Employees shape up for a career at Cannons : Training boosts company's “Grow Your Own” scheme

Purpose – This article describes an apprenticeship scheme, including National Vocational Qualifications, introduced by UK health and fitness company Cannons Health and Fitness, which covers the training needs of team members working in the exercise and fitness area as well as a range of training that supports the business side of running health and fitness facilities. Design/methodology/approach – Situates the initiative in the context of the company's “Grow Your Own” employee‐development scheme, and examines the training from the perspectives of the company itself and the training provider. Findings – Shows that 20 Cannon team members a month are currently joining the program, and forecasts that around 300 team members will be accredited by the end of 2007. Practical implications – Shows that successful work‐based training is about delivering courses that not only fit in with trainees' work commitments but also complement employers' needs. Cannons already had a good infrastructure in place. The introduction of NVQ‐level training has helped to make its employees more employable. Originality/value – Demonstrates that it is possible significantly to improve a company's training provision by adding accreditation.