Oldham-based furniture components manufacturer and distributor Hill’s Panel Products (HPP) is expanding the skillset of its employees in a bid to improve its service offering to retailers.
The company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is investing in workforce development with 17 staff members joining an ILM Level 2 qualification course for leadership and team skills.
The qualification is designed to help individual staff improve their performance as team members and assist their transition from working in a team to leading a team. It also helps practising team leaders to be more effective and confident in their work. The aim being to enhance the company’s operations at all levels in order to improve efficiency and service to retailers.
Dan Mounsey, HPP’s director of marketing and business development, said: “Our business is committed to skills and training right across all departments and at all levels. It’s great to see 17 staff involved with this Level 2 programme.
“It will enhance our operations in many ways by giving staff more insight, skills and understanding of business needs and issues. It’ll boost both individual and team communications, direction, productivity, planning, problem-solving and development. We are also looking to progress staff onto the next Level 3, building on this.”
Two groups of staff – including HPP day supervisor in board production, Scott Frost (pictured) – have already taken part in the training sessions held at Oldham Events Centre at Oldham Athletic FC.
It is also helping to address the industry’s growing skills gap by providing work, training and mentoring opportunities for six young people at its Oldham HQ and second UK distribution centre in Sheffield, under the Government’s national Kickstart scheme. The Kickstart programme provides funding to support placements for 16 to 24-year-olds who are at risk of unemployment but keen to gain experience, skills and an income.