14 May 2010
Chairman of Network Rail visits Practical Leadership Programme
On 14 May 2010, Rick Haythornthwaite, Network Rail’s non-executive Chairman, visited Network Rail delegates on the award winning Practical Leadership Programme (PLP) being run by Benchmark Training Ltd at their leadership training centre in Moreton-in Marsh in Gloucestershire. Mr Haythornthwaite, who was appointed in August 2009, took the opportunity to talk to delegates about the training and how it was adding so much value back in the work place. The delegates were particularly enthusiastic about the on-site railway facility, the way in which it was used to contextualise the training and the fact that so much of the course focused on practicing leadership skills within a very supportive environment. Mr Haythornthwaite also got to hear from two former delegates, Darren Edmonds and Priti Patel, who completed the PLP course in early 2009. They explained how the valuable lessons learned on the course had had such a positive impact on their performance back in the workplace. Darren, a Local Operations Manager from North Staffordshire, said that “it was a great opportunity to speak to the boss and I took the chance to tell him how this very important training course has made a huge difference to how I go about my work”. Priti, who joined Network Rail on the General Management Graduate Programme, is also a Local Operations Manager on the Midlands and Continental Route. She said that she “had thoroughly enjoyed the mix of practical and theoretical work and the mix of people from both the operations and maintenance functions within the company”.
The Practical Leadership Programme started in September 2008 and the team at Benchmark has already provided training to over 550 Network Rail managers and supervisors. Delegates from the BTP and National Express have also attended the course. The course won Network Rail’s Investors in People award in 2009 and one of its trainers was voted Trainer of the Year at the 2009 Rail Staff awards. David Montgomery, Benchmark’s Managing Director said that “it was a great privilege to host today’s visit and it is, I think, a reflection of the importance that Network Rail places upon leadership training for its frontline staff”.
19 October
Benchmark Selected as Preferred Supplier for National Leadership Training Contract
17 October
Railstaff 09 Win for Benchmark
1 October 2009
BenchmarkSelected as Preferred Training Supplier by Urenco Ltd
17 July 2009
Benchmark Win Network Rail Partnership Award
15 June 2009
PLP Short Listed for Network Rail Partnership Awards
30 April 2009
Second Impact Day for the Practical Leadership Programme
