Honeyman to open pharma training facility

Published: 25-Nov-2010

Will provide courses for technicians, engineers, process and equipment operators

UK-based Honeyman Group will open a pharmaceutical training facility in February 2011.

The Honeyman Pharmaceutical Training Academy in Barnard Castle, County Durham, claimed to be the first of its kind in the UK, will provide a simulated environment for practical hands-on workshop-based training courses for technicians, engineers, process and equipment operators.

Standing adjacent to the Honeyman Analytical Services Laboratory, the facility will house a quality critical utility infrastructure with pure steam generation and distribution plant, compressed air, multi cycle (porous and fluid loads) autoclave and a microbiology laboratory for associated practical sampling and analysis training.

Mark Thompson, Honeyman Group’s managing director, said: “The industry’s current mass of training providers all offer the same type of training: lecture-based seminars with a variety of guest lecturers, which usually conclude with the delegate being awarded a certificate of attendance.

“Our clients have told us that what they really want is practical, workshop based training that really impacts upon the delegate’s skills and knowledge and tests competency.”

To do this properly, Thompson says a real-life operational environment is needed, with industry standard equipment and tutors who are involved in current project work.

“Our brand new training academy will let us provide exactly that,” he said.

Coinciding with the opening of the Honeyman Training Academy, the Group is launching a range of training courses (see Events section of this website) and qualifications aimed at technicians, engineers and operators.

Delivered through a combination of classroom and practical sessions, the courses will adopt a ‘do’ rather than ‘listen’ approach to learning.

“Even the best lecturers would have to admit that it's much easier to explain how to set up and test an air detector while standing in front of an autoclave rather than in front of a white board or video screen,” said Gavin Ross, Honeyman Group’s operations director and principal lecturer.

“This is one of the main reasons why we're opening our new Training Academy – so that we can show delegates how, not just tell them how.”

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