Classroom in the desert

A multinational energy sector client operating with local partners in North Africa required a SCM management training programme for locally recruited staff. The site is a desert compound 700 kilometres from the nearest city and the courses were required to be delivered in French. S4SM specialist trainer, Steve Kirby, led the assignment and after a short refresher course to raise his level of French successfully completed the assignment for over 60 students. A soft skills course followed delivered by John Ferguson and a new 2-year contract has just been signed.

Meeting the Gershon challenge

Local authority procurement functions are under heavy pressure to deliver cash and efficiency saving to meet Gershon-driven Value for Money targets. A major Midland region Unitary Authority spending £150 million annually with suppliers commissioned S4SM to design, develop and deliver one/two-day workshops on procurement for senior staff drawn from all the Authority’s major spending departments. So far over 250 people have attended the six courses that make up the programme and further courses are planned under a new 2-year contract. The programmes was coordinated by S4SM Lead Trainer, Bryan Jones

Running on the right lines

One of the UK’s largest transport undertakings produced a detailed map of its procurement business processes and the core competencies required to ensure compliance. S4SM was called in to work closely with the process owners and devise a series of courses that developed the skills needed to grow professionalism among senior staff responsible for engaging suppliers. With the first phase now complete a second programme involving seven topics is scheduled to begin, involving S4SM training team Tony Barton, Nick Little, Bryan Jones and Yvette Hoskins-James.

Fit for purpose

The NHS has one of the largest purchasing budgets in the UK. Recognising that training should be based on closing gaps between operational need and the existing skills base NHS management engaged S4SM to pilot a unique competency tool. 20 NHS Trusts from around the country were selected involving the field assessment of over 200 procurement and 12 procurement and supply roles at all levels. The project was managed by S4SM consultants John Oliver and Ray Cobbett