Castle Cement goes back to basics to help staff

CASTLE Cement has become one of the first companies in north Wales to receive national recognition for its efforts to improve the basic skills of its workforce.

The company, which employs over 200 staff at its Padeswood works, has received the Basic Skills Employer Pledge award from the Basic Skills Agency Wales.

The award recognises Castle’s determination to offer its employees additional training in numeracy and literacy by means of computer training.

The training is being provided at the works by tutors from Deeside College.

The college’s Basic Skills at Work Development Officer, Fran Sullivan, said: “Castle Cement committed to the scheme, drew up an action plan and were successfully monitored over a number of months to ensure they were implementing the plan.

“It is great that a company of this size and stature has made the pledge and carried it through. We have already seen the first employees go through a ten-week ‘Clueless About Computers’ training course designed to improve their literacy skills and we are looking forward to a long-term working relationship with the company.”

Bill Bell, training adviser at Castle’s Padeswood works  said: "We are committed to offering our staff the best possible training and this initiative really does benefit people. Feedback from staff has been excellent and we are very grateful to Deeside College for the input of its staff.”