insideKENT Magazine Issue 37 - April 2015 | Page 149
BUSINESS
USING
TRAINING SKILLS
FOR
COMMUNITY
BENEFIT
TRAINING IS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE, PIVOTAL TO THE FUTURE OF ANY
BUSINESS. HOWEVER, SEEING IT PURELY AS A COST AND SOMETHING
TO BUY DOES IT AN INJUSTICE. IT NEGATES WHAT AN IMPORTANT
INVESTMENT IT CAN BE, NOT ONLY IN BUILDING HIGH PERFORMING
TEAMS, BUT ALSO IN USING IT FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
A good training programme is not simply a
function of budget; it is an investment of time
and creativity to empower a team to support
each other in its learning and development. As
such, it can be sustained regardless of the
economic environment.
At Wilkins Kennedy, we hold training close to our
heart and ensure that it remains a constant in
the business (regardless of the economic weather
outside of the door) by designing and delivering
a major percentage ourselves.
Beyond the ‘knowledge transfer’ necessary to
qualify as accountancy professionals, we are
forever keen in investing in our team members
to ensure that they have the management and
interpersonal skills to lead a professional services'
practice.
A good accountant's job is as much about helping
people to develop their businesses, as it is about
crunching numbers. Our Partners support their
teams in gaining the skill sets of the business
coach to this end. Understanding people’s
interests, needs, values, and motivation can help
people in an advisory capacity to engage in the
best way with their clients or team members to
help them, in turn, learn and develop. This
approach has had some very exciting
consequences for Wilkins Kennedy.
At my office in Ashford, we have harnessed our
passion for training and development and applied
it to a community involvement programme. For
the last four years, we have been aiding the
Ashford District Scout Group by lending the use
of our resources and facilities as a base for some
of the more important training aspects of the
Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) scheme. This
has meant that the participants have had a gr ater
e
degree of success than would have been the
case.
Application and inspiration are very much the
bywords at Wilkins Kennedy when it comes to
training and development. Time and passion
create a value within the business and within the
local community much more than it ever would
do if we simply always looked outside for training
solutions.
Paul Nixon, Partner, Wilkins Kennedy
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme offers
young people aged 16 to 24 years the chance
to develop skills for life and work, fulfill their
potential, and have a brighter future. Starting with
just six young people, it has blossomed to working
with over forty today.
My colleague, Paul Fisher, and I are both
expedition assessors and trainers for the Bronze
and Silver DofE awards, but we train to Gold
standard.
In March 2015, the Ashford DofE scheme will
have six Gold DofE Awards to present, seven to
eight Queen Scout Awards, 10+ Silver DofE, 10+
Bronze DofE and a number of Chief Scout
Platinum and Diamond Awards as the latest
success in aiding young people achieve over 50
awards since the group was established four
years ago.
149
To find our more, email Paul Nixon, Partner
,
at [email protected]
or call on 01233 629255.
www.wilkinskennedy.com