Paul Sharples Business solutions manager, Themis at Burnley College
@ThemisBurnley /company/themis-burnley
PLAYING A DEFENSIVE ROLE
Defence giant BAE Systems has implemented sweeping changes to protect production at its Lancashire military jet sites which it is preparing to maintain well into next year.
Around a quarter of the 10,000-strong workforce at its operations in Samlesbury and Warton are on site after a two-week shutdown in March to prepare. None were furloughed, with the rest operating from home.
Chris Boardman, group managing director for BAE Systems Air, said BAE Systems consulted with government to prioritise key projects, including its F-35 Lighting fighter jet production line.
Its Samlesbury plant has been operating a shift system with around 1,500 workers, compared with 5,000 normally. Warton has 600 on site, around a tenth of normal capacity.
Factory and office layouts have been altered and subjected to enhanced cleaning regimes with an induction process for returning staff.
Chris said: “It’s not easy and it’s not natural
but we have to work in a new way. We have had to be innovative.”
BAE Systems has provided those staff working at home with extra secure IT needed to carry out their jobs and is supporting them when it comes to issues such as schooling, caring responsibilities or the challenges of isolation and stress.
Looking ahead, Chris says the business is also keen to play its role in “helping repair” the social and economic damage being inflicted on the UK by the crisis.
He said the health and safety of workers had been paramount in its response to the crisis and the business had worked closely with the trade unions throughout the process.
And he added: “I am immensely proud of the response to the challenges.”
He also said the defence business was working closely to support and help its supply chain.
The company has also been using its 3D printers to supply thousands of face shields to hospital staff and care workers.
THRIVE THROUGH TRAINING!
We’ve developed a whole new language, thanks to Covid-19.
‘Lockdown’ used to be that final check before heading on holiday; ‘Social distancing’ seems as familiar as ‘two sugars, please’ and don’t get me started on epidemiology or being asymptomatic.
What’s been added to your business’s lexicon of lockdown? I’m sure online, digital, virtual and remote are right up there among the best.
Here at Themis at Burnley College we’re working online, holding virtual meetings, enhancing the region’s digital skills and creating online training sessions.
Everyone’s recognised the need for training/ upskilling while working remotely. We’ve had to learn new skills to do business: we’re all now experts on Zoom and Microsoft Teams, can network on our networks and operate enough digital devices simultaneously to launch a space shuttle.
We’ve ticked those boxes … but what about that next level of training? The professional training you need to upskill your workforce to not only adapt to, but thrive in, ‘the new normal’ using transformative tools created by Google and Autodesk; the vital skills and knowledge your business needs to safeguard the workplace of tomorrow and, of course, the additional professional qualifications which will enhance your team’s performance and dynamism.
At Themis we’ve been developing our range of popular online courses to reflect the changing needs of our customers – old and new. Our full list of online training courses targeted at business can be found at
burnley.ac.uk/online- learning – some courses are free, others start from just £10. Take a look as more courses are being added regularly due to demand.
Whatever your sector; whatever your specialism; whatever your training needs, talk to us at Themis – we speak your language.
Start the conversation about how you can tap into our expertise,
experience and forward-planning at Themis: call 01282 733005 or email
employer@themis.ac.uk
LANCASHIREBUSINESSVIEW.CO.UK
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