Training and Healthcare Blogs
Meet our Managing Director and learn how CTR Care Training Ltd. was created
How did CTR Care Training Ltd come about?
Well I started as a carer, then I qualified and worked for several years as a mental health nurse. The opportunity came up to become a manual handling trainer to be able to teach my colleagues. Teaching is something I was drawn to, so I completed the course and became a manual handling trainer.
Alongside my nursing I then went on to setup my own manual handling training company. I was soon approached by a national first aid charity to come on board as a manual handling trainer / advisor, I chose to give up my business and join the charity. During my 4 years with the charity, I further developed my first aid and health and safety knowledge and qualifications. I was also a community first responder in my own time.
As much as I enjoyed teaching first aid and health and safety, care is my passion and I missed working in that environment. So, with my knowledge, experience and qualifications in health and social care, first aid, health and safety and mental health, I decided to open my own training company again and in 2012 CTR Care Training was founded, becoming Limited a few years later.
At first the company was just me, freelancing my services to other training providers. I would travel all over Wales and England wherever the work was. There was a lot of travel and long days. Then I had a couple of customers of my own that came through, so I was doing a mixture of my own training and freelancing. Over time that client base grew, mainly from word of mouth and recommendations, which was really heart warming to hear my company was being recommended.
Example testimonial:
"I just wanted to thank CTR Care Training for taking over our training at Partnership of Care Ltd. There has been a big increase in attendance since Craig has taken over the training. He has brought a professional approach with a personality that all staff can relate. He has been an inspiration and brought a new meaning of delivering our Health and Social Care training."
When COVID-19 hit, it put a big question mark over the company. Training stopped almost overnight, for months there was nothing. Then there was the odd booking, mainly virtual training given the circumstances. At the beginning of 2021, it really was make or break for the company, I had to decide whether to give the company my all or to call it a day. I am passionate about training and care and so much hard work had gone into developing my company that I just knew I had to give it my best shot.
So, I decided 2021 was going to be our year. I secured a contract for regular weekly health and social care training for a local care company. This along with my other regular customers, left me with little time to fit in other customers. To expand I needed more help. My wife then joined the company as Business Manager, dealing with accounting, administration, marketing and sales, to help further drive the company forward. We have since taken on a number of trainers to help with the workload coming in, ensuring the trainers recruited share our passion and values and have experience of working in care as well as all the qualifications needed to deliver.
And here we are today, 9 years down the road, we are now a small team of people working together to drive the company forward and ensuring we can provide quality and cost-effective training to businesses, both in care and other industries.
It is really important to us that the learners enjoy the course whilst they are learning. We are committed to ensuring our courses are Fun, Informative, Relevant and Engaging (FIRE). We are so grateful for the feedback we receive each week; it really is humbling.
Example feedback:
"Learning provider was great and fun, made the course enjoyable."
"Craig involved everyone and kept the course alive."
"Great training, very relaxed way of learning."
What is the best part of your day as a trainer?
The introductions! I love getting to know people and during the ice breakers and introductions you get to know a little about each other and find out some interesting facts about the group.
What is the worst part of your day as a trainer?
Mobile phones! I am all for mobile phones, I use my own a lot. But when on a course as a trainer you are trying to capture and keep the attention of the group, ensuring everyone is engaged. Having people on their phones is very off putting. In my classroom I set ground rules about mobile phones to try to avoid this. We all have people who rely on us, so I am happy for mobiles to be on quiet or vibrate and be available if an important call comes in students can answer it if necessary. However, having a phone in your hand and paying more attention to it than to the course is not ok.
What is your favourite course to teach?
My favourite course to teach is mental health, it is my passion, and it has stayed with me since my mental health nursing years. The course gets people thinking and you can almost see their minds opening up and a better understanding in their eyes after the course.
What is your least favourite course to teach?
Probably communication and record keeping. It is just a bit heavy, but we have created some activities and tasks to scatter throughout the course to ensure it is still as engaging as possible.
What is the best group you have trained?
There was a group of factory workers, and we just had a really good laugh throughout the course. It was a first aid course, and they were so motivated and enthusiastic, I got the wounds and makeup out and they were all keen to get involved. They even brought treats in for the group, a real team spirit.
Why do you like working in the care industry?
I like seeing the progression in people who are really unwell, as they transition to getting a little bit better. Even now when we are teaching, we know we are teaching the staff skills and knowledge that will improve someone's life and make their days just a little better.
What are top 3 benefits to running your own company?
1) Flexibility
2) Work / life balance
3) Freedom from office politics
What are your interests / hobbies outside of work?
I am a professional cake maker, I love making and decorating cakes. I have two young children who I love to spend time with. I am also a keen walker, you will often find me up the top of Penyfan mountain. I am currently training for my next challenge which is to climb Kilimanjaro (the highest free standing mountain in the world).
