Against a backdrop of ever-increasing competitiveness, difficult trading conditions for British manufacturers and the pressures placed by e-commerce on lead times and delivery performance, there is a renewed awareness of the need for well-trained first and second line managers.

The leadership versus management debate of the early 1990's is ended. We no longer have a choice. We have people to lead and processes and resources to manage. Leadership and management capabilities are now seen as complementary: playing an inestimable role in determining the strength, calibre and performance of our companies.

Though many of Britain's best firms have long acknowledged this imperative, investing in comprehensive, bespoke, in-house training programmes can be a costly and time-consuming undertaking which can be especially prohibitive for smaller companies or for those who find it difficult to release staff from operations in cost-effective numbers.

The Manufacturing Management Programme is a needs-driven learning initiative designed to meet the challenges of modern competitive manufacturing. Its purpose is to enable all manufacturing companies to have access to real and practical training for their first and second line managers of all operational disciplines in accordance with industry best practice.

The programme comprises more than 300 hours of training and coaching and a minimum of 70 hours workplace assignments designed to enable an early transfer of learning and bring about real, sustainable improvements to the participant's own workplace.

Training media includes formal tutorials, the use of case studies and discussion groups, practical simulations, team exercises and the opportunity to assess operations, diagnose problems and improvement opportunities and to make practical changes in a real host factory.