VT Group

Details

Address: Blakeridge Lane, Batley, West Yorkshire, WF17 8PD  View Map

About: VT Training’s Vision
VT Training is the largest work-based learning provider in the UK, delivering learning programmes to over 18,000 learners nationwide and working with over 6,000 employers. VT Training has a £50 million turnover, offices across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and employs over 900 staff.

VT Training forms part of VT Education and Skills which is part of the, a FTSE 250 company with a turnover of £1 billion and 13,000 employees.

Through high quality delivery of training and working in partnership with learners, employers, government and industry bodies, VT Training aims to improve the work skills of all young people and adults across the UK.

"To be recognised by employers, learners, industry and stakeholders as the UK's leading developer and provider of quality bespoke training and assessment programmes which meet individuals' social and vocational needs"

Contact: Andy Allan

Email: Andy.Allan@vtplc.com

Telephone: 07753900184

Website: www.vttraining.co.uk

Click here to view the Ofsted information regarding this provider.

Additional Information: Working and developing partnerships is one of VT Training’s key philosophies. Being recognised by our customers as a trusted and reliable partner that can provide the service and expertise that they require is key to all aspects of the company’s reputation.

VT Training recognises that working in partnership with all our customers is fundamental to everything we undertake. We have developed many services to achieve this, including:

A wide range of work-based learning courses, including apprenticeships, NVQs, skills for life and short job-focused training courses
Access to government funding, to support learners in achieving their goals
Impartial and free Information Advice and Guidance (IAG), to both potential learners and employers on the learning and work-based opportunities available
The provision of on-line training resources and access to on-line training courses through “The Knowledge” section on this website
Management information, marketing materials, individual learner support, bespoke training and much more…

Case Study 1

VT Training is delighted to announce that The West Cluster Marriott Team have won the Springboard Career Progression Award for Excellence 2008. The award is sponsored by VT Training, as part of our programme to encourage and nurture those business who put career building for staff at the core of their business plan.

The Marriott team impressed the judging panel of industry experts with their approach to taking career progression and succession planning to another level through a definitive approach to recruiting from within and developing a pipeline of talent. Central to this approach was a pool of trained mentors who worked alongside department managers to develop, coach and nurture talent from within. This is supported by career progression activity from direct entry, through NVQs, Voyage Marriot graduate programme and professional studies. Success means that over 80% of the senior executive team having grown their careers from within the company.

Stephen Winch of VT Training commented “As the UK’s leading provider of work-based learning, VT Training are delighted once again to support the Springboard Awards for Excellence. We share with Springboard the commitment to encourage individuals of all ages to gain the skills they need to succeed in the workplace, and offer our congratulations to Marriott Hotels Western Cluster who have made an exceptional effort to attract and retain the high quality employees.”

Springboard Chief Executive Anne Pierce said: “One of the industry’s biggest selling points is the potential for rapid career progression. This award recognises Marriott Hotels as an organisation that demonstrated the most outstanding opportunities for career progression, both for the employer and its employees. We were looking for evidence of a determined approach to the career progression of a company’s people, and emphasis was placed on employee evidence that this approach was demonstrated throughout the business at all levels of seniority. At a time when business is beginning to get really tough, we believe that recognising achievement is critical to motivation and morale. The Awards for Excellence are a fitting tribute to the passion, enthusiasm and dedication displayed by businesses and individuals who contributed to the quality, variety and creativity within tourism in the UK today. Our industry continues to set new and tougher standards and to achieve the highest possible levels of customer satisfaction. Without doubt, the enthusiasm, excitement and commitment demonstrated by our award winners set a wonderful example for others in the industry to follow.”

Case Study 2

BrightHouse is a national retail chain specialising in the sale of home electronic and domestic appliances, household furniture and related products, on a ‘rent to own’ affordable weekly payment basis. BrightHouse provide customers access to a choice of products, operating without the normal requirement of large deposits and credit ratings. With more than 1,800 staff UK-wide, BrightHouse is a major employer in the local communities where its 178 stores are located. A further 25 stores are set to open during the next 12 months.

BrightHouse has been running a pilot project in partnership with VT Training called People of Potential, designed to give those in supervisory positions the skills and expertise need to move up to the next level of management. The programme is of six months’ duration with monthly workshops dealing with such subjects as Commercial Results and Leadership. Alongside BrightHouse’s own programme, each participant in People of Potential also enrols on a Level 3 Retail Management qualification with VT Training.

People of Potential is an invitation only programme; that is, each participant has been hand-picked by the Learning & Development team for their suitability and aptitude to make the progression to a management role.

The pilot programme in the North West came to an end in January and BrightHouse are now keen to roll out the scheme nationally.

"At BrightHouse we pride ourselves on encouraging and supporting the career development of our talented employees. Our partnership with VT training for NVQ qualifications provides a strong foundation for which BrightHouse, as a fast growing retailer, can build upon in its career development programme,” said Danny Creed, Divisional Training Manager. “Offering Level 2 and Level 3 NVQs to our new and existing colleagues required a partnership with a national provider that could meet the demanding needs of our business. VT training has offered the highest level of support and with its approachability and national presence we could not have selected a better partner."

Case Study 3

People 1st is the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism. People 1st has just completed a major research project into employment and training in those industries, and a report from that research, ‘State of the Nation’, was released on 13th May at a seminar at BAFTA’s London headquarters.

As the UK’s largest and leading training provider to the hospitality industry, VT Training was proud to be the sponsor of the research project, and much of what it contains is vital information for future planning for us as a training provider, our employer partners and those choosing to go into hospitality, leisure and tourism careers with VT Training.Here are just some of the key facts that the research identified:

53% of employers plan to look more closely at qualifications to differentiate between increasing numbers of job applicants.
Whilst the number of jobseekers has increased, there are still many key skills that employers feel are lacking in potential applicants. Topping that list is technical, practical and job-specific skills – for example craft skills in chefs. Almost half of employers (45%) struggle to find candidates that meet their expectations in these areas.
Other skills deficiencies included oral communication and customer handling – 41% of respondents felt that that these skills are often lacking amongst candidates.
Despite equal opportunities in the workplace, the report identified that women in hospitality were hitting a glass ceiling. Although 59% of the workforce is female, worryingly very few reached top positions.
The proportion of female managers dropped from 49% in 2004/05 to 46%, while only six per cent of hospitality company directors are women.
The report concludes that whilst, along with the rest of the economy, trading will be tough in the short term, in the long term the sector is still predicted to grow and remain an important contributor to the UK economy.
Total employment is predicted to grow by nearly 10% (208,000 additional jobs) by 2017. When replacement demand is taken into account, projections indicate that a total of 1,063,000 additional people will be required to work in the sector between 2007 and 2017.
Brian Wisdom, Chief Executive of People 1st, commented: “Having a qualification on your CV that proves you possess skills in those key areas could be the difference between being considered as a top candidate and not even getting an interview.”

Barbara Follett Minister for Tourism, who spoke at the launch, said: ‘This new research shows just how vital training and skills are to the success of the tourism and hospitality industries and just how valuable these sectors are to the British economy. Most importantly, the report identifies the areas where work is needed to bring service up to the high standards demanded by today's customers and details what must be done to close the skills gap.'

According to Brian Wisdom, the report clearly indicates that companies must review and adapt their approach, placing the customer and staff development first.

‘For many years, the sector has not sufficiently trained enough young people and has relied on unskilled and migrant workers. This is not a viable business strategy for long-term growth.

'Now more than ever it's important that those entering the sector are equipped with the skills industry needs.' The report also highlights that two-thirds of businesses (66%) invest in staff training and a quarter (25%) plan to increase training despite the recession. Worryingly though, half of respondents (51%) plan to cut back on training.

‘This is a false economy,' claims Wisdom. ‘Companies that grow their staff and provide good value for money without compromising on quality, should be in pole position when the economy picks up.'

While the industry has grown substantially in the past five years, there is evidence that employers are now cutting back as the recession starts to bite. 26% of businesses in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism froze recruitment during the 12 months to March 2009 and 24% have cancelled plans to expand their workforce.

Yet, the industry is still suffering from skills shortages and the highest labour turnover of all sectors of the UK economy, standing at 31% in 2008.

However, the sector appears to be making some inroads in improving the skills of the current workforce. More employers are also training their staff than previously (66% in 2007 compared to 61% in 2005). Slightly fewer businesses are reporting that their staff lack skills than a year ago.

Overall, qualification levels have risen over the last five years. The proportion of the workforce with at least a level 2 qualification rose from 60% in 2003/04 to 64% in 2007/08.

If you’d like to find out more about the State of the Nation and read the Executive Summary, go to http://www.people1st.co.uk/research/state-of-the-nation-2009.