As vice president of HR of Power Technique Service of Atlas Copco, Sofie Vergult’s responsibilities at the division in Wilrijk include coaching. The company stimulates knowledge sharing between employees, who act as each other’s coaches. To improve their skills, Sofie asked BrainTrain to deliver a ‘Train the Trainer’ course. ‘Bart’s approach has already produced results.’

Atlas Copco manufactures industrial tools, ranging from vacuum pumps to air compressors. So, there is a vast amount of expert knowledge in every division. ‘Employees share this knowledge with each other through internal presentations,’ Sofie says. ‘But extensive analysis showed that these were sometimes ineffective. Although the employees had the necessary technical know-how in terms of subject matter, they lacked the skills and confidence to communicate this properly.’

Clicked

To help resolve this issue, Sofie contacted BrainTrain. ‘A few colleagues and I had previously followed a couple of courses at BrainTrain, including on presentation skills. We were impressed. Firstly, because we felt that we clicked: Bart fits in with our company culture and is quick to identify needs. But he also dazzled us with his training delivery. He effortlessly combines theory with practical examples. To me, that is the best way to learn.’

Sofie: ‘During the intake interview, he even came up with potential solutions. He proposed a ‘Train the Trainer’ course, delivered over a two-day period. The sessions were an enriching experience. Bart uses music and pictures, responds to the participants’ questions, delivers his course with infectious enthusiasm and does this in flawless English. We noticed that he had prepared the course with great care and that he implements different learning methods.’

Optimised opportunities for growth

The participants were given homework to do after the session. ‘We had to prepare a training session ourselves based on what we had learnt. In a follow-up session, everybody received one hour of individual coaching, during which Bart gave tips and tricks for a better end result. This setup optimised opportunities for growth.’

The training course has already produced great results. ‘The difference with before is remarkable. Not only has the quality of the training improved immensely, employees now give more confident group presentations. They have left their trusty PowerPoint presentations behind and actually apply the techniques they have learnt. We were so satisfied that we have organised this training for middle management too. In short: in BrainTrain, we have found a reliable partner whom we can call on to help with future challenges.’

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