This week is Learning at Work Week 2024 (13–19 May). The initiative is led by Campaign for Learning, a charity that champions lifelong learning at a national level. This annual event aims to build learning cultures at work and put a spotlight on the importance and benefits of continual learning and development.
Learning at Work Week is the ideal opportunity to refresh learning and development, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to staff development as well as celebrating learning that takes place all year round.
The event can provide a range of advantages to employers and employees alike, including:
TJ strongly advocates workplace learning. All TJ employees have the chance to get involved in continuing professional development (CPD) and each year a company-wide training event is held to ensure staff training levels are up-to-date. This not only gives staff the feeling that they are being considered and valued, but also ensures safety in the workplace.
In January, TJ held their eighth annual health and safety staff induction, and it was a huge success! The training was delivered face-to-face for the first time since before the pandemic and this format was extremely well received by all.
The emphasis for this year’s inductions was on health, safety and environmental procedures and how we uphold our legal obligations to protect ourselves, each other and the environment. The sessions were organised by Jack Macfarlane, Head of Compliance, and Lee Downer, Fleet Manager and in-house driver CPC trainer.
The inductions are split into three types depending on which part of the business the employee works in, with one tailored to drivers, one for quarry operatives and one for waste transfer station operatives. Each training session included a video presentation, tailored to the relevant area of the business.
TJ regularly puts individual staff members forward for specialist training in a range of areas, in line with their role. Several members of staff across the business have completed WAMITAB qualifications over the past few years, as part of the WAMITAB Operator Competence Scheme.
This scheme is designed to enable permitted waste facilities in England and Wales to demonstrate that they employ technically-competent people with the knowledge and skills to ensure waste sites comply with Environmental Permitting Regulations (2007).
The most recent staff member to complete a WAMITAB qualification is Jess Greaney, Weighbridge Operator at Butser Quarry. She said: “My knowledge of health and safety, environmental policies and environmental management systems has improved a huge amount and I have a better understanding of all the correct procedures for the site. It has definitely made me more confident in my job role and I’m really grateful to TJ to have been given this opportunity.”
TJ also provided their Materials Recovery Facilities site foremen with basic mental health awareness training to enable them to identify potential issues with staff and partners in the industry.
The four site supervisors attended a 90-minute training session that TJ hosted recently to address the importance of talking about mental health in the construction industry – an industry closely linked to our own and one we work very closely with. The course provided a better understanding about mental health with a focus on how to look after yourself and your colleagues.
Additionally, we continue to offer exceptional training opportunities to our drivers, including Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) driver training. We offer these CPC driver training courses in-house, which means that drivers are able to maintain their CPC qualification with ease and without the need to go to an external training provider.
Find out more about how we invest in training for our staff and about the services we offer on the Waste and Transport sides of TJ…
