Government research has shown an increasing need to train and develop employees to meet the competitive demands of customers in global markets. To tackle this very important issue ACTD has developed a number of direct training activities specifically to support the needs of the ceramics industry.

In addition to training in traditional ceramic skills, there are a whole range of important modern business skills which we cater for, together with the training of your own personnel to become assessors, internal verifiers and trainers.

It has been widely recognised that the most successful companies of any size are those which have a clear vision of their future, who communicate this to their staff and who properly assess the need for and deliver effective training. To encourage companies to follow this 'best practice' the Government introduced the Investors in People initiative, an award that clearly implies that a company is well organised, efficient and competitive.

Like anything worth having, Investors in People is not easy to achieve. At ACTD we are dedicated to helping ceramic companies understand and identify requirements while providing advice and consultancy that includes access to funding, training, system requirements and to help improve the whole process.

The ceramic industry is very much characterised in that the majority of companies are small businesses manufacturing tableware and giftware. Small companies have special needs, mostly derived from the fact that, unlike a large company which needs to employ specialists in various business disciplines, the small firm is usually run by an individual who is required to fulfil a variety of roles such as accounts, marketing, purchasing, distribution and many other things, not to mention managing staff.

At ACTD we can provide specialist help in any or all of these areas and we have been actively involved in training to achieve start-up preparation, profit enhancement, business planning, finance, business support, business information and performance review.

Everyone recognises the importance of Health & Safety at work for all employees. However it is now such a huge and far reaching subject that most large companies employ a full time specialist to look after their needs and keep abreast of the ever changing legislation.

Each industry has its own special risks and hazards so at ACTD we have developed an expertise in Health & Safety particularly relevant to the ceramic industry. Our experts are able to provide assistance on all aspects ranging from risk assessment through health & safety training to monitoring of performance and completion of documents required by the HSE.