ALVECHURCH Boat Centres, the largest canal boat company in the UK, has "steered" towards the Redditch Learning Zone to assist it in staff training for its 100 employees.

Business growth has seen Alvechurch Boat Centres striving to maximise its workforce development at every turn, and so it was natural to turn to the Redditch Learning Zone, at Moons Moat.

Taking a closer look at the company's management team, the Learning Zone, which works with Worcestershire businesses on workforce development issues, was able to put training and guidance in place to achieve the results Alvechurch Boat Centres wanted to see.

The Learning Zone's Rob Sparks and his team undertook assessments which led to a focus on areas like enhancing staff performance, how to conduct effective staff appraisals and dealing with poor performance, through a series of workshops and training sessions.

According to Edward Helps, managing director of the firm, the feedback from those who have been carrying out appraisals following the Learning Zone workshops is very positive.

"Since the Learning Zone training, my management now feel they are better equipped to manage different types of staffing issues and scenarios and they have some concrete, practical strategies for day-to-day working life."

Some of the company's training has been on-site and some at the Zone.

"We contacted the Learning Zone who have also provided conference facilities at short notice that both we and the our customer, the British Marine Federation, were very impressed with, and which undoubtedly made our training more effective."

To find out more about the funded training available from the Redditch Learning Zone, call Judy Bennett or

Rob Sparks on 01527 66982.