case study: willmott dixon partnerships
Contact Name: Huw Evans
Role in Organisation: Training Manager (for trades)
Location: National
overview
Willmott Dixon is one of the UK’s largest privately-owned construction, regeneration and support services companies. With 160 years of
experience, the company provides services within the built environment to government, registered social landlords, local authorities and private
sector clients throughout the UK. Willmott Dixon Partnerships (WDP) works within the Group to deliver repair and maintenance services to
over 150,000 homes. WDP contacted Construction Skills Training (CST) to facilitate multi-skill training for existing trade employees who needed
to be trained in several disciplines to make them competent in being a multi-trade employee. For the company this meant that not only would
the employees be ready for assessment to gain their NVQ Level 2 in Building Maintenance Operations but that it would be financially beneficial
as they would be able to accept more work from our clients due to a wider skill set. This has proven to be very successful with WDP clients as
their tenants could have all their jobs completed by the same trade’s persons which meant much less disruption for them waiting for another
trades person to come to carry out separate tasks. The morale of the trades persons became much higher as they felt the company where giving
them the new skills to sustain them in employment.
training objectives
WDP outlined their training requirements and together we created and implemented a training needs analysis so we could identify for each
trades persons any gaps in their skills sets. Once this had been completed we created a structured plan of all training sessions needed and agreed
a time scale to complete the plan. All of the sessions regardless of the discipline that was being facilitated where professionally delivered and
reviewed throughout the program. CST provided WDP with a progress report on a monthly basis.
CST worked closely with WDP to design a tailored programme to meet the businesses training needs. We were able to create a programme
that worked around their work commitments, which allowed them to progress through the programme one skill at a time; i.e. if we had plumbers
attending the plastering and tiling courses they were invited to attend plastering first then and when they had been assessed and deemed
competent they were then invited to the tiling course. This worked very well and met the business needs. The delegates confirmed to us through
their reviews that this format worked for them and that by it being so well structured and delivered they were able to concentrate easily on what
they were being taught.
what they said
“Without any hesitation WDP would
recommend CST to any other business
or company looking for a training
solution!”
Huw Evans, Training Manager, Willmott Dixon Partnerships
Unit 3b Gallaghers Retail Park, Crossways, Caerphilly, CF83 3NL | 02920 852 231 | www.cst-limited.co.uk | [email protected]
PROGRAMME CONTENT- This area focuses on how the training impacted
upon the following areas:
Benefits for the Organisation
Trained Maintenance Operatives who since having the training have now gone on to achieve their NVQ 2 in Building Maintenance Operations. The
company benefit by the fact that when we submit tenders for new contracts we can demonstrate having a Multi Trade/ Skilled qualified workforce
which always impresses possible client at time of submission of a tender.
Benefits for the learner
The people who were fortunate enough to attend this well delivered program of training and go on to achieve the NVQ 2 in BMO now have
the morale and pride knowing they have successfully been trained and become qualified. They recognise they are more attractive to an employer
when they are multi trained and qualified and therefore can negotiate a better salary for their skills set. They know they now can be sustained in
employment and have a good standard of living.
Business Plan
The program met the company business plan for continual training and development.
Profits
The multi-trained employees are able to carry out more tasks so therefore our clients give us more work to complete which financially benefits
the businesses profits.
Customer Service
CST researched WDP so right from our initial contact they were familiar with the business. Their communication skills were exceptional, and they
were always available for progress review meetings and were able to answer technical queries. They always asked if they could do any more for
WDP in relation to the program. We always felt they had the business need and objectives at the front of their minds.
Delivery of training
Exceptional facilitation, all the delegates said they were made to feel that they mattered and never did they feel stupid if they had to say they
wanted something explaining to them again. The quality of knowledge of the discipline that was being taught by the facilitator was second to none.
Trainers
Our team of highly skilled trainers all come from industry backgrounds and are very knowledgeable, polite, and respectful. They are capable of
easily adapting their teaching style to suit the student’s different learning styles.
Unit 3b Gallaghers Retail Park, Crossways, Caerphilly, CF83 3NL | 02920 852 231 | www.cst-limited.co.uk | [email protected]