The achievements of 25 champions of learning in the workplace were recognised by City College Norwich on Thursday 16th June, with a celebration event at The Assembly House, Norwich.
The employees, from a wide range of small and medium-sized companies in Norfolk, were presented with certificates to mark their achievement in successfully completing the Learning Champions course.
Originally developed by North Hertfordshire College, Learning Champions is a nationally-recognised OCN qualification which trains and supports individuals to develop and promote learning within the workplace.
A total of 76 people completed the course with City College Norwich, which taught them about making the business case for staff training, carrying out a Training Needs Analysis, identifying individual training needs, coaching, evaluation and cost-benefit analysis of the training undertaken.
The course had a strong emphasis on putting what the students had learned into practice, with the Learning Champions building up portfolios of work demonstrating how they had applied their skills to develop learning within their workplaces.
Feedback from the course revealed that the Learning Champions have helped their organisations to focus their training more effectively, so that they do not waste money by paying for inadequate training or give the wrong training to the wrong staff. The Learning Champions were also seen as helping to bring about more effective evaluation of staff training, and of raising awareness of the positive benefits of staff development through improved retention and morale.
Eighty five Norfolk-based employers, from manufacturers to service sector companies and charities, took part in the programme which was supported by the European Social Fund and the Skills Funding Agency.
Trina Beare, General Manager/Director of independent industrial distributor Lamberts, said: "The Learning Champions course was excellent, very well presented and thoroughly enjoyable. The course has helped me to gain the expertise to analyse my company as a whole, my staff as individuals and to identify skills gaps which may be present. I am now able to implement with confidence, training needs and annual assessments, which will in turn I hope, help Lamberts grow both in productivity and spirit."
Dick Palmer, Principal, City College Norwich said: “I would like to congratulate everyone who has completed the Learning Champions course. Their businesses and organisations will benefit greatly from having a Learning Champion, someone who not only works to promote workplace learning but is equipped to ensure that staff get the right training to meet the needs of the organisation.”
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