PILOT NEWS Issue No. 2Issued: June 2007

In this issue:

• ALI Inspection Success
• New Premises
  • Putting PILOT on the map & Location details
• We team up for Basic Skills
• PILOT joins forces with the IMF
• Course update: Team Leading & First Line Management
• A "trolley load" of qualifications
• Exorcising educational ghosts
• Fishing - for qualifications
• Assessor Profile: Avtar Jagdev
• STOP PRESS

You can possibly imagine, therefore, the trepidation felt when we were advised, that the ALI Inspection would take place "sometime between June and October". So what were we to do? Hold back on our plans or just add any preparatory work onto our already too crowded timetable? Since we were planning to move premises in June, take on a new computer system and also immerse ourselves in two major bidding rounds during June and July, we had no option but to add it to the load.

Of course, we just knew that the Inspection would come sooner rather than later. And it did! Just 2 weeks after we had moved into our new offices! But our preparations did not disrupt operations to the extent that we had feared from stories of previous inspections.

Instead, the Lead Inspector visited us in advance to advise what would be required and what to expect - all very calm and straightforward. So we prepared, with considerable advice from friends who had experienced the process before, plus the expected anguish and candle burning from our key staff. The inspectors arrived, questioned, interviewed, observed, attended an Assessors' Meeting and discussed amongst themselves late into the evenings.
 

Finally, they advised us that we had achieved a Grade 2 - officially categorised as "GOOD". So we can now proudly display our own, official ALI badge of approval, as below. The inspectors also gave us some pointers on how to move up to Grade 1. Stressful? Yes, but also helpful and effective. We look forward to showing them improvements beyond their expectation, when they next visit. Or perhaps they will manage to find another "Worst Possible Week", in which to call. What's your bet?

Yes, our suite of offices in the Greenhouse at Birmingham's famous Custard Factory was beginning to restrict our operational activities. Also, visitors to our offices would have noticed that we were rather limited for storage space and in the numbers we could accommodate for meetings and training courses.

So early last year, Commercial Director Andrew decided to scour Birmingham for a more suitable base. He found his preferred location within a mile of our then home, in Charles Henry Street, opposite some green grass and free parking! It "ticks all the boxes" for us, with no signs yet of the active clamping culture which oppressed the Custard Factory and everyone who used it. In addition, we have twice the office space, our own separate facilities, with a well equipped kitchen and a room big enough to hold our monthly Assessors' Meetings.

Following a rapid programme to redecorate and equip the premises, we moved in over one weekend in midsummer.

The settling-in process appeared to have been completed quickly. We did however find many new ways to lay out the offices as we bedded down our new computer system. We now have "hot-desking", with a wire-free communication system in place for the internet and to our variety of printers. For the "old stagers" amongst us, this alone has made the move worthwhile, as well as a real eye-opener!

For anyone intending to visit us here, parking is free both in Charles Henry Street and nearby. Our new location is shown on the map below.

Should you desire fuller details, we can send you a copy, either digitally or a hard copy.

We look forward to welcoming all our friends and colleagues to our new home.

For more information on how to find us, please Contact us

The Centre provides "Embedded teaching and learning." This combines the development of literacy, language and numeracy with vocational and other skills*. This gives learners the confidence, competence and motivation to progress, gain qualifications and to succeed both in life and at work.

Our arrangement with the Centre provides the same Training but at the learner's place of work. This provides the benefits of reduced learner costs and travelling time and greater acceptance by older staff, who dislike the idea of attending a formal learning establishment.

Our recent experience of delivering a course at Aisin Europe Manufacturing Ltd. was highly rewarding, with the programme being well received by both the participants and management. Support funding was provided under the government's Train2Gain initiative.

All the learners gained their qualification over the 2 week 20 hour course. They are now progressing onto the more challenging Level 2 NVQ courses, currently also supported by government funding.

* The Literacy and Numeracy courses cover:

- Reading, - Speaking and Listening, - Writing, - Handling Data, - Numbers, - Measures, -Shapes and Space.

For more information on the above courses, see our Courses section or Contact us

No, it's not that IMF! It's for us the much more relevant and practical Institute of Metal Finishing. Following our work over the last 5 years with a variety of surface finishing companies, we met with the IMF to find a way to combine the benefits of our nationally accredited, funding-supported training with the industry specific, technical training available from the Institute.

We had decided last year to include additional, value added content to our standard, NVQ courses. This initiative was designed to take the individual learners beyond their current work activities, to develop their skills in new areas relevant to both them personally and to their employer.

An example of this is our current offer of the inclusion of an individual business improvement technique (BIT) with a standard City and Guilds Level 2 NVQ, such as Performing Manufacturing Operations (PMO). We have found that the three techniques of Process Flow, Visual Management and 5S's, embraced within the broad compass of "Lean Manufacturing", are widely relevant across industry and commerce. Any one of these topics, in combination with the PMO, offers a highly desirable qualification that will meet many needs.

Our contact with the IMF revealed to us that the Institute has a range of academic and technical training courses which have current, state-of-the-art content for metal finishing. Within this portfolio is a series of individual modules, whose content is important and widely applicable throughout the UK industry. Four of these modules are now being offered separately, to be taken in conjunction with any standard, funded NVQ course available through Pilot. Any one topic can be chosen for delivery by the Institute's own experts as part of the funded course to be delivered by Pilot.

The proposal was promoted through the Institute last autumn. Already, a number of companies have confirmed their interest in this valuable combination of training activities and are now lining up to enjoy the benefits. In the meantime, our Business Development Manager, Ray, is looking for similar arrangements with other specialist industry organisations who would be interested in running a similar venture.

For more information on the above, please Contact us

Yes, it really did happen at Birmingham Plating Company Limited, of Smethwick. The Company, a chrome and zinc plater for over 20 years, employs over 50 staff operating three shifts.

As plating uses hazardous chemicals, health and safety and good working practices are most important, so relevant training had been provided for everyone. The course results were so pleasing to Managing Director, Mr. Avtar Singh Gakhal that he decided to show he was almost "off his trolley" with delight.

He was in fact celebrating the award of City and Guilds Certificates to his employees who had all successfully completed their nationally accredited Manufacturing NVQ or Health and Safety Certificate courses. The had been selected by the Company's experienced Health and Safety Manager, Terry Kelly, and delivered by Pilot's leading Trainer/Assessors, Baldev Bhara and Avtar Jagdev.

Two problems confronted Pilot's Assessors: the workforce's varied English language skills and the shift patterns, which caused the permanent night-shift staff to be unavailable during the day for any training activity. So Pilot's two Assessors dovetailed their work to fit in with the Company's shift changes and used their multi-lingual skills whenever needed.

All the learners successfully achieved their Awards and reportedly enjoyed the experience. As a result, Mr. Gakhal encouraged them to take further courses, again with Pilot delivering them.

The surprise outcome of the Company's training activities, was that Mr. Gakhal himself was presented at the end of the year with two prestigious awards by the Surface Engineering Association, one being for "Outstanding Company Achievement" for 2006. We wonder what sort of basket he will jump into to celebrate this latest, well deserved accolade.

For more information on the above courses, see our Courses section or Contact us

Some of its production staff had few formal educational qualifications. So they were confronting ghosts from their own educational past in undertaking an NVQ programme.

Thanks to the gentle guidance of Pilot's Trainer/Assessor, Raj Skandarajah, and the constant support of Managing Director Ivan Evans and General Manager, Martin Hunt, the initial anxieties turned to confidence and enthusiasm.

All the participants have now successfully completed their Manufacturing NVQs and proved their competence to work to the national standards. They are showing greater confidence at work and a justifiable pride in their achievement. Ivan and Martin are delighted with their successes and particularly for those who gained their first ever formal qualification. In the light of these excellent results, even the Company's ghost has taken a back seat and not shown himself since the courses were completed.

For more information on the above courses, see our Courses section or Contact us )

We perhaps didn't mention to Derek that our entrant for the competition was to be our ultimate sporting hero and fishing expert, Trainer/Assessor Peter Horton. We generally try to avoid assigning him to work close to pools, lakes, rivers, bowling greens and darts boards. But we couldn't keep him away from Bonehill Mill Fishery, Fazeley, on Saturday, 4th. November. The least we expected was for him to win back the trophy for us.

So we asked Peter to standby in case of urgent H & S eventualities. He reports that there were no "accidental" slips and trips, all rods were safely stowed away and not left across any pathways and no one was seen to slip away to Andy's Fish Bar in Kingsbury for anything other than a ready-fried sample. All very safe, just like the factory!

With no accidents occurring, perhaps our Health and Safety course has really done its job. Peter reports that everyone enjoyed the day, even though the fish did not want to turn up (maybe due to the heavy frost overnight). The eventual winner proved to be Kingsbury Kiln Burner, Chris Appleby, with a fine catch of 15lbs. 14oz. The 18 anglers enjoyed a good day and a keen contest, which culminated in a visit to the local hostelry to toast the winner, talk about "the one that got away" or drown their sorrows at not winning PILOT's magnificent Prize.

Having studied at college and biochemistry at Wolverhampton University, Avtar has a good theoretical knowledge of manufacturing processes. This prepared him well for the practical experience when he entered the world of work. With his scientific background, his early jobs included testing samples in a micro-biological laboratory.

Avtar holds a level 4 teaching Certificate, 7407, and is qualified to assess NVQ's at Levels 1 - 3, amongst other qualifications. Currently, he is working for his own Internal Verifier qualification. Within our organisation, he has helped to design training programmes, supporting Assessors and updating course documentation.

Avtar enjoys dealing with different people from different backgrounds and has helped many for whom language has been a barrier to learning. His own languages skills of Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu have proved to be a great asset for many learners. He agrees that seeing workers gain qualifications is a truly rewarding experience. He has already run many successful training programmes with many companies throughout the West Midlands and we believe he has gained many grateful friends throughout the region, through his work with them.

Avtar obviously enjoys a rather dry sense of humour as he lists his main pastime as "being married". He advises that his Sports & Hobbies are martial arts - ju jitsu, reading, current affairs and travel, with his most memorable moment "Seeing the Great Wall of China". He also "Supports the Wolves", which might for some of us just reflect his sense of humour once again!

After a generous buffet, our guests were treated to the first ever showing of our new DVD which explains the mysteries of the NVQ.