Quadron launches grounds maintenance training

The programme has been designed to help new staff learn key aspects of the grounds maintenance role as well as improving skills among existing staff.

A total of 17 staff - including supervisors, team leaders and assistant contract managers - have undertaken an intensive 10-day course to give them skills in training other staff as well as in-depth knowledge of kit including mowers, brushcutters and strimmers.

Quadron business analyst Jo Daughtry explained: "We have got a workforce that is ageing and we can see the skills base is deteriorating. We really believe investment in training like this will pay off long term and help to increase the skills in each contract."

The idea of the programme is to help retain staff and make sure there is a skilled training presence on every Quadron contract. Each of the people trained up for the role will receive an extra £20 a week - equating to more than £1,000 a year.

According to Quadron managing director Clive Ivil, the move is part of the firm's latest five-year business development strategy. "Quadron's thrust for 2010 is our people and how their development will contribute to the success of our business," he said.

The staff have qualified as Lantra Awards Instructors in groundscare machinery and were set to be presented with certificates at a ceremony on Wednesday (14 April).

In addition to the programme, which Quadron hopes to roll out on a wider scale across the company, a further £35,000 has been committed for specialist training courses this spring.

Daughtry added: "We wanted to make sure we could back up everything we were doing."