This means that Toro’s UK distributor, Lely UK, is able to offer City & Guilds vocational training in a variety of land-based machinery disciplines to its customers, similar to that currently offered by colleges and other training providers.
From September, golf clubs, sports and amenities venues, landscape contractors and other turf professionals can gain valuable City & Guilds accredited National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) qualifications through Lely’s conveniently-located St Neots headquarters.
Toro’s European training manager Ian Sumpter says that this move further strengthens the partnership between Toro and Lely in delivering industry-leading training programmes throughout the UK.
As Ian explains: “Becoming a City & Guilds centre was a natural next step for us as we work towards our goal of becoming a one-stop-shop training provider. Not only can customers now benefit from the convenience of booking the training they want, when they want it, through Lely, but they can also be sure of our high standards as City & Guilds centres are subject to a stringent screening process. We’re very proud of our achievement and look forward to helping customers further evolve both their product knowhow and personal career development.”
Jack Ward, CEO at City & Guilds, comments: “City & Guilds has been dedicated to developing a pipeline of well-trained talent for 130 years. When we add to our network of training centres we’re looking for companies that show a similar level of dedication to taking their learners to the highest levels in their chosen careers. Toro and Lely were welcomed into our network because they demonstrated their ability to do just that, and we’re very much looking forward to working with them to support and help shape learners in land-based machinery disciplines.”
Better still, becoming a City & Guilds centre builds on Toro and Lely’s ‘Train the Trainer’ scheme, which enables experienced Toro machinery operators to provide training for junior colleagues – direct and in-house. This is proving popular with major venues, such as London Golf Club in Kent, which is a flagship venue for ‘Train the Trainer’. But, says courses manager Peter Todd, the club is looking forward to achieving City & Guilds qualifications in-house now that Toro, via Lely, is an approved training centre.
“As a business about to embark on the Investors in People scheme, it goes without saying that training is part and parcel of everything we do here,” Peter comments. “We believe training is essential not only to maintain the club’s high standards, but is also vital to our staff’s personal development. That’s why we’ve always worked closely with Toro and Lely to expand and enhance our training programme, and are pleased to now be able, via the ‘Train the Trainer’ scheme, to obtain City & Guilds assessment and accreditation in-house through Toro and Lely. It means we can continue to invest in high-quality training to a timeframe and pace that suits us.”
Neil Adams, Lely/Toro Turf Care Division Training Manager, adds: “Lely UK is very pleased to continue to work in partnership with Toro to provide customers with professional training packages. Being partnered with City & Guilds through Toro will further strengthen our training courses and maintain the high standards we aim to deliver through our training workshops. It will also heighten our profile as being a one-stop provider for our business portfolio. Ian Sumpter has been an excellent ambassador for both Toro and Lely UK and together we will strive to evolve our customers’ continuous personal development.”
For more information on Lely’s Toro training scheme, call 01480 226800 or email nvadams@lely.com Alternatively, download the Toro Turfcare Machinery Training Guide 2013 from www.lelyliterature.co.uk