Eighty Business Post night workers achieve NVQs
No less than eighty night-employed warehouse operatives and supervisors at Birmingham-based Business Post have achieved a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) to enhance their skills and competencies in their various roles. Business Post, one of the UK’s largest independent parcel, mail and logistics services companies, has been so impressed with the results of the programme that it is now looking to offer the qualification to night staff at its other 60 sites across the UK.
The company’s Learning & Development unit has been the brainchild behind the government-subsidised scheme’s successful roll-out with just under 70% of Business Post’s Birmingham night workers opting to take part. Attainment of the nationally recognised qualification entailed participants undertaking a twelve week programme in a work-related area of their choice with the majority selecting the Level 2 Distribution & Warehouse option. Other areas chosen included Business Administration with a number of Night Staff Supervisors also taking the Team Leader NVQ to develop and hone their supervisory skills.
Business Post’s eighty night workers received their NVQ certificates of achievement at a presentation held at its Birmingham location at the end of last week, headed up by Learning & Development Manager, Chris Roberts, and Regional Director, Graham Kennedy. Chris Roberts was keen to stress that whilst the business’s Birmingham night workforce contains a significant number of monolingual Polish immigrant workers the course was made accessible to all interested employees, with interpreters being on hand to deal with any communication or language issues. Chris explains: “The idea behind the programme was to empower our night employees with new skills and competencies that are relevant to their roles and the confidence that comes with acquiring them. It was important that the opportunity to participate was made available to all our night employees”.
One candidate excelled so much throughout the course that he was nominated for a Special Achievement Award by the NVQ College for his demonstration of the highest degree of development in his field. Hand-picked from 7,000 candidates, Business Post’s Zahir Hussain was shortlisted to the final twenty before losing out on the award in the final leg. Hussain says: “Embarking on the NVQ programme was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The benefits are already evident in the warehouse with new, improved and more efficient working practices now in operation, many as a result of recommendations by the NVQ students themselves. It wouldn’t have been possible, however, without the huge commitment and support displayed by Business Post”.
