Member Article

B-Skill and Asset Skills collaboration creates jobs success

A collaboration between Newcastle-based B-Skill and Asset Skills in Scotland is successfully helping people back into employment and increasing productivity.

Training provider B-Skill has been working with the employer-led skills body since the beginning of the year to deliver ‘Preparing for Work: Cleaning Training’ programmes to unemployed people with the aim of them finding jobs with Spectrum Service Solutions and NHS Fife.

Of the four programmes funded by Asset Skills, three have been delivered and the fourth is soon to complete. Already, over 58% of the learners have secured work, with one trainee earmarked for a supervisory position.

Paul Wileman, B-Skill’s managing director, said: “Asset Skills has a fantastic reputation for helping businesses improve performance, productivity and competitiveness so the opportunity to deliver workplace training on its behalf has been a very welcome one.

’We have been delighted with the positive feedback from both the employers involved and participants. The fact our tutor Shumba Mambo was singled out for praise has been pleasing and the high employment rate demonstrates that we are delivering on our promises to raise the aspirations and achievements of all learners, which is fantastic.“

Sara Speirs, managing director of Spectrum Service Solutions, one of the UK’s leading providers of contract cleaning and facilities management services, said: “Spectrum has always recognized that training staff improves morale, results in a reduction of workplace accidents, reduces the level of supervision and increases productivity.

“Although we have predominantly carried out training in-house by experienced teams, unfortunately the current economic climate has led to training budgets becoming more limited. Therefore to have the opportunity to access funding locally in Scotland and receive specialist classroom training from B-Skill prior to our new employees starting work has been a very positive experience.

“The training our staff received was of a very high standard and of great benefit and value to our company, resulting in new business being generated.”

Tim Pogson, head of Asset Skills Scotland, said: “We work with business, public and professional bodies and learning providers to ensure the training employers need is available to meet their current and future skills requirements and the partnership with B-Skill has been a very beneficial one.

“The in-workplace training programmes are proving extremely successful and we hope the results will encourage other businesses to apply for funding and make use of the excellent provision on offer.

“Cleaning is a viable career with clear paths for progression and we are confident those who completed the training with B-Skill will have lots of success going forward.”

For more information about B-Skill, please visit www.b-skill.co.uk. For information about Asset Skills Scotland, please see www.assetskills.org.scotland/scotlandprojects.aspx.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Waddington .