A LOCAL insurance company has become the first in Northern Ireland to undertake the Business Improvement Techniques Programme. To mark the occasion, Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry visited Hughes Insurance in Newtownards to congratulate the company on its success.
Presenting the successful participants with their Level 2 certificates in BIT Lean Office, Dr Farry said:
“I am committed to raising the skills of Northern Ireland’s workforce and through funding programmes such as Business Improvement Techniques my department is helping to boost those skills and helping to make employers more competitive. I am pleased that my department, through its Skills Solutions Service, has been able to support employers to develop the skills of their staff.
“Skills Solutions is a proactive service to local industry which can help identify and source solutions to training needs and provide information on how the department can help them to improve productivity and competitiveness within their sector, thereby contributing towards the growth of the local economy.”
Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) Office is the first BIT programme designed for the office environment in Northern Ireland. It is a Level 2 qualification and each company is allocated a tutor who mentors, coaches and assesses candidates as they progress within the VQ framework.
Similar to BIT programmes for the manufacturing sector, the BIT Office programme is suitable for all companies who are looking to achieve world-class levels of business performance via enhanced employee performance and contribution. This is achieved by enabling employees to undertake improvements aimed at reducing cost, minimising waste and improving productivity.”
Fiona Coulter, training & development manager at Hughes Insurance, said: “In Hughes, we believe that employees are our most important asset. We are determined to train and develop employees to ensure we continue to grow and provide our customers with a first class service.”