One of the winners in this year’s Aycliffe Business Make Your Mark is celebrating a double win after bagging a new contract.
After being crowned Small Business of the Year at the 2024 Make Your Mark awards, held at Hardwick Hall in May, training firm NC Group was contacted by Stockton-based Harrison Packaging.
And the two companies have since developed a training plan to address skills gaps at Harrison, adopting a blend of funded and commercial training programmes.
NC Group utilised a recent audit of the Harrison Packaging site and meetings with key personnel to develop a tailored business-wide workforce development strategy.
One of the initial elements of the plan is to provide leadership development for Harrison employees through the NC Group-approved Leadership Bootcamp to enhance leadership skills and support career development.
In addition, NC Group has onboarded and is working with facilities technician Matthew Turnbull on a Level 3 Engineering Technologies Diploma with plans to progress to an HNC Apprenticeship within the next 12 months.
This training, partially funded through the Engineering Principles Skills Bootcamp, also incorporates safety training.
The collaboration aims to enhance the skills and qualifications of Harrison’s employees, reinforcing the company’s commitment to continuous improvement, staff development, wellbeing and growth.
Harrison managing director Craig Turnbull said: “We are delighted to work with NC Group on this initiative to provide our employees with valuable opportunities for growth and development.
“As an employer of over 100 people across the region, we are committed to people sustainability.
“Research supports that focusing on people improves well-being, job satisfaction, employee engagement, recruitment, and retention, ultimately leading to better business performance.
“And add to that, it is positive news for the regional economy, two local businesses working together.”
NC Group CEO Lee Childs added: “We are delighted to have been approached by Harrison Packaging, one of the UK’s leading carton packaging manufacturers, to review, develop and implement a tailored training programme.
“Our efforts are already contributing to positive outcomes for its workforce – helping close skills gaps and elevate capabilities.
“Winning Small Business of the Year at the Aycliffe Business Park Awards was made even more rewarding by the opportunity to work with Harrison Packaging as a new client. It was certainly a standout awards night for us.”
• Pictured above (from left): NC Group operations manager a Darren Tate and business development coordinator Abby Bailey, Harrison Packaging facilities technician Matthew Turnbull and managing director Craig Turnbull.