Responding to Competence Requirements with Relevant and Effective Training and Development Programmes

British Nuclear Fuels plc, an organization employing around 15,000 people, entered the 1990s facing change on a number of business fronts, precipitated by the privatization of the UK electricity industry, the move from cost plus to fixed price contracts and the need to become globally competitive. This meant different needs in terms of ways of working and in the competences required by managers and staff at all levels, which, in turn, changed the emphasis in terms of training and development so that it became targeted and cost‐effective. Different practices at shopfloor level demanded new styles of supervision and team working. Describes three of the main initiatives in support of this programme of change: the introduction of additional skilling and teamworking at the Springfields Works near Preston; the systematic process of “personal development” introduced for staff company‐wide; and the assessment and development approach initiated for senior managers.