Training academies are a great way for large organisations to garner their future workforces. Verity Gough reports on how these old-school institutions are enjoying a much-needed revival.






 

School's out: The new training academies

Think training schools and images of crumbling old buildings and jaded YTS programmes spring to mind. But the new breed of academies couldn't be more different.

These days, you can expect modern establishments, cutting-edge training practices and the prospect of a skilled workforce at the end. And if the current rash of new academies is anything to go by, we appear to be entering a renaissance for in-house training.

This revamp couldn't have come at a better time. A day rarely passes without mention of the impending skills gap faced by employers and, according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters, young people's unrealistic perceptions of the business environment, coupled with their lack of relevant skills, means 67% of recruiters will find it difficult filling vacancies.

Fishing in the talent pool

But despite the gloomy prognosis many private organisations are starting to see the benefits of their own dedicated training academies.

Network Rail is one company that has been making its mark on the training scene. Following its takeover from Railtrack in 2002, it has been actively developing its own apprenticeship strategy and now boasts a permanent base in HMS Salton, a Royal Navy base in Gosport, Hampshire. "When we took over from Railtrack, one of the first things we noticed was that training and development had been really neglected," explains PJ Taylor, deputy communications manager at Network Rail.

"In the British Rail days there was a well-regarded apprenticeship scheme but after privatisation, Railtrack outsourced all the maintenance so we decided to bring it back in-house, create our own bespoke, unified, apprenticeship scheme and make it into an industry leader," he says.

Now in its third year, the scheme has been hugely successful, something Taylor believes has been helped by the sense of belonging that candidates get from being part of a dedicated training academy. "It definitely helps foster a real sense of community as people are living and working together on-site and we hope that these aspiring engineers will form the backbone of Network Rail in the future," he says.

Yet while the timing of such schemes couldn't be more appropriate with a national skills crisis looming, Taylor appreciates that despite being an ideal way to foster loyalty and nurture talent, Network Rail might not be for everyone. "We accept that while not every one of our apprentices will stay with us, we think they will stay within the rail industry and that in itself is a positive thing," he says.

The right stuff

Nuclear power providers British Energy is another large organisation that has taken the plunge and recently established its own Nuclear Power Academy in Gloucester, based on a training model that has been in operation for a number of years.

David Barber, head of technical training, is responsible for ensuring apprentices receive the highest quality teaching across the entire duration of their stay. He believes this is the one thing that sets the Nuclear Power Academy apart from others.

And while candidates may leave similar schemes with the required skills to do the job, they are not the 'complete package'. "They have got to be in the professional environment that we would expect them to continue with when implementing their skills and knowledge out in the field," he explains.

"Although this is a technical training centre, one of our key focuses is on the standards in terms of the students' personal behaviours, or what we label as 'nuclear professionalism'."

Although it is still early days for the new facilities, which opened in May, the feedback has been excellent, especially from other organisations keen to see the academy's approach to training. In fact, the success of the programme has been such that it is now being developed as part of the National Skills Academy, the new government venture that hopes to close the nation's skills gap by forging cross-sector partnerships with independent organisations.

"The key driving force as far as the government is concerned is that the training we offer is industry-led rather than provider-led, adds Barber. "This means we are having an input into what the future skills agenda looks like."

Business benefits

With a yawning skills gap and unappealing job market for young people, the future of training academies appears rosy. But it's not just 16-year-olds or graduates that are set to benefit.

The Roland Academy was set up after print and sign-making machinery manufacturer Roland DG identified a lack of hands-on, practical training in the sign and graphic arts industries. Now, 18 months on, the academy provides a training resource and, to a certain extent, an industry standard. In addition, there are plans in the pipeline to open up yet more 'creative centres' across the UK.

"For us, training customers in this way is highly cost-effective as we can deliver a high standard of uninterrupted training to up to 12 people via a single lecturer," says Sam Sooialo, head of operations at Roland DG (UK). "Attendees get a rare opportunity to pool knowledge and share ideas with people who have common challenges, meaning we can keep up to date with what our customers are using our technology for."

Sooialo believes it's essential the courses evolve and reflect industry trends, offering both academic and practical training. This includes learning new software packages in the classroom, then producing what they've learnt on the printing equipment in the workshops. "What we are teaching, in effect, is business - it's all designed to answer the question: 'How can these techniques and this technology make me money?'", he says.

From the automotive industry to the energy sector, it certainly seems now is a golden time for businesses to consider opening their doors to apprentices. "Companies considering setting up a training academy should go for it," enthuses Taylor. "Not only do you grow your own talent, you engender a sense of loyalty and belonging. You could actually be involved in the development of your own people."

"The key thing is focusing on what you are trying to achieve in the business and this is really about that belief that your people and their capabilities is going to be key in driving your business forward," he adds. "If you have that at the heart of what you do, it doesn’t matter what your approach is."

Cream of the crop: Three top training academies

The Academy, HMP Wandsworth, London
This brand new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility has been set up to help offenders get jobs after their release. Run in association with computing company Cisco, prisoners train in cable installation (an area of work currently with a skills shortage) and basic technology skills.

BMW Group Academy, Wokefield Park, Reading
The £17m training and development centre, which opened in May, boasts a 32-bay workshop, 25 training rooms and BMW, Mini and motorcycle showrooms to simulate a working dealer environment. More than 16,500 apprentices have 'graduated' since its launch two years ago.

Virgin Trains Talent Academy, Crewe
The Talent Academy, which opened in March, offers a cultural change programme, refresher training courses such as safety and food hygiene, and management development programmes. It also has a new emergency response suite to train staff to deal with major incidents.