Why get your training accredited? Sharon Saxton has a few good reasons... 

Accreditation stands as a mark of quality for the training that businesses have already put in place. But what benefits does this mark of quality really bring?

As well as being an investment for the organisation itself, and its employees, accreditation is also viewed as a prerequisite to success. As companies grow, often diversifying into sub-groups and departments in the process, first-class training becomes a vital component of an organisation’s consistency towards working standards and practices.

Of course, various types of accredited training bring about key sector-specific benefits, but it is also possible to distinguish some more general positive consistencies. Adding accreditation to in-house training benefits the overall image and efficiency of an organisation.

Favourable company image

Regulation instils trust. From an investment perspective, the government and general public are more inclined to capitalise on, associate with and strive to work for accredited companies with a proven reputation of reliability and efficiency.

80% of accredited businesses [1] admit to having a key advantage over external competition for their core customers. This return on investment in training is a huge advantage. Businesses are able to actively attract new clients through the benefits of reducing associated risks of working with non-accredited organisations.

Efficiency and cost reduction

The success of a business, from SME’s right through to multinational companies, relies heavily upon employees’ effectiveness and consistency. Offering reliable accredited training across an organisation instils loyalty in employees and confidence in those who come into contact with the business. Additionally, offering this training in-house reduces costs associated with travel time and being out of the office, thus improving efficiency.

In a recent case study, Ben Wesley, Quality Assurance Manager for George Supplier Academy reported “a noticeable efficiency increase once their AQL training became accredited: “Since the introduction of the AQL Inspection Accreditation training we have seen an 8% decrease in our Defective Returns Rate.”

Accreditation parameters are generally set on an industry specific case-by-case basis. Starting with an initial company audit, methods are then deployed across the organisation that work in synchronicity with the industry and company requirements. Annual reviews ensure quality standards of the business remain high. Whilst various industries across the globe develop and grow, accreditation is becoming increasingly important to employees and external partners, as well as beneficiaries. Accreditation is of huge importance to organisation navigating legalities in the workplace. Businesses that are accredited are actively investing in knowledge, rather than trying to navigate the complex realm of continually evolving skills development alone.

 Accreditation is valued across a wide span of industries – from private to public sector and ranges in form, from work-schemes to e-learning modules and specially blended programmes.

[1] of City&Guilds Kineo clients

Sharon Saxton is Group Board Director HRD at City & Guilds. Her main focus is to work with the Group Board to implement a major change and expansion programme for the Institute, enabling achievement of both strategy and purpose. For more information about City&Guilds Kineo accreditation please visit http://www.kineo.com/services/accreditation