hasn't. We are proud that post-training, if a customer has any practical or implementation questions, we meet these needs.” The growth of Howe2 has matched the growing need in the market at large for a provider of support in a rapidly changing environment. Where once the team specialised in face-to-face training, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift to remote training which remains a key part of the business today. “I have found that within some learning disabilities services, mental health has been negatively affected on the back of COVID,” Mark tells us. “This has allowed me (Howe2) to work with more of these services to support them with their mental health training.” The pandemic also allowed for a larger reach than might otherwise have been possible thanks to remote training. “This allowed the business to work with more national care and support services as they can have multiple located staff to log on to the training rather than regions of staff travel to a training venue,” Mark explains. “However, the majority of providers have moved back to the room based face-to-face training.” The health and social care sector is one where there are unique challenges facing the industry. Retention of staff is a challenge throughout the UK, not just in the Midlands but it is one which Mark is determined to play a part in resolving. “A main issue for "the sector" is what can often be a "general" opinion of care and support staff as being "unqualified",” he says. “This always disgusts me as having spent years as a care worker (which I adored), it is both physically and mentally exhausting at times. There are some movements to get care workers (or other job titles) as a "registered profession" (similar to nurses) – I completely champion this as it certainly is a profession as carers do not do this for the financial reward.” Such awareness of what the healthcare sector faces is why so many people continue to turn to Howe2 for their training. They know that from Mark and his talented team, they can receive experience and a perspective which tallies with how they operate on a day to day level. For Mark, having experienced trainers who care as much as he does is essential. “I want trainers who have "fire in their belly" to deliver high level, motivational, and passionate training,” he explains with a smile. “I love the health and social care sector and unfortunately it is often only viewed negatively by the media and is certainly under-funded.” To this end, Mark has made it his mission to ensure that Howe2 has the highest possible chance of making a difference, and this has been achieved through tirelessly working with staff and clients to secure success. “All staff are recruited based on their experiences and locality to meet the needs of the customers,” he explains. “The recruitment is based heavily on experiences to convert into training alongside relevant qualifications. All trainers are heavily vetted and basically we don't have a large "bank" of them – more quality than quantity!” Looking ahead, Howe2 Training & Consultancy seems certain to continue growing, with future plans including work with more national providers and an appropriate increase in the training team. “There is a possibility of an e-learning platform being developed, however, at the moment this is in its very early stages,” Mark tell us. “Another aim is to develop the neurodiversity packages to be involved with various other sectors,” he says. “This enables them to consider neurodiverse conditions and how to meet those needs within the workplace.” With such exciting plans for the future, it’s little wonder that Howe2 has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. We can’t wait to see how Mark and his incredible team proceed to support this vital sector in the UK over the months to come. Company: Howe2 Training & Consultancy Ltd Contact: Mark Howe-Senior Website: www.howe2training.com Email: [email protected]
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==