LEAD Adopts New Improving
Operational Performance Framework
Recent comments from the Sector Skills Council responsible for the framework state;
"Businesses of all sizes can benefit from adopting the principles of lean enterprise to achieve process and quality improvements through the training of its staff in the private and public sector, commerce, healthcare and industry."
"The Improving Operational Performance framework offers ideal job specific qualifications that supports people in applying a range of lean methodologies to make and sustain improvements to their working practices."
Phil Walters, LEAD's Managing Director recently added;
"We are very excited by this new framework. It allows us the flexibility to meet the needs of our clients but also offers real recognition to all of the learners that participate. The rigorous standards required are ideally suited to the high quality, high value adding engagement that
LEAD have with our clients. It truly supports our aim of generating a high performance culture within the client workforce."
Lean Education And Development programmes are aimed at engaging the client's workforce in real and practical continuous improvement projects.
These projects provide real benefits to the client business along with recognition of the efforts from the employee teams. In addition, all LEAD models use qualification frameworks and these give several benefits;
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The qualification provides structure, rigour and standardisation to any change programme
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Accredited qualifications are achieved and this can be very motivational for client employees
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The auditing and certification process provides a universal consistency to the entire delivery
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Certified qualifications attract Government funding to offset the costs of the programme.
The lead programmes, being flexible, are designed to satisfy the needs and wishes of its customers but must also be constantly reviewed to ensure that they are aligned to the latest qualification frameworks so that the benefits above can be achieved. These frameworks, which are controlled by Government, Sector Skills Councils and awarding bodies, change over time and this requires great flexibility from the provider in order to adapt to the evolving requirements. New frameworks are essential if any provider is to offer the highest levels of support to its clients to exacting levels of quality.
In order to meet the very latest of these frameworks, LEAD has adopted Apprentice Framework 504 – Improving Operational Performance. This allows for a truly flexible approach to continuous improvement by offering a dedicated apprenticeship pathway ,for both young people and adults, through nationally recognised qualifications. This is available and funded through one SEMTA framework.
Known as Pathway 3, it is a dedicated business improvement techniques apprenticeship offering two distinct sections
Level 2 Certificate in Business Improvement Techniques (The Knowledge)
Level 2 Diploma in Business Improvement Techniques (The Competence and Experience)
Both of the above are full qualifications in accordance with the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF) standards.
The programme has the following key features;
- Supports both quality and process improvements
- Aims to ensure that processes are executed as efficiently as possible through waste reduction and root cause investigation
- Uses proven lean and quality improvement tools and techniques
- Promotes teamwork and improvement skills across the entire workforce
- Focuses on performance improvement to key business metrics for Process Flow, Right First Time, Productivity/Efficiency and Profitability
- Instils a high performance culture where constant improvement and process change is regarded as the norm.
