Utility Week Awards winner case study: Staff Development Award 2018

The Western Gas Alliance won the 2018 Staff Development Award with an industry-first training initiative.

Attracting and retaining the best people is a key priority for the Western Gas Alliance (WGA), and in an effort to meet these priorities it has developed a structured development pathway to showcase the opportunities on offer and make the alliance more attractive to potential employees and retain existing talent.

The WGA is currently carrying out a major programme of gas mains replacement and associated works across Wales and the southwest of England. These projects involve the feasibility, design, programme management, and delivery of 2,000km of mains and 40,000 customer gas connections, with the total number of staff around 600 people.

The Gas Network Site Manager (GNSM) programme seeks to enable the trainees of today to become the experienced managers of tomorrow.

The goals for the GNSM programme were fourfold: attracting new entrants to the alliance with a structured learning programme; retaining skilled labour with flexible qualifications and attractive career progression; ensuring people can progress according to knowledge and experience, and linking promotions and pay rises to specific training modules; and developing a pool of talent equipped to become the future management.

The GNSM was designed and introduced in response to the growing issue of an ageing workforce in the WGA, with the programme extending to all employees. It provides structured training and development, enabling those at the WGA to achieve necessary qualifications and experience, better prepare themselves for future challenges, and grow into future managerial roles.

Every operative in the alliance is automatically eligible and encouraged to work towards GNSM qualification. The system has been designed to promote fairness as qualification levels are linked to progression and promotion via a development path, which enables those involved to develop skills and experience at their own pace.

Staff development and training is a key priority for both Morrison Utility Services (MUS) and Wales & West Utilities (WWU), with both organisations offering a comprehensive range of training plans and development opportunities. There was a realisation, however, from both companies that there was a need for a single, consistent development programme, which would benefit both MUS and WWU employees within the WGA.

This was due to the fact that, previously, workers in the WGA would work in a collaborative and integrated manner despite having gone through separate, isolated training regimes within the two organisations, with courses open to some and off limits to others.

Rationalisation

An additional complication was the wide range of courses available, making it difficult for individuals to identify the best training options for their long-term career prospects.

To create the improved, singular process, the spectrum of disparate elements was coalesced into a single system, which could be used to create a logical sequence of qualifications from absolute beginner to area manager.

A simple record of achievement was devised in tandem, providing a snapshot of each learner’s qualifications and certificates to allow easy access and assessment. Building on this, a unified table aids in spotting training gaps, enabling workers to take control of their training needs and target missing and desired modules.

Behind this simple snapshot is coursework, photographs, inspection reports, and documents to ensure a consistent and standardised portfolio of individual achievements. This system also provides evidence for review and adjudications.

The record of achievement enables individuals to set their own training targets within their own timescales. As well as this, it assigns managers within the alliance with the authority to inspect and sign off the modules when they are passed, meaning that each person can take responsibility for their own learning under appropriate supervision.

The initiative, an industry first, meets the requirements of the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers’ transmission and distribution competence framework, and in April 2018 it achieved accreditation with Energy & Utility Skills, so the system’s qualifications are recognised across the UK and Europe.

The framework has been effective in facilitating learning and development of skills for people across the alliance on a level playing field that encourages and rewards hard work. This has led to a significant increase in staff engagement and attraction to MUS from the armed forces, competitors, and new entrants to the industry.

Providing a pathway for everyone in the alliance to work towards GNSM qualification also ensures fairness by linking qualification levels to pay bands, through a system that enables candidates to work through their progression at their own pace. Many areas are deliberately not specific to increase options of flexibility which might not be available in a more prescriptive training plan.

MUS executive director Sean Kelly, who was instrumental in the development of the GNSM initiative, comments: “Our people on the Wales & West Utilities contract now have access to a career path of nationally recognised qualifications which will provide transferable skills, logical progression and career development and the ability to specialise according to talent.

“This programme allows candidates to set their own training agendas within a regulated framework, providing a career path with the scope to grow with an individual at a pace that suits them. This is the blueprint for the minimum standard for all MUS gas sector contracts. Our aim is to extend the programme to other contracts over the forthcoming year.”

For those entering the alliance as trainees, the programme simplifies an otherwise daunting list of course and qualifications into a single logical path which provides specific, short-term, and deliverable goals.

Winner’s comments

Sean Kelly, executive director, Morrison Utility Services

“From vision to delivery and a development plan, I was so delighted to receive this recognition for the Gas Network Site Manager (GNSM) programme. The GNSM programme gives our people working on the Western Gas Alliance, on behalf of Wales & West Utilities, access to a career path of nationally recognised qualifications, providing transferable skills. This award represents fantastic and prestigious industry recognition for this incredible programme and I would like to congratulate all those who have contributed to its development and subsequent success.”

The Utility Week Awards are held in association with CGI, Capgemini and Microsoft

The 2019 Utility Week Awards will be opening soon. Sponsorship opportunities are available – contact Utility Week business development manager Ben Hammond on benhammond@fav-house.com or 01342 332116 for more information.