"The fact that clients want us for the job, because our engineering team is so well respected, is the ultimate return on the investment."
Sunderland based consulting engineering firm, Desco, values its people so much that training permeates virtually every level of the business. Here, Training Co-ordinator, Caroline Blackburn explains how.
Q: Tell us about training at Desco
A: We start from the basic idea that if you create the right environment – and back this up with encouragement and opportunity – people will develop. This inevitably impacts on the success of the business, which is why we say that we don’t have lots of assets we have a team of them!
Q: How does this work in practice?
A: We start by building good links with people before they even think about working for us. So we encourage work placements to give young people a flavour of engineering as a possible career choice. Plus, thanks to a sponsorship scheme we operate (in conjunction with CIBSE North East and a number of other building services companies) with Northumbria University, good quality graduates now come to us without us having to chase them! This reputation for valuing investment also helps Desco attract quality people from the broader marketplace.
Q: What training opportunities do you give staff themselves?
A: We conduct yearly appraisals to identify the training needs of individual members of staff and agree a programme to match. We currently have seven employees undertaking higher education courses. Alongside this, every member of staff is encouraged to develop themselves in association with key professional bodies which helps reinforce industry standards and develop professional competence.
Q: What achievement are you especially proud of?
A: It means a great deal to see those that may have joined us with limited educational achievements later go on to achieve a degree and become qualified, competent engineers.
Q: And finally – what does a good day at work mean to you?
A: It is good to know we have won a new project despite hearing that we were not the cheapest company! The fact that clients want us for the job, because our engineering team is so well respected, is the ultimate return on the investment. With the right approach to developing your people, you really do recover your training costs many times over.
