 |
|
|
|
Special Projects |
|
|
|
Pilgrims International Training & Development |
|
Project 726
This project demonstrated Pilgrims' ability to manage
a large, long-term and high profile international training
and development project.
The Chancellor's Financial Sector Scheme (CFSS)
for the Former Soviet Union (FSU).
| Introduction |
Following discussions between the then British
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Norman Lamont, and
the then Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, it
was agreed to launch this high profile public/private
sector initiative in 1992 with a planned completion
date of 1998.
The CFSS project operated in the UK and the FSU.
The project provided 1,000 young, managers from
the FSU (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Estonia,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine
and Uzebekistan) with a 3-10 month work attachment
in the UK. The managers came from various FSU companies
including Gazprom, Renaissance Capital and Incombank.
|
| British hosting companies included: |
Retail Banks:
Barclays Bank
Lloyds Bank
Midland Bank
|
Merchant Banks:
Samuel Montague
Schroders
Lazard Brothers |
Investment Banks:
J P Morgan
Salomon Brothers
SBC Warburg |
Insurance:
Eagle Star
Legal & General
Sun Alliance |
Law:
Slaughter & May
Norton Rose
Linklaters and Panes
|
Accountancy:
Ernst & Young
Deloitte Touche
Price Waterhouse |
Fund Management:
Mercury
Fremlington
M&G |
Securities:
UBS Securities
Merrill Lynch
Yamaichi |
IT:
ICL
IBM UK
Olivetti UK |
Energy:
Mission Energy
Ramco Energy
Shell UK |
Industry:
Zeneca
Rolls Royce
Cadbury Schweppes |
|
|
The project was initiated by the British and Russian
Governments and funded through the British Government
Know How Fund (KHF) with a total project budget
of £9 million. The British Government appointed
the British Council (BC) as its Agent. The BC appointed
three lead contractors to run the induction courses
who were Pilgrims, Leeds University and Thames Valley
University. On arrival in the UK all participants
attended a four-week Induction Course. |
Brief
Following a competitive tendering process involving 112
UK Training Companies, Universities and Business Colleges,
Pilgrims was selected by the BC to deliver the Induction
Training phase of the project. The brief was to provide
participants, some of whom had never travelled abroad
before, with a practical grounding in living and working
in the UK as preparation for their work placement.
Execution
Pilgrims project managed, designed and delivered the required
courses at their Executive Training Centre based in Canterbury,
Kent and at the Canterbury Business School, part of the
University of Kent. Course subjects included language,
communication, cultural and business skills. A challenging
learning programme brought all participants up to the
required level of business English. Work was done to identify
each participant's strengths and weaknesses in report
writing, speaking over the telephone, negotiation and
presentation skills. Individual tuition was given where
necessary.
Pilgrims managed the technical, financial and business
workshops and seminars run by the University of Kent Business
School. At the mid-point of the courses, managers from
host companies were invited to visit Canterbury for a
day to meet with their trainees.
The course ensured that participants gained an understanding
of acceptable behaviours in business and social environments.
Practical activities took place away from lectures including:
visiting a bank to open an account, help in finding accommodation
near the placement company, theatre, cinema and museum
visits and many opportunities to socialise with British
people. A number of professional visits took place during
the course including the Bank of England, Lloyds and the
London Stock Exchange.
Pilgrims selected the following staff to deliver the courses,
based on their expertise and experience. Kara
McKeown has a Masters degree in Teaching English
as a Foreign Language and has 10 years experience teaching
Business English in Europe. Fraser Thompson
worked for three years at the multinational company, ABB,
teaching top management. Nigel Race took
special responsibility for group business courses at Pilgrims
and has had several years' commercial and financial experience.
Katie Plumb specialised in teaching English
for specific purposes and worked closely with the University
of Kent Business School in structuring the language aspects
of the technical training.
Feedback
Pilgrims ran over 20 one-month courses, training more
than 400 participants on this scheme. Extensive quality
control, inspection and feedback processes have been in
place from the beginning of the project. The following
are a selection of quotes from those involved:
"The whole scheme, but particularly the course
on UK Finance held at the induction training, has been
of great benefit to me and is still helping me now, 2
years later, in the work I do." Andre Serebryakov,
National Reserve Bank, Moscow.
"I have been involved in every stage of the Chancellor's
Scheme, from visiting Moscow to visiting participants
on their induction courses and monitoring attachments.
I am extremely impressed with the scheme." Paul
Whittle, Human Resources Manager, Nat West Group.
"The British Council, who are responsible to
the Know-How Fund for the success of the CFSS Project,
are more than satisfied with the running of the induction
courses by Pilgrims." Honor Flanagan, Contract
Manager, The British Council.
|
|
|
|
|
|
