News: Learning at Leisure

Leisure Connection Corporate

17 June 2008

Leisure Connection continues to expand its training programme with the relaunch of its skills academy for managers. The Leisure Connection Academy, which has already seen more than 40 team members graduate, many of whom have progressed to become sports & leisure managers , will re-launch in September and focus on a further 20 exclusive places per year.

Claire Owen, Leisure Connection's Training Manager, comments: "Good management is fundamental to our achieving consistent service excellence in our centres, reflected in high Quest ratings and in increasing customer satisfaction and footfall. That is why we are relaunching the Academy and reserving just 20 places per year, for individuals who are nominated by their Regional Managers as people who show the commitment, drive, ability and enthusiasm to live the company's values, focusing on people and service excellence."

Each 12-month course will include extensive training in all aspects of leisure management, including recruitment and selection, coaching and appraisals, health and safety, incident and emergency management, budgeting and sales. Academy trainees "shadow" senior managers at Leisure Connection as well as attending a series of workshops and handling specific project work.  The new intake will also complete the course with an NVQ level 3 qualification.

Leisure Connection is also the only operator working directly with the Learning  Skills Council, enabling staff to achieve nationally recognized standards of quality and excellence.  

Claire Owen adds:
"The support we receive from the LSC enables us to include many more team members in learning and is a fundamental part of our overall training programme.  It provides a solid base of learning and development from which team members can progress and grow within the company and many of our colleagues have done just that."

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