Eden Pet Foods found out about the Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) programme through the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Skills Hub. SSW put the business in touch with Siamo Training, one of the expert training providers who carries out the SSW programme.

The training programme

Siamo Training went through a training needs analysis with Eden Pet Foods to understand how the business works and the journey the business had taken. This also involved discussing each department to identify the training development areas the business needed to focus on. From this it was agreed which training would benefit the business now and in the future.

As the SSW programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Eden Pet Foods were able to access the training at no cost to the business.

A total of 11 staff undertook the training:

• Level 2 Leadership & Management: 9 employees completed this training which has given them an inclusive thought process in how the business works and the challenges that the business faces.
• Level 2 Warehousing & Storage: 2 employees undertook this training which built their confidence and changed certain ways the business works through updating processes as the employees are now able to look for ways to be more effective.

Due to the pandemic, the training was delivered online. The training was 1-2-1 which supported any nerves that staff initially had and created a platform of trust and openness. Siamo Training completed regular catch up calls with the business to discuss progress for each learner.

The impact

As a result of the training, 4 staff have progressed onto an Apprenticeship (Level 5) in Leadership & Management and another 4 have progressed onto Level 3.

Megan, one of the learners who has progressed onto an apprenticeship, says:

“I found that the course provided me with the tools to understand more about my own skill set and also the others around me. This course has given me the opportunity to learn much more about myself and how I can develop my team.”

Eden Pet Foods found the content and delivery to be engaging and all staff have fed back about how happy they were throughout the training. It has given the staff the opportunity to focus on learning and developing themselves.

Furthermore, it has helped to show that the business is investing in their staff and their futures. The business felt the training has brought the team closer together and they now feel more ready to face the next growth plans.