The Company’s training & development policy has been developed in line with the Company's overall vision and strategy, it reflects a belief in the need to develop all permanent and temporary employees, whether employed on a full-time or part-time basis. It is based on the following principles:

• The Company thinks of its workforce as an asset as well as a cost, and believes that it should invest in that asset.
• The Company believes that all its employees have the potential to grow, both in their work role and personally, and it shall endeavour to provide opportunities for growth and personal development.
• The Company considers it appropriate to base such training and development opportunities on the requirements of the business, and decisions about investment in staff training and development will be made accordingly.
• The Company believes that responsibility for training and development should be shared between the Company and its employees.
• The Company will ensure that appropriate procedures are in place to plan, deliver and evaluate training and development activity.
• The Company wants to empower its staff members to take some ownership of their own development, with support from their managers and the Company as a whole.
• The Company believes that its line managers have a key role to play in people development.
• The Company will work within recognised good practice guidelines, to ensure that both the quality and quantity of training and development is relevant and 'fit for purpose'.
• The Company will regularly review its overall level of investment in staff training and development to ensure that adequate and appropriate resources are provided.
• The Company plans its training and development activities in line with industry standards, and maintains relationships with relevant bodies.

Training and development initiatives

The Company will provide a range of training and development opportunities for staff, which fall into four broad categories:

1. Programmes relating to the enhancement of skills for an employee's current position

These include on the job training, internal and external courses including technical training, for example on the use of software packages, and specialist training relating to the skills that employees require for their job.

2. Programmes leading to a professional or academic qualification

The Company encourages employees who wish to do so to pursue continuous professional development and where appropriate to gain further qualifications. The Company will pay the fees at the start of a programme that is approved, provided that the employee signs an agreement with the company that they will repay the fees if they fail to complete the course, or if they leave the company within three years of signing the agreement, or within one year of completing the programme.

3. Programmes that have specific management or supervisory focus

These include internal and external courses on management development, supervisory skills for line managers, and leadership development programmes.

4. Health and safety training

This includes courses in manual handling, risk assessment, fire safety, first aid, and food and hygiene regulations. Roles and responsibilities for implementation

Both line managers and employees have a responsibility to implement training and development initiatives. There will be an opportunity to discuss development needs through the performance review process and agree appropriate courses of training and or study. Line managers should encourage their staff to undertake relevant programmes. Employees are expected to take up the opportunities provided and report back to their line manager on their applicability once completed.

Line managers have a responsibility to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of learning for employees who have undergone training and development. Line managers can contact the HR Manager to give feedback on internal and external training programmes, including their quality and cost effectiveness. Where possible, Line managers will offer the employee the opportunity to use and develop newly acquired skills.

Planning and implementing new initiatives

Any new training initiatives will be planned as a result of training needs analysis activities, which in turn are part of the Company's performance review process. In addition, the Company is committed to reviewing training initiatives so that relevant training and development is provided for skills in specific job areas, where work procedures have changed, or where new standards are introduced. Any new training and development programmes offered to staff will be publicised through the Company's normal communication channels, including staff notices and departmental meetings. The Company will make use, where appropriate, of e-learning, and training will be provided to staff in how to access materials while at work and from home.

Individual requests for training and development

Employees can request training and development at any time but this will usually be done within the performance review process, as outlined above. Employees should channel requests through their line manager.

Monitoring and evaluating investment in training and development

The Company firmly believes that it is critical to the success of both the planning and delivery of training and development activities that the resources invested are monitored and the outcomes achieved are measured. Such outcomes may be demonstrated at an individual, departmental and corporate level. Senior managers have an important role to play in this process. The Company uses its evaluation findings for future business planning and the planning of continued investment in staff training and development. Accordingly the evaluation findings will be regularly shared with the senior executive team.

Coaching and mentoring

The Company encourages line managers to provide coaching and mentoring support for staff who are undergoing training and development. Managers have a responsibility to ensure that the skills and knowledge of more experienced staff members are shared with more junior employees to ensure that learning occurs in a planned way.

Recording of training and development activities

Following a performance review discussion, a copy of the approved personal development plan is placed in the employee's personnel file. This information is collated annually to form the basis of the Company's forward training and development plan. All training attended will be recorded by the HR department, along with costs including for example, expenses for travel and subsistence. On completion of any internal or external course the employee will complete a course evaluation form, countersigned by the line manager, and return this to the HR department. Analysis of the evaluation forms gathered will be undertaken by the HR Manager and used within the overall evaluation of training and development.

Equal opportunities

Decisions relating to training and development should be made fairly and consistently, and equality of opportunity should be provided for all staff in this area.