ILM Level 4 “Developing Leader Programme”

Context

VolkerWessels UK (VWUK) is the UK arm of Koninklijke VolkerWessels B.V., a leading European construction services business founded more than 165 years ago, in The Netherlands. Today, VWUK employs more than 3,000 staff nationwide, delivering innovative engineering and construction services solutions through six business units: VolkerFitzpatrick (engineering & construction), VolkerRail (railway infrastructure), VolkerStevin (civil engineering), VolkerHighways (roads), VolkerLaser (infrastructure strengthening & repair), and VolkerInfra (onshore & offshore cable & pipeline). Success across the whole group is founded on an ability to succeed in challenging environments and win repeat business from established clients.

The centralised Learning & Development (L&D) team provides a uniform learning environment across all six units, where everyone is given the opportunity to develop for the benefit of themselves and the company. The overall L&D strategy “aims to nurture and develop the potential in all of our people, to ensure that VolkerWessels UK is a best in class employer, with a reputation for developing a high performing, dependable and skilled workforce.” Through their Academy, VWUK is an ILM Approved Centre, however, in meeting an accredited training requirement for high potential leadership talent, they felt it important to benefit from the expertise of an experienced external provider.

Requirement

In support of VWUK’s learning and development strategy for accredited programmes, they required design and delivery of an ILM Level 4 Certificate in Leadership & Management. Per the initial specification, this was:

• Aimed at 12 middle managers as a pilot which, if successful, would be expanded for up to four cohorts per year.
• A face-to-face programme of 11 days, supported by email and telephone. Following a review, the programme delivery remains face-to-face, with ‘Action Learning’ days delivered virtually, and support by telephone, email and online/virtual communication.
• Includes areas not linked to ILM assignments, e.g. change management and workplace coaching.

Solution

Eliesha proposed using Adair’s “Team, Task, Individual” (action centred leadership and management) as the model and thematic learning strand underpinning all the units. The ILM units initially delivered and assessed to achieve the qualification included:

• Understanding the Management Role to Improve Managing Performance
• Developing People in the Workplace
• Motivating People in the Workplace
• Solving Problems by Making Effective Decisions in the Workplace

We also proposed the inclusion of Action Learning Sets (ALS) in the programme to embed and reinforce learning throughout, bringing it to life in the context of learners’ genuine challenges and priorities.

Eliesha’s proposed solution was accepted by the VWUK L&D team, believed our plan would more than satisfy their objectives and were pleased with our desire to understand their operational context as well as the accredited experience we would bring to support their learners through assignments and assessed work. We are delighted that this learning programme continues to run as of 2025 and that VWUK and Eliesha have formed an open, collaborative and trusting learning partnership.

Delivery

The resulting programme is delivered over the course of 6 months or 26 weeks. 12 delivery days include 8 separate workshops, and 3 ALS – the final two including a presentation and celebration of achievement. The units are assessed in 4 assignments.

• Workshop 1: Introducing the Programme and Understanding the Management Role to Improve Management Performance (2 days)
• Workshop 2: Understanding the Management Role to Improve Management Performance (1 day) and The Leader as a Coach (1 day)
• Workshop 3: Action Learning (1 day delivered virtually)
• Workshop 4: Motivating People in The Workplace (1 day) and Communicating and Managing Change (1 day)
• Workshop 5: Developing People in the Workplace (1 day) and Solving Problems by Making Effective Decisions in the Workplace (1 day).

During delivery, our trainers establish the preferred learning style of individuals, aware that some methods are more effective with certain learning styles. All our training is designed in line with the broad guidance of being:

“Novel and participatory enough for the activists, intellectually rigorous enough for the theorists, practical enough for the pragmatists, and leisurely enough for the reflectors.”

Each workshop is broken down into small lesson/session blocks that allow for a mix of trainer input and delegate practice/interaction. A variety of training methods vary both the style of input, meeting delegates at their particular learning style, and vary the pace of learning to maximise engagement.

Partnership & Continuous Improvement

Eliesha’s learning partnership approach includes regular contract review meetings, one purpose of which is to discuss whether the programme continues to meet the requirements and challenges of the organisation and learners. This aligns with our belief in continuous improvement; learning approaches and content that have been successful are not guaranteed to be so indefinitely, particularly in the context of changing operational requirements, a variety of external factors, and unique cohorts of learners. At a contract review following the Covid-19 pandemic, a review of programme content was undertaken.

VWUK shared an updated set of business challenges and key development areas, including:

• Adopting a Coaching/Mentoring management style
• Emotional intelligence and the impact of my management style
• The role of a middle manager
• Motivating and developing individuals and the team
• Performance management
• Challenging/difficult conversations
• Managing a remote team
• Understanding and managing change

It was discussed and agreed that the existing materials met the majority of the above but would be refreshed to include some newer models, case studies and scenarios, and that the Solving Problems by Making Effective Decisions module would be replaced with Understanding How to Manage Remote Workers, following the widespread impact of the pandemic on working locations and the lasting nature of these changes. The programme would also be extended by including a further Action Learning Day. The educational team games included in the programme were also refreshed/renewed as appropriate.

Scenario exploration and discussions are used extensively throughout the programme to cement and deepen learning. We have worked with VWUK to create realistic, work-related scenarios to use in the workshops, rather than tangential, prescribed case studies. We encourage participants to bring their own challenges to the workshops, so that they can realise they are not the only ones facing certain issues and enable them to begin to move forward towards a solution.  In other words, the training becomes work and about work, rather than something that adds to their work.

Outcomes & Results

Overall feedback from the learners has been very positive. Our evaluations show they find the exercises engaging and relevant, and that delivery of the initial ‘pilot’ cohort created a “real buzz”. The material has been well received with both the content and the tone appropriately pitched for the qualification. Our trainers have been delighted with the reactions from the delegates.

During the final Action Learning Set, delegates present their project to senior staff, including directors, and they too have become advocates for the programme. As a result, the Developing Leaders Programme, as it is known internally, has garnered a strong reputation within the organisation and is viewed as a prestigious development programme to be selected for, or have completed.

Since successfully delivery and achievement for the pilot cohort, the qualification has been rolled out to an additional 14 cohorts with a further two cohorts planned. Delegates from earlier programmes are recommending it to colleagues and we are delighted that achieving a place on it is seen as a desirable pathway to develop and succeed in an innovative, growing business.

Stakeholder Testimonial

“Since 2017, Eliesha has worked with us on the delivery of our ILM Level 4 Developing Leader Programme (DLP), which has seen more than 100 high potential managers achieve their qualification so far through a successful programme of face-to-face training and online assessment support. 

“Throughout this time, Eliesha has been an open and collaborative learning partner to the VolkerWessels UK L&D team, seeking to understand our operational challenges and strategic objectives and being responsive and supportive to any changes and adjustments needed to maximise programme impact. Their learning materials are comprehensive and delivered by engaging, experienced trainers, and the support of their Accredited Centre team has been invaluable in progressing learners through a rigorous qualification process in a timely fashion.  

“Thanks to these efforts and our ongoing partnership with Eliesha, the DLP has an excellent reputation at Senior Management level and is seen as a Flagship programme within the organisation. We have already renewed our contract with Eliesha once, and I have no hesitation in recommending their services to any organisation looking for high quality learning and development delivered by an experienced, supportive and personable team.”

– Nigel Roberts, Learning & Development Manager, VolkerWessels UK

Learner Testimonial

“I had never, up to attending this course, done any “management” courses before, not even rising through the ranks to become Operations Manager did I feel the need or was mandated to do so. I grew into a management & leadership role naturally using my own experiences of managers from my past and present and I always just felt that as long as we were achieving compliance and growing in workload, I was good at it… as I said previously an immature understanding of what it means to manage and lead.

“[This programme] has given me the knowledge and the emental tools to differentiate between an effective manager and an effective leader, and through some self-analysis and looking at detail into the team around me and its needs, the decision was made to change my role … and focus on the coaching setup and staff development of the team not just in terms of competence and work experience but of attitudes and behaviours towards safety & work.

“I won’t try to pin point the very moment it all “slotted into place” or which module “did it for me” – but on covering it on my final day presentation I think it was around Day 4 when our course tutor – and a fantastic one at that – broke into one of his trademark anecdotes on a managerial thinker that had huge success in communicating effective management concepts across many industries of his time, that once explained to a board of directors that their business was in fact not selling their products, or turning a profit but the company’s people – their people were their only business and the key to any success.

“Something that simple has sparked my passion for leading a team, not just to manage one and it meant that in January of this year I moved into a role that although I see as a huge challenge, it is one that I’m both excited about and proud to be in the position to take the reins and try to change a culture of a 120+ team of highly specialised and experienced individuals.

“Without this course and this cohort of some amazing colleagues doing fantastic stuff throughout the VolkerWessels group to share experiences with, I would not have had the confidence and belief in moving to do what I’m doing now and try to achieve a better place to work and a job to be proud in doing.

“Thank you for all your help once again, and a huge thank you to my tutor for bringing the course to life and giving me that light-bulb moment that won’t quickly be forgotten.”

– Successful Developing Leader Programme delegate

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