Our Services

In a nutshell we help organisations to design and implement effective training and development strategies.

Why organisations engage us

• When HR Directors / Managing Directors require senior people development expertise which is not available on the payroll or when Training & Development Managers require additional expert support, Strategies for Training provides a highly flexible and cost effective solution.
• Our clients know that we will work in close partnership with them to understand their requirements and to align results precisely. They also value our independent working style and our sharp awareness of deadlines, which keeps their involvement to an appropriate minimum.
• Although a niche consultancy, Strategies for Training has strategic alliances with carefully chosen, larger HR practices. This enables us to offer a wide range of expert HR services but at less cost than higher profile firms.

What we do:

• Help organisations to create or revise their strategies for training & developing staff and, where appropriate, to re-visit education & learning policies
• Conduct bespoke reviews of training & development processes and identify gaps versus best practice. We also do budget training & development healthchecks
• Guide organisations on implementing best practice training & development processes. Our services range from occasional guidance to full hands-on support
• Design and implement:
  
  • Competency frameworks
  • performance management systems
• Assist organisations in conducting training / learning needs analysis
• Screen and recommend training & development suppliers for specified projects against agreed criteria
• Manage and deliver ad hoc training projects, e.g.
  
  • Develop and produce learning guides / manuals
  • Design training intranet sites
    
• Design staff and management development programmes including those linked to externally recognised qualifications. We also monitor the effectiveness of existing programmes
• Help organisations to establish learning resource centres / training centres
• Provide 'Interim Management' services for training & development functions
• Benchmark an extensive range of HR processes against best practice See Note A
• Design and deliver assessment centres / development centres See Note A
• We also deliver workshops in the fields where we have specialist expertise:
  
  • Training & Development Strategy
  • Performance Management
  • Team Development See Note A
  • Leadership Development See Note A

Note A

This service is provided in association with our strategic alliance partner: Next Step Management Development

How to find out more

We are always happy to meet with prospective clients on a no-commitment basis to discuss their specific requirements and to answer questions which they may have. 

Please contact us by phone (01372 278 399), fax (01372 270 648) or e-mail info@strategies4training.co.uk

About us 

Strategies for Training is a specialist consultancy which has a proven track record with leading organisations. We are international experts in helping organisations to design and implement effective training & development strategies. 

The business was established in 1994 by Frank Penson and Sarah Penson. We are a partnership, both as a legal entity and in our style of operation. Frank conducts or oversees our consultancy work. Sarah provides the invaluable 'behind-the-scenes' support. Together, we are dedicated to satisfying clients and to developing the business. 

We are proud of our team of senior consultants. They are carefully chosen for their ability to meet our exacting standards. They are all seasoned Human Resources practitioners with immense experience. We recommend consultants for assignments based on their suitability for particular needs. The final choice of consultant always rests with the client.   

Profile: Senior Partner

Frank Penson 

Frank Penson is a senior human resource consultant, with a strong commercial and academic pedigree. He was educated at Cambridge University where he completed his first masters degree (Master of Arts) in Classics. 

He gained 17 years’ experience with the Exxon Corporation in a wide range of general management positions, including marketing, international auditing (Europe, Middle East & Africa), government relations and financial management. Frank Penson’s Exxon career culminated in 5 years as Esso UK’s Head of Training & Organisation Effectiveness, where he influenced the corporation’s training activity throughout Europe. 

Frank elected to move into consultancy in 1994 and has specialised in strategic training & development assignments, nationally and internationally (Europe, the Former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Africa & the Caribbean). He sits on the Management Committee of the UK’s National Training Organisation for downstream petroleum: the Petroleum Industry National Training Organisation. He is also a Member and Registered Consultant of the Institute of Petroleum. Frank Penson has close links with the UK Government’s Learning and Skills Council network and is an approved adviser for their national people development standard, Investors in People. 

Frank’s personal commitment to lifetime learning is evidenced by his completion in 1997 of a second masters degree (Master of Science) in Management Development, at the prestigious Roffey Park Management Institute. He combines strong strategic ability with excellent communication skills. 

He has wide sectoral consultancy experience, including: manufacturing, construction, oil & gas, financial services, information technology, pharmaceuticals and health service.