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March, 2008

Ayr training provider helps Saudi trainee to bag top excellence award

An Ayrshire training provider has successfully expanded into the Middle East and produced an award winning trainee.
JB Management, a training provider based in Ayr, has found success in the Saudi Arabian market with the support of Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and Scottish Development International. The organisations have worked together over a number of months to target the market and attend a number of trade missions.
Now one of their trainees has won a prestigious award.
Baltazar ‘Bob’ Francisco , has scooped a rare City & Guilds Medal for Excellence award in recognition of his exceptional work.
Bob is a JB Management candidate with Almarai Company, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is one of only 113 lucky people to scoop the 2008 award. He pipped more than 1.8 million other candidates who are certificated each year to land the City & Guilds Medal for Excellence for his outstanding performance on the Occupational Health and Safety qualification.
Almarai Company is the biggest agricultural company in the Middle East and JB Management is supporting a number of its staff to develop their vocational skills.
City & Guilds, the UK’s leading awarding body for work-related qualifications, has awarded the coveted medals every year since 1879. The Medals for Excellence programme rewards talented people who have displayed exceptional standards as students or educational professionals, and whose portfolio and achievements put them a cut above the rest.
According to the City & Guilds judging panel: “Bob has shown determination and originality in his coursework and has achieved very high standards. He is a deserving recipient of the Medal for Excellence and we are delighted to have chosen him for this award.”
Bob, who is originally from the Philippines, received his medal at the Scottish City and Guilds awards ceremony in Glasgow on the 14 th March.. He said:
“The award will motivate me and my peers even more to further develop our skills”.
JB Management made the link with Almarai Company through one of their former trainees, Finlay Graham. Finlay, originally from Troon, trained with JB Management to achieve his Occupational Health and Safety qualification four years ago. Now working in Saudi, it made perfect sense for him to turn to his former training provider to support his workforce’s training requirements.
Bill Ure, managing director, JB Management, said: “Bob has deservedly won this mark of special distinction. He is a real inspiration to others and demonstrates that getting the right skills can be the passport to fulfilling your true potential and, more importantly, your dreams.”
Jim Reid, operations director, Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, said: “JB Management is a great example of how a local business can take on international opportunities with the right support and commitment behind their business plan. They have successfully identified a gap in the global marketplace and provided a quality training solution.”

February, 2008

Skills success for 500th construction manager

Scotland’s construction industry has started its 500 th manager through a new managment development programme.
Supported by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow’s Construction Skills Action Plan, Colin Pyke, with 20 years experience since starting as an apprentice joiner, has commenced a Construction Site Management Level 4 SVQ
A contracts manager for Ayrshire based Ashleigh Construction, he is currently in charge of a 76 flat development on the site of the former Plaza Ballroom on Glasgow’s Southside.
The Construction Skills Action Plan is a £35 million industry skills plan delivered by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow to improve skills, innovation and investment in the construction industry.
Since it was launched it has successfully supported the training of more than 25,000 existing workers through short course programmes
Scottish Enterprise’s director of skills & learning, Stephanie Young said:
“Training should be a career long aspiration no matter what the industry sector. Through our Construction Skills Action plan we have given middle management in construction easy access to professionally recognised qualifications in a way that just wasn’t possible in the past.”
The training was delivered by JB Management who were successful in winning a contract from SE Glasgow to deliver this initiative. Since the project began they have registered almost 100 individuals who have commenced management training, confirming the demand required in this area.