Developing leaders who deliver
The ultimate guide to ILM training
This guide explores how HWGTA’s ILM qualifications can help you build stronger leaders at every level of your organisation.
Why leadership development matters
If you run a business, you’ll know that finding and keeping the right people feels more complicated than ever.
You’re probably dealing with skills gaps that slow your growth, watching talented employees leave for opportunities elsewhere, and wondering how to get your teams working at their best.
You’re not alone. These challenges are hitting businesses across every sector.
The numbers tell a concerning story. According to the Open University’s latest Business Barometer¹, 62% of UK organisations are currently facing skills shortages.
The British Chambers of Commerce², meanwhile, found that only 41% of businesses have a staff training plan, but more than 50% of companies say they don’t have initiatives or skills programmes for specific talent pools. This number rises to 65% of SMEs with fewer than ten employees.
And when it comes to productivity, the UK continues to lag behind other major economies³, a challenge that better management could help solve.
Here’s what we know makes the difference: strong leadership.
When you invest in developing your managers, something shifts.
Your teams become more engaged. Decisions get made faster. And your people start pulling in the same direction.
Good leaders don’t just manage tasks. They inspire people, spot opportunities and build the kind of workplace culture that makes your talented people want to stay.
That’s why Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) qualifications have become the gold standard for leadership development in the UK. As the country’s leading awarding body for management training, the ILM has helped more than two million managers develop the skills they need to lead effectively. Its qualifications and training programmes are built on decades of research into what actually works in real workplaces.
At HWGTA, we’ve been delivering ILM programmes to employers of all sizes across Herefordshire and Worcestershire for years. As an employer-led training provider with over 50 years’ experience, we understand the specific challenges our local businesses face. Our board includes business leaders from across the region, which means our training stays relevant to what local employers actually need. We’re not just another training provider. We’re part of the local business community, invested in helping our region’s organisations thrive.
In this guide, we’ll explore how our ILM qualifications can help you build stronger leaders at every level of your organisation. You’ll discover the different programmes available, understand what’s involved in the training, and see how investing in developing your managers can drive real results for your business.
What is ILM and why does it matter?
The ILM has been shaping how the UK develops its leaders since the 1940s. Born from the Industrial Society’s vision of better workplace relationships, ILM became part of the City & Guilds Group in 2001. Its ethos is to offer comprehensive training and qualifications that combine practical workplace expertise with academic rigour.
Today, the ILM is the UK’s largest leadership and management awarding body, with qualifications recognised by employers worldwide. When you see ILM on someone’s CV, you know they’ve completed training that meets rigorous standards. These aren’t just certificates to hang on the wall. They’re Ofqual-regulated qualifications that carry real weight.
Over 70,000 people achieve ILM qualifications each year, and more than 2,500 approved centres deliver its programmes globally. From Birmingham to Beijing, employers recognise ILM as a mark of quality leadership development.
ILM’s focus on practical application is what sets its qualifications apart. Your learners don’t write essays about hypothetical scenarios. They tackle actual workplace projects, implement changes and measure the results. This means you see immediate benefits while they’re still studying.
Research consistently shows the impact. A recent ILM study⁴ found that nine out of ten learners said they were able to apply the leadership and management skills learnt through the ILM to their day-to-day job roles. And 88% of employers say their business was immediately positively impacted by ILM training programmes.
Perhaps most importantly, ILM qualifications grow with your people. Starting from your first-line supervisors right through to your senior executives, there’s a clear progression pathway. Your team members can see where their development leads, which helps with staff retention and succession planning.
The business case for investing in leadership training
When you look at your training budgets, leadership development might seem like something you’ll get to when things are less busy. But the link between good leadership and business performance is so strong that you can’t afford not to invest.
According to Gallup⁵, companies with highly engaged workforces are 23% more profitable than those with poor engagement.
What drives such engagement? Quality leadership.
In terms of productivity, the Productivity Institute⁶, a UK-wide research organisation dedicated to understanding and addressing the country’s longstanding productivity challenges, says that firms with better management practices are more productive and profitable. And as the average cost of replacing an employee⁷ can be as much as two-thirds of their annual salary, before you even factor in recruitment, training and lost productivity, the costs can be significant.
Poor management also comes with hidden costs you might not even track. Think about the time wasted in unclear meetings, projects that drift without direction and conflicts that simmer because nobody knows how to address them properly. The global Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that poor management costs UK businesses £84bn annually in lost productivity⁸. That’s money leaving your business every day through inefficiency and disengagement.
The evidence is clear. Better leaders keep better people. It’s that straightforward.
So, the question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in leadership training. Looking at these numbers, the real question is whether you can afford not to.
Every day without proper leadership development is a day your competitors might be pulling ahead.
Your managers are making decisions right now that affect your bottom line. Wouldn’t you rather they were making better ones?
Understanding ILM levels and pathways
ILM qualifications work on a clear level system that matches your people’s experience and responsibilities.
Starting at Level 2 for team leaders and reaching up to Level 7 for strategic leaders, each level builds naturally on the one before. You can start your people wherever makes sense for their current role and help them progress as they grow.
Level 2 suits people who are just stepping into leadership. Perhaps they’re coordinating a small team or taking on their first management responsibilities. They’ll learn the basics of motivating others, organising work and communicating effectively. Level 2 is perfect for team leaders, shift supervisors or anyone making that jump from doing the work to leading others who do it.
Levels 3 and 4 are where your first-line and middle managers really develop their skills. Level 3 focuses on operational management, getting your teams to deliver results day-to-day. Level 4 takes this further, developing managers who can handle budgets, implement strategy and manage change. If you’ve got supervisors, department heads or operations managers, these levels will give them the tools they need to thrive.
Level 5 develops senior managers and those stepping into strategic roles. Here, your managers learn to think beyond their own departments, understanding how to influence across the organisation and contribute to strategic planning. It’s ideal for those moving from middle to senior management, or experienced managers taking on broader responsibilities.
Levels 6 and 7 prepare your senior leaders and directors for the most significant challenges. Level 6 develops strategic thinking and organisational leadership, while Level 7, which is equivalent to a master’s degree, creates leaders who can shape your organisation’s future. These levels suit directors, senior executives and those preparing for board-level positions.
The different ILM levels offer flexibility. You don’t need to put everyone through the same programme. Your customer service supervisors might need Level 2, while your operations manager could start at Level 5. Some organisations create cohorts at specific levels, while others mix levels to encourage knowledge sharing across the entire leadership team.
The progression pathway also helps with succession planning. You can map out development journeys that prepare your people for their next roles, not just their current ones.
Skills and competencies developed through ILM training
When your managers complete ILM training, they don’t just learn theory. They develop practical skills they’ll use every day. The programmes focus on building competencies that make an immediate difference to how your teams perform and how your organisation runs.
Your managers will master communication techniques that actually get results, learning how to run meetings that don’t waste time, give feedback that improves performance and present ideas that get buy-in from stakeholders. They’ll develop structured approaches to decision-making, moving beyond gut instinct to make choices based on evidence and analysis.
People management is where you’ll see the most visible changes. Your managers will understand what actually motivates different team members (it’s not the same for everyone) and how to tap into those drivers. They’ll learn to delegate effectively, not just by dumping tasks, but by developing people through carefully chosen responsibilities. When conflicts arise, they’ll have the tools to address them before they poison team dynamics.
ILM training also helps develop strategic thinking as your managers progress through the levels. They’ll learn to see beyond their own departments, understanding how their decisions impact other teams and contribute to organisational goals. Planning will become more sophisticated, as they’ll be able to create actionable strategies. Your managers will start thinking like business owners, considering your competitive advantage, market position and long-term sustainability.
Perhaps most importantly, ILM training builds confidence and resilience. Leading people is tough, especially when you’re manging people of different ages or dealing with redundancies, restructures or rapid growth. ILM programmes help managers develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness, understanding their own reactions and how to manage stress constructively. They’ll build resilience through peer support and practical strategies for handling pressure.
Many managers tell us the confidence boost is transformational. They stop second-guessing every decision, stop avoiding difficult conversations and stop feeling like impostors. Instead, they’ll lead with authority earned through competence.
These aren’t soft skills. They’re the hard edge of competitive advantage.
When your managers can communicate clearly, motivate effectively, think strategically and lead with confidence, your entire organisation will perform better.
How ILM training benefits employers
When you invest in ILM training, the benefits ripple through your entire organisation. The most immediate change you’ll notice is in your managers themselves. They’ll handle challenges with more confidence, make better decisions under pressure and lead their teams with genuine authority. Instead of firefighting every crisis, they’ll anticipate problems and prevent them. Your senior team will spend less time managing managers and more time focusing on strategy and growth.
The impact on your wider workforce is equally powerful. Teams with ILM-trained managers report feeling more supported, clearer about expectations, and more confident in their leadership. When your managers improve, your entire workforce becomes more motivated and productive. You’ll see this in your retention figures, too. People don’t leave good managers, and ILM training creates the kind of leaders people want to work for.
You’ll also notice your organisation running more smoothly. ILM-trained managers understand how their decisions connect to business objectives, so there’s less friction between departments and clearer focus on what matters. They’ll stop working in silos and start collaborating towards shared goals.
There’s another benefit that’s harder to measure but equally valuable. Your reputation.
Word spreads when you invest properly in developing your people. You’ll find it easier to attract talent because ambitious professionals want to work for organisations that will develop their careers. Your customers and suppliers will notice the professionalism of your management team. You’ll become known as an employer that doesn’t just talk about valuing people, but actually invests in making them better.
How ILM training benefits employees
For your employees, ILM qualifications open doors. They’re nationally recognised certifications that carry weight throughout their careers.
When someone completes Level 5, they’re holding the equivalent of a foundation degree. Level 7 sits at master’s degree level. That’s proper professional recognition that looks impressive on LinkedIn and even better on a CV.
The transformation in confidence is something you’ll see immediately. Managers who previously dreaded presentations will suddenly volunteer to lead meetings. Those who avoided difficult conversations will handle them constructively. They’ll stop feeling like they’re winging it and start feeling properly equipped for their roles.
The skills your people develop through ILM aren’t locked to your industry, either. Whether they’re learning to manage budgets, implement change or develop strategy, these capabilities transfer anywhere.
This might sound like you’re training them to leave. But when people know they’re gaining valuable, portable skills, they’ll feel less trapped and more committed. They’ll stay because they choose to, not because they have to.
Beyond the professional development, ILM training delivers personal growth that extends outside the workplace. Many participants tell us they become better communicators at home, more confident in social situations and clearer about their own goals and values. The self-awareness and emotional intelligence they develop will help them in every aspect of life.
The motivation boost is remarkable. When people see you investing serious money in their development, they’ll understand that you value them. As a result, they’ll engage more deeply with their work, take more ownership of outcomes and start thinking longer-term about their contribution. They’re not just doing a job anymore. They’re building a career with your support.
ILM courses offered by HWGTA
At HWGTA, we deliver the full range of ILM qualifications to match your organisation’s needs. Our most popular programmes include Level 3 Awards and Certificates in Leadership and Management for your first-line managers and Level 5 qualifications for your middle and senior managers. We also offer Level 2 programmes for new supervisors, and a Level 3 award in coaching and mentoring for those overseeing apprentices, onboarding people in the workplace or mentoring new staff.
For a longer-term solution, we also offer a range of leadership and management apprenticeships to help those taking their first steps into leadership or advancing to senior management develop the skills to inspire people and drive success.
Every programme combines practical application with recognised qualifications. Your managers work on real projects in your organisation, applying their learning immediately while building towards their ILM certificate or diploma.
Our trainers aren’t just educators. They’re experienced managers and business leaders who understand the realities of running teams and departments in the real world. They’ve been where your managers are now, which means they can share what actually works, not just what the textbook says.
We know flexibility matters when you’re releasing staff for training. That’s why we offer different delivery options to suit your operational needs. You can choose traditional classroom sessions at our training centres in Hereford or Worcester, where your managers can focus away from their daily distractions. If you prefer blended learning, we can combine face-to-face workshops with online modules and workplace projects. Or, you can go fully workplace-based, with our trainers coming to your premises to deliver bespoke programmes.
Our local understanding is what really sets our approach apart. We’ve worked with Herefordshire and Worcestershire businesses for over 50 years, so we know your challenges aren’t the same as those of companies in London or Manchester. Our programmes include examples from local businesses, address regional economic factors and connect your managers with peers from
Why choose HWGTA for ILM training
As an employer-led organisation, we design our ILM programmes and apprenticeships around what local businesses need. Our board includes leaders from major regional employers, so we’re constantly updating our approach based on real workplace challenges. Being not-for-profit means every penny goes back into improving our training quality, facilities and learner support.
We don’t answer to shareholders. We answer to you.
Our track record speaks volumes. With over 50 years of delivering professional training across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, we’ve helped thousands of managers develop their careers. Our Outstanding Ofsted rating for our apprenticeship offering reflects the genuine quality of our training delivery, the expertise of our trainers and the results our learners achieve. When inspectors praised our ‘exceptional support for learners’, they were recognising what local employers have known for decades.
You’ll find our training centres in both Hereford and Worcester, equipped with everything needed for effective learning.
We also provide the wraparound support that makes your training stick. If you need to upskill your managers quickly, our skills bootcamps offer intensive, focused learning. If you want your own internal trainers, we deliver assessor and IQA awards. And if you’re interested in deeper workforce insights, we provide psychometric profiling to help your managers understand their strengths and development areas.
While we’re proudly rooted in our local business community, our ILM qualifications carry national and international recognition. We know the challenges of recruiting and retaining talented staff in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and exactly what skills your managers need to succeed here.
How to get started with ILM training
When you invest in ILM training, the benefits ripple through your entire organisation. The most immediate change you’ll notice is in your managers themselves. They’ll handle challenges with more confidence, make better decisions under pressure and lead their teams with genuine authority. Instead of firefighting every crisis, they’ll anticipate problems and prevent them. Your senior team will spend less time managing managers and more time focusing on strategy and growth.
The impact on your wider workforce is equally powerful. Teams with ILM-trained managers report feeling more supported, clearer about expectations, and more confident in their leadership. When your managers improve, your entire workforce becomes more motivated and productive. You’ll see this in your retention figures, too. People don’t leave good managers, and ILM training creates the kind of leaders people want to work for.
You’ll also notice your organisation running more smoothly. ILM-trained managers understand how their decisions connect to business objectives, so there’s less friction between departments and clearer focus on what matters. They’ll stop working in silos and start collaborating towards shared goals.
There’s another benefit that’s harder to measure but equally valuable. Your reputation.
Word spreads when you invest properly in developing your people. You’ll find it easier to attract talent because ambitious professionals want to work for organisations that will develop their careers. Your customers and suppliers will notice the professionalism of your management team. You’ll become known as an employer that doesn’t just talk about valuing people, but actually invests in making them better.
Conclusion
Investing in leadership development isn’t just about solving today’s management challenges. It’s about building the organisation you want to be. In a competitive market, where talented staff have choices about where to work, the quality of your leadership can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
Our ILM qualifications give your managers credible, practical skills that deliver immediate impact while building long-term capability. We’ve helped hundreds of regional organisations develop stronger leaders, improve performance and build sustainable success.
Your competitors are investing in their management capability. Your employees are looking for development opportunities. And your customers expect professional, well-run businesses and organisations. Our ILM training addresses all three challenges with one strategic investment.
Get in touch today to discuss the right ILM course for your organisation. Call 01432 377027 or email info@hwgta.org to learn more about our upcoming programmes and explore how we can help you build the leadership team your business deserves.
References
¹ The Open University – Business Barometer
² British Chambers of Commerce – People and Work Challenge Report
³ Office for National Statistics – Labour Productivity
⁴ ILM – The impact of ILM
⁵ Gallup – 3 Key Insights Into the Global Workplace
⁶ The Productivity Institute – Do managers matter?
⁷ Centric HR – What is the true cost of replacing an employee?
⁸ PoliticsHome – OECD: “Poor management costs UK business £84bn a year”