There are many reasons why companies take the route to IIP accreditation. For Glasgow-based company Real Time Engineering Ltd a plaque on the wall was not one of them.
''We felt very strongly that it was a sensible method by which we could address our training and development areas and look strategically at what we needed to do,'' said Helen Moreland, Human resources director with the firm which provides systems consultancy, development and integration in the oil/gas, power and aviation industries.
''IIP was a way to plan that while looking forward and continually developing the skills of our staff. We knew the IIP framework would help us achieve that - jumping through hoops just to get accreditation was never our intention.''
The company - with an annual turnover exceeding #6m - believes its success is based on the experience and capability of its 150 staff, drawn from a variety of technical disciplines.
Working in partnership with its clients helps maintain a flexible approach to the diverse projects the company undertakes. More than 70% of company turnover is derived from repeat business or word-of-mouth referrals.
Real Time Engineering's clients appreciate its collaborative approach. Using IIP, this was a philosophy the company wanted to build on.
''We broke down the training strategy into three areas where we planned to meet an overall company requirement, and then looked at the divisional and personal requirements,'' said Moreland.
''Our GDA adviser acted as a sounding board for us. She was very knowledgeable and a great help - I've been very pleased with the GDA's support.''
The process enabled the company to feed its training and development issues into the overall business plan. The worth of training could be closely evaluated while staff developed focused learning objectives via individual action plans.
''Often people go to training sessions without knowing why they're there,'' said Moreland. ''We aren't in the business of doing that to our staff. Training is a participative process in which staff drive their own skills development.
''Our overall training plan is a valuable source of information for the company, enabling us to review our training and ensure the overall effect was positive - a dynamic process, which reflects our business.''
In April 1997, nine months later, Real Time Engineering had its plaque on the wall. It now complements the company's previous accreditation; ISO90001 and TickIT, a certification scheme designed for the software industry.
IIP has, however, provided the company with a business framework which operates from board level down, and looks set to underpin its impressive growth.
''The framework was invaluable - we didn't feel restricted by it,'' said Moreland. ''It worked well for us because it makes good business sense. For companies which look at training and development strategically, IIP is worthwhile.
''Not every organisation takes training and development seriously and considers it from a business point of view.
''Taken in the right context, IIP could have a real impact on Scottish business - and promote our workforce internationally as highly educated, qualified and skilled.''
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