The Aspiring Managers Programme has been very well recieved by the industry due to its demand focused objectives. The programme has been highly praised by both delegates and employers and this page illustrates how a range of businesses from across the South West have benefited from attending the programme.
Case Study - Bishopstrow House Hotel
Jamie Dyer, Duty Manager
I have been working for Bishopstrow House Hotel for almost five years and started work at the hotel as a porter before working my way up.
The Aspiring Managers Programme has helped me to look at the way I do things as a manager and assess the impact on the business. It also brings together people in the same situation who provide help and support with an unbiased viewpoint – which in turn helps to improve
networking skills.
The Aspiring Managers Programme focused on many of the key areas that I wanted to improve. Another great way of learning is from other people and the course encourages the interaction of all the students attending.
Procedures implemented following the workshops have included improved staff training, managers encouraged to get back to the floor working alongside staff and the implementation of stronger training for the house porters to help them understand their roles and their importance in the hotel.
I have also encouraged staff to eat at the hotel so that they can experience the impact of their job role from the customer’s perspective. I am now re-evaluating the hotel’s green policies to make us more environmentally friendly and to achieve a “green award” which in turn will raise awareness amongst the staff.
I would recommend this style of training to anyone. The skills and training are practical and the process is fun yet professional.
Case Study - Paignton Zoo
Vicki Barnes, Marketing Manager
The Aspiring Managers Programme is not like other tedious management courses. You learn from day one how to improve your skills and how to maintain high standards. The course encourages problem solving and most of all having fun. It has opened my eyes to the wide scope of the industry in the South West.
Since starting the programme, my attitude is much more positive, which has had a beneficial effect on staff around me. My relations with other senior management is really good and team work is improving all of the time. My networking skills are stronger especially when I attend the workshops and action learning groups as everyone gets on so well.
Real problems receive real solutions generated through discussions within the action learning group. There is such a strong support network and everyone wants everyone else to do well and resolve their work problems. The training has had a significant impact and I assess situations by using the knowledge gained from the Aspiring Managers course and often give advice that has been given to me.
I would definitely recommend the programme to others. The course is challenging yet rewarding and the networking is fantastic. It’s a great opportunity to make friends and meet new colleagues.
Case Study - The Big Sheep
Joanna Woolaston , Business Manager
The action learning groups provide an ideal opportunity to talk on a more personal level with other managers in the tourism industry. It is also great to reflect on what was learnt at the workshop and to be able to apply it to my own work situation.
So far, the programme has given me a greater understanding of the industry that I work in. Also, having felt confident that we have high quality customer service, it was helpful to identify any areas where the customer experience could be improved.
I would recommend the programme to any manager or supervisor wishing to gain a greater understanding of the leisure and tourism industry and who wishes to have a greater influence on the success of the business in which they work.
“All of the workshops have been really informative and most of all fun - which is really important when trying to improve your skills. The group is very supportive and generates real solutions to real problems.”
Aspiring Manager
“You build strong relationships within the group which makes a real difference, because every month you see these people and bounce ideas off each other”.
Aspiring Manager
“If you just do a day course, you pop in, become enthusiastic, get back and it’s all gone, but this is ongoing. You have to think about it, you have to go back to the workplace and implement it and prove that you’re doing it, and it seems to work better. You’ve also for the backup of real life situations instead of theory all the time, so there are a lot of practical elements.”
Aspiring Manager
“You don’t get bored on this programme – not at all.”
Aspiring Manager
“The Action Learning Groups are so good because you go away from the workshops where we’ve had written work, speakers and activities and meet in smaller groups and realise we often all have the same problem and we can delve into it in more depth and find solutions.”
Aspiring Manager
“The activities are good as you get to work in groups, meet new people and interact with them in and outside the course as well at Action Learning Groups as well as via email to bring problems together and we can discuss them as a whole.”
Aspiring Manager
“In the Action Learning Groups we go over what we did in the workshop, but in a smaller group and how were going to implement it in our workplace. It brings the situations that you have back at the workplace for people to look from the outside in and help us to get through them – we throw ideas at each other.”
Aspiring Manager
“What makes this better than other training programmes is the fact that it’s not all writing, you can talk to other people in the industry and your not alone.”
Aspiring Manager
Aspiring Managers use 'The Grid Game' to track the correct path across the grid using thier own and others experiences to progress. With only the facilitator knowing the one correct route and a budget which diminishes with every wrong move, the Aspiring Managers must communicate and work together as a team to succeed.
