Aspiring future managers

Ongo has launched its Aspire programme for the sixth year, as part of their succession planning strategy to upskill their colleagues and create opportunities for future managers.

So far 36 Ongo colleagues have taken part in the programme, with 18 of those securing a management position upon completing the course.

The year long ILM accredited programme is aimed at those who would like to develop the skills to one day fulfil their ambition of being a manager.

This year 12 colleagues from different areas across the business including maintenance, tenancy services, finance, and community teams are part of the cohort.

Aspire workshops offer practical activities and job shadowing. All candidates are allocated a mentor and a bespoke action plan is created to set out their journey to management.

Yasmin Lockhart, Income Team Leader completed the course in 2017. When asked about her experience she said: “I am so glad I was accepted to do Aspire. It massively helped to develop my confidence and gave me the skills I needed to progress.

“Speaking to colleagues we feel very fortunate to work for an organisation that are willing to invest so much in developing their staff. My story is just one of many examples of how well it works.”

The course is delivered by Azesta who specialise in offering highly interactive, bespoke workshops, which have been specifically designed for Ongo.

Maureen Mathieson, Organisational Development Manager at Ongo said “We’re extremely proud of all of our fantastic colleagues that have taken part in Aspire and have helped to make it so successful over the last six years.

“Half of them are now in a management position, proving just how important it is for us to invest in training our future leaders and developing good employee retention and succession.

“We wish this year’s cohort the best of luck and can’t wait to see their development.”

Ongo prioritise the development of their workforce, providing financial support for professional qualifications, subscriptions and conferences each year, as well as a vast amount of internal training.

To find out more about Ongo, follow them on social media or head to: www.ongo.co.uk.