detail of how IAG delivery will be accomplished. Training, support and advice needs for BRAVE advisers have yet to be established, though clearly current staff skills and qualifications are highly similar.

Some resource materials have been provided and a learning help line phone is available for their use.

By participating in the project, BRAVE seeks to:

• Provide learning and development for those contemplating self-employment
• Provide information and guidance regarding career development to those who decide not to pursue the self-employment option