Diploma in Manufacturing Excellence

The Diploma in Manufacturing / Service Excellence is the flagship of Forward Vision's portfolio of learning and development programmes aimed at operations managers and key support professionals.

The Diploma programme is unique to Forward Vision and owes its ancestry to the production management and supervisory programmes developed by Forward Vision's founder, Ed Handyside, for Nissan Manufacturing (UK) Ltd and to the high calibre bespoke training packages devised by Forward Vision for international 'blue chip' businesses such as Daimler Benz, Rolls Royce Power, Bakavor and United Biscuits.

The Diploma programme was first constructed in 1999 in response to a national upsurge in demand for high quality training for operations managers and supervisors. The aim was to put together the best and most comprehensive operations management learning package available and Forward Vision have continually improved and upgraded the programme to ensure that it still provides the best possible combination of leadership and management skills. Our goal remains as it was then: to equip operations managers at first and second line level with the skills they needed to perform: to do the job they are paid to do and become the principal drivers of improvement in their organisations. Qualifications were never at the top of our agenda, but the award of diploma status by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) was a gratifying accolade that we are pleased to offer as an additional benefit to our clients and their staff.

Structure and Format

The programme comprises typically 6 five-day modules delivered over 12 months (although there is scope for some restructuring for 'in-house' programmes to accommodate operating constraints.
It totals 300 hours of structured learning and coaching and a minimum of 70 hours of workplace assignments designed to transfer and consolidate new skills and knowledge as well as to bring real, sustainable improvements to the participants' own workplace.
Training media comprises tutorials, case studies, group discussion, practical simulations and the opportunity to assess operations, diagnose problems and improvement opportunities and make practical changes in a real host factory.
The assignments are practically based: most involve instituting real changes and improvements in the workplace and providing evidence of the same.
Support coaching is given to individual participants between modules and participants encouraged to give each other support and exchange ideas and experience. Emphasis is on giving participants the support they need to achieve the desired standard.

Benefits

Participants are given leading edge operational knowledge and skills as practiced in some of the world's most competitive and productive organisations.
Participants enhance their capable and confidence in leading others.
The nature of the assignments brings about measurable improvements during the programme and client companies invariably find that these more than match the costs of the programme.
Participants develop a common language and terminology as well as a levelled-up understanding of disciplines and techniques.
The programme enables participants from different functions and or different locations or shifts within business to share ideas and develop mutually appreciative relationships.
All successful participants are awarded a prestigious, nationally recognised qualification: Diploma in Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
The programme is aimed at NVQ levels 3 - 5 and is frequently supported by funding organisations.

Click here to download a pdf showing the Diploma programme's structure and content.