WALLACE Whittle has collaborated with industry leaders to hold its largest academy training sessions to date.
Over the course of two months, staff from the environmental building services consultancy’s eight UK offices took two days away from their desks to come together and engage in discussions, team-building exercises, and sessions aimed at enhancing leadership skills and fostering cross-discipline communication.
The WW:Academy courses last varying lengths of time depending on stage, with the groups consisting of three levels – level two being junior and graduate staff, level three representing mid-level to senior, and level four being management and next generation leadership. The WW:Academy courses last varying lengths of time depending on stage.
In its commitment to excellence, Wallace Whittle invited industry experts to present at the sessions. Project managers Thomas & Adamson, BDP Architects, and FES, all shared valuable insights.
Thomas & Adamson led an interactive talk on best collaboration models and aligning expectations, emphasizing cross-discipline communication and effective collaboration. The firm’s Murray Halliday, Richard Burgham Pearson, Kieran Toner, and Andrew Campbell each shared in-depth discussions with level two members about the pivotal role of project management.
BDP Architects presented a ‘compelling’ case study of the Newmains & St Brigid’s Community Hub project on which Wallace Whittle provided MEP, showcasing the architectural journey from public consultations to final designs. This session, led by Lindsey Mitchell, Brad Morrison, and Sandra Gallagher, offered ‘crucial’ learning points for Wallace Whittle’s next generation of leaders, the firm said.
FES focused on the critical role of early-stage communication and seamless collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. Stuart Lochrie and Gordon McNeil provided ‘engaging’ insights, sparking discussions on common issues and preventive strategies between MEP Consultants and Contractors, Wallace Whittle said.
A recurring theme across all sessions was the importance of early intervention and prevention in communication and project management, aligned with RIBA stages/BG6 guidelines. Wallace Whittle said that the ‘invaluable’ contact time has given its engineers, particularly the newer generations, a ‘significant’ advantage in their professional growth.
Each training level concluded with a face-to-face session with Wallace Whittle’s MD, Allan McGill, who provided company updates and engaged in open dialogue with participants, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and trust.
Paul Hargreaves, academy manager, commented, “The academy was really busy this year. After seeing the first staff members develop so well, we’ve now enrolled everyone in the business under the age of 24 in addition to the existing members. We pushed the importance of communication and how the quality of what we deliver reflects on us as individuals and as a business. The academy is really growing and the messages we’re sending out are being seen throughout the company on a day-to-day basis.”
Raymond Kelly, quality and standardisation manager, added, “Being part of our WW: Academy, and in particular these training sessions means being part of the development of the younger people coming through the business, which is very rewarding to me on a personal basis. It’s incredibly satisfying, witnessing the growth in individual skill sets and even just the increase in self-confidence especially in those who have been with us over the last few years of the WW:Academy is fulfilling.
“The training sessions also give me an opportunity to reinforce our message of maintaining the very highest of standards and quality in relation to the WW product to which we continually seek to improve upon. The engagement from our younger staff and their understanding of the part which they play in that objective is very reassuring and puts us in good shape for continual growth in our pursuit to provide a market leading quality of product and quality of service.”
Project Scotland visited Wallace Whittle’s Glasgow base earlier this year to hear about the firm’s focus on a healthy company culture. Click here to read the article.
