Employee Ownership: The Esteem Journey

We are recounting Esteem Training’s transition to employee ownership, back in March 2022, to celebrate Employee Ownership Day. Esteem has always been proud of its close-knit team, some of our ‘Steemies’ have been with us for 10 years, or more and this culture of valuing, investing in and empowering our team bonded perfectly with becoming a 100% employee-owned business.

Where to begin?

Trudy Mackenzie, Esteem Training’s founder, started this company in Glasgow in 1986. Over the past 35 years we have worked in many sectors – always with a focus on training and development for SME’s. We have continued to grow the business and our team and today are proud to be a specialist Construction training company operating throughout the UK.

Where are we now?

Fast forward to the present day, the products we deliver are supportive, first-rate vocational training. We mentor construction and engineering sector supervisors/managers/leaders and guide them through senior-level industry qualifications, thus enhancing their career prospects. We also operate on a four-day working week since June 2020. There has been no reduction in salary, and we are proud to be a Living Wage and Disability Confident company, with our primary goals being devoted to diversity and inclusion.

We have a 92%+ candidate success rate with our long-term vocational training partnerships with various leading UK construction and civil engineering companies Cala Group, Bell Group, CCG Group, George Leslie Limited, and W M Donald Limited. All of this is possible through funding managed by Skills Development Scotland due to their Modern Apprenticeships framework. We want to share knowledge and support, going ‘above and beyond’ for our customers and this is reflected in every member of our team.

How did we get there?

Our former founder, Trudy Mackenzie, worked hard to develop what became a decade long succession plan, which had a strong focus on developing our core team, building a robust management structure and processes. Fast forward to 16 March 2022 and Esteem Training became 100% employee owned – with our Founder Trudy MacKenzie, Operations Director Martina Hofner and Finance Director Ian Grigg transferring their shares to the Esteem Training employee ownership Trust.

This was a proud moment in Esteem’s history – ensuring we protect our culture, and provide job security for our talented and committed team. Nowadays, founder Trudy chairs our Trust Board, as well as working as a consultant to the business.

How can you keep up with us?

We post about all our goings-on on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. You can keep up to date with our team events, our newest products and training programmes, and more on these platforms!

What is Employee Ownership Day?

Employee Ownership Day is celebrating its 11th year in raising awareness of the #EOeffect. The Employee Ownership Association (EOA) has spread the news on multiple social media to give companies their own platform to shout about how being employee-owned has changed their company. To read more about EO Day you can visit https://employeeownership.co.uk/eo-day-2023/