Edge Worldwide Logistics (EWL) recently undertook their first of several planned training days, capitalising on the fully funded skills courses offered by Seetec Outsource as part of the GMCA Skills for Growth programme, at their vibrant new offices in Sale.
The new working space is just one element of a period of transition for the business as they adapt to industry-wide changes and look forward to an exciting future for their teams.
Laura Ruocco, Training Manager for EWL, explained their reasons for getting involved in the scheme: “During Covid, there was a lack of skilled people within our industry, so we had to take on a lot of people with little or no experience. We decided to create a training academy, where new staff members would spend their first month or so with our trainers. After great success with this new internal process, we decided to turn our focus onto identifying the needs of each of our departments and find courses that will help our new and existing employees develop in their roles.”
The first course chosen by Laura and her team is ‘Providing Leadership in Logistics Operations’ and they have enrolled sixteen learners onto the course, with the cohort split into two groups of eight. Laura continued: “A lot of our new managers and supervisors have been internally promoted and may not have faced some of the challenges specific to their new roles before, so we thought this would be the perfect course to upskill them.”
Danny Conlon was the course tutor providing the training for the first session, delivering an informal, collaborative session that involved lots of discussion based around the learners’ own experiences and their job-specific practises. The course covers modules on security, GDPR and equality and diversity as well as well as encouraging the learners to reflect on their own leadership styles and how to get the most out of their teams.
Danny said: “My role is usually as a facilitator, to guide them through the learning. The ultimate goal is not only for the learners to achieve, but also to pique their curiosity, so that they want to develop and go further. It’s amazing what a certificate does to a person; it’s a recognition of their skills.”
Darran Lawrence is one of the learners on the course and he described his experience so far: “This was something I actually pushed with the business when I first started; I’m a firm believer in educating and upskilling staff. No matter what your title is, you can still learn. The way that Danny has led the course is enjoyable and fresh and looking at my own style of learning has been hugely beneficial.”
EWL are just one of a growing number of employers taking advantage of the fully-funded training available to Transport and Logistics businesses within Greater Manchester, thanks to the Skills for Growth programme. If you would like to get involved, please click the link here to speak to one of our team today.
* Skills for Growth is funded through the European Social Fund and aims to plug the skills gaps in priority sectors across Greater Manchester as outlined in the Combined Authority’s Local Industrial Strategy.
