Tailored courses deliver benefits to industry and learners

Otago Polytechnic’s work with industry sectors to upskill people and businesses has delivered results for Delta and eight of its Central Otago employees, with minimal disruption to working hours.

Delta put four team leaders and four supervisors through specifically tailored business courses to enhance their management skills while undertaking projects that make improvements to workplace efficiency.

The course was tailored by the Polytechnic to suit Delta and support the improved effectiveness of its Queenstown, Alexandra, Wanaka and Cromwell operations.

Over the 10-week course, the Delta employees learned how to apply managerial and supervisory theory to seven projects - three centred on creating efficiencies within the company, three on health and safety and one on operations.

Otago Polytechnic Central Otago Regional Manager Jean Tilleyshort said the course offered to Delta had relevance for many businesses and industries.

“Our focus is to deliver flexible education that benefits not only the learner but also the company. It’s about upskilling our people and our industries and delivering value to both,” she said.

“We specialise in flexible education delivery because we understand this region and its needs. People need to earn while they learn and they need to be able take a qualification away with them when they move on. And, companies need to benefit from paying for and supporting people while they train. To achieve this, we specifically tailor our courses so companies get real value in terms of project completion as well as the benefits of more highly skilled people.”

Delta Distribution Manager Richard Morris said the company’s aims in offering the course to its staff were to improve planning and organisation, people management and interpersonal communications, health and safety, hazard management and performance management.

“We are pleased with the results of the course. Investing in our people pays dividends both for their career development and for sharpening Delta’s business performance.

“I see great value in these practical learning opportunities being available to Delta employees throughout the organisation,” said Mr Morris.

The Delta staff have each achieved either a National Certificate in Business First Line Management (FLM) Level 3 or a National Certificate in Business (FLM) Level 4 qualifications which will be useful in any employment situation and can be built on with further study.

More about the Delta training course:
The training course was based on Otago Polytechnics’ National Certificate in Business (FLM) Level 4 and tailored to the needs of individual companies.

Based on Delta’s requirements the course’s training methods were adapted and tailored to suit. Two courses ran simultaneously.
1) Level 4 programme for supervisors / foremen with each being assessed against the National Certificate in Business Level 4. This course ran one day a week consecutively for 10 weeks.
2) Level 3 programme for team leaders with each being assessed against the National Certificate in Business Level 3. This course ran one day a week consecutively for 10 weeks.

Key training elements:

• Formal off job training sessions
• Coaching and project work
• Individual assignments

Formal off job training sessions - block course comprising ten x three hour sessions in Cromwell in the Delta boardroom

Coaching and project work – two work-based projects including the development of recommendations for their management.
Individual assignments - assignments aimed at developing candidate understanding and skills and to provide evidence of competence against unit standards.

About Delta Utility Services
Based in the South Island, DELTA is an infrastructure construction and asset management company. For the past 10 years it has provided a range of services to local authorities, property developers, industrial customers, energy companies and electricity lines companies. Delta has 700 employees working throughout the country including 42 in Central Otago and 80 in Dunedin.