27 September 2023        News

Develop Training, one of the UK’s leading accredited providers of compliance, technical and safety training, has partnered with National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) to deliver a highly successful, bespoke leadership & management training programme centred around modern managerial skills.

NGED delivers a safe and reliable electricity supply to 8 million customers in the Midlands, South West and South Wales. Following the results of a recent internal survey, NGED saw the need to equip their managers with the necessary skills to be leaders of the future. In recognising the need to work alongside an expert training provider, NGED appointed Develop.

Develop’s intial remit was to provide a one-day mental resilience and cognitive agility course for NGED’s mid-level managers to help them better understand how their thoughts, emotions and behaviours may impact other team members.

However, due to the overwhelming positive response surrounding the training programme, the senior leadership team at NGED were keen to roll the training out to all levels within the organisation.

In view of the success of the project, NGED also challenged Develop to create a more advanced, two-year long curated training programme designed to meet National Grid’s needs.

Emotionally intelligent leadership skills

The bespoke programme, Building High Performing Teams, is specifically designed to support managers’ personal wellbeing, equip them with the communication skills required and foster more emotionally intelligent leadership within the business.

These intrinsic skills greatly help to elevate the managers’ proficiency, increasing their capability to navigate difficult day-to-day challenges and improving their ability to build relationships with their co-workers.

To achieve such a suitable training programme, Develop needed to gain a deep understanding of NGED’s culture, key processes and pressure points. Therefore, Develop arranged for organisational specialists to conduct comprehensive site visits and engage with senior leaders and operational managers to understand their unique pressures, challenges and aspirations.

Leadership training programme delivery

The programme is delivered on National Grid premises over six days for cohorts of up to ten managers, involving practical and interactive activities across a range of topics such as identifying the impact of communication styles, promoting high performing team traits, and creating a culture of collective intelligence.

Since beginning in September 2022, the programme remains in high demand and has received a 100% positive feedback rating between January and April 2023. Currently, the training has been delivered to almost 2,000 employers and is due to continue into 2024 and beyond.

Training the leaders of the future

By crafting a training programme that perfectly aligns with NGED’s needs, Develop has helped shape the future of leadership, ensuring that the leaders of tomorrow are well-equipped with the skills, insights and emotional intelligence to excel in their roles and drive organisational success.

Kate Denial, Cross Industry Training Manager at Develop, commented: “Working with National Grid Electricity Distribution has been a real pleasure. Initially, we were only partnering with them on a one-day course, but thanks to overwhelmingly positive feedback and results, we have vastly expanded our relationship to include a two-year training programme to boost employee performance across the board.

Our work together really demonstrates the value of proper collaboration, employee investment, and dedicated expertise.”

Ian Payne, Chief People Officer at National Grid Electricity Distribution, said: “Our collaboration with Develop has been transformative. The bespoke training programme it has provided has not only elevated the skills and capabilities of our managers but has also had a positive ripple effect throughout our entire organisation.

The emphasis on modern managerial skills, as well as personal wellbeing, has been invaluable in navigating the challenges of our dynamic industry. We commend Develop for their dedication and expertise in understanding our unique needs and delivering a programme that has exceeded our expectations.”

Further leadership & management resources

Find out more about the Building High Performing Teams and Mental Resilience training programmes Develop designed and delivered for NGED by reading our Case Studies.

View our full range of Leadership & Management training programmes here: https://www.developtraining.co.uk/training/leadership-and-management/

   31 July 2023         News

The National Grid Electricity Distribution’s (NGED) Building High Performing Teams (BHPT) project is an ambitious initiative that Develop’s Leadership & Management team have developed and are delivering across the entirety of NGED. Spanning from 2022 to 2024, this comprehensive leadership development programme consists of 32 cohorts, each comprising up to 10 delegates.

The training initiative was driven by feedback from a staff survey called Grid:voice from which it was clear that NGED needed to equip their managers with the necessary skills to be leaders of the future. The overall aim of the BHPT project is to equip operational team leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to form cohesive and highly effective teams, enabling them to excel in their respective roles within the organisation.

Leaders of the future

Furthermore, every cohort within the NGED BHPT program is assigned a senior advocate who provides guidance and support throughout the team leader’s leadership journey. This ensures that delegates receive personalised attention and mentoring to maximize their learning experience and further strengthen their team dynamics.

“I found the training very thought provoking and it has already offered useful advice/guidance on ways I can help improve my team. I was unaware of most of this before the sessions!” explained one thrilled delegate.

Leadership and management training that makes a difference

On the first day of the programme the focus is on fostering high-performing team relationships and identifying the team’s problem solving strengths. Each cohort engages in a range of interactive exercises, one of which involves constructing a tower using only the provided resources within a tight timeframe of 15 minutes. The results have been nothing short of astounding, with one cohort emerging as the frontrunners, reaching a staggering height of 351cm. Their tower nearly grazed the apex of the NGED training room; a testament to their exceptional teamwork and ingenuity.

As the NGED BHPT programme progresses, it is clear that the latest cohort has set a remarkable benchmark for the heights of success that can be achieved through collaborative efforts. Their outstanding tower-building performance serves as an inspiration for future cohorts and emphasizes the programme’s commitment to fostering excellence in teamwork.

Stay tuned for more updates on the NGED BHPT programme as it continues to inspire team leaders to develop high performing teams.

Interested in finding out more about how our Leadership & Development programmes can help your organisation?

Our Leadership and Management training contains a diverse portfolio of interactive, blended learning modules created to inspire and enable managers and team members to be the best they can be. Clients we have successfully worked with include National Grid Distribution, Fes FM Ltd, SGN, Northern Gas Networks, NHS, and many more.

View our full range of courses here.

Alternatively, we can design and deliver a bespoke programme to address your organisations’ particular needs. Simply contact us on 0800 876 6708 or email enquiries@developtraining.co.uk

Download our Leadership & Management brochure: https://resources.developtraining.co.uk/en/en/download-leadership-management-2021-brochure

Photo (no particular order): Christopher James, Gemma Slaney, Neil Barratt, Stephen Bridges, Paul Dowsing, Saranjit Chodda, Shane Degg, Shaun Lang & Michael Rogers.

   05 June 2023         News

Develop Training is excited to announce the launch of its new series of digital e-learning training programmes, accessed via a cutting-edge Learning Management System (LMS) called LEDA. The LMS has been specifically designed to work in tandem with Develops highly regarded BookIT CRM system.

This online content enhances Develops existing range of courses and provides an easy to use, convenient and flexible learning experience, catering to the diverse needs of Develop’s customers.

The initial set of 64 e-learning courses focuses on team development, leadership & management, IOSH, and a range of general health & safety courses from manual handling to fire safety awareness. More categories are set to be added in the coming months through collaboration and feedback from Develops valued customers.

A long history of innovation

When it comes to innovative training courses for the utilities, engineering, and facilities management industries, Develop has a history of setting the standard. In 2021, the company launched the utilities industries first ever City & Guild’s accredited blended learning training course for workers who handle high voltage electrical systems. This was swiftly followed by a range of other blended and virtual classroom programmes. Further to this, Develop has recently added a new state of the art mobile confined space training facility to its delivery portfolio and has just completed the development of a fully to-scale artificial street scene at its York centre. Develop is also seeking to address the national shortage of teaching and learning roles within the sectors by significantly investing in trainer recruitment via a project known as Evolve – further details will be available soon.

The way we learn is changing

Matthew Gray, Head of Operations & Training commented “The industries we work with are changing. In today’s market, our customers have seen interruption to business from the effects of COVID19 as well as disruption to supply chain and increased costs. Because of this there has been a shift towards businesses needing to train their employees in a variety of ways.”

“Develop has historically provided on-site practical training – and that will continue to be our main focus. However, following the successful launch of our virtual and blended training programmes, we have worked with industry professionals to develop a range of e-learning courses, many of which are professionally accredited by external awarding organisations. This will allow our customers to choose the delivery methods best suited to their employees’ needs.”

He continued, “These e-learning courses are designed to compliment our existing training offering and will allow our customers to reinforce their employees’ knowledge by providing additional learning opportunities without them leaving the office, home or on-site location. It will also help us all to meet our environmental requirements by delivering high-quality training in a more sustainable, efficient, and environmentally friendly way”.

A unique advantage for Develop

John Kerr, Managing Director added “One of the key advantages of Develops e-learning is the ability for employers to incorporate their own bespoke content, tailoring the learning experience to their specific business requirements. This flexibility allows businesses to address their unique training needs efficiently and effectively.”

Develop has been running training programmes since 2007 but has a history of training and assessment stretching back nearly 50 years. As the UK’s leading accredited provider of Compliance, Technical, and Safety training, Develop has successfully trained thousands of people at their state-of-the-art training facilities in Derby, York, Swindon, Linlithgow, Brentwood, Birmingham, Norwich and Manchester.

The launch of Develops e-learning courses, alongside a range of other high level investment projects, marks a significant milestone for the business, as it continues to solidify its position as a leading provider of training solutions. The company remains committed to delivering high-quality training, now combining traditional classroom and practical settings with the convenience and flexibility of digital learning.

Contact us

To start your e-learning journey with Develop, simply visit www.developtraining/digital-elearning and browse the online training portfolio via our brochure or contact our friendly Customer Service team on 0800 876 6708 / enquiries@developtraining.co.uk

   05 May 2021         News

Develop recently ran a Mental Resilience and Wellbeing training course for colleagues at a major electricity distribution network operator.

One of the delegates was so enamoured with the training that she took the time out of her day to contact the trainer and let her know just how much the training has already helped her in her day to day working life.

Delegate feedback

I just want to say I’m really grateful that I had the opportunity to attend your course. It’s really helped me to take a step back and assess any situation I’m faced with in work. I deal with a lot of stress and anxiety, particularly at the moment, so this has been really useful and I’ve forwarded on these details to 2 of my colleagues in the business who tend to feel overwhelmed and very stressed with their workloads too! (as I’m sure the majority of us do these days!).

I’m currently studying for an exciting interview within the business happening on Tuesday (a big step up from what I’m currently doing) and even the deep breath technique has helped so much with my preparation work. The volume of information I need does seem quite overwhelming at times, especially if I turn a page and I’m faced with numerous policies and legal terms I am not quite familiar with!

I work on my studies after my shift has finished and I feel more confident already just by accepting the fact that I am learning, taking it all in and my brain will be able to recall – and not getting stressed and feeling any form of doubt!

I always have the attitude of “if it’s not going to happen today then it will one day, you did what you can” so my ‘locus of control’ has always been more laid back with the outcome I guess if I feel I’ve done everything I can to prepare!

I just wanted to take the time to send you a message this morning and let you know how much this has helped in such a short space of time. Thank you.

   11 February 2021         News

Transform your business with our brand new Leadership & Management modules.

We’ve overhauled our Leadership & Development offering and have developed a diverse portfolio of interactive, blended learning modules created to inspire and enable managers and team members to be the best they can be.

Flexible & practical leadership training

Our mission is to ensure our learners engage, learn, remember and act. We provide creative and innovative training solutions combining academic, evidence-based psychology and learning theories with practical workplace applications to maximise the after learning impact.

Our ‘menu’ of managerial, leadership and personal effectiveness modules have been designed to:

• promote ‘growth mindsets’ and self-reflection
• enhance behavioural changes leading to improved performance
• inspire and motivate our learners to achieve more
• enable our learners to adjust to change

Online, in-centre, or on-site – it’s up to you!

We have extensive experience of evaluating individual and business training needs and can, therefore, adjust and expand our current modules to address your specific business needs. Our modules can be structured and timetabled according to your workplace requirements, and can be delivered online, at one of our centres or, to minimise employee ‘downtime’, on site at your premises.