14 October 2009

A Saxmundham employer has praised Otley College after four senior staff members completed a fifteen month NVQ qualification in management.

The team from Christies Care worked closely with the college to complete the business management training programme, which saw managing director Nicola Warner receive a level 5 award, and managers Lin Barnes, Jill Pass and Sarah Middleton receive the level 4 qualification.

Along with Otley College course co-ordinator Drostan Stileman, the team were able to specifically tailor their training to their individual needs, paying particular attention to any strengths and weaknesses.

Speaking of the training, Drostan said: “I’m delighted with the achievements of the team at Christies Care. Not only have they worked hard to secure a formal qualification, but they have become much more confident in the way they work. It is a hard course, but thanks to the one-on-one training and the levels of commitment they have shown, they will be able to reap the benefits.”

Nicola Warner, managing director Christies Care, who completed the NVQ Level 5, added; “We’ve always placed an important focus upon ensuring our carers were trained to the highest possible standards, but we were very aware that we weren’t always offering the same to our office staff. Since completing the NVQ courses, we have all felt much more competent in the way we work.

She continued: “This is down to the fantastic support and training we received from Drostan and the team at Otley College, and we would like to thank them for their help and support. The individual tailoring of the course was superb, and it has meant we are all fully understanding of the work that we do, and the reasons why we work in a particular way.”

Since the completion of the course, over 20 more office staff have registered an interest in undertaking their own NVQ qualifications. It follows on from a successful training programme for the carers employed by Christies Care, who are offered introductory and further specific training on a regular basis.


Photo Caption: (l-r) Nicola Warner, Sarah Middleton and Jill Pass from Christies Care celebrate their NVQ success with tutor Drostan Stileman