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Seddon – Training for the Future
J & S Seddon’s multi-million pound investment in training is paying dividends, helping the national contractor take a series of top honours within the painting, decorating and maintenance sector in 2008.
In the latest success, J & S Seddon apprentice Craig Martin helped his company complete a prestigious hat trick by taking first place in the Johnstone’s Paints Young Painter of the Year contest.
The 20-year-old’s success is the third individual title of the year for J & S Seddon (Painting’s) trainees in a round of national contests.
Other trainees James Phillips, aged 21, won the title of Crown Trade Young Decorator of the Year 2008, and Tom Alston, 20, took first place in the Painting and Decorating Association’s (PDA) Apprentice/Trainee 2008 competition.
The trainees have been fine tuning their skills at the company’s own £1 million Centre of Excellence, opened in 2007 at J & S Seddon’s Stoke-on-Trent headquarters, based in Fenton.
Judges chose J & S Seddon for their work in training, quality and their commitment to raising the awareness of the industry in general terms.
Mark Brindley, joint managing director of J & S Seddon (Painting), said: “Our track record in training underpins all that we do as a company.
“It means we are able to offer a quick and responsive service, focused on the care of the customer, with a strong emphasis on quality and sustainability.
“Our standards are already high, but the need to pursue innovative and engaging training methods is ever pressing and, for 2009, we have taken a pledge to achieve the challenging ‘Investors In Excellence’ standard.”
Along with individual successes, J & S Seddon secured a series of national accolades in 2008.
At the Painting and Decorating Premier Trophy Awards, which celebrate the highest standards in the industry, as well as winning the Apprentice/Trainee Competition with Tom Alston, J & S Seddon also took the Industrial Category and the coveted Judges Award For Excellence, which is given for best overall performance by a painting company in the UK.
J & S Seddon, which holds both the Investor in People and environmental ISO 14001 standards, also took the Leadership In People Award, at the Constructing Excellence Awards.
Arranged by West Midlands Centre For Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) – an organisation set up with support from Advantage West Midlands and the EU - J & S Seddon secured the accolade for its long-standing commitment to its people and the positive impact on the social, economic and educational performance in the region.
Also in 2008, J & S Seddon and Stoke-on-Trent College sealed a ground-breaking agreement, with the company pledging to put its entire workforce through an extensive programme of training – culminating in an NVQ.
The agreement, uniting industry and training together, is believed to be one of the first of its type in the country.
Over the next three years, 800 people will receive training at the College’s campus in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.
J & S Seddon will put tradesmen from its offices across England, Wales and Scotland, through the programme - making Stoke-on-Trent College its national hub for training. Training will also be available for the company’s supply chain, to enhance standards.
Release Date: December 08
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