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Top of the class!: 08 December 2009; Merseytravel has secured one of the UK training industry’s top accolades – for its pioneering approach to developing its people.

The organisation has been given the Matrix Excellence award – as a company with learning at its heart and one that sets the bar for UK plc.

Merseytravel has committed to expanding awareness about its approach, bought about through its Merseylearn staff development arm and a range of other partners including the unions, to other UK companies.

The Matrix Excellence Awards are held annually and celebrate outstanding examples of what can be achieved by following the national Matrix Standard* approach to learning.

Councillor Alan Dean, Chair of Merseytravel’s Personnel Committee, said: “Getting continued national recognition for our staff development programme is testament to all those who have worked so hard to make it happen. We are sharing our story with other companies in the hope that they will invest. Ultimately, it can only be good for UK plc.

“Merseytravel will only ever be as good as our staff, so we see this as a vital part of our work to make us the best we can be. Our millions of customers deserve that.”

Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, added: “We all have our own challenges as people and organisations. Ours is to be the best we can be within our resources; to be a world-class organisation that invests in its staff and leads by example.

“Gaining national credit like this justifies every ounce of effort from our staff, our Members, our partners and our people. That commitment, from them and from us, has reaped huge benefits for our organisation. The results speak for themselves.”

Since launching its learning programme around five years ago, around 95% of staff are now qualified to Level 2 or above, skills levels and performance have improved significantly and complaints and sickness absence have fallen.

Merseytravel now has a lower turnover of staff than any other comparable transport authority in the country, at around 4%.

It has also committed to extending the reach of Merseylearn to its large and diverse supply chain and partner companies.

Merseytravel has been Matrix Standard accredited since 2005.

The standard recognises best practice in skills training and management development, by delivering the service to employees through learning teams and Union Learning Reps.

The award adds to Merseytravel’s bulging trophy cabinet for its learning programme.

Earlier this year Merseytravel won a coveted National Training Award - one of a handful given to “inspiring” organisations across the country.

The company also fought off competition from 1,700 nominations to scoop UK top spot in the Learndirect National Achievement Awards.

It is an Investors in People (IiP) “Champion” and was one of the employers to sign up to the government’s Skills Pledge.

* Led through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Matrix Standard is the national quality standard for any organisation that delivers learning at work and supports staff in developing themselves.

Pictured : Sandra Sutton of Warwickshire Probation Service (far left) and Frank Lord, Chair of the Matrix Excellence Awards judging panel (far right) hand the award to Councillor Alan Dean, Councillor Peter Millea and Jim Barclay of Merseytravel.; Back to Media Centre