Lovell has recently adapted its Site Manager Development Programme to include visits to the ACT Construction Simulation Centre in Coventry, providing employees with an innovative training opportunity.

Lovell's Site Manager Development Programme aims to develop a pool of competent people ready to fill Site Manager roles, and Assistant Site Managers now spend three full days at the Coventry centre. Trainees benefit from a unique approach to leadership and management development, by taking part in 'real-life' situations within a virtual environment. This new and innovative training method is extremely beneficial to both employees and the company as a whole.

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Based on the NHBC NVQ Level 6 in Construction Site Management (Residential Development), Lovell's development programme takes place over 18 months, with 10 off job courses of two days, occurring every other month. Delegates spend the majority of this time, 17 days, focussing on technical skills in Tamworth.

In order to fully prepare for the step up in responsibility associated with a Site Manager role, the three remaining days are spent in the ACT Simulation Centre, located in Coventry. The centre utilises highly-skilled actors and a virtual reality auditorium, with a 16-metre, panoramic screen onto which highly detailed scenarios from real-life building programmes are projected. This gives candidates the opportunity to take control of a site in a test environment, whilst being monitored and evaluated from a control room.

Lovell’s Operations Manager Tony Sellwood said: "This is a truly unique and innovative form of training for Lovell. One of the most important benefits of providing this kind of training is that it allows our employees to 'learn as they do,' which is often one of the most effective ways of learning. This totally immersive environment helps them to develop not only their technical skills but also their people skills."

(CD/IT)