20.02.08
Knowing the value of training to your business
How efficient and effective is your training function in meeting the demands of your business?
Rose Hill P&OD Ltd believes that the effectiveness and efficiency of a company’s training function should be a key contributing factor to the success of the business by delivering important skills and knowledge to the operational core of the business and by developing existing skills and knowledge to grow the business through the life of its franchise or operational contract.
However, it is often said that putting a value on training is a difficult thing to do because it is hard to show the actual tangible financial contribution made to a specific business objective. Without the linkages to the business plan in the first place, it is even harder!
This is the environment that Rose Hill P&OD Ltd encounters in a range of companies throughout the rail industry. It is a particular passion for their managing director, Tony Manktelow, to enable businesses to realise the contribution that training makes - to be able to quantify it and make valued investments to improve that contribution.
One example is train operator Southeastern. It was clear from detailed analysis that a more effective structure and approach to operations training, with tangible links to business improvement, would add immediate benefit and also put in place a structure to enable the imminent introduction of class 395 operation on high speed route 1.
The analysis identified a critical imbalance in activity within the training cycle and no significant tangible link to business objectives to enable measurement of training’s contribution.
In particular, improvements to the blend of training used, the increased use of simulator equipment, optimising the utilisation of its two training centres and improving the competence of trainers through professional development were key areas of potential efficiency and effectiveness improvement.
One key outcome is the completion of a new £325,000 learning centre at Orpington.
The investment has transformed a former locomotive shed into a state of the art learning facility. It also enables the move towards blending theoretical learning with practical experience-a combination for which the new Orpington centre is ideally suited.
Wallace Weatherill, Southeastern’s head of operations and planning, says: "Staff being trained at Orpington can look forward to excellent facilities to learn in and improve their skills. The Orpington centre replaces previous training facilities in London and it is envisaged will save Southeastern £1m during the course of the present franchise”.
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