Pictured: Neil Withey, operations director of Acua

High-flyers will be guided step-by-step up the career ladder with the launch of a ground-breaking programme by leading business development organisation Acua.

The Acua Talent Management Framework aims to fuel the talent pipeline in organisations by helping the development of their employees throughout their career, from apprentice to executive.

The new framework is designed to help companies attract, retain and get the most out of their workforce with learning which evolves with the participant as they make their way up the career leader.

It recognises that learning needs vary as employees rise through the ranks of their company, reflecting the different skills required at different levels from employability right the way up to executive leadership skills.

The Talent Management Framework, launched at the World of Learning Conference and Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham this week, is the latest initiative by Acua to help bridge the skills gap in the UK.

Neil Withey, operations director of Acua, said: "The Talent Management Framework is our latest initiative to help companies fulfil the potential of their greatest assets - their people.

"Developing the talents of employees is key to the success of any organisation and we have designed this new framework to help them attract and retain the very best skills and to transform managers into leaders.

"Although the framework is structured to take into account each step of the career ladder, it is also flexible to both the learner and the organisation.

"It allows learners to join or leave at any point, it adapts to the changing needs of the individual and the business, and it enables organisations to integrate other learning which is provided internally or externally.

"Where possible, we will also be able to offer accreditation by giving it an appropriate academic emphasis which will enhance its credibility.

"We believe we are the first to provide an end-to-end seamless framework that takes account of external training, contextualises learning to an organisation and delivers accredited higher education programmes in the workplace in this way."

Acua works with more than 70 blue-chip companies across the UK, including Santander, House of Fraser, The AA, Ford UK, Bank of Ireland, TNT, Café Nero and Busy Bees, to help them develop their talent pools.

It delivers leadership development programmes accredited by Coventry University, which set up the organisation in 2008 to meet an identified skills shortage, to drive business growth and improve performance in the UK.

All of its programmes are tailored to the needs of the individuals and the business, and delivered in the heart of their workplace with accreditation which provides the opportunity to achieve HE qualification including a full honours degree.

A degree delivered by Acua can be completed in the workplace in three years at a cost of between £5,000 and £6,000 per learner per year, compared to the annual cost of up to £9,000 a year which will be charged by universities from 2012.