Anwyl has introduced a new leadership programme for its staff, with backing from The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Ewloe-based Anwyl Group will receive £25,000 a year from the CITB Skills and Training Fund to support the three-year project known as LEAD (Leadership Excellence and Development). It follows on from a successful leadership and management programme completed by 61 Anwyl employees. The new Anwyl “LEAD” programme will upskill leaders and managers, developing a culture that enables innovation and transformation. Mathew Anwyl, Housing managing director for Anwyl Group, said:
“It’s imperative that we invest in our colleagues and support them to develop new skills. With funding from the CITB we’ve introduced our new Leadership Excellence and Development (LEAD) programme.
“The three-year programme will have far-reaching benefits for our business. It will help leaders at every level upskill and successfully manage high-performing teams and should in turn reduce management turnover and increases productivity of the wider team. The CITB’s funding has helped us to deliver the highest quality training and develop tailored courses with organisations like Coleg Cambria.”
Tim Balcon, CITB chief executive, said:
“I’m delighted we have been able to support Anwyl with their three-year leadership and management project. As outlined in our Business Plan, it’s incredibly important that we help to improve the quality of leadership and management skills, and it’s great to see Anwyl’s commitment to their workforce in this area.
“We know an additional 225,000 workers are expected to be required by 2027 and an effective training supply will be imperative to meeting this target. If we improve the skills of our leaders and managers, employers will become more productive, and our industry will become a more attractive career proposition.
“Already we are seeing the great results this is having for Anwyl and I look forward to the further impact the project will have over the next few years.”
The blended learning approach includes video modules, one-to-one coaching and mentoring “lunch and learn” sessions plus traditional classroom sessions.
"Colleagues’ time is precious and so it’s important that the programme’s design and delivery encourages flexibility, minimises disturbance and travel, and maximises learning opportunities,” Mathew added.
An eight-week course on “Refining Leadership” was recently completed by 14 members of the middle-management team.
Delegate Paul McKenna, business systems engineer said:
“I came to the course not knowing what to expect but came away very satisfied with having taken the course. It has given me a much better theoretical understanding of people in relation to leading them.”
Berit Rose, senior land manager at Anwyl, said:
“The course has been great in aiding me and my colleagues improve our leadership skills, which has been especially important to me in the current stage of my career. It’s good to see that Anwyl takes training of its employees so seriously and is investing in our future.”
A Mastering Leadership course, designed for senior managers and directors will help them develop others and build their confidence to manage high performing teams and individuals. Six directors are currently on this course, after which successful delegates will receive mentoring from an external consultant to continue their journey and refine their interpersonal leadership and managerial skills.
Over the summer an introduction to leadership course will be offered to trainees and apprentices considered ‘leaders of the future’. Coleg Cambria and LEAD will work in partnership to develop a blended learning course to assist colleagues with line-management responsibility to mentor and coach individuals and their team effectively. The partners will also develop a portfolio of videos and webinars during the three-year project to be used by Anwyl and made available to the wider construction industry. Jane Keys, assistant principal – employer engagement at Coleg Cambria, said:
“We are very excited to be working in partnership with Anwyl Group on their LEAD programme through collaboration and a shared vision, cultivating an environment where leadership can thrive and management can excel. The programme will assist all levels of staff in equipping them with the tools and strategies to unlock their full potential both as a leader and mentor within the organisation.”
Established more than 90 years, Anwyl Group is a family run business with its headquarters at St David’s Park, Ewloe, Flintshire. The company operates across North Wales, Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. For more on building a career with Anwyl, visit the Careers page or to discover where its latest homes can be found, please visit the website.
