Bespoke training helps drivers at Lancaster firm to make the grade

Jonny McBride, Joanne McRoberts, Robert Innes, Francis Hughes, Lois Reynolds, Stanley Gray, Howard Sedgwick, Darren Salmon, Jonathan Shearer, Brian Dickey, Gerard McClements, Patrick Moore, Adrian Hodgson.

The 12 week long programme will be delivered over a series of modules, covering customer relationship management, health and hygiene, infection control, health and safety, and advanced driving skills.

The programme, due to be rolled out to 450 employees nationwide, has been designed by Cannon Hygiene and externally accredited by the City and Guilds Institute, a well respected vocational education organisation.

The course is being introduced in the UK before being taken to the 40 countries Cannon Hygiene operates in worldwide.

A class of 19 at Cannon Hygiene UK’s Belfast division were the first to complete the curriculum and achieve certification status.

The news follows Cannon Hygiene UK being awarded the Investors in People (IIP) Gold Award, which recognises best practice in people management.

Geoff Smith, customer services director at Cannon Hygiene UK, said: “Our technicians already deliver a complex range of specialist hygiene solutions across the many industries that we operate in, from catering companies to NHS organisations.

“We recognise that our clients also require detailed advice and direction, which is why we’re investing in this training.

“It’s important for us as a business to be seen as an innovative, forward thinking company and I believe the new programme, together with our IIP achievements, cements our position as an organisation that attracts the best people across all disciplines.

“This training has been designed to ensure that all of our hygiene technicians are fully equipped to deliver customer service excellence and competently address client queries across all sectors.

“The accreditation from the City and Guilds Institute is important because it guarantees standards of competency and compliance throughout our organisation.

“I’d like to offer my congratulations to those at our Belfast site who are the first to complete the programme and achieve certified hygiene technician status.”

Howard Sedgwick, managing director of Cannon Hygiene UK, said: “Our customers want a great service but also want to see someone they can connect with and trust.

“Our hygiene technicians are our ambassadors and they do a fantastic job.’’

Delivering customer service excellence each and every time is the number one goal of Cannon Hygiene and its 400 plus UK drivers.

The City and Guilds Institute is a global leader in skills development organisation, providing services to training providers, employers, and trainees across a variety of sectors.

Its qualifications are valued by employers across the world.