Professional status

Members of the Howells Patent Glazing management team have completed a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) development training programme, achieving the highest professional status within management.

Business development manager Tracey Jackson and HR and finance manager Deborah Willetts have been awarded Fellowship of Chartered Management status.

This achievement represents part of the glazing specialist’s continuous personal and business development programme, contributing to the company’s commitment to up-skilling its workforce.

Walter Howells, managing director at Howells, said: “As a family business trading in uncertain times, it’s really important that our managers have the right skills and knowledge, particularly those which allow them to get the best out of the teams that they manage. It’s never been more important to have professionally qualified managers.

“We are incredibly proud to have two chartered managers in our management team. With41 members of staff, this qualification will have real impact on employee development, business revenue and ultimately translates into better product quality, customer service and support.”

Ann Francke, CEO at CMI, said: “Raising the quality of management skills is essential to the wellbeing and productivity of the British workforce. Unqualified, accidental managers mean that four in ten of us rate our line managers as ineffective. Professionally trained managers such as Deborah and Tracey improve business performance and operations.”

Tracey Jackson is the first Champion Supporter of the Building Our Skills campaign, and both she and Deborah work with youngsters at schools and colleges across the West Midlands to raise awareness of career opportunities in the fenestration industry.