Outward Bound Boosting Productivity and Leadership

As the Beachcomber departed Anakiwa on the 20^th of September full of new OB Alumni, it also marked the conclusion of this year’s Built Environment Trading Alliance (BETA) course.

As part of our partnership with BETA, we bring together the country’s most promising apprentices and put them through their paces in a custom 21-day course.

This year’s course involved 28 of these talented apprentices who were split into two Watches - Kupe and Batten.

According to recent findings from a study commissioned by BETA and carried out by The Skills Organisation, these Alumni will be taking back valuable new skills and behaviours to their workplace.

The research approach was to observe the behaviours of apprentices following their return to the workplace after attending Outward Bound. It involved surveys and interviews with apprentices and employers, including participants from up to six years ago. 

Just some of the positive attributes found in these surveyed apprentices included boosted productivity, improved leadership skills and increased organisational loyalty.

Additionally, the findings also highlighted apprentices returned better able to supervise teams, having developed a greater openness, maturity and an ability to manage conflict and diverse opinion more effectively. They were more comfortable in situations where they may have previously struggled, such as talking to new or difficult people.

Employers observed apprentices emerging from the programme with better goal setting skills, a willingness to take on responsibility and an increased tenacity and maturity.