Continuing the series about firms recognised at the Awards for Achievement, Tom Bradshaw reports on Island Coachways, an IoD and GTA University Centre excellence in training nominee ISLAND COACHWAYS managing director Hannah Beacom said the company had always been extremely focused on professional training, by necessity.

‘Our driving staff have to be professionally qualified in order to undertake their duties. To simply be experienced is not enough,’ she said.

But the training goes beyond the drivers to improve the staff at all levels. Last year saw the formation of a school, which was primarily set up to train potential drivers.

Welcome Host is a one-day course focusing on customer care which is promoted by VisitGuernsey. Miss Beacom qualified as a trainer in April 2003.

It is now a compulsory qualification for all staff members dealing with the public.

Garage staff who drive school buses and office staff have attended, as do all new drivers.

The recently-recruited fleet manager is attending the management-development programme run by the agency and is the third staff member to do so.

Last year, two completed apprenticeships.

‘We now have a year two student following the College of Further Education’s commercial motor mechanic apprenticeship course,’ said Miss Beacom.

The company started to offer English lessons to promising non-national trainees.

Three attended courses provided by Accent to ensure that they had adequate technical vocabulary for their day-to-day needs.