We’re excited to bring you the latest updates from Polaris Learning, where we’ve been hard at work launching new leadership development programmes and showcasing our services at prominent industry events like The Safety Expo. As always, our goal is to provide tailored solutions that support organisations in enhancing their people strategies and building more effective, capable teams.
Over the past month, we’ve delivered a series of impactful training sessions designed to meet the evolving needs of businesses across a variety of sectors. From leadership training that drives performance to competency management that ensures compliance, our programmes are crafted to help organisations not only meet industry standards but exceed them.
In this update, we’re thrilled to share insights into our ongoing High Potentials Leadership Programme at Altrad Sparrows, where we’ve been working closely with high-potential leaders to develop the skills they need to succeed in today’s competitive environment. We’ll also take a look at the success of our recent Train the Trainer course, which equipped participants with the tools to deliver engaging, effective training in their own workplaces.
One of the highlights of the past month was our participation in the Safety Expo, where we had the opportunity to introduce our PLUS learning and competency management platform. We were proud to demonstrate how PLUS is transforming the way businesses manage training, track competencies, and ensure compliance, all while fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
We’re also focusing on the importance of workplace assessments in this issue, with a spotlight on our SQA L&D11 Verifier Course. As organisations look to maintain high standards of quality and safety, developing skilled assessors and verifiers is crucial. This course provides participants with the knowledge and tools to ensure that assessments are conducted to the highest possible standards, creating a robust framework for continuous improvement.
Additionally, don’t miss our feature on leadership development, where we explore the latest research into how effective leadership can transform an organisation. With studies showing that companies with strong leadership programs outperform their peers, investing in leadership development is more important than ever. Our tailored programmes are designed to equip managers and future leaders with the skills they need to inspire and lead high-performing teams.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce the upcoming SQA L&D9DI Assessor Course, where participants will develop their skills in both direct and indirect assessment methods. This course is ideal for those responsible for conducting workplace assessments and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Finally, while our upcoming Lunch and Learn event is fully booked, we’re already planning future sessions for next year. Stay tuned for more opportunities to join us as we dive into key topics around training, competence, learning, and development.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our High Potentials Leadership Development Programme at Altrad Sparrows Training Centre. The first session of this exciting programme kicked off with great enthusiasm from both participants and facilitators. The aim of this programme is to support the development of high-potential leaders, equipping them with the tools and skills they need to thrive in today’s fast-paced business environment.
The initial session was a resounding success, with participants contributing insightful ideas and engaging in meaningful discussions. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants eager to dive into the upcoming workshops. Over the next few months, we will be delivering a total of five workshops, each designed to focus on key aspects of leadership development. These workshops will provide a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, ensuring ongoing growth and development for all involved.
We recently concluded our two and three-day Train the Trainer open courses, and the results have been outstanding. These hands-on courses are designed to provide participants with the practical skills and confidence to deliver effective, impactful training sessions within their own organisations. The sessions focused on essential training techniques, communication strategies, and how to engage learners to ensure the retention of key concepts.
Feedback from the participants has been incredibly positive, with many noting how much they’ve gained from the immersive, practical approach. One participant commented on how the course not only helped them improve their training delivery but also gave them newfound confidence in their ability to engage and inspire their team. We are proud to see participants leave the course feeling empowered and ready to make a tangible impact in their workplaces.
Our team had a fantastic experience at the Safety Expo held at P&J Live. The event provided us with the perfect opportunity to showcase PLUS, our innovative learning and competency management system. With PLUS, organisations can effectively manage their workforce’s training, track competencies, and ensure compliance across teams.
The expo allowed us to connect with a wide range of businesses, discussing how our tailored solutions can help them streamline their health and safety strategies. We were able to demonstrate how PLUS integrates learning and competency management to create a seamless solution that enhances workforce development while ensuring compliance with industry standards.
It was inspiring to hear from other companies at the event and learn about the innovative ways they are addressing safety in their operations. We came away with a renewed sense of excitement about how Polaris Learning can continue to support businesses with our customised training solutions.
We recently held our SQA L&D11 Verifier Open Course at AquaTerra Training in Kintore, where participants explored the critical role of internal verification in ensuring high-quality standards within workplace assessments. The course focused on key topics such as monitoring assessment practices, understanding external quality assurance requirements, and planning effective sampling activities.
Participants left the course with a deeper understanding of the internal verifier’s role and how they can strengthen verification processes within their organisations. With practical insights into auditing assessments and maintaining compliance with industry standards, this course empowered attendees to make meaningful improvements in their verification frameworks. We’re confident that these newly trained internal verifiers will play a vital role in upholding high standards of quality and consistency within their teams.
This month has seen significant achievements in Modern Apprenticeships across various industries. Apprentices have successfully completed Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in fields such as Fish and Shellfish Processing Skills and Food and Drink Operations at SCQF Level 5. We can’t wait to see even more success next month!
Our consultants, Laura and Gemma, were recently delivering SQA L&D9DI assessor qualifications at Strathspey Railway in Aviemore, helping participants develop their competence in assessing workplace performance using structured, industry-recognised standards and assessment techniques.
We’re excited to highlight a glowing testimonial from a learner who recently completed our Food and Drink Operations Modern Apprenticeship programme. Here’s what they had to say:
This testimonial is a great example of how our hands-on approach and continuous support from our dedicated assessors make a real difference. We are proud to see our learners not only meet but exceed their goals, and it’s wonderful to hear how this programme is helping individuals improve their skills and advance in their careers.
Recent studies show that 60% of new managers underperform in their first two years, often because promotions are based on technical skills rather than leadership abilities (CEB). Gallup’s 2023 findings further highlight this issue, with 82% of companies failing to select candidates with the right leadership talent, which leads to inefficiency and dissatisfaction within teams.
This underscores the critical importance of investing in Leadership Development. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 50% of employees leave jobs because of their manager, reinforcing how vital strong leadership is for maintaining team performance and retaining talent.
Research shows that companies with leadership programmes are 2.4 times more likely to hit their performance targets and experience 1.5 times higher employee engagement (Deloitte). Tailoring these programmes to organisational needs is essential, with the 2023 Training Industry Report showing a 30% increase in leadership effectiveness when development initiatives are customised.
At Polaris Learning, we address these challenges with tailored leadership development programmes. Our workshops, including sessions on effective leadership, coaching, and conflict management, help organisations build strong leaders who drive performance and improve employee retention. Our customised approach ensures measurable improvements in team performance and builds a sustainable leadership pipeline for the future.
In today’s fast-paced industries, ensuring that workplace assessments meet the necessary standards is more important than ever. Properly trained assessors and verifiers play a critical role in maintaining compliance and driving high-quality results across your organisation.
At Polaris Learning, we offer comprehensive training solutions designed to meet your specific needs, including:
With online, onsite, or offshore delivery methods available, we can help you develop skilled assessors and verifiers who will strengthen your competency management system and ensure the highest quality in workplace assessments.
We are running our 2-Day SQA L&D9DI Assessor Course, running on October 1st and 2nd. Perfect for those conducting workplace assessments and ensuring compliance with industry standards, this course will help you build a strong foundation in assessment techniques. If you are interested in any future open courses, please get in touch.
Although our upcoming Lunch and Learn event on October 3rd is fully booked, we are planning another session next year. Stay tuned for more information and future opportunities to explore key topics around Training, Competence, Learning, and Development.
Well Operations Audit of Supply Chain• We have worked together on a wide range of projects.
• When the Oil & Gas UK Guidance on Competency for Wells Personnel were issued by the HSE we were asked to conduct a full independent audit across all positions affected by the Wells Competence guidelines.
• This was an extensive piece of work covering onshore and offshore production, operations, engineering, drilling and geology as well as offshore production and key contractors including a number of drilling contractors and well services companies providing critical positions.
• The audit included a full desktop audit of systems and paperwork as well as onshore and offshore visits to drilling contractors identified for audit.
Revision and roll out of CMSDevelopment and implementation of Training & Competency systems for the organisation’s key offshore teams: Well Ops; SIL; Coiled Tubing & Senior DP.
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Review of system for diving operations and development of processes to support implementation.
Set up and Hosting of Organisations CMSTransition of organisation’s CMS from paper to online format. Extension to cover other roles and services. Provision of SQA assessor training and third-party verification service.
Our support for the client involved integrating diverse competency management systems into a singular, global one usable across 20+ rigs, accommodating individual rig variations. This effort was centred on the organisation’s performance standards derived from their barrier management strategy and integrated their on-the-job training framework.
This comprehensive approach was risk-based, aiming to streamline the competency management system for seamless movement between rig types and locations while effectively managing associated risks. We collaborated closely to implement their IT solution efficiently, facilitating the rollout of their revised competency management system.
Our involvement extended to providing verification expertise until the in-house verifiers were trained to take over the process. Additionally, we offered assessor and verifier training globally through our online learning portal, PLUS. This training was tailored to the client’s processes, translated into Scandinavian for the Norwegian market. The client was notably pleased with the substantial cost savings from this training route and its remarkable effectiveness.
In 2020, Polaris Learning engaged in a project to develop cloud-based competence solutions for agency contracting in Drilling and Well Services. Their task involved crafting a versatile framework that seamlessly integrates with clients’ CMS, ensuring comprehensive access and visibility to competence records. This CMS was meticulously designed to optimize crew efficiencies, acknowledging the varied competencies required for different rigs. Hosting this system on PLUS, their cloud-based platform, Polaris ensured its accessibility and reliability. Furthermore, they complemented this development by providing online training for assessors and internal verifiers.
Since January 2015, we’ve collaborated with Sapura Kencana Drilling (SKD), initially training 500 assessors online through a program with a knowledge test. Subsequently, we extended this online training to verifiers, also incorporating a knowledge assessment. Recently, we further enhanced our support by offering a custom SCORM-compliant e-learning package designed specifically for assessors and verifiers. This tailored package is accessible through SKD’s learning management system, ensuring convenient and effective learning opportunities for their team.
Integrated LMS and CMS
Provision of Assessor and Verifier training since 2011 to assist with the improvement and energising of company’s offshore competency scheme for Marine and Construction personnel. This has included some independent verification of portfolios.
Detailed consultancy during 2021 to review and update the CMS system in line with industry practice.