Pictured: Develop's Executive Chairman, Rod
Tompsett
Despite the current financial downturn, Develop - the leading
technical skills training provider in the UK, whose HQ is in Derby,
has announced profits up by *18% against the previous year with
plans for even greater success in the future.
Develop is a national operator that delivers technical training
and assessments across the UK, supported by five dedicated regional
Training Centres, including one in Derby. Develop is one of the few
providers delivering multi-utility training for both traditional
and environmental technologies and is the only one that offers a
distinctive blend of technical and behavioural training
"We are extremely proud of the progress that Develop has made
over the last 12 months." Commented Develop's Executive Chairman,
Rod Tompsett, who has been in post for two years. "We are delighted
to be able to report that our financial performance has exceeded
expectations in a very challenging economic environment."
It was reported in April this year that more than two-fifths of
organisations have decreased funding for learning and development
and only one in 10 anticipate an increase in the next 12 months,
according to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development. This is borne out with an increasing demand for far
more efficient training and a greater return on training
investment.
Develop attributes its positive results to some significant
achievements this year as well as the successful implementation of
a strategy to innovate, drive efficiencies and improve quality and
delivery of its training.
Major accomplishments include Develop being retained by National
Grid as a core supplier of technical training and being awarded the
contract for the supply of technical training by Anglian Water
Group. Develop also achieved first stage recognition on training
excellence accreditation (TX, formerly the Training Quality
Standard) and is working towards full recognition as a provider of
training excellence.
The amount of training delivered by Develop has increased, most
significantly in facilities management. Also Develop's
ground-breaking behavioural training and assessments offer has
contributed the best ever results this year.
With one of Develop's objectives being 'to innovate and to
invest in the future' advances have been established this year to
help clients maximise their budgets through greater efficiencies,
specifically through bespoke IT.
Develop is already planning for even better results in 2012 and
working hard to ensure that its success continues. Significant
investments are planned in the on-going commitment to deliver best
value and effective training to its clients, utilising the local
Training Centres and extending its highly specialised offer for the
growing environmental technologies sector.
Rod added; "Despite our success in 2011 we are very aware it is
a challenging environment. But it is our belief that by continuing
to innovate and drive efficiencies will allow us to better service
our client base of major utility, construction and facilities
management companies, and public sector bodies. We have a
committed and highly skilled team at Develop who are all dedicated
to achieving even better results in the coming years."
*Year ending 30th September 2011