Qualifications build confidence for Co-op staff

Citation

(2005), "Qualifications build confidence for Co-op staff", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 37 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2005.03737fab.003

Qualifications build confidence for Co-op staff

The Co-op Motor Group, a division of Ilkeston Co-op, Derbyshire, England, has embarked on a programme of National Vocational Qualifications with Intec Business Colleges.

Staff from the booking office, which handles after-sales inquiries from private customers, lease hire and fleet companies, have signed up for vocational qualifications in customer service and team leading, as part of a programme that has seen growing numbers of employees from within the company gaining nationally recognized qualifications.

After-sales booking manager Sarah Dovey, who introduced the NVQ programme, said: “Ilkeston Co-op is committed to continuous improvement through Investors in People and the Retail Motor Institute. With NVQs, we are also giving staff an opportunity to gain qualifications linked to the job they do, thereby helping to nurture greater confidence and a positive team spirit. Intec has been delivering qualifications on-site for us since 2001 and we have built up an excellent rapport and seen good results among NVQ candidates.”

The booking office handles calls from Lincoln, Grantham and Alfreton. In addition to good communication skills, staff need to work together seamlessly as a team. To this end, one of the new intake of NVQ candidates, Donna Woolhouse, has signed up for the Team Leading Level II qualification.

Intec Business Colleges, with colleges across the UK, works with companies to help employees to achieve nationally recognized standards of excellence in job-related skills.