Training Course Helps Managers Shine
28 March 2013
The ILM course class, and their tutors and managers.
ILM graduate and Cleaner-in-Charge Mark Wills.
Cleaning staff who went on the ILM course found it boosted their confidence.
Cleaning supervisors and other University managers have brushed up their skills with a course aimed at making them better leaders.
Fourteen people, the majority of them from the Estates department's cleaning services team, received Organisational and Professional Development Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Team Leader awards, at a mini graduation ceremony held in the Dovedale Suite at the Kedleston Road site on March 26.
The awards followed their successful completion of a four day programme, spread over ten weeks, in which new and experienced supervisors from different parts of the University learnt more about developing themselves as a team leader, motivating their workforce, and how to plan and monitor tasks.
Topics covered over the course - run through the Faculty of Business, Computing and Law - included:
- the roles, functions and responsibilities of a team leader
- seeking and accepting feedback on personal performance
- action planning techniques
- working within organisational objectives, policies, procedures and priorities.
Students learnt through direct teaching, and group activity and discussion.
George Osborne, Building Services Manager, nominated Estate Management staff to attend the course and said it was unusual to have so many join and pass it together.
He added: "It was important for us to have all our supervisors at the same, accredited level.
"Many of the cleaning supervisory staff have been at the University for a while but had not done any formal study, in some cases since their school days. I am so proud of the way that, despite their nervousness in doing the course, they came through with flying colours."
ILM graduate and Cleaner-in-Charge Mark Wills, 56, has worked for the University for 16 years.
He said: "I am slightly dyslexic so I was very nervous about doing the course, particularly the written reports side.
"But it's totally opened my eyes in terms of the way I react to people, communicate with them and get the job done. I feel a lot more confident."
Fellow Cleaner-in-Charge Linda Cunningham, 57, added: "This is the first time I've ever received a certificate for completing a course.
"The computing side of things has always worried me a bit but by asking other people for help I did learn more about it along the way."
Louise Hart, BCL Associate Lecturer and ILM Programme Facilitator, said she'd seen the course students grow in confidence, adding: "They engaged and participated brilliantly, and produced some excellent assignments."
The ILM course ran from October to December last year (2012).
