From 12 to 12,000
From 12 to 12,000
For 10 years, ScottishPower Learning has been at the forefront of helping young people in our communities maximise their potential. From humble beginnings in 1996 with just 12 trainees, the programme has now trained more than 12,000 people, and ScottishPower employees have been crucial to this success.
CELEBRATION
At A celebratory event which took place in December at the Scottish Parliament, Philip Bowman underlined the company's commitment to help improve the employability and the future prospects of young people in our communities. "For morethan a decade ScottishPower Learning has been working with a range of community partners to develop programmes that give school pupils and young adults – mainly from disadvantaged backgrounds – first-hand experience of the world of work and an employer's perspective of what is expected of them as individuals," said Philip.
The event, which was attended by around 30 MSPs as well ScottishPower Learning's community partners and ScottishPower staff, provided an opportunity for some of the young people who have benefited from the company's community programme to tell their story.
Kevin Nisbet, now a time-served fitter within EnergyNetworks, was one of ScottishPower Learning's first Skillseekers, and is proof that for
many unemployed school leavers, motivation and the opportunity to gain training with a company like ScottishPower is all that is needed to kick-start a successful career.
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
Through its innovative approach, ScottishPower Learning's work has been widely recognised and praised, having won no fewer than 30 separate awards and accreditations. Its programmes really do make a difference. Thousands of young people living near our sites and hundreds of our employees have taken part - and seen their prospects for getting a job or developing their careers enhanced as a result.
ScottishPower Learning's programmes are organised into 3 categories:
- School-based programmes, including Young Managers, School To Work and Looking Forward to Work;
- Community-based programmes including our partnership with the Prince's Trust, which delivers the Team Programme in Forth Valley, Glasgow and Merseyside; and
- Work-based training with the Skillseeker programme.
"Its programmes really do make a difference...."
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
But ScottishPower Learning is not only about providing support to young people in the community. Both the company and ScottishPower employees have benefited greatly from the close relationships that have developed with local communities over the past ten years. Hundreds of ScottishPower employees have given their time and their energies to work with young people on one of the company's community-based programmes. Their involvement often produces results that are profoundly inspirational, deeply satisfying and valuable. By venturing into completely new situations and surroundings ScottishPower's staff gain fresh perspectives to equip themselves with new skills to bring to their job roles.
Indeed, Philip Bowman used the 10th Anniversary event to re-state ScottishPower's commitment to community based development. "To our employees, I renew our commitment to offer you interesting and stimulating career and personal development opportunities through ourcommunity programmes."
Hundreds of ScottishPower employees, from operational staff through to team leaders and senior managers, have benefited by getting involved in community-based activities through ScottishPower Learning, with over 200 staff participating so far in this financial year.
Their participation is directly linked to their training and development - and the specific needs of individual programmes. Activities include school-based programmes, intensive secondments as Prince's Trust Team Leaders, Board membership of charities, head teachermentoring and many, many more.
Adrian Edwards from Energy Retail, based in Rhostyllen, participated in a Young Managers programme and says that he would recommend the experience to all of his colleagues. "I think this is a very valuable experience for ScottishPower staff to come out of the business and broaden our horizons and develop new skills while working in a different environment," said Adrian.
And, by working in the community, staff also have the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped others achieve their goals along the way. Among the skills that employees can gain are:
- Team leading skills through the Prince's Trust and Skillseeker programmes
- Leadership skills through Business in the Community's Partners in Leadership programme
- Enterprising skills as a mentor with Young Enterprise
- Presentation skills through the Young Managers programme
- Coaching skills as a Skillseeker Supervisor.
David Arnold, from ScottishPower Renewables, joined the Board of nva, an arts-based organisation. "My involvement with nva, latterly as Chair, has demanded that I take a strategic role, step back and provide advice and guidance, rather than trying to doeverything myself. This has undoubtedly had a positive effect on my role within ScottishPower," said David.
Morag Buxel from the Reward team in HR was a School to Work Observer and said: "Participating in the programme has provided a development opportunity that would be hard to get elsewhere. For me, it is a chance to work and reflect on softer people skills in a real but 'safe' environment – a classroom training course could not provide this."
Michael Alexander from EnergyNetworks is a Prince's Trust Team Leader, and says of his experiences: "I never realised the extent of personal development I would get out of being a Team Leader! Personally, it has been a great confidence builder, improved my leadership skills, decision making, communication, creativity and opened my eyes to a world outside my comfort zone."
