New CLYDEUNION Academy Opens

CLYDEUNION Pumps has today launched the CLYDEUNION Academy, an educational, learning and training centre that will support the company’s extensive growth plans and offer employees fully accredited qualifications in-house at the Cathcart site. A number of educational and political representatives joined Executive Chairman, Jim McColl to officially open the new facilities, which sees CLYDEUNION Pumps moving towards a culture of continuous education and training. This importance of staff development has always been key at the Glasgow site, previously known as Weir Pumps, with this tradition continuing with launch of these bespoke facilities.

The CLYDEUNION Academy is open to all global employees, to customers and suppliers. Dr Bill Gerrard, Head of the CLYDEUNION Academy explains, “Since the inception of the CLYDEUNION Academy in May 2008, we have spent over £500,000 on courses and training culminating in the creation of the facilities we are launching today”.  The dedicated premises for the Academy stretch over 250 square metres and are equipped with four separate training rooms, a reference library, and IT suite to offer employees on-the-job training.”

CLYDEUNION Pumps are also utilising the educational benefits of SmartBoard Technology to create a 21st century environment within the Academy. The SmartBoard incorporates a large touch-sensitive white board which is operated by a single computer, and the interactive nature of this technology provides many educational uses, creating unique sound-enhanced lessons to improve the learning experience.

Jim McColl, Executive Chairman, states that, “The CLYDEUNION Academy is at the centre of engineering excellence. It provides a reference site within CLYDEUNION Pumps for high-performance and leadership, establishing Cathcart as an incubator of talent for the business.”

Joining Jim McColl at the official opening was Bob Winter, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, MSP Charlie Gordon and Professor Pamela Gillies, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University who signed a Memorandum of Understanding for CLYDEUNION Academy to offer a bespoke CLYDEUNION MSc in Leadership and Management. This programme will be delivered in-house by University lecturers and associate lecturers who are being developed from within CLYDEUNION Pumps. Frank Barrett, Plant Director, says, “We feel it is vital that our employees participate in a programme of development where they can link their academic studies directly to the leadership and management challenges they face in their daily roles.”

The CLYDEUNION Academy has already developed strategic partnerships with academic institutions including Glasgow Caledonian University with whom we have staff undertaking the BEng (hons) in Mechanical Engineering and the MSc in Design which are both fully accredited for IMech E Further Learning purposes.  We are also working with the University of the West of Scotland with whom we offer the MSc in Project Management within the Academy on a part–time basis. 

Employees are also currently taking academic and vocational courses ranging from MBA’s at the Universities of the West of Scotland, Strathclyde and Glasgow and HNC’s at Langside and Motherwell Colleges.

Jim McColl closed the ceremony by explaining, “We aim to become the best pump company in the world in terms of operational excellence, technical leadership and customer intimacy. This will be achieved by raising skills and expertise to the level of global leadership, with a ‘Be all you can be’ philosophy. Our collaboration with Universities ensures world-class learning provision and accreditation to the highest possible industry and academic standards.” 

Dr Bill Gerrard, Head of CLYDEUNION Academy

E-mail: b.gerrard@clydeunion.co.uk [1]

Robin Tait - Marketing Services Manager