PUBLIC SECTOR - Arco

Case Study:Arco goes aboveand beyond forNew College NottinghamNew College Nottingham offers vocational trainingaimed to help learners gain work skills that areparticularly relevant to the local community andits economy. It is the biggest construction skillstraining college in the region and has stronglinks with local businesses to provide a ‘trainingthrough to employment’ service for its learners.Whilst looking to develop commercial partners in thecommunity, Arco was selected through the CrescentPurchasing Consortium (CPC) to provide the collegewith personal protective equipment (PPE), workwear andworkplace safety products. Steven Thompson, Head ofProject Realisation at New College Nottingham explained,“When looking for a partner to provide our workplace safetyFramework Agreement Number: 2011/875equipment and clothing we wanted a company that waslocal to us, had a good reputation and could provide expertadvice to our students. Arco, in particular its Nottinghambranch, fitted that description perfectly. Since entering thispartnership, the team at Arco have gone above and beyondour expectations to ensure our students and staff areadequately clothed and protected.”The relationship between Arco and New College Nottinghamgoes back 10 years, with Arco supplying the college withsafety footwear, protective clothing, high visibility garments,respiratory, eye, head and hearing protection, plus corporateclothing and uniforms for staff.“When looking for a partnerto provide our workplacesafety clothing andequipment we wanted acompany that had a goodreputation and couldprovide expert advice to ourstudents. Arco fitted thatdescription perfectly. Sinceentering this partnership,the team at Arco havegone above and beyondour expectations to ensureour students and staff areadequately clothed andprotected.”Steven Thompson,Head of Project Realisation atNew College NottinghamTo ensure that equipment, such as respiratory protection orgloves, are worn correctly, a member from the Arco teamprovides students with training sessions in how to maintainand use the equipment. Steven explained, “Many of ourstudents have come to college straight from school and arenot always receptive to safety advice. Having one of theArco experts come in and explain the importance of beingproperly protected has helped the message to really sink in.”Students in the 2012/13 academic year were also the firstto receive a new student induction kit – a tailored headto toe package of PPE to last them the duration of theircourse. During the induction period, each student wasrequired to visit the onsite Arco pop-up shop to be fittedfor PPE. Arco staff were on hand to help students try ondifferent sizes and types of equipment and advise on themost appropriate solution. An order was raised followingthe fittings and Arco prepared, packaged and deliveredeach tailored induction kit to the students. Consumableitems such as gloves and light respiratory protectionwere provided to the college to be replaced as and whenneeded. Steven commented, “Arco worked closely withNew College Nottingham students to provide a tailoredkit for each student and this has been a huge help to us.As a result the students are correctly fitting and operatingPPE, they look professional and it replicates what usuallyhappens in the working world.”Both Arco and New College Nottingham are members ofthe Nottinghamshire Construction Forum, a forum thatprovides a community network for local constructioncompanies where members can identify common interests,examine issues and take action on them. The ArcoNottingham branch has also participated in New CollegeNottingham’s charitable activities, providing students withPPE when re-laying pathway to a local church in late 2011with plans to participate in another joint project in 2013.Due to the success of the partnership with the ConstructionAcademy, the college has referred Arco to its STEMAcademy, including Biomedical and Animal Sciences, andalso the Hair and Beauty and Catering academies.11www.arco.co.uk12