Pall-Ex Group has invested in its future leaders, as the logistics giant launches a management degree programme in partnership with University Centre Quayside.
An initiative which has seen the business invest over £200,000, the programme has seen 10 members of staff from across the Pall-Ex Group of Companies selected to complete the three year course.
Having advertised the role to all staff from both its pallet networks, Pall-Ex and Fortec, as well as the four Owned Operations throughout the UK, candidates were interviewed and selected by Pall-Ex Group senior management.
The UCQ Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) combines a BA (Hons) Professional Management degree (validated by The Open University) with the CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership.
The skills and knowledge acquired by those on the course will help them to develop further in their current roles and allow them to take on more senior roles in years to come. Of course, this will also benefit Pall-Ex Group, as talent is nurtured within to support the business as it continually strives to deliver excellence across all areas of its operation.
Staff from a variety of business roles have been selected to enrol on the course to ensure that the talent in all areas of the business has the opportunity to shine.
Ellie Harman, who recently completed her apprenticeship with Pall-Ex, is a Customer Service Administrator and James Barston, a Business Development Manager with Pall-Ex Group, are just two of the staff members on the course.
The other successful applicants were Joe Murfitt, Central Hub Operations Manager; Samantha Newton, International Operations Manager; Stuart White, General Manager – Operations at Fortec; Lauren Pullin, Corporate Commercial Analyst; Adrian Craven, Member Support Co-ordinator; Laura Brown, Network Compliance Manager and Nick Antill-Holmes, also a Network Compliance Manager.
Chris Churchill was the final successful candidate, based at Pall-Ex’s Owned Operation, Shears Bros (Transport) Ltd, he is Network Manager at the Bournemouth based business.
The program will now be a feature of Pall-Ex Group’s business strategy moving forward, with new places available each year, as the company continues along its pathway to excellence.
Barry Byers, Managing Director – UK Business Units at Pall-Ex Group initiated the process of implementing the course, and has been the driving force behind its implementation.
He comments: “I have always appreciated the importance of nurturing talent within a business, retaining those people and helping them become leaders.
“The opportunity we have been able to provide for this group of people signifies Pall-Ex Group’s commitment to supporting its staff.
“By ensuring we are continually providing opportunities for development, we are securing the future success of our business.”
Kevin Buchanan, Pall-Ex Group CEO, continues to explain why the decision was taken to provide this opportunity for staff across the business.
Echoing Barry’s comments, he said: “We recognise that our most important asset is our people. Their skills and abilities are a fantastic resource which we want to nurture as this will only benefit both the company and the individuals.
“We want people to be able to join our organisation at any level and know that their achievements when working in the Group are only limited by their own ambitions and efforts. Developing our talent from within will only make us an even stronger business.
“This significant investment which Pall-Ex Group has made highlights our commitment to achieving excellence now and, in the years to come, as we aim to become the leading palletised freight distribution network in Europe and beyond and become the employer of choice.
“The people working hard to complete this course and those who follow in their footsteps will be at the forefront of ensuring we achieve this objective.”
Pall-Ex Group continues to invest in its future, with new appointments in recent months further strengthening its position in the logistics sector.
The Group has seen its shareholder membership grow in the last 12 months, as its unique offering proves to be a success.
